Eugeniusz Bodo

W is really, really hip and funky! Short hop by taxi everywhere. If you want to party out or bring the party in you WILL NOT be disappointed!

bizum

We loved STR last year around thanksgiving break - we loved the pool and how it was never crowded. Is the SGS pool busier?

TravelinSperry

If you mean Bangkok specific nightlife then you want Le Meridien, Westin, or SGS.

If you mean nightlife as in the style you'd get in other major cities (restaurants, clubs, music) then you'll want aLoft, Four Points or secondarily StR, Plaza Athenee, Westin or SGS (the latter four are all on the BTS although the StR requires a change likely depending on destination).

The W is remote and really stands out for its poor location imo (furthest to anywhere via the BTS with change likely or taxi required to get anywhere).

schoflyer

Yes, busy depending on the day of the week or season. Weekday business hours are not nearly as busy as high season or weekend hours.

VLtone

Do any of the SPG properties on Bangkok have city views via rooftop or room balcony that are really exceptional? I'm a part time cityscape timelapse photographer and I'd love to get an awesome shot while I'm earning points.

TravelinSperry

You can go to the rooftop of the FourPoints but it's not exceptional views.

Rather you should just stay in the best hotel - and then go to the Hotel Lebua which has excellent views from outside (it's the hotel featured in the Hangover).

Also - one of the malls near the Grand Hyatt Erawan has a rooftop club/restaurant which has nice city views as well (not as good as the Lebua - but still good).

yosithezet

None of them.

You may ask someone fro the Westin to let you see the event space on the 25th floor which has an outside area where good cityscape photos could be shot.

TravelinSperry was referring to the Centara Grand at CentralWorld I think which is catty corner from the Grand Hyatt.

While not SPG, the Marriott on 57 has a spectacular view from their rooftop bar.

You may also want to hit the Bayoke Sky Tower (which may have a new name).

At the Lebua State Tower's Skybar they are really annoying about people stopping to take picture and the place has become unbearable since Hangover II.

bertheike

I not really understand what you different between specific nightlive @ WESTIN and SGS and nightlive in the style .... as in
ALOFT and 4P ?
The 4P is aprox 60 seconds walking distance from WESTIN, so the aerea is quite the same.

rbAA

And the W is near Chong Nonsi which is one stop from Sala Daeng, which has traditional BKK nightlife areas.

ftrichard

Oh yes. What could you possibly mean?

TravelinSperry

If you're going to pick from Starwood properties that are inconvenient - I'd easily pick StR which is attached to the BTS over the W. At least it is near the malls and other lunch areas. The W and the aLoft are simply the most inconvenient locations. At least the aLoft has some nightlife on the block (but a looooong crowded walk to the BTS).

Why choose the W with its poor Plat recognition when you can choose the Le Meridien? Or the SGS or Westin? Or the StR or even the Plaza Athenee? It just makes no sense imo.

FullTimeFlyer

What's bad about the Plat recognition at the W?

Very sincere question, BTW, from a Plat currently booked to stay on a 5-night reward at the W in December who's still a little fuzzy about the best property. I don't stay at many W's (typically more Sheratons) - so I'm not sure what I'm missing at the others. And I lack expertise in Bangkok too so following this eagerly.

We stayed a couple years ago at the W Hong Kong and were kind of blown away by the breakfast buffet so leaned that way again.

Also, there's been a lot of talk about the W location being inconvenient. I thought it was essentially sharing a building with a train station? Is that not so, or does it not work very practically?

Quizzically yours,

FTF

TravelinSperry

Best to peruse this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starw...er-thread.html

geminidreams

W is fine, its close to get on BTS, the breakfast is good. I have been upgraded there to a Jr Suite and another time used SNAs to get Marvellous suite.

jpdx

W Bangkok is indeed fine. Some posters here are overly critical about it (in some cases, without ever having stayed there). This has to do with (a) those posters' almost irrational love for a specific BKK hotel, and (b) the fact that the W is a bit stingy with suite upgrades, breakfast, and drinks. Without using a SNA, you're unlikely to receive an upgrade to a Marvelous Suite, you have to give up 500 points if you want breakfast, and you only receive a couple of drink chits. This compares poorly to other BKK properties in the same price range, which grant much more generous Plat benefits. The harping about location is fairly ludicrous; for tourists, the location is no worse than other BKK hotels.