mtacchi

1) Taxi is really the only way from the airport. Pay to take toll way, 70 baht more, shouldn;t be a problem. Also take taxi from Upstairs (Departures) and save baht.

2) You can sky train to within a 4 minute cab ride of ROS and then taxi, but if you have bags and three is more than one of you, a cab is probably just as cheap. It will take around 20 minutes, but should cost more than 150-180 baht.

yann

Thanks for the info. We will do just that.

This will be our first time in Bangkok, and I've read so much about bad traffic that I was concerned about taking a cab between the two hotels.

And now off to the airport ...

Plato90s

Let us know how this works out. I've been at the ROS twice this year on mileage runs during the UA 5x promo, and both times got upgraded (SPG Gold) without asking. Once to a suite, and once to a tower room. I'd be surprised if you receive a standard room upon arrival.

Tak

I just used the taxi between ROS to Sheraton Grande last month and I thought the cost was around 70 bahts. If you move from one hotel to another, I recommend to use taxi.

yann

Having recently returned from BKK, here's an update. All in all, we had 3 stays in these 2 hotels, so we were able to experiment a bit :

1. Westin - PL reservation (I was actually aiming for the Shangri-la : free Breakfast for all members of their loyalty program).

I know I shouldn't have expected much, being on a PL reservation, but since I don't like the rule I tried my luck anyway. We received a high-floor Deluxe King, which was pretty nice though the view wasn't anything special. We were also offered and took advantage of 4PM check-out.

2. ROS 1 - C&P reservation for a Deluxe Double Queen

Upon asking for a King, we were offered a Deluxe Queen. Did not press any further for an upgrade, as this already had proven quite a challenge.

3. ROS 2 - C&P reservation for a Deluxe King

When asking about room type, I was told that we were upgraded to a 'Preferred room'. When I asked what kind of room that was, the answer came as "kind of a Club room". I thus enquired about Club privileges, but that was again denied & I was offered to pay $40 for them. This room turned out to be exactly the same as the one we previously received (with a view not even as good). I again took advantage of 4PM check-out.

All in all, I wasn't disappointed with either quality or service in these hotels, and the C&P award at the ROS is probably the best value I've ever had with points.

We actually received pretty much what is to be expected as far as SPG Gold benefits go. I just feel there is not enough added value (e.g. Exec. room upgrade / free breakfast) to try and maintain it.

akm

I agree. ROS is really a very good value even if it is not fancy. We received a river view room as SPG Gold (we did not ask for anything special). We did get a letter offering all kinds of services/upgrades using spg points.
Some of the best values in points redemptions are in India and in Bali. Category 2 spg hotels in india can easily cost you $150 a night; Bangkok hotel are not as expensive to start with.

nowhereman

In BKK, I've stayed at all three *wood properties. I like them all: ROS for it's riverside location; Westin and SGS for their central location on Sukhumvit Rd (they are only a block from each other). I think the SGS has the best rooms (at least, the room I got there was better than the rooms at Westin or ROS). ROS has better views. Westin is a bit inconvenient because you have to take one elevator to get to reception floor and then another one to get to the rooms. If you are there on a holiday and going in and out of the hotel, this can become a pain...
So, if I had to pick a favorite, it would be SGS - Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit.

bp888

Er, WGS and SGS are across each other on Sukhumvit. There's a pedestrian bridge you can use to get across. Unfortunately it's a favorite haunt for mendicants. But using it beats trying to jaywalk across Sukhumvit!

purplecat

I'm going to be in BKK for a meeting for about a week in the latter portion of February and I know that I have several hotels to choose from. I've never been to Thailand, but I'm guessing navigating the public transportation and/or taxis to the host hotel for the event (Hotel Plaza Athenee) shouldn't be too challenging.

I have my choice of the Westin Grande, Royal Orchid and Sheraton Grande. If it's anything resembling the quality of the Westin Grande in Shanghai, I'm going to hang my hat there.

Thoughts from the locals and/or frequent travelers to that part of the world?

Additionally, given everything happening with the tragedy, do the seasoned vets on this list think there will be health repercussions or potential epidemics? I was planning to possibly have to deal with the Asian Bird Flu, but that really seems pretty pedestrian to the cholera, typhoid and other concerns being tossed about.

Is there an immunologist in the house? Am I paging the wrong time of medical professional? Am I still hungover from last night, or in a college football daze?

Scott
(The same trip will include stops in HKG, SHA and either Ningbo or Qingdao)

tvl4free

Probably one of the best hospitals in Aisa is located quite near the Westin and Sheraton Grande Sukumvit: www.bumrungrad.com. I'm sure that they can handle most any malady that you may encounter within Asia - including the 'tropical medicine' specialty diseases.

