Kacee

If they had a firm open date, presumably it would be available to book . . .

dsquared37

I would hope a 5 as well but that might be viewed as not sufficiently taking into account "its sights [are] set on being the capital’s leading icon of luxury and hotels in Bangkok". And too close to the Cat 4 GHE*.

*Spoken with the utmost sarcasm.

Aventine

Sounds like they want it a 6 then.

RTW1

It's all speculation until an anouncement is made, no indication has been given on category....

peteropny

Even an initial category could be changed pretty quickly if projections aren't met.

dsquared37

Indeed, but I think it's certain to be a 5 or 6. If the latter, it's unlikely to be sustainable IMHO.

Richey66

when PH Shanghai is Cat 5, hardly PH Bangkok will be Cat 6?

MSPeconomist

I was in the Central Embassy mall today and noticed a sign toward what I assume will be a future passageway between the shopping mall and the hotel. There's also a big PH sign outside on the corner of the building but, of course, without any dates. I also noticed a guy working on the outside of the building, right on the curved edge about halfway up.

It's a very fancy mall with mostly European designer stores and lots of wasted interior space in the atrium. I didn't attempt to check out the construction and interior finishing details, but I did notice that the interior seems to be spotlessly clean. There's also some featured winter festival (Christmas?) still happening with a big light display. There are security stations at every door (walk through metal detectors) which I assume is common here, plus a guard outside on the elevated walkway connecting the mall to the BTS station.

To me, the PH building looks finished from the outside, but it's hard to translate the information to an estimated opening date. I wonder (can't read the local language) if they've started to recruit and train staff. I would assume not.

BTW, the StR looks nice, with a skyway-level connection from their building to the BTS station, but otherwise it looks like an uninteresting location. IMO the other obvious choice for a luxury hotel in Bangkok would be the Peninsula on the river. I also walked past/through the GH Erawan and it didn't look appealing to me. YMMV.

MikeFromTokyo

I don't think there is any way category six would be attainable in Bangkok. Category six properties typically have rates of $700~, if not more, or they are in places with extremely high demand for award rooms (e.g New York). Given the relatively low rates for entry level rooms at the best hotels in town, including even Mandarin Oriental and The Peninsula, I think they will even have a hard time maintaining THB 10,000 rates all year long. There is just too much competition and the market will not bear the rates needed for category six.

m0hamed

The StR is a gorgeous property and out go to in BKK. One of the cheapest StR in the network and generous with Platinum upgrades. It's just a shame they moved their fleet of Bentleys to the StR SIN.

Kacee

The Pen is on the wrong side of the river. MO and Shangri-La are better located.

MattEvan

This is the worst myth in BKK hotels.

MikeFromTokyo

Totally agree - the "wrong" side of the river is actually the right side of the river fot the best views of the city skyline and the river.

Also, with the barges that shuttle guests from all hotels in the area to Sappan Taksin sta. and the Peninsula's own pier opposite the hotel, I say there is no difference in convenience.

MSPeconomist

I see two workers out on the roof again this morning, one on the edge of the curve and the other in a flat area. I think there are larger numbers of workers at the very top, maybe a couple dozen at the moment, but what I'm seeing could just be some stuff protruding from the roof at the top and along the narrow side near the top.

Some big sections and some squares of the dramatic roof are different colors/shines of silver, so I'm wondering whether they need to redo the roof before the hotel is even open. It looks like an eyesore right now in its present state, but this seems to depend on how the sunshine is hitting the roof. [On could days, the differences aren't noticeable.] Poor material quality or poor construction (or both)?

ADDED: It seems to be their lunch break now, but about a half hour ago I saw about four more guys in addition to the original two workers that I can see clearly.

MSPeconomist

Today (Saturday here) there was no visible construction activity in the morning (but lots of work was happening at a condo building under construction across the street). This afternoon, I watched a person be lowered slowly on a long rope/wire from the top roof to the lower curved edge, where he/she joined another worker.

I also see some netting swinging a bit in the wind from the side of the very top, so I'm guessing that there's a wall missing there.

Last night I saw lights in about twenty rooms, which indicates to me that they already have electrical fixtures installed and operating in the rooms.