TravelinSperry

Im finding all the Bangkok Starwood properties have modified their rates so that non-refundable vs flexible have huge differences. Used to be a difference but it wasn't so pronounced. At some properties (like LM) it's a 1,000 baht per night difference. At others (like PA & SGS) it's slightly less but still higher than it was in the past. Starwood properties must be having great success these days, probably all of us crowing about how good they are is finally catching up to us.

CJKatl

That actually sounds more like a scary threat than a nice thing. On the days I was there the creative whatever was served in a crowded space in the lobby. There was a tray of old picked through cold cuts and one bread choice. Nobody ever refreshed that mess. Given there are some great choices SPG and Marriott choices at the same price which are newer, have fantastic all day lounges and aren't where this hotel is located I actually felt bad for anyone staying here who might not know better. And I've never known of anyone who didn't get a drink made the way he wanted in a CL.

Yes, there were service fails. I need a feather free room. When I checked in the front desk manager recognized my plat status and told me he had personally made sure the room was feather free. Of course it wasn't. It had been two days since I showered, so I asked if they could wait thirty minutes to correct the error and he assured they would. I got in the shower which had a slight mildew smell and the doorbell rang. They waited five minutes, not thirty. I put on a robe and let them change the linen. After they were done, I got back in the shower and within a minute the doorbell was ringing again. I let it go. So the guy let himself in, despite the DND sign. On the way out I stopped by the front desk to absolutely make sure they knew I did not want turndown service. When I gave the woman my name she excitedly introduced herself, said she was maybe the billing manager and bragged that she was the one who made sure my room was feather free.

The next day I needed a cab and called down to the bellman's desk like I had been told to do. They said my cab should be there in ten minutes. I went downstair in five and let them know I was there. Long story short, they gave my cab away to someone else, Grabbed another one but gave it to someone else again. Two bellman fought over this but my guy lost and the other guy gave it away despite the driver having said my name.

And when I got to the hotel the second night there was someone sitting on the stone wall in the front of the hotel who said something to me. I took off my headphones and he asked if I wanted company in my room. This is Bangkok. That happens. But it was the first time it happened to me on the hotel property. OK, second... it also happened at the EWR Marriott, in the elevator, where two women asked me if they could stop by my room when they were done in their customer's room. Blech.

I know this hotel has its fans, but I just don't get why anyone would pay the same as what they would at so many hotels - and usually more than the much nicer Courtyard, which has a lounge - for this. It's like buying a Yugo when for the same money you could have had a Toyota.

TravelinSperry

Personally I've had excellent stays and service at the LM. Many on this thread have as well. However, your stay and experience also count and I believe your story. Many go on personal experience and since yours has been poor I can see why you'd want to stay elsewhere. However, you must also understand that many have had lovely stays there and that's why you read so many fans here on this thread. For my part, I don't like the CY area as much as Asoke. LMs area is similar to me in terms of the CY/Ren area (not a huge fan, but for the right rate, I stay in those areas sometimes).

At the LM I have been upgraded 100% of the time as a Plat. Service has been impeccable every stay and breakfast is nice (it's not SGS but it's quite good). I agree with you re the lack of lounge - and I am not a fan of their happy hour offering in Bamboo Chic. The rates are lower than all the Starwood properties except 4P and aLoft. I find the LM a bargain in comparison and there are some amazing restaurants in the area. Yes, the walk to Sala Daeng is far - but when staying at the LM, I usually stay in the area. When I want to move about I stay at the Westin/SGS or PA (which have easier access to the skytrain). One downside to the LM are the taxis which almost always have "broken" meters after I pull away from the LM. I never have this happen to me at any other Starwood property. It's not the LMs fault, but rather likely the area.

Jimgotkp

Having stayed at the PA, Westin, and LM this year, I'm surprised people don't like the Happy Hour at the LM. I thought the HH at Bamboo Chic was pretty good along with the breakfast spread. Location-wise, not the greatest which I agree with but like others mentioned if the rate is right then no big deal.

