Personally, I must say that I would not stay in the MO in Bangkok if it cost 1/3 of what it does, and it were the last hotel in Bangkok with vacancies. Early last December, I walked into the MO to inquire about availability for a weekend splurge in Bangkok as an upgrade from the place I was staying (the decent, but much more pedestrian Royal Orchid Sheraton). I was dressed in a pair of nice shorts and a polo shirt in the usual 92 degree 90% humidity Bangkok weather. On my way into the hotel (actually, perhaps 30 meters before reaching the front door), I was immediately approached by security and informed that I was not attired suitably to walk into the building to inquire about rates and availability nor to check out the common grounds of the hotel. I explained that I was looking to upgrade to a deluxe property for the weekend and the MO's reputation preceeded it, so of course I wanted to check it out as a prime candidate for this splurge. Well, the security officer felt it necessary to accompany me to the front desk while I made my inquiry, and escort me out the door when I was done. I was not allowed to walk around the lobby to check out the place, and it's shopping and dining and lounges. Finally, I asked him if I could get on their boat to the BTS station, and he told me yes, but actually gave me directions to the public pier - who's ferry charges for the 1/2 km trip, rather than the MO's complimentary ferry. In any case, obviously, I did not stay there - especially after being treated with the utmost courtesy that one would expect from the folks at the Pen, the Shangri-La, and the Lebua. To make a long story short, I would vastly prefer any one of those other 3 places to the MO - and in fact, I don't believe that I will ever in my life patronize a MO hotel anywhere in the world.

To make a long story short, I chose the Shangri-La for my upgrade splurge, because I felt that the location was more convenient than the Pen across the river, due to it's proximity to the BTS. It was extremely nice, and met all of my expectations. And I have never been so disgusted in my life by my shabby treatment in ANY luxury property as I was during my 10 minutes on the premises of the MO Bangkok.

I cannot comprehend how the MO has garnered it's excellent reputation - I can't fathom being treated that way in a Holiday Inn, let alone a luxury property, and I most assuredly will never set foot in any MO property again - when there are deluxe options like 4S, and Pen, and RC, and Aman, and St. Regis, and Shangri-La, etc, etc, etc, that actually understand that the concept of luxury hospitality is in pampering their guests, not in being effete snobs.