First, a caveat: I only stayed at LL for 3 days (3 nights that is) and I did not eat at their restaurant nor visit their sports lounge/beer bar, nor partake in any of the on-site talent (a perceived advantage LL has over other accommodations). This review will be solely based on LL's performance as a hotel.

 

Now, some background for those who dont know about Livingstone's already. They are up on soi 33, right near the Novotel Lotus, and are extremely popular on some corners of the internet (ISG) where they even have their own mongering forum. The concept seems simple: combine a smaller boutique hotel with an on-site beer bar, as well was a nice pool, friendly service, etc. The end result, however, from my own experience was an overpriced mess.

 

Following my previously successful Queen Vic review format, here it all is in pro's and cons.

 

Pro:

Reasonable location near soi cowboy if that's your thing, on my part of Sukhumvit, so its got that going for it, which is nice.

Theoretically good food, though I never partook.

No joiner fee, very accomidating to the mongering lifestyle

Big balconies, nice enough pool.

Staff speaks english fairly well.

Safe in room, as well as minibar (stocked), toiletries, etc.

Interesting decore, very british colonial jungleish. Almost expect to see someone walking around with a pith helmet and an elephant gun.

Some rooms have jacuzzi's of varying sizes.

 

Con:

Seriously overpriced, with a deluxe (just mid-range) room running in excess of 2200 baht a night.

Tub sized jacuzzi in room posed a SERIOUS health risk, as turning it on resulted in a torrent of algae, green and black gook, etc. Lovely way to contract bacterial meningitis.

No shower curtain above tub, so if you wanted to use the actual shower prepare for your floor to get soaked.

Not that a shower curtain would help, as the tub leaked. Running the water resulted in a small river running from the outside of the tub to the drain in the floor of the bathroom on the other side of the room. Gross.

Bugs in the room, not alot, but enough to be annoying.

Smallish room for the cash.

Internet was extremely unreliable, and did not work for my last two days.

Laundry service was outrageously expensive. Wanted 120 baht to launder (not dry clean) one t-shirt. I had over 16 items done for about this much total at the queen vic.

Staff refused to help me get a cab to the airport at 6 in the morning. When I asked they just told me to walk down the soi to sukhumvit and find my own. I realize this was certainly an option of mine, but any serious hotel would arrange for transportation via taxi at your request, certainly after you just paid for 3 nights accommodation.

AC worked, but was loud, and would randomly turn itself off in the middle of the night making you wake up drenched in sweat and searching for the AC remote.

 

In Conclusion:

For the money there are far far far better places to stay in the greater sukhumvit area. Dream Hotel for one, Citichic (as the boys seemed happy with that one), etc etc etc. I walked into Dynasty Inn Grande where BigChris was staying and it looked gorgeous, and he was paying about the same as me.

What we have here is a case of overestimating ones self-worth. LL is not a BAD place per se, it is just not worth what it charges. At half its price it would be a bargain, and about 1000 baht less a night would justify all its problems. Instead they are charging big hotel price for small lodge service. No go.

My recommendation: Avoid.

Good summary. I was thinking about staying there for awhile now. I would like to spend more time on soi 33 and thought staying there would help me investigate the soi more. I still may stay here but will not book a room and just walk in for a night and if I have the same problems will move out the next day. Thanks for the info.

Thanks for the review, I always stay at the Grande and I'm really happy with it.

I stayed at Livingstone in '06 my first time in Bangkok, i found it very relaxing being that i was a newbie there, the staff was very accommodating including there manager who give me his tips on nice massage places and soi cowboy and NaNa.... the room i stayed in was very nice cant recall the price but it included breakfast and free wireless which i didn't have problems working.. there steak at there restaurant was great and i had a very nice time the first 2 nights there at there bar.. there bar fine was higher than NANA or soi cowboy but they have some very nice looking ladies in there.. i personally think its a great place for a newbie even though on my 2nd trip to Bangkok in '07 i stayed there again but didn't bar fine any of the girls there since i was mostly in the nana area having fun, as stated above they do have a following on another board so they have there regulars like Secrets have theres

"Seriously overpriced"

 

Thanks for the heads-up. All I really needed to know!

 

Amenities are nice, but geeze, it's just a bed in the end. I'd rather keep the extra cash.

thanks for the report, I believe the cost made me cancel

any thoughts of ever staying there...although not on a budget, many

great places cheaper than that price.

 

 

thanks

 

 

aki