nongsom

Problem for laundry benefits is 1 night stay.
If i check in 3 pm and check out at 4 pm(maximum late check out benefit) next day i will pickup laundry later.
If stay for 2 or more it didn't have problem when send last night laundry before 9 am

Lobster

I've had this problem at the SGS and I just call guest services on the afternoon I arrived and explained the situation. Someone came to pick up my laundry straight away and it was returned about 10am the next morning.

transparent

Looking for some opinions...

In the past year or two, I've stayed at:

W Bangkok (pretty nice stay, actually, despite FT opinions... wished my HUGE bottle of Bliss foaming face wash wasn't confiscated at the airport... forgot to check )

Aloft

St. Regis (very nice rooms, great pool, so easy to the BTS)

Plaza Athenee (great breakfast and rooms)

Four Points (got an upgrade to a huge suite, decent breakfast)

---

Haven't had a chance to try some of the other oft-mentioned properties like the SGS and LM.

I know the general consensus for service and plat recognition and quality of property are:

SGS
LM
PA
St. Regis
.
.
.
WGS
W
4P
Aloft
etc.

How about opinions on the rankings for the pools? What I've read here indicates St. Regis is at the top and SGS is up there (though I really liked the StR pool, I don't think the SGS pool style is really my thing, as I see from the photos).

For comparison, I also really liked the pool at the LM Angkor.

alanslegal

My opinion, in rank order
St Regis (for being modern, city/field view), followed closely by
Royal Orchard Sheraton (as I like the river buzz feel),
SGS (as its always warm, being under shade of trees means it is comfortable to chill pool side all day)
Plaza Athenee / LM / Westin / aLoft / 4P (are fine, it doesn't make me want to stay there all day though)
(I haven't stayed at the W so can't say).

Dr. HFH

That says it all. Lots of nice pools in the city, the key is what style appeals to you.

travelswithmyself

All these are City Hotels which means the pools are usually smaller. I stayed at LM Angkor many years ago and the pool while huge was a bit run down. Anyway, out of the BKK props I've stayed in, the SGS one is really rather nice and well-landscaped, albeit small. You've been to the W BKK - do you prefer that sort of fancy thing? The St Regis pool is standard rectangular but has a nice "view" of the race course has plentiful loungers...

transparent

While at the W, I didn't get a chance to go to the pool, so can't really comment on it... I think the Aloft pool is alright, nothing special but an ok vibe. StR pool was quite nice, relaxing, good view, nice lounging areas and good service.

Is the WGS pool area really as bad as people say? Or is it like Aloft, nothing special, but ok?

geminidreams

I didn't swim in the WGS pool but it is nothing special from my walk around. My favourite is PA. Never saw the StR when I was there. SGS pool for me is nice setting but the pool layout is poor. LM pool is too shallow and in shade which makes it unappealing.

whackyjacky

Considering the heat and strength of the sun, I don't know how shade could be considered a negative.

washeelers747

WGS pool didnt bother me much, but i like SGS pool, it make you feel like you are somewhere far away from urban jungle like BKK. Aloft, nothing special but will do nice job if you want to escape BKK's heat.

kodansha999

Aloft and WGS both has salt water pool.

jpdx

I'm about to book a couple of BKK stays for November and December, and am surprised to see that minimal discounting seems to be going on, despite the low occupancy after the Erawan attack.

It is often said that Thai hotels are unlikely to discount and instead tend to sit out periods of low occupancy, but I've found in the past that while this may be true on the Thai side, it is often easy to find European travel providers who hold fire sales on the inventory they locked in. In fact, I do see some BRG opportunities on European sites that bring e.g., Grand Hyatt Erawan to $100+, Westin to $85+, or ROS to $90 (for mid-November travel dates). IME, those are not stellar BRG rates for Westin or ROS (the Hyatt, however, is fire sale level), and the hotels I'd actually want to stay at (SGS, W, SR) don't seem to move at all.

My last stay in BKK in early September was at The Siam, where rates also didn't budge much (despite a 30% occupancy level), but other benefits (upgrade, food, massage) significantly sweetened the overall value proposition. Do any of the BKK Starwoods have similar "hidden" deals going on?

IluvSQ

Who says there is " low occupancy" after the attack?
I was at the SGS early Septemeber, and I would guess it was around 80%,
just based on my breakfast observations.

The number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand continues to astound, making
up for any decrease in Western visitors. And the shift of the Chinese tourists
from the budget hotels to the 5 stars is very noticeable.

Actually, my last stay at the SGS was the first time I noticed one of the front desk
staff with a Chinese flag label pin - sign of changing tides?

lcpteck

Maybe it's to show they speak it as a second language?

seanthepilot

The rates at the bottom end of the price range continue to inch up. But, last week I stayed across from the Aloft at their competition... but at 1/2 the price.

Great if your budget fits the PA or SGS. But, not if you're at the bottom of the scale.