May 4, 2014, 9:51 pm
DISCUSSION for Hilton Honors Hotels in Thailand {THA}
Nov 27, 2018, 7:54 am
#241
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: delta nwa
Posts: 75
I take it Icon Siam and Hilton 360 are both nearby hotels? This is a great tip. The web site brags about the amazing breakfast buffet. But you seem to say the one next door is as good or better, at half the price. But oh the world has changed (says the aging guy like an old codger). I was in BKK in the early 70s. Last time I saw the place. The idea of spending $30 for a breakfasts would have seemed insane. Those were the days of the truly mighty dollar. Now the world has equalized, and its probably for the better. But I have vague recollections of dining at a very low price. And I'm not talking street food. But on the other hand, American soldiers walked the streets and just across the borders hot war was raging. Still, it will be so interesting to see BKK again some 50 years later. As for the room upgrade, its not an earthshaking need. But it would be nice. And the Exec lounge can be a great little escape resting place. My days of being able to go 24/7 are behind me. I do appreciate the tips. Even the insulting ones like "pay for it you cheap bas*()d. 
I don't mind.
I don't mind.
Nov 28, 2018, 12:32 am
#242
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,481
Wow, more than 50 years ago! My first time there was in the early 90s and even compared to that almost everything has changed - beside of some sightseeing places of course. For me even the BTS alone changed Bangkok very much. Most changes were in a good way from my point of view.
Bangkok offers so many places to rest and escape these days. The prices in the restaurants varies a lot, you can get everything from street food to Michelin star experiences. In simple restaurants you can eat for 5-8 USD. High end is around 150-200 USD - plus wine.
Thais still respect experienced people more than at many other countries. And if you like aircon, you will find many more cool places than decades ago. The big malls can be a good place to rest too.
I recommend to use mobile internet there. It helps a lot.
Bangkok offers so many places to rest and escape these days. The prices in the restaurants varies a lot, you can get everything from street food to Michelin star experiences. In simple restaurants you can eat for 5-8 USD. High end is around 150-200 USD - plus wine.
Thais still respect experienced people more than at many other countries. And if you like aircon, you will find many more cool places than decades ago. The big malls can be a good place to rest too.
I recommend to use mobile internet there. It helps a lot.
Nov 29, 2018, 6:05 am
#243
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Yorkshire & Bangsaen
Programs: HH Diamond, EY Gold, AY Silver, MR Plat
Posts: 526
ICONSIAM is a new shopping centre next to the hotel. You are right about things changing in BKK. But there's still lots of street food available at Klong San market next door, where you can eat for a couple of dollars.
Nov 30, 2018, 9:07 am
#244
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Kuala Lumper
Programs: DL, AA, CX, Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Hyatt
Posts: 10
Nov 30, 2018, 5:13 pm
#245
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Former UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 576
Aspire gives you Platinum.
PS Don't forget the 150,000 point bonus. Refer yourself or get a referral.
PPS Ascend info
COMPLIMENTARY GOLD STATUS
Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status with your Hilton Honors Ascend Card.‡ Plus, spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton Honors Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year.‡
Nov 30, 2018, 9:19 pm
#247
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Everywhere
Programs: AA EXP - 3.7MM, Bonv LIFETIME Titan, HH Dmd, Hyatt Glob., Priority Clb Dmd, Ntnl Exec El., Sixt PLT
Posts: 1,680
- Space-available upgrade to a preferred room
- 1,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay or a complimentary continental breakfast for you and up to one additional guest registered to the same room each day of your stay
The other way to guarantee lounge access would be the Diamond HHONORS membership which comes with AMEX Aspire card (already mentioned). The fee is $450 but there are hotel resort and airline credits + free night to recover some if not of that fee. You can google the related discussions and decide whether Aspire would make sense for you.
Dec 4, 2018, 2:52 am
#248
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: OZ Diamond, QR Gold, HH Gold, IHG Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 669
ICONSIAM is a new, upmarket, mall next door to Hilton Millennium. It has a kind of street food area on ground floor which was rather crowded when I visited as the mall is so new and many Thais were checking it out. On floors above there are a plethora of other restaurants ranging from cheap to pretty pricey for Thailand. There is also a section on the riverfront called ICONDELUXE which has some very pricey food outlets alongside the Gucci, LVMH shops etc...
Hilton really needs to work with ICONSIAM to make the mall walkable along riverfront from hotel. At present one has to walk along road. Walking along riverfront would be a bit quicker and much more picturesque.
