monahos

Thank you for the very focused review. I agree those suites' expansive window frontage and spacious feel were their main selling point. I wonder if the blue wall is meant to block out the new development downstream.

As for the THB 1100 reduced Diamond rate, do you contact the hotel in advance to secure it? I have used the NOR1 option to upgrade to a suite after the system moved me up to an executive room the day prior to arrival, but that window is inconveniently short and the results not guaranteed.

Also, there is a new 'family suite' category, which looks to be a renovated suite with a sofabed and without lounge access. I suspect those might be replacing the downstream non-panoramic suites, whose view of the river is being largely blocked by the new neighbor.

escape4

I suspect suites xx01 and xx02 were both designed the same way but as mirror image like in the past, so the blue wall is possibly not to hide the Iconsiam development; in the xx01 suites the blue wall panel would be in the opposite direction of the Iconsiam development.

I always contact the hotel shortly after booking to secure a panoramic suite for 1100 THB extra. With NOR1 how much do you pay extra if there is availability?

The "family suites" might indeed be the suites on the other side of the building. Those did not have a powder room in the past, unlike the panoramic suites, and I suspect this is unchanged. There used to only be a 500 THB difference between the regular suites and the panoramic suites, now for the renovated rooms it looks like 1900 THB difference so I am not sure the family suites are what we think they are. Maybe the larger price difference is now due to the standard suites not including lounge access whereas the panoramic suites do. Given that Diamonds get lounge access anyway, the family suite is probably a better deal but you will lose the river view and the 0.5 bathroom.

monahos

I'll have to dig out some old bills, but the figure is about the difference between the suite and the executive room's rates, which I found attractive as I usually book a standard room absent a requirement for, or an attractive sale on the suites.

Indeed the family suite looks like the best value for diamonds henceforth. I am assuming they are replacing in the inventory the old family rooms, which seem no longer listed; those were the few rooms on lower floors which because of the building's tapered shape and layout with a high atrium, were somewhat longer than the norm, but too small to comfortably accommodate a family in 4* comfort.

Hopefully taking out some of the lounge-access suite inventory will help alleviate overcrowding in the lounge, which I believe is too small when the executive floors are near capacity, especially in a hotel catering to leisure travelers who understandably linger longer.

escape4

Then I believe we paid the same thing. The Diamond free upgrade is normally from the basic room to the executive room. From there it used to be that you could pay 1100 THB extra for the panoramic suites, which happens to be the price difference (best available rate) on hilton.com between the exec room and the panoramic suite, regardless of dates. If we're paying the same in advance or NOR1 at the last minute, then I think you are better off contacting the hotel after booking to secure a suite.

Amelorn

I am currently at the property. I went for a walk around the neighborhood looking for a laundry shop and didn't see one. I didn't find one mentioned upthread in july 2017 about one that was within sight of the front! Any recommendations?

frenchft

Conrad all the way. The hilton Millennium is a factory, messy, noisy, crowds and upgrade for diamond are poor there. They business model is : Chinese groups, Chinese groups and Chinese groups. So it's a total mess and be prepared for never seen the lobby from outside because of the buses who don't even stop their engine. I really hate this property. The pool is a joke.

Conrad has a great lounge, great service, nice mall attached, amazing upgrade for diamonds and the pool is great. It's in my top 5 BKK hotel where I love to stay. It's not new, it's not fancy, but it's SO Conrad.

NoY

I have never had any issues with The Millennium Hilton Bangkok & never encountered any issues with Chinese tour groups overrunning the place either (of course they stay there, just like any other hotel in Bangkok). I have stayed at the Hotel literally dozens of times & will again soon

Conrad Bangkok on the other hand - never again.

frenchft

It's funny how we all have difference experience and perception about the same places ))
what happened at Conrad?

escape4

I always value @frenchft 's opinion around here but let me offer a somewhat different view, similar to @NoY.

Yes there are tour groups at MH. However there are large numbers of individual travellers as well based on my observations so it is not a major problematic situation. I am rarely disturbed by disorganized tour groups at MH. Where can I run into them? I always check in and check out in the lounge, not at reception, unless I arrive during the night and they are not there at that time anyway.

