I’m unsure what you’re aiming for. I only wanted the opinion of someone who had stayed often at both the StR and PH. Status wasn’t a factor for my query, but you’re welcome to add if you’ve stayed often at the two?

In truth, that wasn’t at all what I was going for. I’ve just heard too many issues here and in the Luxury Hotels Forum about service and F&B at this PH; I only wanted to get a better and reliable sense from one who has stayed often at both the StR and PH.

For the record, I easily can use points to get a standard suite or even a premier suite at the PH regardless of Globalist status. I am not one to pick a hotel based on whether or not I can get free breakfast, so that’s not a factor here for me at all.

That’s also how I enjoyed such nice stays at the PH Sydney and PH Istanbul.

So for me, the question remained: was this PH Bangkok really comparable to the StR Bangkok in terms of soft product? Apparently, the answer is a resounding no.

I am sorry to say that most Globalists grossly underestimate what those without any Hyatt status can still enjoy.

I’ve stayed at many PH properties without top status and still have been able to get amazing suites or certainly nice room upgrades. At the PH Istanbul, I used points to get a suite...and then leveraged that and service recovery to get a specialty Terrace Suite. At the PH Sydney, I got a nice category outside to a spacious city view room. At the PH Chicago, I just used points to get a suite. At the PH Bangkok, I certainly don’t need any status to get a nice suite; a premium suite award should do the trick quite easily.

Having a free breakfast benefit is nice, but it’s hardly more important to me than a hotel offering better service overall and better food/beverage.

In the case of this PH Bangkok, I’d heard many reports here and especially in the Luxury Hotels Forum that suggest the StR is superior to the PH. Seeing those same reports here from people who stay often at both reinforces those reports.

Considering I happen to be an Ambassador elite with Marriott, that together with the above reports now seals the deal for me for the StR, understandably.

Thanks for the WA suggestion. After disappointing stays with enough WAs, I think I’ll leave the Hilton universe to others more brave than me.

Actually, to be honest, there are not that many cities where it will be better to book a Hyatt with Globalist status than the top Marriott property with Ambassador status. That’s partly because there just aren’t that many cities/locations with top tier Hyatt properties compared with the massively largely number of cities/locations with top tier Marriott properties...and partly because Ambassador at top tier properties like StR, RC, and Luxury Collection, not to mention Edition and W, generally gets one more elevated treatment and better upgrades on average than Hyatt Globalist even at the rarer PH and Andaz properties.

Thanks. Actually, the reason IME that so many Marriott elites prefer the SGS or Athenee has little to do with hard product or soft product and everything to do with there being a good lounge. The other reasons are that the StR costs more and/or isn’t located where some prefer. I could care less about lounges; I prefer room service. (A lovely Globalist benefit to get room service breakfast, but again I don’t care about that as much as overall luxury hard product and service.)

That many Marriott elites may prefer the SGS or Athenee also does little to make the PH look any better IMO!

I’m quite confident that I would get a very nice suite at the StR as an Ambassador guest, surely. My record on suite upgrades, particularly at luxury hotels, is probably unmatched among most Ambassador elites, actually. But I don’t need the guarantee of any specialty suite, even though I often get those. I just need a good assurance of a nice suite, and the StR Bangkok happens to have an excellent record in that regard.

Regardless, I am most grateful to the Hyatt members here who have so much experience with both the StR and PH. Most of the Marriott members seem to stick to the aforementioned properties. This discussion here has allowed me the comparison and contrast I needed.