having to pay for club when you book the "Presidential" suite = :rolleyes:

At this rate, I'm not complaining! :D

Your observation is a common of Asians. If you go to the CX board, do a search on "caucasians" and you will find some threads regarding Asians receiving less than stellar service.

yes - i remember reading similar things re service in NH F (although from what i remember it was more a case of ignoring women - whether western or asian - rather than asians)

BUT IMHO service in hotels is much more important to begin with, not to mention delays in F class can only be so long..

I've been to functions at both Pen and MO, never stayed at either one (my company had special rates at Grand Hyatt - I know it's not on the river). I like the Pen atmosphere better from my limited experience.

Can somebody explain to me why this is the case? Why would one race treat the same race in an inferior way? I don't understand?

RE: Pen vs. FS
I've stayed at the Pen, walked through FS. Pen is clearly in a class above when it comes to public areas. Atrium style of the FS rooms also looked a little too Embassy Suites like. The final straw for me was when I couldnt quickly find a nice bar for cocktail hour. I suspect if I would have simply asked I would have been pointed to one, but Im not sure. All this being said, I didnt actually stay there, so this is an incomplete assesment.

Some interesting observations. From their website, seems like the only bar, other than cocktails served in the Lobby, is Aqua which is in the garden on the lobby level. Perhaps not the most obvious location for a hotel bar.

What's interesting to me is that the hotel was originally the Peninsula, before becoming the Regent, and finally the FS. Anyone know the story of why the Pen left, and did anyone stay there when it was the Pen? Seems like there were at least a few years between the hotel becoming the Regent and the Pen opening their new riverside hotel.

I'm also happy to know the Pen is doing so well in Bangkok. I remembered when it first opened, probably not even 10 years ago, and it struggled the first couple of years. We have good friends that work in management at the Peninsula Hong Kong, and they were offering us promo rates for regulars of under $80 a night, as I recall. Somewhat regret not taking advantage of it at the time!

I could be wrong, but I believe the PEN was originally next door to the Regent, which became the FS. I think there is a shopping mall of some sort there now? Some BKK expert can probably fill us in.
In terms of cocktails- the lobby bar is probably the most popular, and is quite logical as a bar- and is usually very very busy. Acqua is to the left as you enter, in a courtyard- it is fine although nothing special. If you want a drink, all the F and B outlets will be happy to serve you this. In addition, drinks by the pool are great. Also, many guests use the Exec lounge if they have access. Enough drinks for everybody! The PEN has certainly come a long way- there was a period where they offering USD 139 with 3rd night free to everybody. BKK in general has really had a surge in the economy, which is good news. Anyway, there is a hotel for everyone in BKK. Some like the FS, some not. The Grand Hyatt has loyal followers that would never stay anywhere else. The Sukhothai also is very popular, particularly with the British crowd it seems. And of course, the BIG 3 on the river- SH, MO, PEN are always very busy. Depends what you want I guess.

Small & crowded pool at MO Bangkok? Not anymore!
 

I am a huge fan of the Pen's klong-style pool, but have you not seen the new, second pool at MO? It's by the revamped Verandah restaurant terrace and is really good - a long, lean lap-pool.

I believe that the Peninsula next door to the FS/Regent is and has always been a shopping center. I don't think that there was a hotel on the site before the Regent. FWIW, the property used to be my great-uncle's residence and clinic and is owned by the Crown Property Trust (the trust for the Thai Monarchy).

Peninsula definately used to occupy the building that is now the Four Sesaons. I used to have a Leading Hotels of the World brochure with an entry for the Peninsula that included a photo of it.

Don't Peninsula own the property in Bangkok, perhaps they were only managing the property that is now the FS?

This is the most fantastic part about Flyertalk. There is always an expert!

http://www.hotelsmag.com/archives/20...la-Bangkok.asp

http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2...tThailand.html
http://www.minorfoodgroup.com/intern...ut_history.asp



now im really curious :D

http://web.archive.org/web/199804231...ew/apindex.htm (4/23/98)
http://web.archive.org/web/199901170...ew/apindex.htm (1/17/99)

The Oriental
 

I say the Oriental hands down. The Penn is great but it is too much like other high rise hotels. The oriental is a small quiet gem and I can't imagine better service. The massages I had were great and the breakfast on the terrace by the river is great. It is not as high tech as the Penn but I really like the old world, colonial feel of the entire property and the whole place smells so great. My room was understated elegance like being in a beautifully appointed home. I didn't want to leave. To me the Oriental seemed like some place really special and the Penn seemed liked a really, really nice hotel but could be anywhere. I also found the lobby to be pretty cold and sterile. The Oriental is more expensive but I think for your first time in crazy, hectic, wonderful Bangkok you should treat yourself to this quiet oasis of refinement.

have fun,
dan

Not to perpetuate the older vs younger (I'm 30) and/or the caucasian vs asian (the latter) argument, but I much prefer the Pen to the O. So much so I won't stay at the O again.

