At the time, I had a worse impression of the Lebua at State Tower hotel than I do now, looking back on my entire stay.

I was expecting the iconic luxury hotel featured in the film * * – * The Hangover Part II*.

I was given a huge, comfortable, but slightly outdated suite. On top of that, there were a few unpleasantly musty areas, a good breakfast, a magnificent view and a cocktail for the price of which I could have had nearly four elsewhere.

But the night’s stay, including breakfast, cost us 3 800 thb. And in hindsight, at that price, the Lebua started to look completely different. Better.

Check prices at the Lebua Hotel

We’d been wanting to try the hotel from The Hangover Part II for a long time

My girlfriend had had the Lebua at State Tower hotel bookmarked for ages. Mainly because of the iconic scenes from the film ‘The Hangover Part II’ and the rooftop Sky Bar.

We love bars. If you’ve read any of our other articles, you’ve probably already noticed that. Take, for example, the article about our tour of the top 5 bars in Mexico City.

We’d wanted to stay at the Lebua during our previous visit to Bangkok. But at the time, the price was over12 500 thb s a night, which I thought was a bit steep. In the end, we opted for the Pullman Bangkok Hotel G, which was about a third of the price.

Another opportunity arose during a one-day stopover in Bangkok on our way to Hong Kong. Once again, the main focus of the trip was the bars, including Bar Leone, which had been named number one in The World’s 50 Best Bars ranking.

This time, the Lebua was listed on Booking for just 3 800 thbper room including breakfast. The usual rate here is more around 5 700 thb, so I didn’t think twice this time.

I booked my stay in the usual way via Booking.com.

Price: the difference between 12,500 and 3,800 baht changes everything

Lebua at State Tower is a hotel that is very difficult to rate without knowing the specific price.

For more than 12 500 thb , I would have expected true luxury, more modern rooms and a flawless experience in all the communal areas. I didn’t get that at Lebua.

However, for 3 800 thb including breakfast, I got a huge suite with a kitchenette, a balcony, a river view, a very good breakfast, a swimming pool and a gym.

For this price, I think Lebua is an excellent deal.

• 👉 Compare current prices for Lebua at State Tower

From BKK Airport to Lebua: a taxi for 600 thb

We flew to Bangkok via Doha in Qatar Airways economy class. I describe the full experience of both flights in a separate review of Qatar Airways Economy.

This time, we spent nearly an hour at immigration at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The Lebua isn’t located directly on any route leading from the airport. We’d have had to change trains several times on the metro and walk the last bit, which we didn’t fancy doing with our suitcases.

Grab showed a waiting time of around 20 minutes, whilst there was no queue for the regular taxis. So we took a taxi.

The journey to the hotel cost us 600 thb, which I thought was quite a lot. We describe all the cheaper options in our guide to transport from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.

First impressions? To be honest, it was rather a let-down

The journey itself went really well.

The porter took our luggage straight from the taxi and, upon arrival, we were served a nice non-alcoholic welcome drink. The main lobby is lovely and lives up to what I’d expect from a hotel of this category.

Things were less impressive in the rest of the spacious ground floor.

Some of the huge corridors and communal areas looked dreary, outdated and, in places, had an unpleasant musty smell. It wasn’t exactly the first impression I’d expect from one of Bangkok’s most famous hotels.

Fortunately, the floors with the rooms looked considerably better. They were clean, pleasant and free of any odours.

More like a flat than a hotel room

Lebua is an all-suite hotel, so each room is more like a small flat than a traditional hotel room.

The space is divided into a kitchenette, a living area, a separate bedroom, a bathroom and a balcony.

My first reaction on arrival was, however, quite simple: “Meh”.

The room wasn’t bad or run-down. It just didn’t strike me as particularly luxurious. The furniture, colours and some of the materials look a bit dated and, in places, even a bit cheap.

The expectations created by the film, the famous address and the monumental building were simply higher than reality.

But...

A standard kitchenette with a large fridge

Then I started to notice the practical aspects.

