Fliar

Hi there,

I read earlier posts on the dreaded Amari hotel. I have a 10:00 AM flight and would like to get to the airport the night before so as to not get stuck in early morning traffic. Which hotel would you recommend? Someone mentioned last year that Comfort Inn was quite good - is it still ok? Is it easy to find a taxi from there to take you into town?

Thanks!
Hayo

transpac

It sounds as though you are arriving BKK, staying one night then departing the next day at 10 AM? Also it sounds as though you want to go in to the city?

The traffic from the city to the airport in the morning is not really that bad.

Personally I would just stay at a hotel in the city. You can leave at 07:00 ~ 07:30 and will be at the airport in no more than 30 minutes, depending of course on how long it takes you to get onto the tollway. This is much easier than finding a decent, reasonably priced hotel near the airport, taking cabs between the airport and hotel, and hotel and city?

I looked in a few forums here, and on some other sites as I thought I remebered reading some posts about hotels near the airport, but I could not find them? Based on my vague recollections, some people have found the Amari/airport acceptable if a bit expensive. I recall some posts about other airport hotels that were pretty bad.

hclee01

If you take the Tollway (Toll Fees = 70THB), usually, you should be able to reach the airport from city area in about 40 to 45 minutes by taxi. You can consider the hotels in the Silom or Suhumvit areas which is pretty accessible to the tollway.

However, if you still prefer an airport nearer to the airport, you can consider Sofitel Central Hotel. I think it probably takes about 30 minutes by taxi.

ColoBill1

Believe me, if your flight is not until 1000, it is absolutely not necessary to stay by the airport! I always stay in the city, even though my United flight leaves at 0700. Staying downtown allows so many more choices in hotels, and I might suggest you might try bidding for a room on Priceline, where a 5* downtown hotel can be had for a "steal" compared to USA room rates.

The Airport Amari? It is nothing short of embarrassingly expensive for Bangkok.

Fliar

Thanks everyone - looks like I'll be staying in town in that case. I haven't used Priceline before. I just had a look and do I understand it correctly that you put in a bit for a certain level (e.g. 4 or 5 star) hotel in a certain area and if they find one (any one) for that price they let you know where you will stay? So you can't specify what hotels you want (or don't want)?
What price would you recommend for a 5* in the Sukhumvit area?

Thanks everyone!
Fliar

BigBadJohn

to help you with priceline on hotels and what to bid take a look at
http://www.biddingfortravel.com

it will give you some idea of where to pitch your bid and an idea of which hotels they use in various areas

Have fun

bbj - the way to fly

Chiangi

If you can't get any good rate on Priceline, you could also try ual.com.

Nai Lert (92USD), Davis (70USD) and Plaza Athenee (100USD) are all IMHO bargains, esp. Davis, which is a new boutique hotel on Sukhumvit.

Savage25

The Davis is very nice...if you stay there try the restaurants at Camp Davis next door. There is also an exit to the highway (the Port exit, not Sukhumvit) close by which will get you to the Tollway and the airport in about 30-40 minutes.

You could also stay at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit or the Westin Grande Sukhumvit which are in more livelier areas. I have frequently taken a taxi from the SGS to a client office near the airport at 8am and its never taken me more than 30 minutes - make sure you take the exit to the highway at Nana and then the Tollway.

SAT Lawyer

Correct on all fronts. I've stayed at the Quality Suites BKK before in a similar situation, and given a do-over, I would have Pricelined a hotel in the city center (or river area). Getting to the BKK airport in a taxi is dirt cheap and far less inconvenient than you might fear.

bertheike

metered taxi from Patpong area is about 180 THB = less than 5 USD ! + 70 THB for upper high way, where never is much traffic !
Searching a Hotel try the following link ( sorry text is in German, but rates are in local THB ) They are the cheapest consalidator for Thailand I ever found ! Iam a TA myselve and book through them since years! And Iam in BKK 6 times each year !
http://www.ltu-asia.com/Hotellist.php?rid=1

ColoBill1

Fliar: If you'd like to log into a website that affords the opportunity to
select a specific hotel in BKK, and offers a tremendous selection, try www.asiatravel.com. It allows you to review hotels in various price ranges. Go to the main page and select "Thailand". I have used this site a number of times to book BKK hotels and have never had a problem with a reservation.

Again, doubt you can you can beat Priceline.com if you want to stay at a 4* or 5* hotel. Hopefully, by now, you have visited www.Biddingfortravel.com, as suggested, and viewed the room rates available for these better class hotels.

Fliar

woaw! This site and the wealth of knowledge and experiences shared never ceases to amaze me. Thanks to everyone for these tips, they are most useful. Now that I know about these sites my hotel booking is probably never going to be the same again!

Thanks!
Fliar

pi4er

One thing missed: Priceline US has the fares hotels quote me on the phone as corporate rates. Difeerence in booking: they do non necessarilty ask for credit card, and if they do, you can cancel with no penalty if something changes your plans.
Bangkok 5* hotels start at US 40 and reach US120room/170suite for the most exclusive ones, aver US80-90. Any higher rate is a rip-off.
The metered taxi was relevant mark. Taxi drivers are obliged to use meter, but some of them make white people silly by not doing it and then demanding triple fare. Sometimes this happens with the help of hotel conciarge, who tell you it is normal (i.e. they get bribe). Ask the bell-boy to make the meter turned before you start your journey.

Swiss Tony

I think the point's been made sufficiently, but there's some info on the BKK airport hotels in the Local Talk thread about BKK.

I stayed at the Asia Airport and it was awful, especially given the quality of hotels available just down the road into town. Also the transfer was a royal pain, so it would have been almost as fast to just go downtown in the first place

Two sites I use for thailiand hotels are www.asiatravel.com and www.asiahotels.com

hclee01

I have also used Asiarooms.com and found some of the room rates cheaper. Good luck in your search.