I stayed at the Bel Aire Princess about 10 years ago, so can't really comment on the hotel itself after such a long time. It was excellent then, rooms were spacious and there was a reasonably sized swimming pool and sun terrace. I can give you some help with location - it's in an excellent area for shopping and also the Skytrain station (Nana is the nearest if I remember rightly - I haven't been to BKK for 3 years, I've been bitten by the Goa bug too!!). You can get the Skytrain to MBK with one across platform change. I can't remember the name of the station but you also change there for the line that takes you to the river where you can get the river bus to the Grand Palace and also the Patpong night market. You are about 5 minutes walk from the main Sukhumvit Road, which has many clothes stalls (Goan bartering skills needed!) and lots of bars and restaurants. The restaurant on the corner of the main road is very good and cheap. Think it's called Soi 5 Food Centre, but there are many others along that road and up the other side streets. There was a travel agents at the bottom of the road where you can book trips like for the River Kwai, cheaper then doing it through the hotel. The River Kwai trip is a full day, starting at about 0630,but well worth it.
There was no particular reason for not returning to the Bel Aire, just that my friend wanted to try different hotels each time!
Hope this helps, if you'd like to ask any more, please feel free to contact me, maybe you can give me some Goa info!
Liz

Hi Lizspain

Thanks for that, anything you want to know about Goa just ask (just got back 2wks ago), you can pm me & I will try to help you.

Hi Liz, we also got back from Goa on Dec 4th, went to Bkk last year and stayed at Landmark but could see your hotel from our room. You are really central for skytrain to everywhere and although it seems a bit daunting at first - it's really easy. There's a lot of nice restaurants round about you- we liked Crepes & co, Cabbages and Condoms was ok but a lot of people like it. Have a look at TA and Frommers for recommendations also Thailand Travel is a good site.

hi, we stayed at this hotel for 3 nights last year and found it lovely, me and my son went in the pool every day and we were the only ones in there. the hotel is ideally situated for the sky train ,and many restaraunts ,we also took tuk tuks to go any distance or taxi's[ set a price first] but we thoroghly enjoyed it all , we took the sky train then a bus to bangkok[dusit]zoo which made a nice afternoon.
If you come out of the hotel road[soi 3] turn right and right again just over the road is the infamous nana plaza ,if you are broadminded. alternatively come out of the hotel road and turn left, keep walking on that side and you will come to an irish bar that is huge inside and does lovely food.
I would hire a car in cape panwa because it is a bit far from anywhere and the sea has a lot of coral in it but if you want a bit of life head to patong [not as bad as people make out] or abit further down is karon beach then kata beach , both have lovely retaraunts.
hope this helps.....mac