But I do love the MO chain to bits. And the Pen. Does it really matter at this luxury level?? ;)

I stayed in and love both these properties and as many have noted your parents, i'm sure, will be happy with either. Since you've already booked the Pen i'd just leave it unless you can book a rate with a late check out (if required)

Jeff

From my understanding, the reason why the lobby of the Four Seasons Bangkok looks similar to the Peninsula Hong Kong is because the hotel was built as a Pen. This original Bangkok Peninsula opened in 1982, but became the Regent only a few years afterwards.

First time I walked into Pen HKG I said to myself...."this looks a lot like the FS BKK". Now I know why. Thanks.

>>

http://www.royalorchidholidays.se/ro...o/BKK/BKK7.php

http://www.dusit.com/news/060125.shtml

very interesting :)

had no idea LHW went back so far either
http://www.lhw.com/download_s/Company%20History.pdf

I could have sworn it was operating as The Peninsula (before becoming The Regent) until the early 90s. My copy of the LHW featuring the hotel was picked up at the Oriental in SIN on my first visit in 91. Oh well it looks like the mystery is pretty much solved :D

This may very well be the case, however, being that I grew up extremely Americanized (my second language is German, my third is French), I take a stronger offense to it and am never afraid to point it out as my money is just as green as anyone else's. Give me great service and you'll see the ridiculous gratuity I'm famous for... :)

The best place to understand this is the NY Times Bestseller: The Asian Mystique

Can I ask which of the Pen and the Oriental has a better concierge ?

I have one night in Bangkok this coming Saturday. I've booked a balcony room at the Pen. I've visted Bangkok twice before (both last year) and stayed at the Shangri-La and an i.sawan spa cottage at the Hyatt.

I didn't venture out in either case - the former because I was knackered (after a lot of flights in the middle of a fortnight's RTW) and the latter because I was busy enjoying various spa treatments. This time, I want to see what Bangkok has to offer.

So I e-mailed the Pen yesterday night to ask about airport transfers and also a suggestion for a restaurant and a bar/club for dinner (Thai), music (modern) and drinks. I mentioned that I'm fairly well travelled - living in London and having visted, for example, Singapore, HK, Shanghai, Tokyo, New York, Paris, KL and lots of other places over the past 12 months - so I'm basically looking to be impressed by what Bangkok has to offer which is unique.

This morning, I receive responses from two different people about the same thing. The airport transfer price quoted in one was wrong.

One person suggested the Bed Supper Club on Sukhumvit soi 11 and directed me to the website. Having had a Google, it seems that this place is at least 5 years old and not cutting edge anymore.

The other suggested I try the DOME complex and said that it's "Bnagkok most highest drinking and dining" with two options available - the Sky Bar and Sirocco restaurant. Having a look myself, it seems that this is wrong (the Banyan Tree bar is apparently higher) and Sirocco does Mediterranean food which wasn't what I asked for. I replied and have now got a suggestion for Sala Rimnam for a Thai set menu and a Thai classical dance performance (which again isn't what I want).

I can't say that I'm too impressed with the performance of the concierge staff so far at the Pen! Or are my expectations too high and/or my request unrealistic ?!?

We only went for drinks but Mrs Northants JP and I much preferred the Dome over Scirrocco.

The difference in height I think is fairly small and unnoticable.

We found it much more pleasant to sit outside at The Dome. The night we went to Scirroco was very steamy - literally so - you're on the top of the hotel by the vents and a lot of steam seemed to be blowing around.

The Dome is also much closer and within walking distance of the Pen, being about 5 minutes walk from the Peninsula Pier next door to the Shangri La and about 10 minutes walk from the Oriental.

We stayed at both properties a couple weeks ago. I think the only negative we found at the Pen was the concierge staff. They seemed cold and somewhat hesitant to help. The one time we did use them for dining resulted in an average meal at a rather run down place. We had to press them for directions, and had to request that they produce a map with a drawn routes. It felt like we were dealing more with a front desk rather than a concierge.

I'm just wondering if the layout of the concierge desk has something to do with things. They are directly outside the guest elevator lobby and are the first desk that you come to on your way out. The front desk, OTOH, is hidden off to the side, and since you do not check in there, most guests probably do not see it till check-out. I'm just speculating that they get lots of general hotel questions that might be directed to front desl staff at other properties--and thus are more generalists than most other concierge staff, rather than true experts on the city. That could explain their somewhat detached attitude.

In any event, we found the Oriental concierge to be warm and friendly--as we expected. The maps and directions came out without asking, again as expected.

The nod goes to the Oriental in this area.

We Prefer Olderstyle
 

I agree that MO has more "older style people" than the Pen but I was unpleasantly surprised last year when I saw so many unmannered guests (old and young) at the MO. So older style doesn't automatically mean "best mannered".

I stayed at both the Pen (again) and the Met (first time) last week. As a repeat guest to BKK I now prefer the Met with "younger style people with good manners" and a modern design approach over every other hotel there. For a first timer the Pen would still be my favourite though.