BKK Hotel Choices
 

I will be in BKK between 22-26 Aug and again 27-28 Aug. Am considering hotels to stay in. Would appreciate recommendations or horror stories on these (or other) choices: Hyatt, Intercont or Hilton. Issues are price, and transport to/from airport, plus other amenities. Thinking seriously about Hyatt because of their upgrade to Platinum and the bonus points/miles. I'm a member of Gold Passport, Six Continents, and HHonors. Also, CX Holidays has some pretty good prices for these hotels, and there's a mileage bonus there too. Appreciate the help. Thanks.

The Grand Hyatt Erawan is nicer than the Hilton, has a better location, but is quite a bit more expensive. The Hilton is very nice but it's location isn't as good as the Hyatt. The Hyatt is near Siam Square and the BTS transit system, while the Hilton is on Wireless Road and requires a cab to go anywhere. If you can live with Hyatt's price, I'd go with it for sure. It has an upscale nightclub called Spasso.

Another place to consider is the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit. If you have any status with Starwood you might go with it as it is cheaper than the Hyatt and very, very nice.

Second the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit. Great rooms, great staff, great location 20 minutes from the airport and on the SkyTrain.

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Skip the Intercontinental, it is showing its age. Why not try the new Peninsula with its intro rates of 85 USD? The room rate includes breakfast and a one way airport transfer.

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This may be below the price range that you want, but last year we booked the Menam Riverside through www.asiatravel.com. We got the prepaid package (credit card) that included RT airport, breakfast, day tour, and riverview room. The hotel was fine and they provide a free boat about ever hour to a couple of locations along the river. The riverside location is away from the most of the noise and polution. We will be staying there again next year. I would strongly recommend one of the hotels along the river.
I have used Asiatravel in Hong Kong, Kyoto, and Singapore without a problem.

I recommend the Shangri-LA Hotel on the river. I have stayed there many times. Recently I have been staying at the JW MArriott on Sukumvit Road. This is a very nice hotel. The summer special includes daily breakfast buffet. The rate is $99. The buffet is one of the nicer buffets I have seen in a while. It is about 30 minutes from the airport.

Hilton and Intercontinental are cheaper than Hyatt.

Hilton is a low, five-story spread out structure surrounded by greens. I stayed their non-executive room once and an executive room (upgraded as HHonors Gold). The executive room was nice. A little bit far from the BTS train system.

Gold Passport Platinum doesn't get you into a very nice room at the Grand Hyatt Erawan. A pretty much ordinary room and the price doesn't really warrant that rather low quality in terms of facilities (a bit old and thin walls). They told me they are now refitting their rooms with new furniture and smart card keys. The location is better than the Hilton.

I've never stayed at the Intercontinental because I heard it is too old. Maybe a reson for low room rates.

You certainly can get a far better room at the new Royal Merridien President, the Sheraton Grande, or the Westin at lower rates than the Hyatt http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I visit BKK quite often.

The new, large, express buses go direct on 3 routes in air cond comfort for a few bucks. (Overhead train now up and running too, but not easy to get to with suitcases). One bus route is Sukhumvit Road, and it goes past Sheraton etc. Cheap option for 1 pax .. for 2 or more, cabs darn cheap. That new Freeway system is a godsend for BKK.

I got sick of paying silly prices in $US plus about 20% tax - EVERYONE forgets the tax when quoting Hotel rates here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif for Sheraton Sukhamvit. Found a place called Ramschitt Travelodge about 100 yards away that charges under $US20 a double bedded room, tax included! Air cond, Color TV, mini bar, etc. Clean, friendly staff, range of tours bookable at front desk etc. If you need health club, business center etc, it is not for you, but I use neither on vacations.

Definitely not a 5 star, no way, (!) but for the 1 or 2 day stays I make it has become a gem for myself, and 5 or 6 others I have now recommended it to. (see:
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~ozstamps//travel.html

It is 100 yards from the fabulous outside food court of Ambassador Hotel .. sit out there in the warm open air with a Singha Beer, and eat superb Thai food for about $5 a meal!



[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 07-17-2000).]

I stayed at the Hilton a couple of years ago. It was excellent all round. You can get a taxi outside the lobby, or the main drag of that area is just a 300 yard walk.

Also the water buses (what an experience!) are not far away.

However, an important consideration is the hideous traffic. If you are on business, you should stay in the area where your work is, otherwise you will spend literally hours trying to get from one part of town to another.

We walked from the Hilton to the Novotel area, around 15 minutes walk. Then there was a thunderstorm. So we took a taxi back. 40 minutes later we could see the Hilton about 100 yards away, but still another 10 minutes via the one-way system. And that was at nine o'clock at night!

The Peninsula will be superb if you can get that $85 rate, but I beleive it's on the "wrong" side of the river and you have to get a ferry shuttle.

until dec 2000 the Peninsula is still offering that incredible low US$ 85 rate - yes it is on the 'wrong' side of the river, but their own boat is ready there every 10 minutes or so.

The opening of the new skyrail in january-2000 is now an excellent, fast, efficient way to connect from the River (near Shangri-La, walking distance from the Oriental, just opposite the Peninsula) to connect to the town-center, stadium and the Sukhumvit Region.

Traffic in BKK has freed up amazingly with the new freeways, especially trips to and from the airport.

Sukhumvit central has about 10 of those cheap made to measure tailors within 50 yards that take paid page ads in the Thai Airlines in-flight mag .. 10 suits, 16 shirts, 40 pairs of pants, 16 ties, and 3 overcoats all for 6 bucks type of deal!

Shoes also dirt cheap. Both are worth a side trip to BKK. I save more than the airfare each year just buying clothing/shoes.

Ozstamps, I agree that there are other great low cost options in Bangkok. Speaking of the Ruamchitt Travelodge, this place has a sister hotel on the other side of Sukhumvitt called the Ruamchitt Plaza. Rooms are Baht900 (book through Asia Travel.) The Ruamchitt Plaza has the infamous Therame Coffeshop in the basement. I don't mention the low cost options too much on this board, becaues I think most of the people here travel on business and the company is picking up the tab, or even if traveling on their own $, are used to staying in 4 & 5* places and wouldn't be interested in other places. That's not to say there aren't some outstanding values in hotels in the 1,000-1,500 Baht range.

[This message has been edited by Paul3456 (edited 07-17-2000).]

I will be at the Peninsula in August, Maybe too late for your trip, but I will report about its convenience and the use of their water taxi. I have heard from others that the service and facilities are Pensula quality.

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Naxos:
Please be sure and post your Penninsula experience. I will be there in October. I am particularly interested in knowing if their boat connects easily to the Sytrain.
Ed

Vulcan: I know it connects very easily to the terminal stop of the Skytrain, a 40 meters walk from the boat landing side opposite the Peninsula and a stair and you are on the Skytrain.

We (Gisela and I in january; Maria/Dani and I in april) did it already several times.