Starwood Lurker

+1.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

SNA_Flyer

Thanks everyone for all of the pictures/info on this place. Quite close to Patpong, so there is definitely going to be a bit of a seedy element (which I have no problem with).

If this place could be the model for Le Meridien going forward, it would draw me towards them more. I gave up on SPG in BKK years ago and started staying at the Metropolitan (which I love), but might have to try this next time. Also looking forward to the W.

Andie007

Yes, very close... But very funny...
(but it's much more easy to tell taxi drivers to go to Patpong/Suwawong instead of Le Meridien)

macabus

I was at this hotel last month and asked the bell captain to get me a taxi to the Four Seasons.

He waved up taxi after taxi but none of the drivers knew where the FS was. After six taxis, he sheepishly asked me to walk to the Sky train.

That walk from the LM to the Sky Train gets pretty old after a few times...

IMO, the hotel is not worth being in that seedy area all the time. I much prefer staying near the JW, FS, SGS or WGS.

Dr. HFH

OK, I'll bite. What didn't you like about SGS? IMO, one of the best hotels I've ever stayed in.


I gather that you've been spoiled by SGS direct access to Skytrain from hotel lobby. Although I enjoy walking, I know exactly what you mean. It's great.


You're joking, right? You must be.

lovtofly3

Instead of the BTS there is the subway.
A staiton behind the hotel (samyan) is easy to find through one of the soi's that run aside from the LM.
You can easily get to theSGS/WGS area in 10 mins. @25bht http://www.guidetothailand.com/thail...an-station.php

More to the comments here on this hotel.
I've stayed twice on 2 night stays and recived the same suite on a lower floor as Matt with all the benefits.

Have to say I liked it for it's unique concept and would stay again.
But not make a steady diet of it.

I would highly suggest you avid TH SPG fans give it a try.
Prices have come down in recent weeks and Z3R can be had for 10K++bht.

BonViveur

Review of Le Meridien Bangkok

This is written from the POV of an SPG Platinum guest so your experience could vary.

I was met at the airport. The car was a small Mercedes. The driver spoke good English. Today’s newspaper and a Travel & Leisure magazine, as well as hotel info was provided, along with cold towels, Perrier and Evian – a nice touch and a notch above most others. It’s a 30 minute trip from the airport.
The driver called the hotel about 3 mins before arrival and when we pulled up, there was someone to open the car door and greet me by name, another unloaded the luggage, the bell captain confirmed the number of pieces, the doorman greeted me by name as well as 2 other staff on the walk through the lobby. A front office supervisor met me and also greeted me by name, took my passport and led me to check-in, which was expedited by two staff members.

They offered an upgrade to an Avantec Suite on the 16th floor. I asked for a higher floor and was told that the hotel had only completed up to level 17 of 24. The GFC has obviously bitten this property, along with Thailand’s many other problems. Actually, the other floors are finished, just not yet in use.
The suite is modern and funky, as with many of the newer le Meridien properties. Wenge wood finishes and silk wall panels give a warmish feel, while the bamboo inspired carpet and Thai bed-runner add to the Asian style. The suite is not 2 full bays, but an L shape. It’s around 60 sq m and has lots of nice touches. A partition between the front door and room acts as a large bookcase, with lots of Thailand travel literature. The living area features a good sized desk with a Cisco colour touchscreen IP phone (I want this in my office!) and power points and Ethernet along the side, close to hand. There’s a calendar but not all the usual bits of cardboard marketing material. They obviously realise that the desk is used for working and it also offers a second chair so 2 people can work at the same time.

The desk separates the entry from the living room which features a long sofa opposite a 42 inch TV and Bose music system. The minibar is funky with lots of le Meridien branded chocolates. I wouldn’t pay $5.00 for a Mars bar but these are fun, boxed, chocolates made by, or for the hotel and worth the money. There are 7 bottles of Evian placed around the room, all complimentary plus a Lavazza pod system espresso machine with regular, strong and decaf, plus filter coffee for those who prefer it and Ronnefeldt flavoured teabags, which have hooks attached so they can be hung off the pot. They also list brewing times for each tea. The coffee was restocked, with additional extras of the coffee type I had used – very attentive.
A chaise longue fills the space at the bottom of the floor to ceiling window. Sliding doors in the hallway offer access to a luggage area and a view through to the bathroom creating the perception of space, and another goes through to the bedroom.

The bedroom is on the corner of the building and offers views in 2 directions, along Surawong Rd and over towards Silom. The bed is huge and before I can test it, my luggage arrives and a few minutes later, housekeeping, with the previously requested 5th pillow. I like to sleep in a nest. The pillows are huge and fabulous.

