TRAVELSIG

Royal Orchid gives you great views of the river- but is an older hotel.
SGS has beautiful rooms- and the Sukhumvit location is extremely convenient. The pool, however is very small.
The Grand Hyatt Erawan should be finished their rennovations by now and is a beautiful hotel- in terms of a leisure stay this has a great location for getting around BKK. This hotel is nicer than any SPG options in BKK. One block down the street from the Grand Hyatt is the 4S- which is my favorite hotel in BKK- get one of the newly rennovated Jim Thompson style rooms- which are still under 200 USD most of the time and enjoy wonderful service.
The HH option is the Conrad- the location is a bit awkward, the service variability is enormous (ranging from fantastic to horiffic), and the whole place has a sterile feel to it which isn't great. If you choose the Conrad anyway book the executive level and see if your HH gold can upgrade you to a suite (unlikely but go for it!).

Dakota

Many thanks for a great overview, TRAVELSIG. ^

Decisions, decisions... I've checked and both ROS & SGS are available on Cash & Points for my dates at cat 2 (1,600 pts / $30) & cat 3 (2,800 / $45), respectively. At that differential, I might give ROS a go - the river, reported good Plat treatment and two pools are also bonuses - or is the SGS really worth the premium?

Will look at the Hyatt too. The "sterile" Conrad I can probably do without on holiday!

Thanks again.

cdn_traveller

I just spent 1 night at the Royal Orchid and 2 at the Westin, all using points. Both were excellent, I am Plat and was upgraded to a suite in both cases. I haven't stayed at the Sheraton on Sukumvit, but I can't believe it is that much better(is it?). I think that either of the properted I stayed at are top notch. Both have quite a good club lounge. I thought it was a nice touch that the Westin actually escorted me up to the club lounge to check in as a plat member. I liked my suite at the Westin a bit better, and it is quite close to a lot of nightlife. I was in room 2124.

Anyhow, thats just my 2 cents

TRAVELSIG

Hmm...I dont think the SGS is worth that premium. For vacation you should be perfectly happy at the ROS- it is a solid 4* hotel. Keep in mind that sometimes there are great deals in BKK- check your dates as I have also found the Peninsula for as low as 139 USD per night- no points of course but then you are really into 5* territory for little money. I dont know if you have Marriott points as well- but if you do also check at the JW Mariott on Sukhumvit which is 4.5* in my opinion.

Vulcan

Does not this really come down to what you want to do in BKK? If its a first visit, you probably want to be on the river for the tourist things like the Grand Palace, so the ROS is the logical choice. If you are there for shopping and to see the "other" BKK, as well as easy, close (1 block or less) access to the Sklytrain and the Subway, then the Westin/SGS makes sense. I stayed at all 3 on a matress run a few months back. All have their pluses and minuses and each will appeal to a different person: lounge vs no lounge, huge buffet breakfast vs lounge breakfast, eaasy access to transportation, etc.

stephem

I am checking out of the GHyatt today, we stayed for 2 nights in one of their new Spa Cottages ($490 per night, seems steep but worth it in my opinion) after starting out by spending one night in a regular room (I burned a Faster Free Night). I had the same choice (as you) to make since I too have both SW and Hyatt loyatlies. I would say the basic rooms here at the Hyatt are not that nice, they are refurbished but dated from a style standpoint. Not the sleek darker woods that you will find in new 5* properties, horrible lowered ceiling in the bathroom, silly lighting/tv control unit next to bed that reminds me of Super8 motel or something. I think the hotel is just stuck with these horrible 3/4 glass windows on the outside that make it hard to modernize the room inside (very 80-ish feel from the windows). But the floors and bathroom tile (a repolished marble) are both out of date in my opinion.

