Wish Inn Chidlom — Bangkok's cheapest sleep on Soi Ratchadamri 2, five minutes from BTS Chit Lom and a short walk to luxury mall territory
Wish Inn Chidlom is the answer for travellers who want a Chidlom address without paying Chidlom prices — a converted older building tucked into Soi Ratchadamri 2 (also known as Soi Bangkok Bazaar), roughly a five-minute walk from BTS Chit Lom and a short stroll from CentralWorld and Gaysorn Village. Every room includes air conditioning, free WiFi, a private bathroom, a flat-screen TV, a fridge and a kettle. There is no pool, no breakfast service and no full lobby — but there is no guesthouse in this neighbourhood that charges less per night. Prices start from approx. THB 500–1,200/night depending on room type and season. The property holds a score of 6.4/10 from 75 reviews, which reflects the picture honestly: the location is exceptional for the price, but room condition and maintenance are inconsistent and should not be compared with mid-range or above.
Soi Ratchadamri 2 — still called Soi Bangkok Bazaar by some locals — is a narrow lane wedged between the luxury hotel corridor of Ratchadamri Road and the Pratunam wholesale district behind it. Wish Inn Chidlom occupies a building that has clearly seen previous lives, and the room condition reflects that age. What it cannot be argued with is the walk to BTS Chit Lom in roughly five minutes and onward to CentralWorld in a few more — no other accommodation in this neighbourhood charges a comparable per-night rate for that access. The property is managed by the GO INN brand, a budget operator running several similar apartment-style guesthouses across Bangkok.
Room categories run from a compact Standard Studio with a single or small double bed, up through a Twin Room for two travellers sharing and a Deluxe King Studio with a slightly larger footprint. A One-Bedroom Apartment configuration is also available, offering a separate bedroom and a small kitchenette area. All units include a flat-screen TV, AC, free WiFi, a fridge, a kettle, a desk and a private bathroom with a bath-shower combination. Guest reviews split noticeably by room luck: those who received a recently refreshed unit describe clean linen, a comfortable mattress and fully functional AC; those who landed in older stock report dim lighting, dated fixtures and — in a minority of cases — mould near the AC unit or in the bathroom.
"Location is brilliant for the price — walked to CentralWorld every day, BTS Chit Lom in five minutes. WiFi was solid. The room itself was showing its age but I was barely in it."
The neighbourhood context is the property's real selling point. Exit the soi, turn towards Ratchadamri Road and BTS Chit Lom is a five-minute walk along the footpath — putting you on the Green Line Sukhumvit corridor to Siam, Asok and the wider network. In the opposite direction, CentralWorld and Gaysorn Village are reachable on foot in seven to ten minutes, Central Chidlom in around eight and Central Embassy in roughly the same. A 7-Eleven convenience store operates at the mouth of the soi, and several street-food stalls and a small café sit nearby. For anyone whose trip centres on the Ratchaprasong–Siam shopping belt, this location-to-price ratio is difficult to find elsewhere.
The most consistently praised feature across Booking.com and Agoda reviews is the WiFi speed and reliability — an important detail for remote workers or travellers managing bookings on the go. The keybox self check-in system appeals to guests arriving on late-night flights, as there is no reception desk to find. The downside of that system: a subset of reviews reports access codes that did not work on arrival and a wait for the WhatsApp-based support team to resolve the issue. When staff respond, they generally do so quickly — but it adds friction that would not exist with front-desk coverage. The honest summary of the stay experience is transactional: a cheap bed in a prime location, not a hotel experience.
The honest weaknesses are worth spelling out clearly. The lift is unreliable — a recurring theme in negative reviews, with guests describing stairs as the only option while carrying heavy luggage, sometimes to upper floors. Several reviews from different periods mention mould above the AC unit or in the bathroom, a chlorine smell masking damp rather than resolving it, and shower curtains or bathtub stoppers that were missing or broken. Street noise and noise from other units disturbs lighter sleepers, particularly in rooms on lower floors. Electrical outlets near the bed are limited; packing a short extension lead is genuinely useful. There is no breakfast, no pool, no parking and no lobby in the traditional sense.
Prices for a Standard Studio start from approx. THB 500–800/night in the low season. The Twin and Deluxe King run roughly THB 700–1,000 and the One-Bedroom Apartment reaches THB 1,000–1,300 during peak periods (November through February). Compared to the broader Chidlom hotel market, Wish Inn sits at a price point two to five times lower than the nearest 3-star alternatives — an unusual position in a corridor otherwise dominated by 4- and 5-star properties. The right framing: if a Chidlom postcode within walking distance of BTS at under THB 1,000/night is what you need, Wish Inn is close to the only option. If room quality consistency matters, the next tier up — Nantra Ploenchit or Golden House BTS Chidlom — offers meaningfully better predictability for a modest premium.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Location punches well above the price — BTS Chit Lom in 5 minutes, CentralWorld and Gaysorn on foot
- ✓ WiFi praised repeatedly as fast and stable — genuinely useful for work or managing bookings
- ✓ Rooms that were recently cleaned or refurbished: comfortable mattress, functional AC, clean linen
- ✓ 7-Eleven and street-food stalls directly in the same soi keep daily costs low
- ! Lift unreliable — multiple reviews describe stairs with heavy luggage, sometimes to upper floors
- ! Some rooms showed mould above the AC, damp bathroom odour, broken fixtures
- ! Keybox access codes occasionally fail on arrival; WhatsApp support eventually resolves it but adds frustrating delay
- ✓ Unbeatable price for the Chidlom location — makes it the default choice for budget-first travellers in this part of Bangkok
- ✓ Walking distance to Ratchaprasong shopping district and mall strip without needing a taxi or BTS ride
- ✓ Well-maintained rooms (luck of the draw): soft bedding, cold AC, fast WiFi — positive reviews from guests who received good allocations
- ! Room quality is inconsistent — some units are fine, others visibly neglected and showing maintenance issues
- ! Street noise and noise from neighbouring units can disturb sleep, particularly in lower-floor rooms
- ! Very basic facilities: no pool, no breakfast, no bar — purely a place to sleep cheaply in a good location
- 💡If a consistently clean, modern bathroom is non-negotiable — Wish Inn Chidlom is not the safest bet. Bathroom condition varies widely between rooms; some show mould and worn fittings. Golden House BTS Chidlom or Nantra Ploenchit offer more predictable quality at a modest premium.
- 💡If you are travelling with large luggage or have mobility concerns — the lift fails regularly enough that reviews treat stairs as the backup plan. Ask for a low floor when booking, or choose a property where the lift situation is more dependable.
- 💡If your budget stretches to THB 1,500–2,000/night — Grande Centre Point Ploenchit or Nantra Ploenchit will deliver meaningfully better room condition, consistent housekeeping and proper lobby service in a very similar location. Compare before committing to the lowest tier.