The kitchenette isn’t just a token little corner with an electric kettle. Here you’ll find:

• a large fridge
• a microwave
• a sink
• a hob
• worktop

During our one-day stay, we didn’t use the kitchen, of course. For a longer stay, however, it could be one of the main reasons for choosing Lebuu.

It’s also handy when travelling with children. You can store a larger shop, heat up food or prepare something simple right in your room.

A dark living room and a very light bedroom

Next to the kitchen is a separate living room.

It’s spacious, but also quite dark. I didn’t really feel like spending much time there, and we spent most of our time in the bedroom or on the balcony anyway.

The bedroom itself is the complete opposite. It is bright, airy and, thanks to the large windows, feels much more pleasant.

I was also pleased with the exceptionally large desk. If you work whilst travelling, you’ll have plenty of space for your laptop, chargers and other bits and pieces.

Next to the desk, we also found a capsule coffee machine and a minibar stocked with a few soft drinks.

A spacious and functional bathroom

We were also pleased with the large bathroom, which featured a standard toilet, a washbasin stocked with soaps, creams and other toiletries, and a standard bath.

Functional and clean, though the door wasn’t as soundproof as I’d have liked.

But that’s not really a big problem.

What was in the room?

Here’s the detailed inventory I promised, for anyone who needs to know – even down to whether the hotel provides slippers or a toothbrush – before booking.

In our room, we had:

• a capsule coffee machine
• a minibar
• a large fridge
• a microwave
• hob and sink
• safe
• slippers
• a paid laundry service

On the other hand, we didn’t find an iron or an ironing board in the room.

The balcony and the view are among Lebuy’s biggest advantages

Each flat also has its own balcony.

The view depends on the orientation of the specific room, but from ours we could see both Bangkok and the Chao Phraya River. It was the balcony that significantly enhanced our overall impression of the room.

During the day, you can watch the dense urban landscape and the traffic on the river. In the evening, the whole panorama lights up.

If you’re booking Lebuu for the views, it’s worth checking the orientation of the room when making your choice. In my opinion, the view towards the river is more interesting than a purely urban panorama.

Sky Bar: this is exactly why we wanted to come here

Shortly after checking in, we headed straight for the main reason we’d come to the hotel.

The Sky Bar is situated high up near the top of the State Tower and is one of Bangkok’s most famous rooftop bars. It was here, and at the neighbouring Sirocco restaurant, that the famous scenes from the film * The Hangover Part II* were filmed.

And I have to admit that this part of the hotel really does look monumental.

The bar is entirely open-air, and the bar itself stands on the protruding tip of the building. Virtually the whole of Bangkok spreads out below you, and the striking golden dome lends the place a sense of uniqueness.

What’s more, during our visit, a huge storm cloud formed over the city.

Watching the approaching storm from such a height was truly monumental – and almost frighteningly beautiful.

Then, however, we opened the drinks menu.

A cocktail for 1 400 thb

I knew the Sky Bar would be expensive. I’d reckoned we’d be paying for the famous name, its cinematic history and one of the best views in Bangkok.

Even so, the price of around 1 400 thb for a single cocktail took my breath away.

That’s roughly three to four times the price of cocktails in many bars featured in The World’s 50 Best Bars list.

We each had one drink. I wanted to find out whether, apart from the view, we’d also get a truly exceptional cocktail.

The drink was good. However, it certainly wasn’t original or sophisticated enough for its flavour alone to justify such an exorbitant price.

You’re mainly paying for the location.

And the venue is truly impressive. But to be honest, I wouldn’t come back here a second time just for the ‘ 1 400 thb ’.

In the end, a storm drove us from the open-air terrace into the indoor bar, where we finished our cocktails.

The evening at the Opium bar showed just how expensive the Sky Bar really is

Later, we headed to the Opium bar in Chinatown, which also made it onto The World’s 50 Best Bars list.

And the comparison with Lebue didn’t help much.

Opium has a brilliant, very distinctive atmosphere, original cocktails and an interesting location in an old house right in the heart of Chinatown. And we paid about a third of what we paid at the Sky Bar for our drinks.

