holtju2

What is your definition of a really good hotel? I guess that it is different than mine.

Land-of-Miles

The President Solitaire is not at all comparable to the SGS, it is reasonably pleasant (I once stayed there for several days) but the service is slightly sloppy, the rooms are decidedly oddly laid out and amenities like the pool and gym are very poor. It also seems a popular choice for sex tourists and their demimondaines du jour (I know that could be applied to most properties in BKK but the Solitaire seems to act as something of a honeypot).

It isn't a bad property by any means but a suite there really doesnt compare to a suite at the SGS, I would say you pretty much get what you pay for. The location is also slightly inconvenient.

mario33

Isnt the buffet breakfast a "standard" platinum benefit at the ROS ?

lovtofly3

Yes.
I suppose if you were gold or less and had 10 stays this would be a logical choice.

Dr. HFH

Handy info to have, thanks. I've already paid for the stay (on Agoda), so I will stay there. If my impressions coincide with yours, it will be the only time. Food doesn't really matter to me. Service matters only to the extent that I expect my room to be made up while I'm out and both bedroom and bathroom to be very clean. Not being SPG Plat, I've never stayed in an SGS suite.

I'm looking for a clean place, and the size of the rooms definitely attracted me to the President Solitaire, although I, too, thought the room layout a bit odd. I'm usually out fairly early in the morning, back before dinner to shower and change, then out for the evening, so they have plenty of time to make up the room during the day. Food doesn't matter since I don't eat breakfast and never eat in hotels when I travel. Particularly in BKK, there's so much great street food and many excellent restaurants. Don't care about the pool, but a bad gym will be a problem for me. IIRC, TripAdvisor reviews were all excellent, with one exception from a couple of years ago.

As I said, I've stayed a number of times at the SGS, and each time the stay was more or less perfect. Since I'm going to be there for two weeks this time, I was looking to reduce costs a bit from SGS. To be honest, I was surprised that they didn't reduce rates at all after the airport closure, even when they had entirely empty floors.

And as for demondaines (it appears that you mean demimondaines), not my thing, but, as you say, it is common in BKK, and other people's activities rarely, if ever, bother me. I stayed at the Landmark once, where that activity was also fairly common. And you've certainly increased my vocabulary today, for which I thank you.

Land-of-Miles

My experience at the Solitaire was that my booked limo from the airport didn't show and that set the tone for the rest of the service. The bar and food are actually rather good, the gym was poor and in no way comparable to that at the SGS unless it has recently been updated.

The biggest issue with the Solitaire is that it is rather small, this is a good thing on one level but things are also more noticeable as a result (in a way in which they perhaps are not at the Landmark, which I also think is a better property). The solitaire is really marketed as a serviced apartment rather than hotel and this shows through in service.

If you want an interesting alternative choice and if rates are decent try the Mariott Mayfair on Langsuan, this is a great property and the 2 bed corner units xx01 are fabulous. The Mayfair is a serviced apartment block which truly functions like a hotel, rather than merely having hotel pretensions.

Thanks for the correction, demimondaines was exactly what I intended to say and I have amended my post accordingly.

mcgahat

Well, I do not want to get too off topic as this is the SPG forum but Centrepoint Wireless road can easily be had at less than $60 per day and is a really good hotel, Furamxclusive Asloke is easily obtained below $60 per day and is again a really good hotel. They are not luxury collection properties but are really good hotels......to the great unwashed such as myself anyway.

mcgahat

Just the ones mentioned in this thread, laundry, internet, evening drinks, breakfast at Sala or restaurant basically all of the benefits that come along with a grande deluxe booking....not just the ones they choose to extend to plats. Since they really only owe a plat suite upgrades upon availability they go well above and beyond I think.

yosithezet

Any specific guidance for which property is best with kids? The Westin doesn't have suites with connecting rooms which is giving me cause to reconsider. What I have going for me at the Westin is tons of recognition and goodwill which should translate. Into little thing like extending breakfast to the kids.

mcgahat

At the WGS, you would have breakfast for you and your family at the lounge (unless your room rate included breakfast at the restaurant) but at the SGS you would get it at the restaurant if you booked with the appropriate amount of people. There was a thread earlier about booking with kids at BKK hotels and the age being something like 13 as the cutoff for needing to pay more etc. When you say suites with connecting rooms.....are you thinking of having two reservations and one reservation getting the suite upgrade and the other getting a regular room that is connecting?

yosithezet

Yes, we've had two reservations for each property so far this trip. At LeM CM we got a standard award room upgraded to suite with a connecting room and two singles.
Our breakfast in the lounge as a Plat and the kids for 250 or so THB each to join. At LeM CR there were no suites for upgrade but got breakfast as p
Plats on award stay and the kids in a second room were comped breakfast. Now at LeM KL breakfast as a Plat in award booked as suite and they agreed to comp kids b/f. In all cases the second room was Starwood Privilege rate excluding b/f.

At WGS I can book second room under corp rate which includes b/f and is about the same as my Starwood Priv coupon rate. my only reservation is asking for connecting room means 100% no suite upgrade since they don't have suites with connecting rooms per the lounge staff. SGS will come out much more expensive and can't count on comped breakfast for kids since I have 3 stays there vs over 20 at WGS in the last 14 months.

Asoke is just so convenient to everything we plan to do in BKK next weekend.

abk

if you book your kids room at the sgs using an spg50 award the rate is usually very good and they use the rack rate which includes breakfast and butler service. this would entitle them to breakfast with no headache. this is actually the way i usually book my room as it generally gets me the lowest rate. also, i notice that the rooms at the end of the halls have a master door that you could close to turn the two rooms at the end of the hall into connecting rooms. not sure if they are both suites but i know the one facing the lake is a suite. that would be an ideal situation with kids.

mcgahat

Well, I think you are going to be in the same boat at both hotels with regards to connecting rooms and suites as I dont remember any of the normal suites that I have gotten at the SGS having connecting rooms. Now, if you can get a decent enough rate at the SGS how about upgrading your kids room using points to a grande deluxe level room? That will get them breakfast, internet, 3 pieces of laundry (total of 6 between your rooms). If the pool is important than I would really try to stay at the SGS as the WGS pool is pretty sad in comparison.

SaigonCyclo

The suite at the end of the hall can be connected to the room across the way. You just close the two doors that separate the 2 end rooms from the rest of the floor.

mcgahat

The following is an excerpt from and email I received from a Starwood Privilege email. I think it is a good idea but I really don't want to be sitting out there at 5PM breathing up the rush hour traffic exhaust. I noticed they were doing some work out in that area the last couple of months but didn't realize they had plans to add this. I think the 2 for 1 offer may be just for Starwood Privilege members.

"The Westin Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok
In April, Zest Piano Bar will launch its new open-air terrace. The Terrace will offer patrons the same cool cocktails, refreshing lagers and personalised service of Zest Piano Bar but now with the option to savour a beverage al fresco.
Refresh your perspective at Zest Piano Bar & Terrace with the 'Unwind Happy Hour', which celebrates the new open-air terrace.

Purchase a glass of any standard drink at the Bar and receive the second drink of the same value absolutely free! How's that for a celebratory toast?
*Unwind Happy Hour "2 for the price of 1" promotion is valid from 5.00pm to 6.00pm daily."