Similarly for happy hour no tour groups to be found in the lounge. For breakfast there are tour groups, but I sometimes have breakfast in the lounge and when I want to go to the restaurant it remains better than Conrad despite tour groups. From recent memory Conrad Bangkok is the only breakfast where I sat down only to leave a couple of minutes later because it was so choatic that I wanted to go to the lounge instead.

No tour group invasion in the gym either. Sometimes around the elevators but I can handle it.

Conrad's lounge is moderately cramped unlike the MH where I often have a private table near the curved windows with the view of the river. Also the lounge food at Conrad has deteriorated; perhaps I was just unlucky but during my last 3-night stay the lounge offerings were mostly fried stuff. The happy hour food at MH is far from the best in town but it has improved recently and in my humble opinion is slightly superior to Conrad in addition to the generally nicer atmosphere as mentioned, if you are in the room with the windows behind the lounge reception. I will admit that booze is better at Conrad however.

I will fully agree that for the swimming pool it is no contest: Conrad hands down.

Now regarding upgrades... At MH as a Diamond you get a double category upgrade from the basic room to the executive room which is not any bigger so it's not much of an upgrade, I can also agree with this statement. However if you use it as a springboard to pay cash for the suite upgrade from the exec room level then you've got a deal. I can occasionnally find a room for 2700 THB at MH... add extra for the panoramic suite upgrade and you are looking at 3500-4000 THB total for their best suite. More often than not the basic room at Conrad will go for over 4k if not above 5k and you have to hope for an upgrade whereas you are confirmed in the suite at MH. Once again maybe I have been unlucky at Conrad but my upgrades were for rooms nowhere near as nice as the panoramic suite at MH. For example I like the Conrad corner room but let's face it, it's not a suite. Let alone that last time I did not get an upgrade at all which left me wondering why did I not go to MH. Look I am always more keen to go to hotels with generous suite upgrades for elite members but at MH the math is such that I do not need it because it's good value nonetheless.

frenchft

Well, even if the groups are not in the lounge at MH, every time I went there it was overcrowded and not a single seat outside for exemple (they sale the access for cheap to non members at check in). Same, I have never check in at the lounge but in the Chaos of the lobby (the diamond desk was always close).
Regarding upgrade, same as what you describe at MH, I don't see anything special in this room they offer for diamond...
Conrad on the other hand always upgrade me to a massive suite with seating area / dining area / double bathroom etc etc. Really huge suite.

For the breakfast I never take breakfast in the main restaurant but grab a coffee at the lounge so I can not say.
Regarding the lounge itself I appreciate the no kids policy at Conrad (with a separated room for them) and really much prefer the service. What is nice at MH is the rooftop lounge, but again, complicated to get a seat there.

Overall it's a personal feeling but I love the Conrad hotels atmosphere and regarding Conrad Bkk I really love the atmosphere there. I feel more exclusive and more quiet, but again, personal feelings.

Regarding location the Conrad is just perfect for what I have to do in BKK.

escape4

@frenchft I think our views are converging if you take breakfast in the lounge, want to sit outside for happy hour at MH, and if you check in at reception.

I should give Conrad another shot and see what kind of upgrade I get next time. If I had a nice suite then the experience would be quite different and I would be more positive like you ^

frenchft

as a data point, as a diamond (returning guest, but was the case from start) they always upgrade us to executive suite, wich is huge : Accommodation Details (114sqm)

escape4

Strangely enough I got that upgrade on my first visit but nothing better than a corner room since then. I often wondered if the initial suite upgrade was a teaser to get me to come back LOL

NoY

Indeed!

Conrad? Well similar views/experiences to those of @escape4 I guess - I found the breakfast experience (in the main restaurant) absolutely hideous - a cramped zoo-like experience with next to zero service. The Executive Lounge is also quite cramped IMHO (compared to MH) & the service was surly (so unexpected in Thailand) & the canapés were awful. I also found the beds/mattress in the rooms to be virtually rock hard. Never ever again.

I have recommended MH to a number of friends/relatives - they all concur with my experiences

frenchft

if it's the case, it's ugly behaviour from the property ))))