mrlonghorn

Thanks and I would agree with you. However, as this is his bday trip I'm letting him pick what we do. I've done this with all of m y kids when I took them wherever they wanted for their 13th bday.

That said, if you have any other suggestions I'm totally open. We really only have three and change full days before we go to Samui. So, the days will probably be pretty full in Bangkok.

yosithezet

Folks, let's get back to the topic of hotel selection. The Thailand forum is the place for general discussions of what to do in Thailand during a holiday.

Thanks,
yosithezet
Co-Moderator, SPG forum

britbronco22

Thanks for the info on this thread, I recently stayed at the Four Points. I thought it was a great choice for SPG Gold. Nice room for the price, great location for transport and nightlife (bars and restaurants). It was a shame the roof bar was closed on Sunday and Monday when we were there, but still used the pool. We went to the sky bar in the Sofitel instead which is nearby and much higher.

seacarl

Usually the price difference between the two hotels is much higher, but I find the WGS to be the better value.

Breakfast can be taken in the restaurant at either property and I find them to be fairly comparable - and quite good.
WGS has a lounge with cocktails and appetizers in the evening. SGS does not have a lounge, but offers drinks for one hour in the second floor bar area, where there is a piano that is too loud for my taste.
SGS has more restaurants though they are expensive and many are currently closed. There are plenty of food choices in the area, so not a big difference IMHO.
The décor at the SGS is more refined than at the WGS. The pool area at SGS is more pleasant.
Certainly when the SGS is $100 more than the WGS, I would select the WGS. At $30 it is kind of a wash.
They across the street from each other. You can use the Skytrain stairs to cross the street. You will have to carry your things up the stairs, or cross the street and use the escalator in front of Terminal 21.

sink

I will be staying in BKK for 3 nights later this month and going back to sheraton. I have stayed at Westin the last couple of times because of the rate. I prefer the rooms at Sheraton than Westin. And I don't like to switch elevators at Westin. Moreover, upgrades to suites are hard to secure at the Westin. However, I have read on the forum that Sheraton suite upgrades are hard now because of the renovations.

Sheraton's lobby is on the second floor which access to the skybridge. You can take your luggage across easily. However, when you get to the Westin side, you have to lugged it down the stairs. I have heard that the bell at Sheraton may assist you in bringing your luggage over.

jkingsle

I have had the bellmen at either hotel help with hotel swaps, no problems at all.

I was recently at the Westin, two stays, both upgraded 5 days out using SNAs.

Same thing last time at the Sheraton using SNAs.

Bangkok seems to be back to it's normal busy self, so the hotels feel much fuller than they did at the beginning of the year -- which of course means more competition for the upgrades, etc.

Dr. HFH

Whoa there!! One might conclude from your post that you're not an SGS fan for whatever reason. No prob with that, one of the great things about Starwood in Bangkok is the number of different options. But let's at least be accurate. Let me correct a few things here.


You sure that you can have the PLT breakfast benefit in either property? If so, it's news to me. I didn't find them comparable. SGS has the largest variety of breakfast foods I've ever seen at a breakfast buffet. Thai, Japanese, Korean, American, Chinese, British, Indian and more are all available. And if you want something you don't see, just ask and it usually isn't a problem. That said, WGS, while sporting a much smaller variety of choices, has all (or nearly all) of the breakfast foods which a westerner might want in the breakfast restaurant. I do not know if WGS PLT breakfast benefit can be taken in the restaurant or must be taken in the lounge. IIRC the choices are more limited in the lounge.


At SGS, the PLT drinks benefit is offered for two hours every night in each of three different locations. Living Room (piano bar referred to above), Library (quieter sitting area with sofas, tables, chairs, walls of books, etc.) or The Sala (outdoor food/beverage area by the pool). A fairly wide variety of hors d'oeuvres, from Thai finger food to sushi to cheese and lots of things in between is offered, different ones at different locations and on different nights. Also, the WGS lounge (where you have the PLT happy hour) is a pour-your-own arrangement. The PLT happy hour at SGS is full bartender/waitperson service in all locations. I'm a mixed drink guy, so the WGS happy hour didn't work particularly well for me. When BarSu reopens in a few weeks, it will be four locations. PLT benefit happy hour is available in all of them. You can even visit more than one locale in an evening.


