Gretings and Happy New Year

I will be traveling to Phuket via BKK in late January. I should arrive in BKK about midnight and depart for Phuket around 8am the following morning.

My plan is to spend the night in the transit facilities in BKK.

Can anyone comment on them or offer an alternative?

Thanks.

Jim Williams

The Amari is fine. You could get beter digs at any nice hotel off airport but then you have the hassle of two taxi rides.

Agree. To my surprise, local Thais consider the Amari a 'good' hotel. I've never stayed there, so I can't add any personal observations, though.

Evidently there is also an in-airport mini-hotel, that rents beds by the hour to travelers in transit. I've never been there myself, but I'm in the same boat. I arrive in BKK at midnight, and my next segment doesn't depart until early in the morning, so I have about a five hour layover.

http://www.airportthai.or.th/airport...9.html#others1

Hello

Since I have just returned from this trip I thought I would post a reply based on my experiences.

First, regarding the transit facilities in Bangkok...apparently they are INSIDE the arrival area, not OUTSIDE, as I was told when I asked in Bangkok. So, I never did find them. The only facilities outside the arrival area (in the unsecured part of the terminal) are the CIP day rooms which have no facilities expect a bed. Not what I needed.

Second, I did stay at the Amari on my return flight. It is not simple to find from the domestic terminal. The Amari is located across from International Terminal 1. I was traveling on Thai airways and just walked up with no reservation, so I was able to get a room for US$130. The regular rate is US$260.

For $130 the room was okay. I only wanted to sleep and make my next flight out to the US at 6am. I suppose if I had been more alert I could have been more critical, as I noticed that the carpeting in the lobby on my floor was terribly dirty and stained. But, my room was fine.

It is only a short walk to Terminal 2 where my flight left. I left the hotel at 4am. That was too early by at least 30 minutes.

Happy to answer any e-mail inquires.

Actually staying away from the airport is no big deal as taxi's are cheap. You can take a cab to the Amari Atrium which is in E. Bangkok for about 100 Baht or less than three bucks... I was there last week and you could get a really nice room for $40 USD which included a great buffet breakfast from 6AM to 10 AM.... Takes about 20 minutes to a half hour in the cab - if not rush hour time. The hotel will also provide you transporation with their "limo" for 642 BAht which is about 15 USDollars...(one way).

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reb

Sounds like you avoided the 50 baht airport surcharge. The Amari on Phetburi is a decent hotel. Did you have time to wander around that area a bit? Perhaps check out Panthip Plaza?

Hmmm... 100 Baht from the airport? Never been able to get a fare that good! I must be missing something. It's usually around 150 for me

That's right.

Sorry, the 100 baht was from the hotel to the airport...if from the airport they have an additional charge - which ends up being 150 or so baht (still cheap). Last time, I actually just lined up the Amari Atruim's "limo" for 642 baht and they were waiting for me at 3:30 A.M. and was just a 20 minute run at that time of morning to the airport..although leaving that early, you miss the big breakfast in the lobby..(omlets etc. etc). Did get some time to wander around and enjoyed it.. Get a bottle of SINGA beer in the little 7-11 around the corner from the hotel for about 35 cents or so... They are on the internet also for rooms at about 55 or 60 USD..but if you check in directly with the hotel it was 40 USD !! Good Luck.. REB

This looks like an interesting link but it is no longer active. Any good websites that provide Don Muang facility information>

http://www.airportthai.co.th/airport....html#service9

They just changed the .or.th to .co.th

I travel through BKK all the time and often have 6-8 hours there in transit. It is a hassle to stand in the visa line, and then go outside and take a taxi to a hotel - especially at midnight or later. The Amari is within walking distance, but it is a middling hotel and expensive.

I often stay in the hotels inside the airports. They rent them by blocks of hours 2,4, 6, 8 hours. If memory serves, they are reasonably priced. I may have paid $60-80 for the longest stay of 8 hours. Its basically a place to sleep, and take a shower - the rooms have small TVs and phones. You can even reserve them in advance. There is are phone numbers on the BKK airport site.

The catch: it is best to do this with carry-on only, or when you can check your baggage all the way through. Many airlines will not do the latter, so you would have to go outside through immigration , collect your luggage, and clear customs. Then you would have to try to check in for your next flight, pay the exit tax, etc. Too much of a hassle.

Just to add to this thread, can I advise people against staying at the Asia Airport Hotel at BKK?

It was a depressing experience - the 'shuttle' service ran once an hour - we just missed the midnight pickup so had to wait until 1am

The hotel is in a sorry state - carpets stained, strange smell about the place, the aircon hadn't been on in our room and it took ages to have any real effect. The door didn't lock properly and I should have been more concerned about this, but I was also exhausted.

Also, it's a lot more than 5 minutes form the airport - i'd suggest it took 15 mins to get there and closer to 30 to get back because of 1) traffic and 2) we were heading for the domestic terminal which is the 3rd stop.

If you're using TG, the Airport Amari does advertise a 40% discount which makes it more reasonable and although our room was cheap ($40) I wouldn't care to repeat the experience...

Are you saying that you don't have to exit the arrivals area if you have only carry-ons - and can get to the dayrooms without paying the departure tax or re-entering security?