Sky Bar wins on the strength of its views and grandeur. For me, Opium was the clear winner in terms of the cocktails themselves, the atmosphere and the value for money.

We describe the other venues we tried in Bangkok in the article ‘Where we ate and drank in Bangkok’.

Breakfast: a 1990s vibe, with a very good selection

Breakfast was waiting for us in the hotel restaurant that morning.

At first glance, the space once again gave me a slight sense of the nineties. The interior isn’t modern or designer, but I don’t really have anything major against it.

The breakfast itself was varied and tasty.

At the buffet, we found:

• a grill
• a station with eggs cooked to order
• a large selection of vegetables
• a smaller selection of fruit
• plenty of sweet pastries
• a Japanese corner
• an Indian corner
• classic European breakfast dishes

There’s probably no point in listing all the dishes; the photos will give you a better idea.

It wasn’t the best hotel breakfast I’ve ever had. However, in terms of both choice and quality, it was in keeping with the hotel’s category, and I have no cause for complaint.

Given that it was included in the total price 3 800 thb per room, I rate it very highly.

The gym is open round the clock and there’s a small swimming pool

On the same floor as the breakfast restaurant, there is also a fitness centre and an outdoor swimming pool.

The fitness centre is open 24 hours a day. It’s of average size, but I found the equipment adequate even for a proper workout, not just for a few basic exercises whilst on holiday.

The swimming pool is on the small side and isn’t really suitable for proper swimming. Nor is the view from it anything special.

It’s fine, though, for a quick dip.

I find it most worthwhile to pop down here after breakfast, before checking out. If you don’t have time to head back out onto the streets of Bangkok, you can spend the last hour of your stay by the water.

What’s the hotel’s location like?

The Lebua is situated on the edge of the Silom district, near the River Chao Phraya.

The BTS Saphan Taksin elevated station is about a 10-minute walk away.

Right next to the station is the Sathorn Central Pier, from where boats depart for the historic centre.

The location is therefore not a bad one for exploring Bangkok. Just don’t expect to have the metro right outside the hotel entrance.

We took a taxi to Chinatown in the evening. For visiting the temples and the historic centre, however, the river boats are the best option.

You’ll find more transport options and planning tips in our comprehensive guide to Bangkok.

Is the Lebua at State Tower worth it?

It depends almost entirely on the price.

For our 3 800 thb including breakfast, I consider Lebua to be very good value.

At the standard price of around 5 400 thb it still makes sense if you want a large room, a kitchenette, a balcony and a view.

For more than 12 500 thb—which is what the hotel cost during our previous stay in Bangkok—I wouldn’t book it, though.

In my view, Lebua isn’t ideal for anyone looking for contemporary design and that flawless sense of modern luxury. Some areas feel dated, and there’s a marked contrast between the spectacular rooftop and the more ordinary parts of the hotel.

On the other hand, I would recommend it:

• for a longer stay, when you’ll make use of the kitchenette and large fridge
• families with children who need more space
• The Hangover Part II
• anyone who wants a balcony and a view of the city or the river

I was a bit disappointed with Lebuya when I was there. Looking back, however, I have to admit that, for the price we paid, it perhaps offered a little more than I could reasonably have expected.

The Pullman G was a pleasant, standard hotel. Lebua gave us a huge suite, a storm over Bangkok, an absurdly expensive cocktail and a story I’ll never forget.

And perhaps that’s precisely why it all makes sense in the end.

• 👉 Check availability and current prices at Lebua at State Tower

From Bangkok, we continued on one of the shortest Emirates First Class flights to Hong Kong.

We describe the whole experience in our review of Emirates First Class from Bangkok to Hong Kong.

Where to stay instead of Lebuy?

• ibis Styles Bangkok Silom – significantly cheaper, with more modern rooms and a good location near the BTS. A better choice if you’re mainly looking for a comfortable base from which to explore Bangkok.
• Mandarin Oriental Bangkok – true luxury without compromise, and another film-featured hotel. The third series of *The White Lotus* was filmed here.

You can find more options based on price and location in the article ‘Where to stay in Bangkok – the best neighbourhoods and hotels’