thecoach

hey... ive been to jw marriot in bangkok many times... it has a great business center... everything in thailand is very cheap... the internet is maybe 5 dollars for an hour or something.... but if you just leave the hotel and go to the numerous internet cafes.. you can be on the internet all day for pennies.. good luck
its one of the best marriotts i have ever been in.. actually probably the best...ill be there in about a month myself..

mike
[email protected]

R&R

I had a very bad time with Internet access at one of those Cafe's last year. And only wanted to log onto AOL for my Email.

bdschobel

I had a running debate with the JW's general manager about internet access there. The hotel's business center charges 200 baht (about $5) every 15 minutes, which is very high by any standards. It may be the highest rate I've seen anywhere in the world. Right outside the hotel are MANY internet centers of various kinds. The cheapest ones are 90 baht ($2) per hour, although I usually go to one that's slightly more upscale at 150 baht ($4) per hour.

I have never seen anybody actually using the hotel's business center's computers. I asked the general manager if any sensible person would EVER use them at those crazy rates. The hotel did not back down and claimed to have plenty of business. Not from me!

Bruce

socrates

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[This message has been edited by socrates (edited Mar 23, 2004).]

DK_1KGal

We were at the JW in BKK earlier this year -- room had wired high speed internet which worked great (on exec floor) -- don't remember if there was a charge

tide

Right next to the JW (across from the lobby entrance) is shopping/office building called the Ploenchit Centre. There is an internet cafe in there on the ground floor, along with lattes and chais. Broadband and you can hook-up your laptop. I think 90B/hour.

dragonmp11a10

Tks all for the replies !
Maybe we can startup a regularly updated thread dedicated for Marriot properties w/ highspeed internet like in the Hilton forum ?

socrates

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[This message has been edited by socrates (edited Mar 23, 2004).]

LH747FTL

Like said already, they do have wired high speed internet. Don't remember the cost, it was free for a trial period during my first stay there.

I would suggest the Jay Mart on the other side of Sukhumvit - 60B/hour with nice facilities.

[This message has been edited by LH747FTL (edited 10-15-2003).]

jtrader

I stayed there earlier this week. Broadband in the room was 642 Baht/24 hours plus 7% VAT. Couldn't complain since I was only paying $56/nite via priceline.

dragonmp11a10

jtrader, tks much for that info!
So that is about $16, a bit steep but better price than the Conrad.

bhatnasx

I was recently in Thailand doing a few weeks of backpacking - While there, I stayed at the Bangkok Riverside Marriott and I highly recommend this place. It was a spectacular place to stay and the rooms are pretty nice and the staff was spectacular. They've got a Trader Vics (Mai Tai's!) and a Benihana Steakhouse on property.

Here are some pictures from the Marriott if anyone is interested. They have a free water taxi that takes you to the Taskin Pier (Skytrain's located there) and across the street, there's a shop called Alex's Fashions where I had an Armani-styled suit made with an extra pair of pants for less than 80 bucks!

R&R

I know those rooms well, since I have been staying there on my annual trips from the time Marriott took over the property about 1995.

The hardwood floors were being laid last year, and I got a just finished room on the Exec floor. The Room resembles more of their resorts now with the old carpeting removed. The Shower doors were new also to replace leaky shower curtains. The furniture is the original.

It is still my favorite Marriott.
The Terrace Riverside Seafood BUffet is great. New Years Eve Gala there is fantastic. But it has gone from about $100 US pp to $200.US this year, so I skipped it.

tide

This is a really nice property and if booked through PCLN - one of the best deals in town.

I have stayed at both the Marriotts in BKK and the irony is that for me, my PCLN stays at the Resort have always outperformed (by a wide margin) my revenue-stays at the JW. Both Marriotts I believe are owned by the same company.

This hotel truly knows how to take care of a Platinum member:
a) free laundry (5 pcs per stay)
b) complimentary hot buffet b/fast (on a PCLN stay).
c) river-view; I scored a suite once with a wrap-around balcony. All on PCLN stays.
d) A nice box of cookies and an invite to a cocktail reception hosted by the General Manager.
e) One of the best pools in BKK (at least among the properties that I have stayed and I have stayed at a lot of other hotels in BKK).
f) complimentary local calls. In contrast, the JW charges me for phone calls
g) The most uncrowded Exec lounge ever. I guess not a lot of people on business stay here.

This hotel certainly is rich in ambience - it reminds me a lot of the Intercontinental in Bali: lots of ethnic touches, greenery and a nice pool.

This hotel though is not without some minus points chiefly:
a) Distance from city centers. I find the best way to get anywhere fast is to take a cab to/from the Surasak BTS station.
b) Really strange shower "curtain" that is a glass partition that only covers only half the bath-tub. I hate wet floors and I find that I have to shower in a certain position to avoid making a mess. Really strange and uncomfortable: I'd like to know why they did it this way.
c) Lack of separate shower/bath. Bathrooms do not have natural sunlight.
d) Uninspired toiletries (true of the JW as well)

bhatnasx

I've got to second B & E - the breakfast buffet was truly a legitimate deal - I was completely on a budget (except for splurging on this trip - the rest of our time in Thailand was in 8.00/night bungalows with no flush toilets or hot water) - the Breakfast buffet was filling for the entire day!

Also, the outdoor ambience was spectacular!