TARNTAWAN PLACE APARTMENTS
BOUTIQUE ACCOMODATIONS IN THE MIDDLE OF BANGKOK
By Alan S. Brown
For visitors to Bangkok who are feeling a bit forlorn now that the venerable Tarntawan Place Hotel is no more, right around the corner, at the intersection of Surawong Road and Soi Tarntawan are the Tarntawan Place Apartments. Lukas, the former manager of the aforementioned hotel has also been running the Tarntawan Place Apartments for about ten years. The rooms and lobby have been renovated and spiffed up and many of the hotel’s former guests have already found their way to their new Bangkok oasis. Tarntawan Place Apartments still caters to a mostly gay clientele and offers daily and long term accommodations.
The light, spacious apartments are comfortable and well appointed. Each unit has the amenities you would expect such as satellite TV with a plethora of channels, in room safe, toiletries, free wifi and coffee and tea making facilities. In addition to the room being stocked with staples, continental breakfast delivered to the room is included in the short term rate. There is great attention to detail. Anything that is used is promptly replenished by the conscientious staff. By the way, a good number of staff from the former hotel has now come along with many of the customers to the Tarntawan Place Apartments. There is a Laundromat in the building; or, you can have your laundry picked up and returned the same day. All bedrooms that face Surawong Road have double glazed windows to keep out street noise. In addition, the windows have blackout curtains so you can comfortably sleep any time.
Many of the touches that long time guests have become used to are still offered at Tarntawan Place Apartments. For example, there is no hassle or 
joiner fee for your new friend. Security still collects your friend’s ID card and will ring your room to make sure all is OK when he leaves. If you want to swim or work out, you can get discounted admission to the nearby Clark Hatch Fitness Center.
The rooms at Tarntawan Place Apartments are actually larger than the rooms in the old hotel. There are three types of accommodations, available for short and long staying guests. The studio has an easy chair, a fully equipped kitchen and a dining table with four chairs. The one bedroom corner apartment features a living room/kitchen combination with sofa, easy chair, coffee table, dining room table, etc. You can even enjoy watching the sunset over Surawong Road. The one bedroom grand apartment has a separate living room/dining room combination, as well as, a kitchen and bedroom. All bedrooms contain an ensuite tiled bathroom. There are weekly discounts for stays of two weeks and more. In addition to the aforementioned rooms, there are rooms on the lower floors catering mostly to Thai guests.
Tarntawan Place Apartments offers room service until 1 am (from Dick’s Café); and, of course, you can order food from one of the multitude of restaurants and shops in the busy neighborhood. The apartments are conveniently located within a short walk to the gay entertainment centers of Silom and Surawong (Soi ‘Twilight’), the Patpong Night Market, the skytrain and the MRT. The rooms are set up with your Thai friend in mind. They’re very convenient for eating in, whether you want to cook or bring in various delicacies from the many street vendors steps away from the door. There’s even a 7/Eleven in the building. The rooms were designed to please the tastes of Thai people, as well as, farangs.
In the near future, Lukas is planning to open a coffee corner, where breakfast will be served; and a bar to afford the opportunity for guests to socialize. The Tarntawan Place Apartments certainly offer a comfortable environment for a mostly gay clientele. Do drop by and say hello the next time you’re in Bangkok. Better yet, book a room or suite there.
TARNTAWAN PLACE APARTMENTS
121-129 Thanon Surawong, Khwaeng Suriya Wong,
Khet Bang Rak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10500, Thailand
Phone:+662 6340074 +6684 6493522
Web: www.tarntawanapartments.com email: apartments@tarntawan.com