There’s another plasma TV in the bedroom and another built in work desk. Everything is high tech. Another Cisco phone at the bedside is cordless; all the lights are remotely controllable as are the electric blinds. There is excellent lighting, both direct and indirect to create different moods and for different purposes. I particularly appreciated this after the Ritz in Singapore which offers 4 desk lamps only. No overheads at all. I needed a miners’ lamp to get around the room, there. The TV system works well and there are ports by the bed and desk (VGA and AV) to plug an iPod or computer, so you can watch a movie on the TVs, or make a presentation to clients in the living area.


There is another sliding door, which I left open, with a view through to the bathroom. This is only for effect and to create a feeling of space as the large German tub separates the bedroom and bathroom once the door is opened. The bathroom entrance hall features two wardrobes – not large, but sufficient, with iron and board. There is a large, separate toilet cubicle with frosted glass door, a small shelf to put your phone, or whatever you take in there with you, 2 basins, Hermes Eau D’orange Verte toiletries (again, my favourite) including 3 full bars of soap, not the tiny ones usually provided, although after I put 2 of them in my luggage to take home, they were replaced with medium sized bars, and a huge 3m x 1.25m shower with 2 shower heads plus 2 rain showers... 4 outlets is real luxury – even a small window to look out to the street from the shower.

I could go on about the room features but I’ll move on to the bar/restaurant, Bamboo Chic. Included with the upgrade was the complete cocktail list except French Champagne. I had a cool pomegranate and Cointeau martini and a fruit whip with strawberries, banana, apple and lime. They served freeze-dried okra in spices as snacks, and a taster plate of dim sum and fresh made sushi. A Japanese chef works here so even the rice is at the right temperature.

Back in the room, the turndown service had been, and left a bar of le Meridien, Illy cappuccino flavoured chocolate on the bed and a presentation of home-made almond cookies and French macaroons on the desk to go with the espresso... Maybe they had done some research on me or maybe they got lucky but it’s exactly what I like, anyway.

I love the one-touch electric block-out blinds. The bed was either comfy (the pillows sure were) or I was exhausted, because I slept very deeply and woke up perpendicular to the direction I fell asleep in.
The hotel is typical of new le Meridien properties with the art theme and changing lights and music in the lifts and throughout the public areas, different for each time of day. Breakfast at the sell-out , Jean-Georges Vongerichten ‘inspired’ Latest Recipe, and also thanks to the German head chef, has a very Euro-Asian feel. The room is bright and 2 stories high with a void at one end, making an indoor balcony overlooking the hotel entrance.

Food is presented in a funky, design-school manner with hot dishes sitting on beds of rock salt, or on induction cooktops, condiments in copper cooking pans, and fruits over dry ice with the wafting vapour around. The egg and waffle station made a good Thai omelette, with the addition of salami and crisped-to-order bacon! This is a first for me and I loved it. There's nothing worse than bacon getting soggy in a covered pan. Pastries tasted like they are from a shop, not a hotel buffet – meaning I would pay for them – with interesting tastes like the green tea and coconut brioche loaf. Parma prosciutto is carved off the bone to order, wood smoked salmon sliced to order, apricot glazed warm pastrami, also. Illy coffee is served throughout the hotel, except in the rooms where suites get Lavazza pods. Staff circulate with Jean-Georges’ mini ‘eye-opener’ mocktails in test-tube-like shot glasses – mine was frozen cherries, lemon juice and pepper. The girl serving these also greeted me by name although I hadn’t been to the outlet before- unbelievable service. There is a glass refrigerated cabinet with yoghurts, fruit sauces, etc and 8 different juices. Breakfast was enough to make me miss lunch.

After breakfast I met the Director of Sales, Sunny, for an inspection. Sunny came from 9 years under Richard Chapman at the Sheraton Grande, which helps to explain the great service. I saw the standard ‘Vista’ rooms on 22 (not in use yet). These have circular beds which would be fun for a honeymoon or dirty weekend. The Vista Corner rooms are at the opposite end to the suites and are single bay rooms but have 2 windows, offering more light and a feeling of space and only THB500 more than standard. This upgrade may be given to Gold members. The Vista suites are as per the room I stayed in but with the circular bed. There are also 2 duplex (2 story suites) on 23/24 – the top floors which are for VIPs or the wealthy who want to entertain 10 guests in their room for dinner.

The health level, 6, has the Spa, pool and 24 hour gym. The whole level is covered, floor-to-ceiling, in white river pebbles, giving a fun, uplifting and natural feel. The spa rooms are luxurious, with separate changing and shower rooms, including some for couples. The pool area is chic and sleek, but no Sheraton Grande rainforest pool. This feels more like an inner city modern pool. There are 2 king-sized massage beds by the pool but the spas rooms are recommended and Plunge, a bar which also serves from the kitchen on 4.

