Quote Originally Posted by Fatman41
I found The Tarntawan to be convenient, friendly and a very comfortable place to stay and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
I totally agree. I have stayed there several times and thoroughly recommend it. The hotel does tend to cater more for gay than straight clientele but is equally welcoming to both. Taking guests to the hotel is no problem (obviously as long as they are of legal age), there is no joining fee and there is a security guard at the lift/stairs to check and record the boy's ID and to confirm with the guest that all is well when the boy leaves before he gets his ID back.
The rates are very reasonable given their central location and proximity to the night life of Patpong and the gay areas of Soi Twilight and Silom 4. If you are moving on to Pattaya, or staying after a visit there, I know that the hotel has a reduced rate for Le Cafe Royale stayers (and vice-versa) and believe they also have this arrangement with other Pattaya gay hotels...may save you 200 or 300 Baht a night.
Lukas, one of the owners, also owns Dick's Cafe in Soi Twilight and the corresponding cafe in the Jomtien complex.
My B/S says it is the only hotel in BKK that he has stayed in with a Farang where he has felt comfortable and at ease.
If I have one criticism it is that there is only the one small lift which gets very busy at times and one sometimes has to wait to use it...the younger/fitter amongst you can of course use the stairs!!!

In answer to the second post the staircase in the picture on their website which looks like a temple entrance is just a back-way up into the hotel and is used by the housekeeping staff etc.