dukeman

Why don't you book 2 nights at the SGS and 2 nights at the WGS? You can walk across the bridge and check your bags with the bell stand or they will transfer your bags for you. Then you need only pay with points or $$ for the 4 nights you will actually stay. I have only had good experiences at both properties.

abk

at the sgs your platinum upgrade includes free internet in your room. is this the same at the westin are do you have to pay. if you do have to pay does anyone know how much it is?

dukeman

Last time I was at the Westin there was free wifi in the Club Lounge, but there was a charge in room even for Plats. You might try to get a room on the Club floor close to the lounge and pickup that signal.

LH747FTL

THB 642/day.

abk

that's quite an odd number. i have 5 nights booked and i am at 4500 thb at the westin now plus 642= 5142 versus 5850 thb at the sgs. that brings it down to about 20 usd per night difference.

thanks for the info

nicolas75

Le Meridien Bangkok is located on almost two rai on Surawong Road, and its room prices start around 5,500 baht per night. The hotel is mainly targeted at corporate guests, particularly young businesspeople. It expects corporate customers to make up 28 percent of guests in the first year of operation and 40 percent in the second year.The location is also expected to attract guests from international companies. The hotel is close to the financial areas of Sathorn and Silom, where over 60 percent of firms are transnational.

"Nobody denies that they are concerned, including me, about the current global recession and local political instability. The situation will improve but nobody knows when. So, the problem is how we should deal with it now," said Tan. (...) "Despite the present economic situation, our hotels will not enter a price war like other hotels. As long as airlines cut flights, the price war will be useless," he said.

According to Tan, effective measures to boost hotel revenues include aggressive marketing campaigns and cutting operating costs. He said this is the reason for hotel management to train staff in several work fields. The management also constantly rotates staff, particularly those working in food and beverages."Besides, the hotel offers personalised service. If you are our guest, our staff will pay special attention to you. If you arrive and order a latte, staff will later ask if you would like to have latte again with your favourite taste. This makes us different from others," he said.

mcgahat

Even worse is that you will pay tax and service charge on top of that, additional 17%.

mcgahat

I wish them well but cutting cost and being able to pay special attention to customers is usually difficult to do. There are plenty of places charging less than 5500thb per night that remember what I like to drink.

yosithezet

I stayed at the WGS on Thursday night (occupancy ~60%) and when I checked in on the 24th floor I was given a code for internet in my room. I'm not sure if that was a new facet of the corporate rate (which has been reduced) or a new benefit for Plats. Maybe they just got tired of seeing me in the lounge so often outside of breakfast/cocktail times using the Internet.

Twice in the past 2 months I've had consecutive stays and the bellboys are more than happy to walk across the street with you carrying your luggage. On the way from the WGS to SGS it is even more appreciated since you have to climb the stairs to get to the walkway across the street.

That got a chuckle out of me as well. If the are always rotating the F&B staff how likely is it that you'll meet up with the same person anyway?

I've stayed at the SGS three times so far.

August 2007 - Award Staty - Upgraded
November 2008 - Revenue - No Upgrade
January 2009 - MasterCard Free Weekend ^ - No Upgrade (Asia vs. Europe Golf had most of the suites booked it seems)

In any event I'm not complaining. The rooms on the SPG floors are larger than those at the WGS. I'm still more a fan of the WGS though.

mcgahat

In a conversation that I had with a guy in the bar who had stayed at the SGS something like 50 times over the years.....

He said SGS upgrades you on a specific stay number benchmarks. First stay to this suite and then 10th stay to a an even nicer suite etc etc. If you notice on the slip with your room rate at the SGS there is a notation of your stay count at that property.

I find that interesting as I have stayed at the SGS three times also. First stay, upgrade to a suite but second and third stays no upgrade. I do agree the normal rooms are fine as they are larger than standard rooms at the WGS.

abk

i have 12 stays at the sgs. i find the upgrade to a suite more dependent on room availability. a number of times at check in i have asked what type of room and when told it is a regular room i have asked if i could have a suite. they then have looked and said there are none available now but if i want to wait until housekeeping has one ready i can have it. for my typical 5 night stay i usually check my luggage and go for a walk.

yosithezet

That is well and good but not consistent with the benefits of Plat status so I'm not sure I buy what this guy said. Both of the last two times they apologized that no suite was available.

The last time they recognized that it was my second stay. This time they welcomed me back but the little slip said it is my "1" stay.


I'll try that some time I guess. My last two stays have been 1 and 2 nights respectively. Perhaps this property is starting to grow on me. Hmm...

puchalskir

I don't mind using points for 5 nights, because of the 5th night free option.
My indecision comes from wanted to stay in 2 different parts of the city versus the convenience of leaving the bags.

Decisions, decisions, so many options in BKK.

LH747FTL

It's 600+7% VAT, that explains it.

kelakwek

My thoughts:

SGS - favorite when traveling with family. Sayed twice (both on C&P) and we got upgraded to a suite. Missus loved the happy hour Can't stay there on biz as it exceeds my company budget.

WGS - my favourite hotel when on business (stayed >20 times). Close to skytrain and mrt. Last week, due to trimming of corporate travel allowances, I tried to ask WGS to give me a lower rate as the current corp rate exceeded budget by US15. They refused (and its not like they are running a full house). 40% suite upgrade success.

Plaza Athanee - nice hotel, out of the hustle & bustle of Sukhumvit area but close enough to the Sytrain. Was there after the airport reopened after the seige. The hotel was practically deserted. The floor I was on felt totally deserted. Kinda spooky. Never choose this hotel during rainy season, as there is no covered walkway to the skytrain (unlike SGS/WGS). So far 100% suite upgrade success (both on revenue and C&P).

ROS - Love the view but getting to silom/sathorn area is a pain. I will be staying there next trip as they're currently cheapest of the BKK *woods (well, in terms of my corporate rate). Stayed once only, upgraded to suite.