Hilton360 is an open bar above the executive lounge. As the name implies, it has 360 degree views over Bangkok. You won't want to drink copious amounts of booze in there everyday unless you can expense it as is pricey. But you get a better view than executive lounge. The bar also seldom gets that busy.
Hilton really needs to work with ICONSIAM to make the mall walkable along riverfront from hotel. At present one has to walk along road. Walking along riverfront would be a bit quicker and much more picturesque.
Hilton360 is an open bar above the executive lounge. As the name implies, it has 360 degree views over Bangkok. You won't want to drink copious amounts of booze in there everyday unless you can expense it as is pricey. But you get a better view than executive lounge. The bar also seldom gets that busy.
Dec 4, 2018, 7:50 pm
#250
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ Krisflyer, Hilton Gold, Best Western Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 155
Had a 3 night stay in Hilton Sukhumvit and was generally pleased with the food offerings from 530 to 730. Thursday - Japenese theme, Friday - Mexican, Saturday - Burgers. The lounge was full, but never over-crowded each time.
Teatime was a bit disappointing. Only some cakes, snacks and fruits on offer.
Overall, happy with it
Teatime was a bit disappointing. Only some cakes, snacks and fruits on offer.
Overall, happy with it
Dec 31, 2018, 2:44 pm
#251
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: delta nwa
Posts: 75
SO, I started a thread about access to the Hilton Millenium exec lounge on my first trip to Bangkok since the early 70s. Well I have gone and come back and wanted to summarize. I followed the tip of someone here and just got an executive room. It was not so much more than the standard room. I was there for two stays, divided by a few days' side trip.
The Exec room gives access to the lounge, and I have to say the lounge was particularly good. I have had access to lounges in a number of Hiltons, so I'm not just blowing smoke. I chose to eat breakfast there almost every day, even though you can also choose (free) to eat at the large hotel buffet on the main floor. In both places the breakfast were so good (and big) they lasted much of the day.
The lounge had other benefits. They hand make coffee drinks to order. They hold an English style tea for a few hours every afternoon. Good snacks were always available. Also, people flock to the 360 bar on the top floor to get the sky high view of Bangkok. Well the lounge is also on the highest floor and you get the same view with some free drinks, and you don't have to buy $12 cocktails.
The hotel has a free river taxi, and the municipal river taxi is also just out the back door (dirt cheap), so you quickly have access to the far side of the river, where most things are happening.
As to the trip itself, well things have changed in 50 years. Probably the biggest thing is the rise in the middle class. In a land where restaurants once cost almost nothing, you find near American prices and sometimes more. And the places are filled with Thais. Even the extremely new IconSiam shopping center next door to the hotel (very very high end shops and cafes) was filled with Thais. They were spending money at US prices and more. This is a good thing for Thailand.
Don't get me wrong, you could still get great street food at a bargain and lots of things were low cost and fun. My side trips to Angkor Wat and Chang Mai were both wonderful as well.
Anyway, I appreciated the group discussion before I left and enjoyed the trip.
The Exec room gives access to the lounge, and I have to say the lounge was particularly good. I have had access to lounges in a number of Hiltons, so I'm not just blowing smoke. I chose to eat breakfast there almost every day, even though you can also choose (free) to eat at the large hotel buffet on the main floor. In both places the breakfast were so good (and big) they lasted much of the day.
The lounge had other benefits. They hand make coffee drinks to order. They hold an English style tea for a few hours every afternoon. Good snacks were always available. Also, people flock to the 360 bar on the top floor to get the sky high view of Bangkok. Well the lounge is also on the highest floor and you get the same view with some free drinks, and you don't have to buy $12 cocktails.
The hotel has a free river taxi, and the municipal river taxi is also just out the back door (dirt cheap), so you quickly have access to the far side of the river, where most things are happening.
As to the trip itself, well things have changed in 50 years. Probably the biggest thing is the rise in the middle class. In a land where restaurants once cost almost nothing, you find near American prices and sometimes more. And the places are filled with Thais. Even the extremely new IconSiam shopping center next door to the hotel (very very high end shops and cafes) was filled with Thais. They were spending money at US prices and more. This is a good thing for Thailand.
Don't get me wrong, you could still get great street food at a bargain and lots of things were low cost and fun. My side trips to Angkor Wat and Chang Mai were both wonderful as well.
Anyway, I appreciated the group discussion before I left and enjoyed the trip.
Last edited by bbbacres; Jan 1, 2019 at 1:38 pm
