mario33

Plat benefits are accorded based on your status at time of check-in.

I am not sure how you made the assumption that you will be plat midway during your stay; but if you are relying on night credits during this stay, in all probability the nights will only be posted after you check-out. If you are relying on stay / night credit from a previous Starwood stay, it's usually posted a day after check-out; so if you leave a gap of 1 or 2 nights between your Starwood stays you should be able to check-in as a plat.

ajca

Thanks for the info Mario, most appreciated!

gpeso8

I will be staying here for five nights in January. Does anyone have a recommendation for a guide/driver in the area?

Thanks.

GPESO8

LarryU

Jermsak Laowiriyatanachai is an excellent and personable driver who I used last year for several day trips around the Golden Triangle and into Myanmar. His contact info:

[email protected]
+6684 6154459

gpeso8

LarryU, thank you! I will be in contact with him.

BKKLEE

Just completed a 3-nighter as Thailand had a long holiday weekend. Plat benefits included:

. Complimentary daily breakfast for 2 people
· Complementary in-room and public areas High Speed Internet Access
· Complimentary daily newspaper
· Complimentary daily welcome drink at Latitude 19 (1 drink: person)
· Complimentary access to Fitness Centre 24 hours
· Your room will be upgraded to the Grand Deluxe Room
· 4 p.m. late check-out, subject to availability at resort property
· Platinum Amenity upon check in including 500 bonus starpoints

The Grand Deluxe rooms were over 65SM so plenty of space.......

We rented a car so had an easy drive up to Mai Sai and Golden Triangle (we did Doi Tong last time)............ weather at least 10C less then in Bangkok

It was my wifes birthday and the F&B Mgr, Renaud Mahé, surprised her with a Thai version of an Austrian torte (chocolate with raspberries)............. Many thanks for the delicious cake.

The hotel recommended local rest, Rayavadee........... I won't 2nd their reccomendation as the food was much to salty (or were they just trying to sell more beer!?)

We ate at the hotels Favola Rest........... recommended is their seafood soup and pasta with baby clams.......... spiced up for a Thai palate......

Enjoy your stay (we'll be back)............

3rdworldresident

just arrived today, still great property for me. got excellent plat treatment here.

i love this place especially in winter season.

very friendly staffs and nice services.

definitely my only choice when i'm in this lovely city 'chiang rai'.

ps. sorry for my poor english

Lulu

Stayed two nights at the LMCR, and we were upgraded to a deluxe room as they only have one suite in the hotel? Anyway the room was spacious with a balcony that allows you to walk out to the pool and the penguin club. As others mentioned, as Plat, we were given breakfast, and in the evening drinks at Latitude 19.

We took the free shuttle bus to town and enjoyed the Mae Fah Luang garden (free for LM guests), and after spending a couple of hours there we took the shuttle bus to the city and explored a little. Do sign up at the concierge for the time you want the shuttle bus and also your pick-up time as the driver told us that they do not necessarily run the shuttle bus according to the schedule all the time, only as needed/requested.

Thanks to FTers who recommended the restaurants outside the hotel. We tried the third and fourth restaurant upon turning right, and they were the only two restaurants that had the most locals & most crowded (The first restaurant had loud music and band, but was less than half full, the 2nd one the Chinese restaurant was quite deserted!).

We enjoyed our stay here at the LMCR, and it was a nice way to kick-start the vacation with total vege-ing out.

Dr. HFH

Renaud is great, a real gentleman. Before becoming F&B Manager at LMCR, he was the manager of BarSu at SGS in Bangkok.

StationaryTraveller

Le Meridien Chiang Rai Resort

Stay Period - 2011.3.12 ~ 2011.3.18
Room - Grand Deluxe

- Good room condition & Nice view
- The view from the viewing terrace and comfortable day bed is too good ^^
- Platinum Benefit is a breakfast and Happy Hour (Drinks per person per day)
- A beautiful hotel exterior and garden ^
- Great hotel food (Especially cheap and delicious steak tenderloin) ^
- Free shuttle service in operation ^
- Starwood Privilege Card (F&B card) is available ^

Starwood Privilege Card
The fee varies by country. Valid for 1 year


Approximately 100 photos and the reviews written in Korean
To see the reviews you need a very fast internet speeds

Le Meridien Chiang Rai Resort - Grand Deluxe

mario33

The Green Bus is now stopping at both the new bus terminal outside the city centre and the old terminal by the night bazaar (which is more convenient for those staying at the LM).

mario33

The hotel shuttle has a new destination, a new shopping mall Central Plaza along the main highway into the city centre. There is a Tops Supermarket, Robinsons Dept Store, a food court, several restaurants, the usual fast food joints etc etc

Do note that the shuttle is still 'on demand ' basis, you need to decide what time you want them to pick you up. If no guest has requested a pick-up at a scheduled time, they won't run it.

iahphx

Hi, everyone. I'll be taking my family to northern Thailand for about a week later this year and the Le Meridien hotels in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai have popped up on my radar screen because they both seem nice and -- on cash & points -- extremely affordable. Basically, we can stay at these hotels for next to nothing.

That said, I'm trying to figure out how much time to stay at each. In general, we prefer "off the beaten path," low-key, scenic destinations over Western-style luxury hotels when we travel. But we also like our comfort! We plan to rent a car in Chiang Mai and do a one-week loop. From what I've figured out so far, there seems to be a bit more to do in Chiang Mai than Chiang Rai, but that the Chiang Rai Le Meridien is more of a "destination" hotel (aka, "a resort") than the Chiang Mai Le Meridien.

So given this scenario, how much time should I stay in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai? Are there lots of 4-star hotels and inns in northern Thailand at affordable prices, or are these C&P deals an amazing bargain? What would make the better family vacation for the semi-adventurous traveller?

Also, without high SPG status, how high are the incidentals priced in Chiang Rai? Like everyone seems to rave about the breakfasts at the hotel, but on C&P, I assume we'd just have to pay for it -- and "paying for it" separately is usually a bad deal at a high end Asian hotel.

Thanks for the advice.

yosithezet

2-3 nights at each is my vote. Maybe a night elsewhere in the loop. I did a similar trip a few years back which is in my signature.

BKKLEE

just keep in mind that the LMCR is outside the CBD along the river and not really near anything while the LMCM is in the CBD, so if you're planning on CR I'd advise having a rental car...........