AKO Spa

AKO Spa is a drive, not a walk. It sits on Phraratchawiriyaphon Soi 5 in Phra Pradaeng, just over the Bangkok line in Samut Prakan, with no Skytrain or Metro in reach and, its website says, plenty of private parking. Inside, the theme is a Japanese ryokan.

The card is short: ฿2,300 for the 60-minute B2B Course, ฿3,000 for B2B Full. It suits someone with a car or a driver, living nearby, who wants a large, clean room at a price Google reviewers often call good value. Skip it if you rely on public transport, or if you want a long, current review record: most of its 49 reviews are two or three years old.

According to its website, AKO offers body-to-body massage for gentlemen with imported Japanese oil, in rooms decorated like a Japanese ryokan. There are three room tiers. Standard is the base. VIP adds an extra-large shower and a TV. VVIP adds a freestanding bathtub, a TV and an aroma diffuser.

The listing gives Thai, English and Chinese as languages, says walk-ins are welcome, and confirms there's no outcall. Several Google reviewers describe the rooms as big, new and clean, and one singles out the size of the VIP shower. The room tiers place it alongside the VIP rooms volume.

Its rate card lists:

• B2B Course 60 min: ฿2,300
• B2B Full 60 min: ฿3,000

The card doesn't say how the room tiers change the price, so ask. Reviewers mention other figures: one reports paying ฿4,000 for 90 minutes, and another recommends a 90-minute course, so ask about longer sessions when you book. Several reviewers say prices are low compared with shops in the city centre. Two one-star reviews complain about what a package delivered, so confirm what you're paying for before you start.

The address is 72 Phraratchawiriyaphon 5, Lat Luang, Phra Pradaeng, Samut Prakan 10130. No BTS or MRT station is within walking distance; a taxi or your own car is the way in, and the website says there's wide private parking.

The hours need checking. Google gives 12:00 to 02:00 daily, but the website's About page says 11:00 to 22:00. The website recommends booking on LINE at @akospa, which is also the simplest way to confirm the hours on the night. For the city side of the river, start from the Bangkok page.

Drivers, residents of Phra Pradaeng and the streets around it, and anyone who wants a big room without central prices. It suits less well a visitor staying on Sukhumvit, who will spend more time in the taxi than on the mattress. For them, the Sukhumvit volume and the late-night list are closer to hand.

AKO Spa holds a 4.7 Google rating from 49 reviews. Most are from two or three years ago; only a handful are from the past year.

Google reviewers often mention value: several say the courses are cheap compared with the city. Clean, large, relatively new rooms are another recurring theme, along with friendly staff and a kind owner. Named therapists include Muay, N Pin and Lily.

The complaints are few and sharp. One reviewer says a ฿3,000 deal didn't include the massage they expected; another, two years ago, says a ฿2,000 hour lasted five minutes. A third complains about loud music late at night disturbing the neighbours. Each is a single account, but together they suggest agreeing the package details before paying.