"Many" are not currently closed. Actually, none are currently closed. All are open. That includes high end Italian and Thai restaurants (Rossini and Basil) as well as the large buffet restaurant, Orchid Café (where breakfast buffet is served, too). BarSu, the bar/nightclub is currently closed, but scheduled to reopen on 1 October, IIRC, although in a different format. I'm not exactly sure what it's going to be. I believe that the Sala (by the pool) currently has limited hours as it does during rainy season every year.


When I transferred from WGS directly to SGS several years ago (with several full way too large suitcases), I left everything with the WGS front door staff and gave the claim checks to SGS front door staff, who were happy to walk across the street, retrieve everything and deliver it to my room at SGS. I've never done it in reverse, but I would be surprised if WGS front door staff doesn't handle this similarly.

Always Flyin

I'm with Dr. HFH on this one.

At the end of the day, the Sheraton is part of the luxury collection. The Westin isn't. The Westin is a perfectly fine hotel (now that a certain GM is gone, IMHO), but it is not the Sheraton.

seacarl

I have had multiple stays at both properties. However most or all of my stays at the SGS have been during times when travel was down due to the protests, and the SGS response was to close almost all of its restaurants, and the happy hour was just in the piano bar. I haven't been back to Bangkok in the last few months, so I'm surprised to hear that travel has recovered already given the news I hear.

The WGS has always allowed me to take platinum breakfast in the restaurant. I find that most properties in Asia will permit that if you ask. In addition to generous Western offerings and a good selection of fruit and smoked fish, there are also Japanese, Chinese and Thai selections. I don't think the difference between the two breakfasts was all that significant.

No question I noted that the décor is nicer at the SGS. But I don't think I would consider it one of the world's better 5-star properties. How would you compare it to the St Regis?

sink

I have stayed at the WGS more than SGS recently because of the difference in the room rate. However, I have to agree with Dr. HFH. The breakfast is night and day between SGS and WGS (however, my personal favorite is Plaza Athenee's). I like the direct access to the BTS and shaded access to Terminal 21 (and without the possiblility being ran over by a motorized vehicle). I do hate the SGS driveway. Taking the taxi from SGS is a bit more troublesome than WGS.

Dr. HFH

Again, this is simply not true. Coincidentally, I've stayed at SGS during all protests since 2008. Of the four options normally available for PLT happy hour, Living Room, Library, Sala and BarSu, only BarSu was closed during the protests and coup earlier this year.


While you may not like the SGS as much as others do, or may not feel that it's worth the premium, the difference is much more than décor, as others have noted. Compared to StR BKK? I've never stayed there, but visited a friend who was. The hard product was verrry nice, no question; though the pool area was lacking, IMO. No lounges in the shade, and it was way too trendy/chic for me. I find the SGS pool to be relaxing and comfortable. Everyone has different tastes and preferences. IMO, SGS' biggest strength has always been the genuine warmth of the staff. In that regard, StR staff didn't come close.

Here's my review of WGS, which I wrote shortly after staying there.

yosithezet

Yep. The WGS has allowed PLT breakfast in Taste for over a year as a standard option.

Other than Indian, this can pretty much be said of the WGS as well. The depth of the SGS offerings is deeper.

I have had someone say that they feel the quality of the food in the Sunday brunch is better at the WGS while the variety is larger at the SGS.


Not the case. You have the option, if you can't wait for the staff, to pour your own. But this is not the standard. That said, there have been complaints that the staff can be slow in refilling drinks but this seems to be mainly due to the level of staffing during busy times.


Subjective topic. I prefer the modern decor or the WGS to the classic decor of the SGS.

I think you may want to take this part of the discussion over to the SGS thread. I recall that in previous rounds there were closings of F&B at the SGS. At the WGS during the same protest/flood times they would temporarily close the lounge breakfast.

To the question of sink, I would be staying at the WGS, others would be staying at the SGS. It really just depends upon what you want and like from a property.

Dr. HFH

Ah, Yosithezet, in light of your comment, I think that I may have misinterpreted SeaCarl's comment to mean that if you were staying at either property you could opt to take your PLT breakfast benefit at the other. Sorry.

LIH Prem

The bellmen from either hotel will literally run your bags across the elevated walkway that connects them. (The WGS at street level, the SGS at skytrain walkway level). Just ask .. they are happy to do it. I tip for that, since I consider it above and beyond, but that's a personal thing.

If you cross the street in front of the WGS towards the T21 entrance, there's an escalator you can use, for the up direction only.

-David

hendricks

Hi Dr HFH - to clarify - if I'm staying at the WGS, I can go over to the SGS for breakfast? Do I need to tell them at check-in?