Shandelle Battersby checks in to one of Bangkok's oldest hotels — and the set of Lawrence Arabia's music video for Another Century — The Atlanta Hotel.
Getting there: Taxis still reign supreme in Bangkok when it comes to airport transfers because it's quite a haul into the city. We arrived about 9pm so in this case it was best to travel on the taxi's meter and pay the tolls ourselves. To the hotel it was roughly 400 baht (about $18.50), which included the airport fee for the driver of 50 baht. If you fancy braving public transport, the hotel is near the Ploenchit BTS Skytrain stop, which connects with the Airport Rail Link.
Check-in experience: Friends and I have been staying at The Atlanta for years and walking into its original 1950s lobby is like coming home to Mama. We were offered a welcome drink and had a quick supper at onsite restaurant, Ah!, before climbing the four flight of curved stairs to Floor D and hitting the sack.
History: Built in in the 1950s by Dr Max Henn, The Atlanta has a storied history and is very proud of its anti-sex tourism, anti-drugs and anti-smoking stance, as large signs everywhere constantly remind you. The hotel is also proudly the home of Thailand's first hotel pool, which is open 24 hours and ideal at the end of a steamy Bangkok day. It's surrounded by a rockery and jungle-like garden with its own population of turtles. Fans of Kiwi popster Lawrence Arabia may recognise the hotel — and the turtles — as this was the setting for his music video Another Century.
Room: They are spartan but clean and spacious. Ours had air-conditioning, two deliciously hard double beds and a basic en suite. We overlooked the busy expressway but there is a bewildering line-up of room types (12 in total) so you can choose to stay on the other side of the hotel.