All the public areas are very chic with a few Asian touches but the overwhelming art feel of the modern LM100. There’s an illycafe partnership lounge in the lobby, a small outdoor, covered smoking area, and wireless internet throughout. Also, the hotel controls their own internet facilities instead of the silly Maginet outsourcing so you can easily watch DVDs without ripping the wiring out of the electronics. To stress the service attitude again, Sunny asked at the end of our tour what she could do to help our business (I’m a travel agent) and thanked me for my constructive comments.

I recommend requesting a high floor so your view is not of the ugly buildings opposite. There is nothing to complain about at le Meridien Bangkok I and recommend the hotel without reservation. The only thing I would prefer is for the Skytrain to be 300 metres closer.

Platinum guests receive:
- Upgrade to Avantec Suite
- Breakfast at Latest Recipe
- Creative hour cocktails (2 hours – 1730-1930) at Bamboo Chic (anything off the excellent cocktail menu plus wine and beer, excluding French champagnes. Platinum guests are allowed in 30 mins before the regular opening time of 1800.
- Snacks (last night was freeze-dried okra is middle eastern spices) plus a taster plate dim sum and sushi with the cocktails
- 2 pieces of pressing on arrival
- 4.00pm check-out
- Free internet
- VIP service, which I guess was the turndown sweets presentation and also, obviously the daily staff meeting informs them of VIP arrivals as so many of them greet me by name. I can’t stress the welcoming feeling of this, enough.

My rate was THB 3995++ and would have included breakfast, also. The hotel is still very new so there are a few glitches, like running out of hot water and a few things not working, and I had to explain the Thailand Starwood Privilege discount, but they are eager to fix things and I feel that the low occupancy has helped the new staff to ease into the hotel so they are adept at dealing with the fussiest guest – me. This is clearly a hotel trying to build its business by impressing the guests, and it works.

iwc

The hotel is now offering a pre-paid room only "book and save rate" of 3600 ++ TB. This possibly comes in response to "Flyertalk Special" at the LM Plaza Athenee or the Conrad's Travelzoo promo.

Reefdiver

I'm here right now, and quite impressed, although the location will keep me from being here frequently.. I am in a suite tenth floor, and yet the bath products are the same as in London etc, the little white tubes. They are nice, Cinq Mondes, but I would love Hermes!

MAN Flyer

Same here. I stayed there a few weeks ago and although I liked the place more than I thought I would, the location puts me off.

GordonGordon

For the first time ever, Le Méridien Bangkok proudly unveils the Circular room. Only limited of 11 rooms and located on the 22nd floor, the round bed has been designed to add a new sensation to your sleeping experience.
Experience from now until 31 August 2009, rates at THB 5,888++ per night and include the following privileges:

•One night accommodation in Circular
•Breakfast for two at Latest Recipe restaurant inclusive of a selection Jean George’s signature breakfast.
•Creative Hours - evening cocktails happening at BAMBOO CHIC between 17:30 to 19:30 hours.
•Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages only from the refreshment centre (non refillable).
•Complimentary three pieces of garments pressed upon arrival (regular service only).
•Complimentary shoe shine service.
•Complimentary WIFI internet connection.
•Priority late check out (subject to availability).
•30 % discount on selective spa treatment at SPA (Le Massage)

Here is the link and also with other promotions.

BonViveur

Strange - my suite on 14th floor had Hermes toiletries.

BonViveur

I inspected these rooms in May. Although the circular beds have a 'romantic' connotation, they have built furniture around the circular beds and that, plus the round bed made the room feel smaller than those with regular beds.

Something cute for a fun night, I guess, but I prefer the regular beds....and no, hey do not vibrate.

werldporks

I've stayed a few times at this hotel, each time I had to leave within a couple of days IT HAS NO INTERNET- I like the hotel and it has many good points but here is the crucial fact; This hotel has the worst, slowest, most unreliable internet connection of any hotel I've stayed at since the inception of the internet.

The fact is that if this hotel were free I would still not be able to afford to stay in it, I'm better off paying 8,000 Baht a night for a place that can actually connect me to the internet and, hence, billable hours.

shame on you Le Meridien BKK, you could've carved out a very profitable niche, come in to the 21st century and you'll get my business for sure.

seanthepilot

I've stayed at this hotel and loved the rooms. My internet worked great.

I found that after running errands out to Dalingchun, I'd just head straight back to the hotel, to enjoy my stay. During my time there, the internet was faster than most places in the country. In fact, in most hotels, I just use my 3G phone, but didn't find the need to here.

Perhaps they were just having trouble when you were there.