Bangkok: Which is the best hotel? (2003 - 2007)
Jan 5, 2003, 8:10 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Medford, OR
Programs: UA1K/3MM, AA & DL 1MM, *wood Plat, Hertz Pres.
Posts: 588
Bangkok: Which is the best hotel? (2003 - 2007)
I'll be in BKK for a long (5 day) milage run and want to know which hotel to pick. When the office pays I stay at the Oreintal, but this is on me so..... but I am Platinum
Upgrades, Suites, Club Rooms, etc. the scoop on BKK...
------------------
UA1K, Million-Mile AA/DL,
Hilton Diamond, Starwood Plt.
Upgrades, Suites, Club Rooms, etc. the scoop on BKK...
------------------
UA1K, Million-Mile AA/DL,
Hilton Diamond, Starwood Plt.
Jan 5, 2003, 8:26 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,748
If you are on your own dime, I recommend the Bangkok Marriott Resort and Spa on Priceline with a hard to beat price of $47/night. You have an excellent chance of getting a room at that price.
With the savings of about $250-$400 over staying at the Sheraton, book a cheap special where you live for a night sometime if you want a stay credit and use the rest to enjoy the wonderful food in Bangkok.
If you have to stay with Starwood, here are some threads to check out:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/002908.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/003033.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/004347.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/005478.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/005482.html
Check out the differences between Sheraton and Marriott at
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/005272.html
With the savings of about $250-$400 over staying at the Sheraton, book a cheap special where you live for a night sometime if you want a stay credit and use the rest to enjoy the wonderful food in Bangkok.
If you have to stay with Starwood, here are some threads to check out:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/002908.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/003033.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/004347.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/005478.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/005482.html
Check out the differences between Sheraton and Marriott at
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/005272.html
Jan 5, 2003, 8:35 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Liftime Titanium Elite Marriott
Posts: 1,752
Price does not include breakfast which is at least 10USD a head which is included at the other places and you get no miles or credit for your stay with priceline. Also the most recent prices for the hotel are around 71USD with the taxes and charges.
You will get suite upgrade at Royal Orchid but the hotel is quite old. I heard Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit is very nice and that you should get an upgrade to a suite.
You will get suite upgrade at Royal Orchid but the hotel is quite old. I heard Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit is very nice and that you should get an upgrade to a suite.
Jan 5, 2003, 9:56 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,748
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by tfong007:
Price does not include breakfast which is at least 10USD a head which is included at the other places and you get no miles or credit for your stay with priceline. Also the most recent prices for the hotel are around 71USD with the taxes and charges.
</font>
Price does not include breakfast which is at least 10USD a head which is included at the other places and you get no miles or credit for your stay with priceline. Also the most recent prices for the hotel are around 71USD with the taxes and charges.
</font>
http://www.biddingfortravel.com
before using PL. There are two winning bids posted today for $47-$51. There is a $6 booking charge/stay.
Royal Orchid is $105/night and Sukhumvit $135/night. Note that SPG does not include the taxes in Bangkok rates either. It is about 17.7% on all the prices above.
So let us say you stay at the cheaper Orchid for 5 nights. Before taxes you spend $525. On PL, you spend about $300 even including $10 for breakfast (although you can get excellent breakfast in Bangkok for a couple of dollars anywhere).
So $225 dollars additional for 1575 points which comes to over 14 cents a point!!!! Are you sure you still want those points? A free room at a category 5 will cost you $1680/night real money at those prices for the points.
I have a feeling we might all be losing a perspective on what the points are worth. Of course, if he is spending company money, then the point kickback gives him personal gains he wouldn't get otherwise, but when spending his own money????
Jan 6, 2003, 12:05 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Liftime Titanium Elite Marriott
Posts: 1,752
Checked on biddingfortravel. I only see 460HKD and thats not including all charges and taxes. Where do you find the 51USD rate?
Jan 6, 2003, 12:29 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Medford, OR
Programs: UA1K/3MM, AA & DL 1MM, *wood Plat, Hertz Pres.
Posts: 588
Folks, I'll be staying on Starwood points....so, with the fact (which I failed to say earlier) which if the BKK Sheatons would be the best...?
------------------
UA1K, Million-Mile AA/DL,
Hilton Diamond, Starwood Plt.
------------------
UA1K, Million-Mile AA/DL,
Hilton Diamond, Starwood Plt.
Jan 6, 2003, 2:43 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Liftime Titanium Elite Marriott
Posts: 1,752
Royal Orchid is cheaper and is not bad. Its on the Chao Praya river and is around alot of touristy shops.
Sheraton Grande is on Sukhumvit and is even more happening. Its close to the Ministry of Sound and various shopping centers like Siam Discovery. It is a luxury collection hotel.
Sheraton Grande is on Sukhumvit and is even more happening. Its close to the Ministry of Sound and various shopping centers like Siam Discovery. It is a luxury collection hotel.
Jan 6, 2003, 2:53 am
#8
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 254
Any experiences with The Peninsula Hotel? I am so annoyed with myself, never have I done so much research on hotels. It is too time consuming and annoying. I don't know where to stay in any of my 7 cities I am visting now!
Jan 6, 2003, 3:51 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: MUC
Programs: LH Sen // HH Dia; Bonvoy LTTE
Posts: 3,205
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MaisonUnitas:
Any experiences with The Peninsula Hotel? I am so annoyed with myself, never have I done so much research on hotels. It is too time consuming and annoying. I don't know where to stay in any of my 7 cities I am visting now!</font>
Any experiences with The Peninsula Hotel? I am so annoyed with myself, never have I done so much research on hotels. It is too time consuming and annoying. I don't know where to stay in any of my 7 cities I am visting now!</font>
Jan 6, 2003, 4:33 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Liftime Titanium Elite Marriott
Posts: 1,752
The Penn is far newer than the Sheraton. However, the Penn is across the Chao Praya. Depending on which days you will be there may be a problem because of bad traffic.