And both of these properties are located closer to the P.A. than the RO. So you should be just a short ambulance ride away - and find youself in good hands - should something catastrophic occur.

kyushuman

If there really is some widespread epidemic, every conference (except maybe one about epidemics!) will be called off anyway, so it really is a moot question. SARS, which killed, I believe, maybe 3 Thais who worked in hospitals or were in HKG just before arriving in Thailand, but literally hundreds of thousands of tourist and businesspeople cancelled trips. Don't worry about that yet.
As for the Starwood choices, I just completed a 4-night (Priceline!) stay at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit. As for location, it's across the street (literally, a 60-second walk across a pedestrian bridge) from the Westin. I didn't get to the Westin's pool or fitness centres, but I can say the SGS has a really unique one, which for the life of me feels like you're near a tropical beach, the way they have so many trees and high walls around the rooftop pool. You'd never guess you're next to Sukhumvit.
The rooms were nice, with fresh fruit replaced each day, three (3!) English newspapers each day (Bangkok Post and IHT in the morning, USA Today in the the afternoon), and excellent breakfast, which is included in higher-end rates, which I'd guess you will be paying for work. You can also take a scaled-down version of the buffet breakfast at the pool, a nice touch.
It seemed like expense wasn't considered in choosing stuff for the room, and so when I switched to the JW Marriott for the last night of my stay, it was a definite drop in luxury, though service was probably better than the SGS (read: JW is less "warm and Thai, but more efficient and professional" and that's according to my Thai boyfriend) at the JW. Beds weren't the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper, so if the Westin has those wonderful beds, I might go for the Westin. I know you can cross-sign for restaurants at both buildings and be billed for it.
For both location is a strong suit: You can hop on modern, air-conditioned public transport nearby: the Skytrain (1 min walk) and the brand new subway (2 min walk) so easily. The Skytrain will take you to PloenChit station, maybe 2 stops away, in 4 minutes, then a walk down the block perpendicular to Sukhumvit (where the Skytrain runs) gets you to the Plaza Athenee. Next to the Plaza Athenee is a branch of the Japanese restaurant chain called "Zen", which has great set menu (a small menu separate from the regular menu): $3.75 for a wonderful sushi set, $2.90 for a fish or pork set meal. I lived in Japan for 5 years, and it's very authentically prepared. There are also branches in Silom at Soi Convent and at the Siam Centre, among many others.
The subway will drop you at Silom (Saladang station on the Skytrain) in less than 10 minutes from the SGS/WGS. Wonderful! To be honest, for shopping and eating out, the public transport in BKK is now absolutely amazing. The only thing it doesn't do is get you to all of the tourist areas very efficiently, though now you could even get to the Wat Po and tourst areas by Skytrain to the end (at the river) and then a river taxi the rest of the way.
Have fun.

Always Flyin

I go to Bangkok about 8 times a year for business.

As to tropical diseases, rely on your physician, but you should definitely have tetanus/deptheria and Hepatitis A immunizations. You need lead time on the Hep A since it is a series of immunizations. The biggest risk of illness in Bangkok is food/water related diseases.

That said, the tsunami tragedy did not affect Bangkok directly and there will be no higher risk of disease than there was previously.

As to hotels, you do not want to stay at the Royal Orchid Sheraton for a business meeting at the Plaza Athenee. Very inconvenient.

The Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit and the Westin Grand are across the street from each other so are equally convenient (two skytrain stations from the Plaza Athenee). Having stayed at the Westin in Shanghai, you'll find a lot of similarities with the rooms in Bangkok. It is where I usually stay.

I find the Sheraton more formal than the Westin, but not better IMHO. The rooms at the Westin are new. The Sheraton's rooms, to me, are getting a bit tired. The Westin is usually a bit cheaper than the Sheraton.

They are both really good hotels.

reiner

reiner

Last Year in january I staid in both Hotels. My favorite is the Sheraton and not the Westin. Of course, the rooms in the Westin are new, but it's an old Hotel. The Bathroom was not clean. In the shower cabin was a lot of mould, also at the washing-table. I think they have a lot of problems with the air condition. This room was renovated just 4 month before.
For relexing the pool area at Sheraton is very good at the staff more attentive. In April I sty again 2 nights in Sheraton Sukhumvit and 1 night at the Royal Orched.

Always Flyin

If you mean the external shell of the Westin is old, that's true. But the interior and all of the rooms have been completely renovated. I tend t think that the Grand Pacific (which is what the hotel was called before it was rebranded a Westin) was built somewhere around the same time as the Sheraton, but the Sheraton has not enjoyed a complete renovation.

I have stayed at the Westin about 20 times now. I had one room about 1-1/2 years ago (shortly after the hotel opened) with a slight mold problem in the shower. I spoke to the manager about it. They had a problem with the materials used (not the air conditioning), and replaced it in all of the showers stalls that were affected. It was a one time problem.

The Westin has an executive floor lounge. The Sheraton doesn't.

The Westin has free broadband wireless internet in the lounge and all public areas. The Sheraton doesn't.

To each his own, but I like the Westin just fine.