I have stayed at the Westin before on a business trip and received a nice upgrade, the room there was superior to the basic Hyatt room we had, with better more updated feel. Never checked a room out in the SGS though so no comparison to give there. Also, if you stay in the SGS, you will have access to one of the best concierge groups in the city, they have helped me with several things when I wasnt even staying there (and just flashed my SPG Plat card). I would probably vote to spend cash and points (or even all cash) for a room at the SGS or Westin over a FFN or paid stay at the Hyatt in basic rooms. That said, I like the immediate area around the Hyatt for shopping a bit more than the Westin, although both are connected via the Skytrain (which is easy and comfortable). We stopped by the Royal Orchid yesterday (we went to River City shops next door) to have a drink overlooking the river. I cannot understand how this hotel gets rated as highly as it does, it really is a solid * below SGS, Westin or Hyatt. I also think that it's location is not as nice for a tourist as these other properties (depending on what you plan to do). If you want to go to the river for something, take the skytrain or subway down there, but at SGS, Westin and Hyatt you have clubs, restaurants and lots of shopping right nearby. Hyatt pool is very nice (actually the entire 5th floor area of the Hyatt has been redone with the Spa Cottages and is truly a 5* experience now) and although smallish was never filled up, even during bright sunny days. Four Seasons is right down the street from the Hyatt, so that is an option too-- But I have read some reviews that suggest it is "not all that" (meaning it is not the best FS out there).

The real treat about the Hyatt is the new Spa Cottages, there are 6 of them and they are these huge 4 room cottages on the pool floor (5th floor). They are super private and remind me of a NYC penthouse. The rate includes a 50 minute Spa treatment and if you book with code AXSPA (and pay with Amex) you will receive a second spa treatment for each guest). The rate includes breakfast and evening drinks as well. Lots of money, I know, and I am usually pretty cheap (trying to burn points or FFNs to avoid paying), but I would say this is worth it if you want a truely decadent experience and an oasis to come home to after a crazy day out in the city.

hzg2

I stayed at the Westin this summer and had a great experience. Great value and very close to the skytrain.

TimMeineke

I much preferred the ROS - better location for a tourist, much better pool, late night food stalls right outside, and I was given a nicer suite. The breakfast at the SGS is far superior, although the Peninsula breakfast blows them both away. However, I found the Peninsula to be sterile and it's on the wrong side of the river.

Dakota

Thanks for all the opinions - it seems the good news is that all the hotels are in the running for different reasons, so none of them can be bad.

I've booked the ROS at a steal and have been confirmed in a (large) suite already. The ROS looks the least business-oriented, so a good choice for a tourist trip. Although I've been to BKK many times, I haven't been for years and am going with someone who never has.

StarpointsSlave

Does the Royal Orchid Sheraton upgrade Plats to Towers suites or any kind of Towers room? Currently I'm holding reservations at the Westin, but I may switch over to the ROS since it's closer to the Grand Palace, which is what I'm in town to see (missed it on my last trip to Bangkok because I was inappropriately shod). I really liked my suite at the Westin, however, and am hoping for another upgrade to the same, so I would only switch over to ROS if I could land a Towers room on a Plat upgrade or by handing over a few extra points.

Has anyone stayed in a Towers room? If so, how does it compare to the rooms at the Westin?

Thanks.

BF263533

I stayed at the Royal Orchid Dec. 3-6. I paid $30 + 1600 points per night. I prefer the Royal Orchid because I like staying on the river. There is a water-bus stop next to the hotel to go to central pier to catch the rapid transit line. The water-bus will take you to near the Grand Palace and aa few other good places. The Marriott is on the other side of the river, but they have a shuttle boat to the central pier. Sukhumvit is in the center of town, which is both good and bad.

Gramercy Flyer

We stayed three times at the Royal Orchid in November. Each time we were upgraded to a river view suite with great views. Breakfast in the lounge consisted of both hot and cold food. Evenings in the lounge consisted of a happy hour from 5:30 - 7:30 with unlimited alcohol and hot and cold food. In addition we got a 6 PM late checkout. All for a price of $105. I'd stay there again.

Letch

Any idea whether the club lounges are open on weekends? Do they have open bars?

Also, how about traffic/nightlife nearby? I heard that the Sher/West SUK get surrounded by traffic that doesn't move, and that the nearby bars are of 'questionable' character

Meerkat

Sukhamvit can get pretty clogged up as can anywhere in BKK, especially around rush-hour. The advantage of the SGS and WGS though is that they are next to both underground and sky-train stations, so transport is (generally) a breeze.

Sukhamvit does have its share of "girlie" bars - a couple near the SGS, but most of them a respectacle distance away. There are plenty of top quality bars, clubs and restaurants along the various sois off Sukhamvit.

lovtofly3

For those who want to stay at the ROS, here is an offer just recieved ..Must book by March 15 for April 1-September 30 stays.$99++ fully cancelable..
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/pub/gc/172/417980.htm