Jan 6, 2003, 7:31 am
#11
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,748
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by tfong007:
Checked on biddingfortravel. I only see 460HKD and thats not including all charges and taxes. Where do you find the 51USD rate?</font>
Checked on biddingfortravel. I only see 460HKD and thats not including all charges and taxes. Where do you find the 51USD rate?</font>
http://pub109.ezboard.com/fpriceline...abiddingfrm247
Check the first two bid entries at the top dated Jan 5.
Taxes are irrelevant for this comparison since SPG prices do not include the taxes either
Jan 6, 2003, 5:10 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 2
I've found the Royal Orchid to be excellent. I'm a SPG Plat and on my two stays there they've treated me very well. The hotel has two pools and a nice river view.
For what it is worth -- my one experience with the Bangkok Westin was very negative. The hotel is in a terrible location and they provided no SPG recognition.
For what it is worth -- my one experience with the Bangkok Westin was very negative. The hotel is in a terrible location and they provided no SPG recognition.
Jan 6, 2003, 7:14 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Kamuela, Hawaii
Programs: AA Platinum Plus; One World Emerald
Posts: 540
I haven't been to Bangkok for a couple of years, but in each of my four visits there I stayed at the Royal Orchid and never regretted the choice. I was always treated like royalty, every room has a great river view, there are a number of good restaurants in the hotel and near buy, and the antique shops in the shopping mall next door are outstanding.
Jan 6, 2003, 8:19 pm
#14
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: TXL
Posts: 827
The Royal Orchid was my first experience as *wood Plat - and what a great one it was.
Arrived at 7am from the airport expecting to wait for my room at least until 12. Headed straight to the SPG desk and was efficiently checked in (everything including the room keys had already been prepared before arrival), asked about my depature time the next day (5pm was granted without hesitation), given a card to chose the 500 Plat points, and immediately escorted by the cheerful agent to the room. High floor 24(?), 1 bedroom suite, a lot of windows !!! Great view!
2 min later the bags arrived and 5 min later a welcome drink and cold towels were delivered to the room. Perfect! The rooms were spacious (esp. the bedroom), very comfortable and newly carpeted. Bathrooms (2) started to show some wear though.
Lounge was great in the evening (they really tried to make you drunk before dinner), but breakfast was a bit disapointing (good selection of cold stuff but no ham/eggs etc.) after the one I had at the Sheraton KUL before.
Only downside: my *points for this stay still havent posted (3 months ago), although the online booking bonus did !?
Rate was US$90 for technically 1 night (I had 2; slept from 9am till 3pm after arriving and again from 12pm till 6am and the late check out was very welcomed after a hot day in BKK to freshen up before the next flight). Great value!
If you are not looking for a "Grand" hotel the Royal Orchid is as good as a 4* can possibly be. And you can always have dinner/drinks at the next door Oriental or Pen for some Grand hotel atmosphere(not to be missed! Sala Rim Naam ->YUM!)
Arrived at 7am from the airport expecting to wait for my room at least until 12. Headed straight to the SPG desk and was efficiently checked in (everything including the room keys had already been prepared before arrival), asked about my depature time the next day (5pm was granted without hesitation), given a card to chose the 500 Plat points, and immediately escorted by the cheerful agent to the room. High floor 24(?), 1 bedroom suite, a lot of windows !!! Great view!
2 min later the bags arrived and 5 min later a welcome drink and cold towels were delivered to the room. Perfect! The rooms were spacious (esp. the bedroom), very comfortable and newly carpeted. Bathrooms (2) started to show some wear though.
Lounge was great in the evening (they really tried to make you drunk before dinner), but breakfast was a bit disapointing (good selection of cold stuff but no ham/eggs etc.) after the one I had at the Sheraton KUL before.
Only downside: my *points for this stay still havent posted (3 months ago), although the online booking bonus did !?
Rate was US$90 for technically 1 night (I had 2; slept from 9am till 3pm after arriving and again from 12pm till 6am and the late check out was very welcomed after a hot day in BKK to freshen up before the next flight). Great value!
If you are not looking for a "Grand" hotel the Royal Orchid is as good as a 4* can possibly be. And you can always have dinner/drinks at the next door Oriental or Pen for some Grand hotel atmosphere(not to be missed! Sala Rim Naam ->YUM!)
Jan 6, 2003, 8:43 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: New York
Programs: Bonvoy LifetimeTitanium, UA Plat 2MM, LHW LeadersClub, IHGPlat, HiltonDiamnd, ASMVPG100K, WyndDiamnd
Posts: 1,227
You can not go wrong with either property. I am staying at both later this month as I will be in BKK twice. Both properties have their own advantages.
In particular I love the breakfast buffet at the Grande Sukhumvit. I used to get it for free as a Platinum, but I have heard (unconfirmed) that Platinums get a continental breakfast in the lounge now. I would pay the difference for the full buffet if that is a possible alternative.
The views from the Royal Orchid are picture postcard perfect.
Try them both.
In particular I love the breakfast buffet at the Grande Sukhumvit. I used to get it for free as a Platinum, but I have heard (unconfirmed) that Platinums get a continental breakfast in the lounge now. I would pay the difference for the full buffet if that is a possible alternative.
The views from the Royal Orchid are picture postcard perfect.
Try them both.