lancashirelass

Is it worth asking/paying for an upgrade at JW Marriott then if all rooms are the same? - obviously one gets the lounge benefits, but normally the room is also larger, as at the Marriott Resort. I booked the JW via PL HK, so not sure what to expect. Btw, do you know the price to upgrade?

Shame no exec lounge at JW in Phuket

Chris26WI

Don't know about the upgrade price.. but if you check the difference between the quality-room-rates and the exec.-room-rates on marriott.com you will get an idea about the maximum upgrade charge. I got the upgrade for free after asking (staying on Priceline as well), without lounge benefits. Yes, the room is same size and same furniture etc. as quality room, just on higher floor.

dogcanyon

I have a 10:55 PM flight and would like to stay at the hotel as long as possible. What is the latest checkout time that I can reasonably expect? (The checkout day will be a Sunday. I have no status with Marriott). Thanks for your answers.

Delta3MM

I had hoped someone with specific knowldge of that particular property could answer your questions, but my experience tells me that it will be unlikely they will let you have acccess to your room past 6PM without paying an additional nights stay (I have paid for an additional day on one occasion in Hawaii just to make sure I had my room late in the day). However, it would not surprise me that they MAY allow you access to your room until 3PM unless they have every room sold for that night. In any event, you can still use the facilities of the hotel all day - so you can get a massage, hang out at the pool (and even shower there) all day (at least you can at most marriott's I've stayed at). If you have access to the conceriege lounge, you should be able to go there all day your last day as well. Some hotels offer a "day rate" - primarally for people needing a room for a few hours - more Asia hotels are used to late/early departing guests due to common flight times (or uncommon flights times). Wish I could be more helpful - but you could try calling or emailing the hotel, but things will probably work better for you once you get there. Hope this is some help ...

Billy

dogcanyon

Thanks, Billy. If they do let me stay until 6 PM I will be very happy.

tide

Latest I've checked out at the Marriott Resort & Spa was 4pm. Not sure if it was a courtesy because of status or if it applied universally. They asked, I said 4pm and that was that.

Chris26WI

Just ask.. but don't expect anything beyond 4pm without surcharge...

sailanacra

I asked and was allowed to stay until 4pm. They hesitated though but I'm only silver. This hotel has a great pool and you can always get access to a shower and store your luggage. Unless you were worn out, I would wake up and take the free boat ride to the sky train and take the sky train to the end of the line where the weekend market is. I'm not sure how late that goes on a Sunday but it can keep you occupied for hours.

Also be aware that it takes quite a while to get to the airport from the Marriott. If it is an international flight you will have to leave pretty early.

It is a great hotel...enjoy.

dogcanyon

Thanks. How long would you estimate it takes to get to the airport on a Sunday evening? Is it best to just take a taxi from the hotel or better to use some combo of the water taxi, sky train and taxi to beat the traffic?

Chris26WI

Sunday evening shouldn't usually be "too busy" (for Bangkok relations)... so I'd personnally prefer a taxi-meter to the boat/BTS/taxi-combo.... calculate at least 1-1 1/2 hrs travel time to be on the safe side. By the way, the taxi-meters called by the hotel usually try to charge 400 Bt. fixed price... so you can refuse this and ask the taxi-driver to switch on the meter.. or take another taxi-meter.. If you don't want this type of discussion, just walk through Royal Garden Plaza and take a taxi-meter from the main road.

dogcanyon

Thanks, Chris.

sailanacra

I would also agree and say plan for 1 and a half hours. I would take a taxi or a limo. I usually go to Asia for a vacation with SCUBA diving; therefore, I have lots of luggage. It is usually worth the extra dough for me to get a taxi or a limo to the airport from the hotel. You get a little extra service, don't have to worry about any "extra" fees and will probably get a car that doesn't break down.

Remember the ripoff of 400 baht of the 1 and a half hour taxi ride is only about 9 bucks. I just got back from Japan and if I took a taxi from Tokyo to the Narita airport (about same distance and time) it would cost about 300 dollars or more! Needless to say I lugged by luggage and took the "cheap" bus which cost 30 bucks each way.

bhatnasx

I'm heading back to Thailand next week & have a stay at the Riverside - I've got a quick question that I'm hoping someone can answer for me:

Which airport bus would be the best one to take to get from BKK to a BTS Station?

I know that they run the free water taxi to/from Saphan Taksin (S6) and I would like to just take a bus to a BTS station & pick up the water taxi there.

Same question for the return - which station would be the best place to pick up an airport bus when leaving the Marriott? Checkout is at noon (and I may ask for a late checkout) & we will be flying out on a 6AM flight, so we will be spending our last night in the airport - I'd prefer to take a bus back to the airport than spring for a cab if possible.

Thanks!

opushomes

Why would you want to take the airport bus? It costs 100 baht and will take a significant amount of time compared to a taxi. Then you must make your way to the BTS, most stations do not have escalators (including Saphan Taksin) A taxi to the Marriot Resort will cost slightly more than 300 baht, tolls and airport fee included. I believe that it is worth it to take a taxi rather than turning the trip into a two to three hour ordeal. But to each his own.

Savage25

I agree, especially if you aren't travelling alone.

But just in case, airport bus No. 1 goes to Silom. I'm sure it'll stop near some BTS station along the way, if not at the Shangrila.