Londonjetsetter

Looks as though the Siam is going to blow all of these properties out of the water! I tend to avoid spending much time in Bangkok, preferring to be on the beach or up North.

TRAVELSIG

SIAM will certainly be a leader however its location is not very convenient if you are working in Bangkok.

seanthepilot

As a regular contributor on many forums, everyone (including me) appreciates your input. Feel free to relive this terrible experience in posts as much as you want. It won't affect my life. I already know how you feel. But, perhaps you don't know how it affects your own credibility. 11 years on, you're still as passionate of how horrible it was, and want everyone to know how you were mistreated... and I shouldn't refer to it as a petty grudge? Hmmmm.

Did you ever consider what your experience that day would have been if you had complied with the dress code? Did you ever consider that you were wrong, before they even mishandled the situation?

I repeat the above comment. Assuming that you could relive that moment again, do you think that if you could have just been compliant with the dress code, the whole situation would have been a non-starter. Mishandling the situation aside, complying with the dress code would have negated the issue, and avoided any interaction with the guest relations agent who was assigned to handle your situation. Just out of interest, how should they have handled your situation any better?

RichardInSF

This thread is wandering towards dangerous territory, albeit in a calmer manner than in other forums. The points about the MO Bangkok dress code have been made and countered enough for everyone to get the idea, and it seems like a good time to let them rest for now.

RichardInSF, moderator, luxury hotels

Kagehitokiri

the whole thing is most likely moot. some did not like kurt's style, but none have stayed after his departure. where we went from a distinct style to not one but two reportedly not good GMs.

staff changes are also a difference, not sure of overall impact.

TRAVELSIG

To me the service at the FS has been better overall than the MO for quite some years now. Let's see if the new GM can up the ante- there is some very stiff competition now in Bangkok both from existing hotels and new openings like the SIAM.

speedbird001

Putting service aside as at the end of the day they are all excellent; IMHO you don't want to be in BKK without being on the river. Nor do you want to be in IST without being on the Bosphorous or HKG without a harbor view.

TRAVELSIG

In BKK I actually far prefer the Four Seasons. The river is nice one time as a tourist- if you are visiting BKK monthly for business the river novelty wears out quickly as does the extra 30 minutes of travel time in the morning and the evening that comes with the river location.

Pickles

So, back on topic, how has the MOBKK gone downhill since Kurt left? I never liked the guy, but he ran a very tight, albeit classist/elitist, and exclusive ship, clearly delineating who was "in" and who was "out", and sometimes confusing those who were "in" with the "outs" and leading to some long, long and highly emotional grudges the likes which other hotels do not generate. I am not just talking about posters in this forum, some friends of mine who were guests there were confused for non-guests and it wasn't a pretty sight. To this day, a decade later they will still spit sideways and do the a two-handed one-fingered salute at the mention of the hotel.

What has happened since Kurt left? Any specifics?

Kagehitokiri

http://twitter.com/amandahyndman

hope thats ghostwritten..

Pickles

Are these the tweets of a hotel manager at a storied institution, or of a woman on a name-dropping, look-at-me vacation? This doesn't bode well.

vuittonsofstyle

I wonder if Amanda Hyndman realised that Marisa Sukosol was one of the owners of The Siam when she replied to her tweet?

Marisa Sukosol Nunbh ‏@marisanun

@amandahyndman @MO_Bangkok enjoyed lovely dinner w hubby at Verandah last night after wedding we attended, service was gr8 as always ka T


6 Aug amanda hyndman amanda hyndman ‏@amandahyndman

@marisanun Thank you so much - we aim to DELIGHT kha!

excell

The Best Hotel in the World IMHO
I have been staying at The MOBKK since I was a teen taken by my father 40 years ago. Now, I bring my son here.
For me La Grande Dame has always remained outstanding at the level of service, professionalism and food and beverage.
I have stayed here during Khun Kurt' s era, and also every year during Jan Gossing and his team. There was no noticeable difference, and the team at MOBKK seemed happy with Jan, and I certainly saw all the old faces that had been here for years, and greet us like family returning home. (so I can't comment on old time staff leaving). As a guest nothing has changed if anything the service is even better (if that's possible).
They have always comped us for the meet and greet at air-bridge on arrival, immigration and limo transfer to and from hotel.
I have yet to meet Amanda Hyndman, but already I am impressed.
Amanda, took the time to write to me and my family in Australia to talk of her new role and to welcome us back when we go this coming January.
I wrote back to her and consequently received another hand written response from her which I find exceptional, in this day and age of electronic correspondence.
We have stayed at some of the worlds most famous hotels in Europe Asia and America, but find that all are are poor cousin when compared the the MOBKK.
It is the only hotel in the world in which I could truly wish to live in.

In regards to our friend and his tirade re dress code that seems to be going on indefinitely on numerous posts. "He must be well balanced, as it seems he has a chip on BOTH shoulders."

Kagehitokiri

you acknowledge regulars get special treatment

then yet another misrepresentation of dress code discussion
(not enforced for guests, selectively enforced for nonguests)

in this thread >
selectively enforced for nonguests >

behuman

They are not alone, Raffles Singapore is not a pretty sight either and the arrogance of the staff unique in the world.

To be fair: These are landmark properties one just wants to visit while in a city. So it is difficult to handle.