The rate for the Ren is less than that now.

Renaissance BKK Update
 

For those who might be interested, due to low occupancy the Ren has discontinued breakfast service in the Exec. Lounge until at least the end of Feb. Elite guests are now offered the full breakfast buffet at Flavors Café. A good deal for those of us staying here.

Evening service in the Lounge continues as usual.

Access to the hotel is no problem and their is no discernible noise inside the hotel coming from the continuing protests up the street.

Agree. I'm also at the Renaissance. The gathering up the street is considered more a "rally" than a "protest" with no police confrontation etc., and Bangkok bloggers such as Richard Barrow (see https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow) consider the gathering at Ratchaprasong as one of the safer ones. Still would not recommend hanging out there at night.

Agree with dfe that Renaissance is a great place to stay at the moment for Marriott fans/elites looking for a place in Bangkok. Chit Lom BTS station just outside hotel provides great access for travel around Bangkok (the most reliable mode of transportation during the current unrest). Due to low occupancy, rates rival those of the Courtyard across the street, upgrades should be easy to come by, and the breakfast in the restaurant Flavors is fantabulous IMO! I received an upgrade to a corner suite and 6pm late check-out simply by asking.

Wow! I've long held that the Ren BKK is one of the best Marriott held redemptions to find for status holders. With the current situation I can't even see a challenger.

Except the cash rate is so low, it's a shame to waste points! I'm holding two reservations for next month. One is for 17,151.71 THB/526.64 USD for a five night stay. It seems silly to waste 80k Marriott Points, which is the other reservation. The CY was 16,478.00 TBH, or 60k Marriott Points.

So it seems to be forum convention that Ren is the place to be in BKK?

I might be staying here in March and my corp. rate is actually 400 baht higher per day than their new lower standard rate. The only difference is my corp. rate includes breakfast but if Plat can choose lounge/restaurant breakfast, then switching to standard rate should be a no-brainer?

Corp. rate inc. breakfast is only 2100 at CY but maybe Ren is worth that (about) 1000 per day difference?

Ren and CY seem to be very close to each other, like 40 meters? By flying, that is. According to google maps you have to take a way longer route by walking, something like 850 meters. Can anyone confirm?

I moved between the two properties once. You are correct that it is a notably longer distance for those without wings.

I just booked a two-night stay for this Sunday and am hoping for an upgrade before I lose gold status next month. I have not stayed here since I was platinum, though.

I would pick the Renaissance in BKK for the following benefits (for Platinums) -
- Restaurant breakfast (not sure if you can choose lounge/restaurant breakfast when the lounge is open - right now they don't serve breakfast in the lounge due to the occupancy rates being low)
- High tea and canapes served in the lounge in the evenings - these are great, the canapes can actually serve as a full dinner if you're not super hungry
- 1 garment laundry free daily
- a bunch of other lounge-related benefits like complimentary use of lounge meeting room (2 hrs/day), complimentary black 'n white printing (10 pgs/day)
- complimentary local calls
- complimentary 15 minute head and shoulders massage at the Quan Spa

I agree Ren over CY if prices are roughly comparable--sometimes during flash sales the Ren is even less expensive. You really have to pay attention.

For example I got my last four nights at the Ren for 2,914 THB ++, (roughly $92) but it was offered during a very short window before prices went back up--but even then pretty reasonable. Now with the breakfast buffet offered and the Lounge still open in the evening, it is hands down the Ren.

I did a quick survey one evening walking my floor and found only 20% occupancy--based on an advertising insert put in the key card slot for each room. If it was there, it indicated that the room was unoccupied. Perhaps looking at just one floor is not completely indicative, but it is telling.

I also have it on good authority that the CY is running at about 20%. But I have 3 nights coming up there next week since the price is OK and I like the folks there who always take good care of me. They need the business, esp for the line employees who are suffering,

However, in both cases, lowering the price will not necessarily attract guests if they are staying away out of fear. But, at least at this point, there is really nothing to fear as long as you are reasonably careful. And on the weekends the protest/rally almost turns into a festival with an indescribable number of vendors all over the place in the Ratchaprasong area (as well as at Asok).

Things Change
 

Caution, as always, is in order -- relevant to the Ren and CY, there was a bomb blast behind the main stage at the Ratchaprasong site on Friday night injuring 6. Back of the stage is a place that guests should not venture anyway, but note that some violence has now moved to the area.

Marriott-family hotels in Bangkok, Thailand
 

I checked into the renaissance about an hour ago and am pleasantly surprised to see the lounge nearly packed. the staff is as warm and hard-working as I remember.

I returned from BKK less than one week ago, and while I did not stay at the Ren on this trip (was instead at the Conrad on Wireless Rd a few blocks away), I did spend some time in the general vicinity, including walking through the protest site at Phathumwan to access Siam Discovery and the adjacent art center.

Unfortunately, yesterday's events, with a grenade exploding in front of Big C across from Centralworld (only blocks from the Ren) at 5 pm, would give me pause in spending any time walking around the protest sites, even during the day.

Good to hear. I'm worrying less and less about staying there next month.

This is a situation that I believe should best be considered on a day-by-day basis. Things have gotten scarier, and I encourage anyone considering staying anywhere in the city to monitor the news. The street in front of the Renaissance was closed when I returned this evening-morning for rather obvious reasons. I love Bangkok overall as well as this hotel in particular, but a comparison point is that the front page of a Malaysia newspaper I read last week was fully occupied by discussion of seat-belt laws. It is a different story in Bangkok today.