Chon Inter Hotel

What People are saying

Comfortable room but missing that something extra.

Alikendrick on 04/11/2017 04:03

Had to spend a night in Chonburi and the Chon Inter looked good with Booking.Com.
On checking in, be aware that the city of Chonburi is not a foreign tourist area and the hotel's reception staff have limited English, (I wanted to pay cash after they deducted the fee from my card and had difficulty explaining).
The room was a nice size and clean with the bathroom having a bath and nice strong shower.
The old CRT TV only had a couple of English speaking channels.
The fridge was stocked with basics but the prices were excessive..250 Baht for a small Singha beer which have seals so you could not have a beer and replace it from the local 7/11.
I ate out so am unable to comment on the dining but noticed that Breakfast was about 350 Baht,
After a good and comfortable sleep with the Air-Con ticking over and under the blanket I awoke refreshed. I then looked for the kettle and tea making facilities listed in the description but they did not exist, there was, however the complementary water to drink.
I showered and went to the gym for a work out before checking out and at reception the concierge had to unlock the room. The gym was again large enough with an array of basic machines but the running machines were unplugged and the sauna room switched off. I also noticed the price list on the wall saying Sauna and Spa 90 Baht so was preparing for an argument on checking out.
On checking out everything was fine and all the staff very pleasant.

The superior room is very comfortable with everything I need, the standard less rewarding.

CameronSouthAfricafI on 04/09/2017 23:58

I absolutely freaked out the kitchen staff when I proeeded to order a plate of fries and a massaman curry and then mix them. The staff absolutely graciously presented them and I have absolutely no regrets it tasted fabulous. The ice cream was also remarkably good at their 'Terrace Cafe'. Not what I expected to find!

Virginia P in a searate review had some comments which were very fair but probably not a huge problem for a short to medium stay. For a very long stay the lack of a pool may be irritating etc.

A pleasant enough stay - In an industrial Location

PRMandWEN on 06/04/2017 05:30

Stayed 17 nights 27-Feb to 15-Mar

Let me start off by pointing out that the city of Chon Buri is not somewhere that tourists, either Thai or non-Thai, go. It’s an industrial area and the only westerners you will see are either there on business or for medical treatment at one of the private hospitals. To highlight this, during our 2.5 weeks there we only came across one other westerner outside the hotel (who was teaching English at a local school) and regularly had children point at us and whisper “farang” to their parents. The level of English spoken around town was quite poor but armed with some patience and a smile it wasn’t too difficult finding your way around. Learning just a few simple Thai words and phrases goes a long way and the Thai people are very friendly. We also found Google translate quite useful at times.

The Chon Inter is essentially the only international standard hotel in the city and whilst the level of English spoken by many hotel staff was not great we found them all to be very friendly and willing to help. We stayed in a deluxe room and due to the length of the stay enjoyed complimentary breakfast, internet and access to a DVD library. The breakfast ran from 06:00 to 10:00 and included a substantial array of Thai and western style foods. There was definitely no risk of going hungry. I would rate the hotel at about 3.5 stars. The rooms were clean and functional and the lobby area had a nice ambiance, with a baby grand piano that was played on Friday and Saturday evenings accompanied by a cello. The laundry service was also reasonably priced. Our only criticisms would be that there was no pool (a must in the late afternoon after a hot day) and the in-house Chinese Restaurant “Foo How” was very overpriced and the food, at best, average.

When venturing out Google maps could be very useful finding your bearings or when explaining to someone where you wanted to go. We found that if the driver couldn’t read a map then showing them a photo of what the destination looked like worked every time. As the major hotel in town, everyone knew the location so there was never any problem getting back at the end of the day.

Outside the front of the hotel, on Sukhumvit Road, there are some local restaurants which were very good and quite popular. A little further down the road is a 7/11 for any day to day supplies (in Thailand the prices at a 7/11 are the same if not better than the Supermarket) and a travel agency “A.T. Chonburi Tour Co” which we used to organise a car and driver for a day of sightseeing. On the other side of the road there is a “Swensen’s” ice cream parlour and a “Pizza Company” restaurant for when you want a break from Thai food. The night market which offers fantastic street food 7 days per week is a 20 minute walk or a 10 minute combination of walk and songthaew (or baht bus) away.

