Looking for a hotel close to the airport.
We arrive at midnight..we have a room reserved for the next night at the Hilton. Is there a cheap hotel where we can crash before moving to the Hilton?

Welcome to FT, mlg70!

I got a feeling that this thread will get moved to the Thailand forum. Before then, I invite you to visit this thread. I hope you stick around FT. How long will you be staying in BKK?

drew

How cheap do you want to go? In BKK there are accommodations to fit every budget. How down market do you want to go? Back-backer guest house with fan and shared bathroom? Do you want to stay near the airport? I'd not suggest that option. Do you want to be in town? Near the river? Near the Hilton? If you want cheap, grab an airport taxi and ask the driver for a cheap hotel.

I suggest you contact the Hilton and let them know you'll arrive after 1 or 2 AM. Try and negotiate a rate for an early arrival or checkin. It is hot as heck in BKK now. Unless you speak Thai you will have a language barrier to overcome. You'll arrive fatigued, add the heat and the excitement of an Asian city and you might be on sensory over load. You will appreciate the calm oasis of the Hilton.

It would be comforting to grab a taxi to the Hilton and arrive to the friendly welcome of a English speaking staff, cordial staff, a nicely appointed air conditioned room. Sleep late or go out and see what is buzzing in Bangkok at night. Sleep in, have the breakfast buffet, enjoy life. My own view would be to avoid the hassle of moving from one hotel to another to try and save a bit.

Why not just stay at the Hilton that night? Is it the $$? It will only take 30 minutes max to get into town at that time of night.

Someplace less expensive that has very easy access from the expressway is the Majestic Grande.

http://www.majesticgrande.com/

First of all, many thai's speak english and only the 600 baht a night rooms on Suk speak little english, and generally only the night personel in those types of rooms speak little english. Do not worry about English or language.

Secondly, NEVER tell a taxi driver to take you to a cheap hotel they will take you to a dive where they get a commission. Or the most expensive hotel around (probably the Davis... how about 10,000 to 25,000 baht a night)

Thirdly, you have tons of options for hotels in BKK but if you're staying at the Hilton... I agree with everyone else STAY there that night, don't get a seperate room. There is nothing (yet) near the airport worth talking about. Some firms are building but nothing near it. By the time you find a place you could have been at the Hilton.

Fourth, at that hour customs is a breeze as I do that many times and it will take you almost no time to get through and get out. Go up to the first floor now (they move the metered taxi stand between all the floors) and pay your 50 baht to get a metered tax, you can pick toll road or express way, and get into town in a quick hurry as it won't be bad at that hour, and you'll be at your hotel.

By my definition the Hilton is already pretty cheap so you may want to give us a price range. I would pretty much agree with others that your best option is just adding an extra day to the Hilton but if you want to save a few extra baht (I cant see you saving more than 1-2000) I would search for some of the hotels on Silom road as it should provide pretty easy access the next day to the Hilton. Well, as easy access as it gets in BKK.

I have stayed here before and it is well priced and clean.

http://www.naraihotel.co.th/

Thanks for all of the suggestions.
Yes, I was trying to save a buck. I emailed the hotel already and they said if I checked in around 3 or 4 in the morning they would charge an extra night.
We are using Hilton points for the one night. I can get another night for $114 but it seems like a waste when I know that for business (here in the states)they will usually let you ckeck in at like 9:00 or 10:00 for no extra charge.

We have never traveled that far before but people tell us we should try and fall asleep as soon as we get there in order to get on their time. Maybe I should suck it up and buy another night at the Hilton. How long do you think it will take to get from the airport to the hotel?

We fly out to Phuket the next day at like 7:00 pm.

Move the phuket flight earlier... thought you were staying in BKK.... take you 30 minutes at that hour roughly but... in Thailand traffic and road work is unpredictable... i've done rush hour to Sukhumvit in short time and I've been stuck at off peak travel time for hours....

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...524&highlight=

check that thread out for BKK hotels transit etc...

We are just staying in Bangkok for a day and a half. We arrive at midnight and fly out the following evening.
I figure we have the whole first day and half the next to explore Bangkok a little.

mlg70, that clears thing up a bit and to be honest makes me even more inclined to stay at the Hilton both nights. Lets say you get a nice hotel at say 2500baht.......that is about 1500 less than you would have paid staying both nights at the Hilton. Honestly, I wouldnt be staying at the Hilton unless I had status...especially on points. Also, you can check in early at some BKK hotels also but I dont know many US hotels that will let you check in at 2AM and not pay for an extra night.

You're fine as far as arriving that late...lots of flights do. There also won't be a shortage of taxis, though it's important to ignore the touts (go to the coupon counter) and insist they use the meter. You'd have to pay the meter + 50baht + road tolls; for me it's usually 250-300 baht all-in. Don't expect them to have change. Some drivers really try to fleece unknowing first timers, though it's better than it used to be. The trip will take only 30-40 minutes, so it's better to look for something intown. Rates have gone up quite a bit in the midrange, but any number of places in the low-numbered Sukhumvit sois are in the 1,300-1,700 baht range. You can go lower in some places, but it'll be a real contrast to the Hilton.

My advice...spend a little extra ($50-75) and stay at the Hilton for both nights. You have never been to Bangkok and are going to be wasting time both looking for a hotel on arrival and them transferring to the Hilton the next day when you could just go to the Hilton, get up the next morning and have a nice breakfast by the river and use the river boats to do some sightseeing.

A hassle free and pleasant day and a half in BKK is certainly worth that to me...YMMV.

While I agree with the rest of your post, there is really no reason to stay at the Hilton as far as I'm concerned. $114 isn't cheap (well, maybe it is for PAR or LON), and using points to stay in BKK is an almost total waste of the points...might as well give them to charity. You can stay at the Novotel Lotus, which AFAIK isn't exactly a dump, for as little as 1700 baht...That's US$54.87 at today's rate. Which means you can stay there for both nights, save your Hilton points for another stay (preferably in Scandinavia/Moscow or something expensive!), and get the five bucks to pay for a meal. Plus it's right off the airport motorway, so no congestion on your way to Phuket, and helping you save yet more through a cheaper taxi fare!

I'm not sure as to your plans in Phuket, but you really need a few days to see Bangkok right. In your boots (with your wallet) I'd try to get a morning flight from Bangkok to Phuket and just hang out at the airport through the night. You can then work off the jet lag while lounging on the beach. There are plenty of flights to the island so you shouldn't have much trouble.

Spend a few nights in Bangkok on the way out. You'll be well rested and ready to do some proper sight-seeing. Pick up your Thai souvenirs in Bangkok rather than Phuket; you'll save money.