CJKatl

Both nights I was there functions in the regular space moved the Creative Fiasco to a space in the lobby. There was no staff so nothing was getting refreshed and I could never get the bartender's attention, nor could the front desk person I asked for assistance. There was nobody working the floor or asking if a guest was eligible to attend the fiasco so it seemed it was just anyone in the hotel grabbing what little food there was and sitting wherever. It was a mess. The front desk person kept saying they had a private party booked in the regular space which means they move the creative thing to the lobby but this was inexcusably disorganized and cheap. There was a tray of cold cuts and cheese and some bread. And if you don't show up in the short window of time you get nothing. I would rather have an all day lounge than have to deal with this and walking across the street to the 7-11 because I want a cold bottle of water.

If someone chooses to pay for this it is his/her choice. I felt bad that anyone might not realize the other Marriott and SPG options in BKK are so much better, although I did wind up there for two days because the LM was so much less expensive than even the CY. After two nights the other properties were similarly priced and I switched to the Marquis, which is a much better experience and again, was the same price as the LM for those days.

escape4

Sorry to hear about the multiple service issues. Not to make excuses, but the happy hour situation you described is evidently not the norm. When it's in Bamboo Chic, there are no such problems. Having HH in the lobby is a bad idea but probably does not happen more than a handful of times per year - first time I ever hear about this.

The Courtyard has a lounge, which is a plus. However I read in the Marriott thread that food offerings in CY are similar to U.S. style Marriotts. Is that true? I have never been to CY so I cannot comment with confidence, but if it's true that food is generally fried stuff like in the U.S. then it's not a lounge on par with Bangkok lounges in general. Better a bad lounge than no lounge, admittedly, but I am not sure I would use it that much other than for drinks, so I am not missing much if I have HH in the bar at LM without many food options.

On the other hand, at LM you get a special area for breakfast in the restaurant dedicated to Platinums which makes it more quiet than a traditional buffet breakfast in many crowded hotels. You get unlimited bubbly for breakfast. And they are generous with suite upgrades. None of this exists at CY if I am not mistaken, therefore I think the comparison about Yugo vs Toyota is colorful but not quite representative.

Jimgotkp

During one of the HH's while I was there, they had a private event at the Bamboo Chic so they hosted the HH at the bar area of the restaurant that serves breakfast. I'm surprised they had the HH at the lobby area as that area is quite small...

barracuda93

I have found the service at LM to be outstanding. Happy hour there is pretty nice. Well, it has poor food offerings (but Bangkok is not a place where you can't get food otherwise), but drinks choice is very nice. And though I have not been really impressed by hard product, I got an upgrade to a very decent suite.
I believe Athenee or SGS are better, but they also cost much more usually.

CJKatl

The CY lounge is better than most American lounges but not as good as the other Bangkok lounges. I'm not sure where the fried food fiction comes from, but the CY and most American lounges have salads, sandwiches and an entree. Sometimes there is fried food but it is hardly the norm. I have been in hundreds and you are more likely to see meatballs or noodles than fried stuff. Stuff that can stay warm for a long time in a chafing dish is the norm, which often is not great, but is usually not fried. The CL includes many fresh, cold entrees. I do not recall there being fried food at all.

Marriott has a published policy for UGs in Asian hotels. I have always gotten an UG at the Marquis and Soi 57 properties. The Marquis suite is almost identical to the LM suite and the Soi 57 suite is much nicer. It includes an additional half bath on top of the bath with soaking tub and floor to ceiling windows. The Ren and JW do not have many suites. The Ren usually gives Plats a corner room with a seating area and a huge bathroom. The JW usually UGs to the CL floor (there are two with a staircase connecting them) but otherwise it's a basic room.

I was not overly impressed with the LM breakfast and the long narrow stairs down to the Plat seating area are difficult to navigate with plates in hand, Who really cares about bubbly for breakfast? I'd rather have all day access to a lounge where I can grab a quick free bottle of water or soda. If you can get the restaurant breakfast at either the Ren or the Soi 57 property it is far superior to the LM. The LM is equivalent to the lounge breakfasts at the Marriott properties and equal to the MoMo Restaurant at the CY, which is always included for Plats.

If the LM were located in America it would be a very good hotel, but given the other options in Bangkok, it should up its game.

escape4

Thanks for the additional details, this is helpful. Is breakfast in the restaurant included at Marriott 57 for Plats? Or only breakfast in the lounge? That is possibly the Marriott hotel I would be the most interested in trying after August mostly because of your feedback regarding their suites and the likelihood of upgrades. If we compare with Starwood hotels with lounges, I have not had much success with suite upgrades at Athenee and Westin so I suspect M57 will be an option I like.

