The new Montana hotel in Songkhla has many things going for it: great location, extremely helpful reception staff, generous breakfast servings, well-designed rooms. The best thing is the free open-air shuttle that transports guests to places of interest around Muang Songkhla; taxi service to Hat Yai airport is also provided for guests at a decent price. The downside is the restaurant bar next door which blasts music until 11 pm to midnight.
The air-conditioning is also one speed at full blast, such that I caught a cold from it. What really lets this eager-to-please hotel down is its housekeeping, which did not make my room in 3 out of the 5 days of my stay, until I insisted upon it at 4pm before the housekeeping staff leaves at 5pm. Worse, I discovered after checkout that my slim external hard drive went missing during my stay in Montana Hotel, so beware of your valuables if you still chose to stay here.