I survived the bus gauntlet of hawkers and touts, and the cab driver is now inching to the end of Sukhumvit Soi 2. He and I are both feeling a tad dubious. Looming large is the runway-like illumination of the cross on the Calvary Baptist Church where the street dead ends, can this be the right place? The last building on the right is indeed The Atlanta Hotel, est. 1952. I don't really see the hotel sign, but the HUGE sign by the front door which reads "SEX TOURISTS NOT WELCOME" definitely completed the surreal feeling of the scene.

There was a porter waiting outside to help me with my "pack?" Really? I read this was a budget hotel, I'm staying in the aptly named "You get what you pay for rooms" at 480 Baht ($13US) per night. It is ensuite with aircon and there's a pool! They also have a free left-luggage service.
Ohmigod, I've died and gone to heaven.

The doors to the lobby opened I was transported back to the 50s. It is glamorous, and gorgeous and oh soooo swank, with a sweeping curved staircase. I expect to see Tony Bennett and a whole slew of 50s style cocktail party goers show up any moment.

The porter, who by the way had a name tag on that read "hotel gopher,"
brought me a fresh cordial from the restaurant while I checked in. Believe me this is not the type of treatment I've gotten used to hauling this pack around for the last 8 months. I'm lucky if they walk me to the room, let alone carry my bag there. Usually there's just a grunt of acknowledgement and a begrudging general pointing over there"ish" motion.

For anyone who's ever stayed at Mrs. Captain Jack's house in Newport, you would feel right at home here. Sorry for the uninitiated, Mrs. Captain Jack's is a rental house at the coast that is papered with books and instructions on how to and more to the point, how not to use the house and its amenities. The Atlanta is a little like that. With helpful notes everwhere. I must admit though, you've got to love a place that has strips of paper with instructions in both Thai and English for all the major tourist sites so you can give them to the Tuk Tuk or taxi drivers. What I really loved is the advice to "shoot any Tuk Tuk driver who tells you that a temple is closed and instead suggests a shopping excursion." I think I'll walk.

When in Bangkok, stay here!

I'm off to the weekend market in the morning.

Stay well,
valerie