Regarding hotels in a lower price range than Athenee + Westin + M57, I am glad to know that the CY lounge is better than I was led to believe. However if suite upgrades are difficult there, in that price range I might still prefer Royal Orchid Sheraton. Perhaps I should try CY one of these days to see for myself.

CJKatl

I have never gotten any UG at the CY in six or so stays. They always put me in the smallest regular room, but I have never pushed the issue. My longest stay there has been three nights so it does not really matter. And what makes the CL more tolerable is that you always can have breakfast in the restaurant and I am not looking for meals the rest of the day, just light snacks. The airline once lost by luggage and the CL staff could not have been any more helpful in dealing with the airline for me. I was getting nowhere in English.

In the Marriott-family hotels thread Wiki I posted that as of April 2018 the Marquis does not allow free breakfast in the restaurant and within a week someone reported they allowed it now. The point: each of the properties other than the CY seems to change the policy on a dime, or a ten Baht coin. What is allowed today will not happen tomorrow, so I am not going to be able to tell you which hotels will allow this on your visit. It is a moving target. Whatever I say will be wrong tomorrow. The JW seems the least likely to allow restaurant breakfast and IMO the Ren has the best breakfast. The lounge breakfasts are good with noodle and egg stations, but they are abbreviated versions of the restaurant buffets.

One suggestion: email the property and ask ahead of time.

dsquared37

There are two suites per floor at Marquis, one is as you describe the other is area right under where the lounge entrance would be (xx24 IIRC) and that's a more fluid space but with one window only (in bedroom) and a connecting door proximal to the living area/bedroom separator. If those in the adjoining room are being loud it will be heard in the bedroom. I like this room better with the caveat of the noise potential.

In both quality and breadth of offerings LM is heads and shoulders above what CY serves in the MoMo Cafe and claiming that it's equivalent to a 'lounge' breakfast is folly. Me thinks you're getting this mixed up with another hotel because the LM has an extensive breakfast layout

In ~10 stays at CY I never got an upgrade with the exception of service recovery for which the GM at the time (now at LM) reached out to me to offer a suite. TBH, I didn't care for it.


I've never been offered breakfast in the resto at Marquis in multiple stays averaging every 3-4 months. I will be on site again shortly and will report back.

CJKatl

Positive I am not. The Plat seating area is at the bottom of some long narrow open white steps. At the top of the steps to the left is a carving area and some hot entrees, ahead to the right is a circular table area with smoothies on the far end, juice straight ahead and bread on the far side. Ahead on the left is a large table with more entrees. Like so much at this hotel my thought was it could have been better.

Yet there are people who report getting larger end rooms and top floor suites, so we must be doing something wrong.

Same here, but someone just reported not only getting breakfast in the restaurant but that it is the new norm for the hotel. Let us know what happens.

Dr. HFH

It's clear that you had a negative experience at (or impression of) LM Bangkok. But it's also becoming increasingly clear (at least to me) that you find little positive about the hotel; and, perhaps due to your disappointing experience, you slant everything negatively. Sort of the opposite of rose colored glasses.

The stairs from the main area in Latest Recipe down to the PLT seating area are anything but narrow. They're actually quite wide, certainly much wider than any average staircase. Yes, I, too, walk carefully down them when I'm carrying a plate; but they're not narrow. Who really cares about bubbly for breakfast? You may not, but many people do. I hardly need it; but, yes, there are mornings when a glass of Prosecco is quite nice. And I know that I'm not alone. (I'd be curious to know how many bottles they go through on an average morning.) Whether you enjoy it or not, it's a nice option to have for those who do. Did you knock points off your rating for the hotel because it offers something that you don't want?

Feel free to avoid the hotel due to your disappointing experience. But you should also acknowledge and understand that others have had very different experiences, and that perhaps yours is an outlier. I would suggest that you give it another try, but I'm sorry to say that I'm doubtful that you could be sufficiently objective about it to make another visit worthwhile. It happens. Fortunately, there are sufficient Starriott properties in Bangkok that everyone should be able to find one which suits him/her just right!

escape4

I had not seen the wiki. Great summary there - thanks!