Its about time we decided to disagree about these two again!
We stayed last week. As a background, my partner never really liked the MO BKK, felt it was too stuffy and boring. I liked it but at times I knew it was far from perfect.
So, we took the plunge, crossed the river and stayed at The Pen.
We stayed at a Grand terrace suite but to be honest, the suite did not make or break the stay.
Service was excellent and not over powering. Yes we wore flip flops and shorts in and out as we did at MO previously (I do not apologise for being somewhat casual in BKK, I am paying to stay there, I find the heat stifling at times).
The pools at the Pen were more relaxed and the views from the suite were wonderful.
The boat service to the skytrain at saphan Thaksin is excellent and you may as well be on the 'other side' of the river.
We will stay at the Pen again.

The only thing enticing about BKK in mid-summer are the hotel prices, what's the old song about mad dogs, anyone who doesn't wish to go into complete melt down, should try to avoid BKK and HKG during June/July, but if you love Thailand, next time, do try the mountains where the air is fresher and cleaner, there's some lovely suites up Chiang Mai way. I had the tailor in the MO shops do a beautiful cool cotton trouser arrangement for only $350, which I swear is so fine and light, and down at the Rivercity is a man who made the absolute finest hand made slip on for me. They are so good I had 8 pairs made up. The ferrymen from the Pen will know the shop. I am very fond of the Pen, last trip one of us fell ill and the Pen laid on a Merc and driver at our disposal for 2 weeks and organised flowers, lunch boxes and magazines for the hospital visits. It is an exquisite hotel, the staff are very considerate and understanding and the serious suites are exceptional, especially if your room lift is next to the little shop

Okay, I know that hotel pretty well. And I've been in all the theme suites. But I can't figure out what your last statement means. I've never taken the little lift you're refering to, but doesn't it just run between the Ground Floor near the boutique and the Lobby near Jester's?

I like the Sukhothai, right next to the Banyan Tree and Metropolitan. Just got back from a two-night stay there.

I've been in that lift a once or twice when I've stayed at the Penn, partly out of curiosity and partly because I have a weird love of fancy lifts....I always thought it went to just 2 floors as you've described, there weren't any other buttons that I could recall and thought perhaps there was a "secret key" that would take people up to the top suites otherwise the lift is largely an expensive folly - as there is access to all floors using the main lifts.

However, I don't think the geography is correct - if that lift were to be used to access the top floors wouldn't in effect be running up the front of the building or right through where some of the other rooms are? I've never seen mention of a private elevator before. If there is one the logical place would seem to be (and forgive me if this doesn't quite work as it's been 3 years) to have a separate VIP lift lobby next to the main entrance (similar to the Valley Wing at the Shangri-la in Sin) actually backed onto the exisiting lifts - I'd be surprised if they didn't have something like this in any case - if only for luggage.

Last month I stayed in a suite on the top floor of the Pen and also visited the Parabitha lounge with the guest manager - I've never heard of or seen a mystery lift and would be interested to know more about it, if it exists.

Kettering Northants QC-- I think you're right. If that little lift went to the top, it would have to be running up the outside of the building, and we know from all the floorplans that that isn't the way the building is designed. The only other place I could see a mystery lift running to the top would be as part of the bank of service elevators. Maybe there's a secret entrance to those--or a tricked out fancy one just for this purpose-- from the little hallway down to the Jim Thompson store. It'd be perfectly plausible that one exists. I could see, say, a certain fugitive ex-PM wanting to use a private lift. In my case, when I went on a tour of the suites and when Me. Megatop and I later stayed in one of them (and had a party in one), when had to use the main lifts like all the other proles.

I think the purpose of the lift next to the Boutique is to connect the main lobby area with the area of the ground floor running from Mei Jiang to RC&T. But for that little lift, if you were handicapped or toting tons of luggage one way or the other, you'd have to go down the main elevators to the Spa side, then outdoors to garden area, then back in.