The hotel operates a private car service to places around town for THB 200 each way which is convenient and on a par with what the local taxis charge. Taxis are not plentiful in Chon Buri and we found them unwilling to take you on the meter. The songthaews on the other hand were a quick and convenient way of getting around the major areas and we found the drivers to be honest regarding the fare and helpful with where we needed to get off. To escape Chon Buri for a day, Bang Saen Beach is easily reached as it is the end of the journey for the red songthaews heading south.
There are some shopping centres close by that are very Thai and a large modern centre “Central Plaza” which is easily reached by the hotel car or songthaew. The top floor of “Central Plaza” is dedicated to restaurants (many of which are Japanese) and a cinema complex where one of the movies will be in English with Thai sub-titles. Do yourself a favour and try “Sofa Class”.

We wouldn’t recommend the city of Chon Buri as a tourist destination, but if you are heading there for business or for medical treatment (we were there supporting our daughter who was having surgery) then the Chon Inter is a pleasant enough place to stay with friendly staff and will more than adequately meet your requirements.

Everything is *just* below average....

Virginia P on 08/03/2017 07:00

I recently stayed at the Chon Inter for 3 weeks. My company often puts me up in hotels for long-stay accommodation, but this is the first time I've been compelled to write a review.

It's hard to separate the average-ness of the Chon Inter hotel from the absolutely dire location of Chonburi.

It's not that the Chon Inter is *that* bad.... it's just that everything seems to be just 'off', and when that all gets compounded, it's just exceedingly frustrating. Nothing is really a deal-breaker, but imagine all this, day in and day out....For example:
- freezing aircon, even when on warmest setting with lowest fan
- piped-in muzak in the corridors that is so loud, you can hear it in your room, unless the aircon is on for white noise
- like 3 English channels on TV, one of which is Fox News (UGH)
- no tea kettle or any other self-catering
- ants and other random beasties on the breakfast buffet
- very few non-meat options on breakfast buffet, oily eggs, dry bread, weak coffee
- toilet barely flushes
- it takes 6-7 minutes for the shower to heat up (I timed it)
- paperthin walls so you can hear everything your neighbours are doing.
- no plugs near the bed, so it's rather inconvenient for phone charging / laptop work
- the WORST Wifi in SE Asia
- no pool
- workout room available, but it's an extra charge

The hotel is in a weird location, right next to a massive 4 lane road that is full of traffic. Chonburi is an awful, dirty, industrial area, with very little to see or do - this means that you can't really escape the hotel to check out a local scene (as there isn't one). The Chon Inter is a popular choice for people who have come to Thailand for reassignment surgery, and I absolutely loved chatting with these incredibly brave people from around the world. It certainly made my stay a lot more interesting.

There is a Pizza Company and a Boots within easy walking distance, but the 7-11s are miles away (surprising for Thailand!). To escape to Bangkok, cross the road to the Eastern Hotel (only 67 baht to Ekkemai, bus leaves every hour on the hour). There is a Central mall in Chonburi, but it costs 150 baht by taxi one way.

When you're freezing in the room, with Fox News on to cover up the muzak and the neighbours having a chat, without even a cup of tea, you'll think about this review...

OK for a night.

Steven F on 08/01/2017 06:14

There isn't a great choice in Chon Buri itself. The hotel is up a scruffy side street. But the it and it's facilities are far better than the surroundings. I checked in and explained I'd like a quiet room. After being assured this would be the case I was shown to a room along a corridor next to the bar. I went to reception and told them I wanted to change and was given a room next to the lift. Which again I didn't want. The receptionist was very nice and eventually I got the room I required. It's your standard modern hotel room, good size bathroom and a comfy bed. You have to pay for wifi and the complimentary tea and coffee is no longer provided. They were kind enough to find a secure location for my bicycle, and I got an excellent nights sleep. The hotel is popular with Westerners who are receiving cosmetic treatment at the towns hospital. The lobby has a pianist and the restaurant seemed popular.