Hi, I certainly didn't expect to uncover such a web of intrigue.
The lift was in the southern section in a bank of several others, but was accessed through a panelled swipe card secure un desiginated door within a carpeted/decorated walkway. IIRC the entrance is to the right of a little shop on the way to the ferry. This area has been transformed over the period 2006-2009, and my mental picture is distorted with before and after recollections and maybe it is as Megatoplover suggests, a service elevator which has a dual usage, easily changed by taking the side protections off. Just to get your brains in a tangle, the Oriental had a similar access to one of their floors, what I thought was private, anyway, maybe it will be only a charade too.The GH in Hong Kong has an ingenious deception to give their upper suites privacy, but then that would be another post Maybe someone should start a post about them, regards bkkrop

The Grand Club elevators, serving floors 31-36. 31-33 are GC rooms, 34-35 are large named suites, and 36 is a suite occupying the whole floor. Can't get into 36 with yet another special key.

hmm, is this out of date?
http://www.hongkong.grand.hyatt.com/...ECFEYKMQAYSIV0
11 plateau
11-28 room
29-33 club, suite
34-36 ambassador, chairman, diplomat
35-36 presidential

same thing for GH shanghai >
http://shanghai.grand.hyatt.com/hyat...2VAGGOCJWYOUP4

http://www.hansar.co.th/rajdamri2010...mber032007.jpg

http://www.hansar.co.th/rajdamri2010...ial_July07.jpg

The Hansar Bangkok is now open!

As posted in the Hotel Deals Forum, here are the current offerings from Luxury Link:

3-night package for 2 Starting Bid: $374, includes:

� 3 nights in Studio Suite
� Bottle of wine and selection of fresh fruits in room upon arrival
� Full breakfast for two each morning
� Complimentary wireless internet access
� Taxes & service charges

2-night package for 2 Starting Bid: $398, includes:

� 2 nights in Edge Suite
� Bottle of wine and selection of fresh fruits in room upon arrival
� Full breakfast for two each morning
� Complimentary wireless internet access
� Taxes & service charges

http://www.luxurylink.com/luxury-hot...kok?clid=11114

So here's my question: I need to book two one-night stays in Bangkok on either end of a trip. (My accommodations for the rest of the trip are being provided, but I don't know where.) I'll be flying into BKK around midnight before the first stay, and departing BKK at 820a on the morning following my second stay. I'm inclined to stay at the Four Seasons, due to its superior proximity to the airport, but I'd really like to give one of the Virtuoso properties a try (I was thinking the Sukhothai, where a THB7400 Deluxe Studio reservation upgrades at booking to an Executive Deluxe).

Thoughts?

I would choose the Four Seasons hands down. It`s a lovely property and has the best service in town. I would recommend staying in a Premier room or higher category. As far as I know the Four Seasons is a Virtuoso property, unless that has changed recently. Of course, as a Four Seasons it can also be booked through a Four Seasons Preferred Partner agent as well.

A confirmed upgrade from Deluxe View Room> Premier room is a very good deal if all you need is a spacious room. Other Categories to consider would be the Cabana Rooms, the Cabana Suite (only one at the property), or the Deluxe one bedroom suite. I am not really a fan of the Executive suite category.

Especially with your arrival and departure times, I would recommend booking a hotel car for the airport transfers. I always do this in BKK to ensure a nice arrival experience.

Sorry Blumie, I had misread your post and thought that this was for a single two night stay, and therefore recommended the Peninsula and suite categories at the Four Seasons.

For one night stays, the Four Seasons is the best choice. Personally, I would book a Deluxe View Room, with the hope of ending up in a Premier room. I would try to get the Virtuoso or FSPP upgrade confirmed in advance. One thing I like about the Four Seasons is that you can pre-order a nice room service meal if you are arriving late at night.

Does anyone have an experience they could share at the Kempinski Hotel behind Paragon? The pools look interesting as do some of their suites. (Though I can't seem to pull up rates for them online)

TripAdvisor has a handful of very so-so/has potential/doesn't have their act together yet-type reviews...