what's the best hotel in Bangkok ?
I've heard good things about the Oriental / Peninsula / Shangri-La - what would you choose for 2/3 days in the middle of a honeymoon ?
Also, where's best on Koh Samui - and why ?
any info from people who've been there and done that much appreciated - I don't trust (most) travel agents http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
Many thanks
Stewie
It's not the Oriental, but right now you can find Le Meridien President for under USD$50 a night from online discounters.
And my partner still says there's no reason to spend more than $25-30 for a BKK hotel room *sigh*
As far as I am concerned, the Oriental is the best in the world. Note that all rooms in the River Wing (main building) have been renovated during the past year.
------------------
speedbird001
Anyone familiar with the following hotels I am considering (based on great discount rates I found and recommendations of my brother and a friend in BKK):
Crowne Plaza on Silom. I was told that it's a great hotel, has an excellent breakfast buffet, but is far from the SkyTrain and too far down Silom Road.
LeMeridien PRESIDENT. Well located next to the fancier Meridien Royal, but apparently in an older building than the Royal.
Arnoma. Right down the street from the Meridien.
Novotel Siam Square. Looks like a good location and near SkyTrain. Friend says it's a good hotel.
In Bangkok, in the top range, I've been to the Oriental, the Peninsula, the Regent, the Grand Hyatt Erawan,the Dusit Thani and the Shangri-La, but my favorite is The Sukhothai, really a class act. Check out their website <www.sukhothai.com>
On Samui Island, I highly recommend the Le Royal Meridien Baan Taling Ngam. my firends and I stayed there for free! after I won a magazine drawing. It is fantastic! Private beach... Also, people tell me that Santiburi Dusit Resort is very nice, but I have not tried it yet.
[This message has been edited by BangkokFlyer (edited 03-20-2002).]
Go with the Shangri-La for ur honeymoon way better bang for your buck,resort feel and more romantic. Go to the Oriental if u want to tell everyne that u stayed in one of the top 5 hotels in the world. Location does't mean much unless u want to walk because taxis are cheap. Traffic only sucks during lunchtime, quitting time and rain storms.
Hotel in Samui, Thailand - KhaoSanRoad.com::
selection of Hotels and Resorts in Samui, Thailand at unbeatable Swana BKK Hotel. Baan Chantra. Aurum The River Place. Thailand Hotels. Bangkok. Chiang Mai
http://www.hotels.khaosanroad.com/asia/thailand/samui-location3.htmHOME |
Originally posted by lacanau:
The Banyan Tree Bangkok is also supposed to be quite nice (I'll try it in 2 weeks - will let you know how it was) and has incredible offers as it just opened under the Banyan Tree name (used to be Westin Banyan Tree). I am paying US$85 per room per night for a small suite incl. breakfast and 20% off all spa treatments. Banyan Tree Hotels are usually really nice and romantic, so I hope this one will be, too. This hotel cuts a very distinctive silouette on the BKK skyline (BKK has just about the world's most spread out, sparse skyline as there are no real commercial-district zoning laws that are enforced). The hotel is a bit isolated, on Sathorn South, in/near the commercial district, and requires a cab to get most places. The view from the penthouse lounge is quite nice, especially on New Year's eve.
In Bangkok, I would recommend the Sukhothai - it's a really cool looking place that's not hit by corporate travel agents. The Oriental is nice (fantastic spa, though across the river from the hotel), but really only fantastic if you stay in what I think is called the author's wing (it's the second floor on the river-side of the hotel that overlooks the garden).
Also - I would consider staying on the Andaman Coast side of Thailand - Ko Samui and Koh Phangan have a much better party/rave scene (particularly with the full moon) but lack the natural beauty of Krabi, Ko Phi Phi or Phuket. And, of course, the Aman on Phuket is over-the-top awesome.
The Banyan Tree Bangkok is also supposed to be quite nice (I'll try it in 2 weeks - will let you know how it was) and has incredible offers as it just opened under the Banyan Tree name (used to be Westin Banyan Tree). I am paying US$85 per room per night for a small suite incl. breakfast and 20% off all spa treatments. Banyan Tree Hotels are usually really nice and romantic, so I hope this one will be, too.
For Honeymoon stays, I would recommend the Sukhothai's Garden Suite that seems as if its floating amid the lotus pond. Sure, its a little inconviniently located, but the tranquil, understated and highly sophisticated ambience is a class by itself.
Originally posted by guy44134:
Anyone familiar with the following hotels I am considering (based on great discount rates I found and recommendations of my brother and a friend in BKK):
Crowne Plaza on Silom. I was told that it's a great hotel, has an excellent breakfast buffet, but is far from the SkyTrain and too far down Silom Road.
LeMeridien PRESIDENT. Well located next to the fancier Meridien Royal, but apparently in an older building than the Royal.
Arnoma. Right down the street from the Meridien.
Novotel Siam Square. Looks like a good location and near SkyTrain. Friend says it's a good hotel.
The Holiday Inn on Silom you refer to is indeed a ways down Silom from the skytrain, and a bit remote. I don't know much about the hotel, but go there often for its great Indian restaurant, Tandoor. From what I've seen of the lobby area, the hotel looks OK.
I've been to numerous business functions in the Meridien hotels. They are extremely convenient from a shopping and mobility standpoint (Chidlom skytrain station is right there). I have never personally stayed at either hotel, but have put up a number of visitors in both. The usual comment from someone who first stayed in the Royal, and then in the President on the next visit is: "put me back in the newer 'wing' next time!" referring to the Royal, of course. I also enjoy the Sunday brunches in the President. Very good seafood selection, IMHO.
The Novotel can be a real swingin' place in the evening. It is on the west side of Siam Square, where a lot of younger Thais hang out. The Hard Rock Cafe is a few minutes walk away, although the Siam Station skytrain station is perhaps a 5-7 walk. I don't know much about the hotel, other than eating in a few restaurants there over the years.
To me, the Arnoma is a fairly nondescript hotel. I've walked past it literally hundreds of times, and have barely noticed it. My impression is that it is 3* at best, and at the low end of the hotels you mentioned. The World Trade Center is right across the street, and the Meridiens are right around the corner. FWIW there is an old-time black market for moneychangers in the back sois rather closeby.
Originally posted by TravelinWilly:
UAL Traveler, chime in! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
Will OK, been too busy in Bangkok to chime in until now. Yes, the Oriental is certainly the best of the best. Did you know that is one of the few 5*'s that send cars every day to pick up their staff at home... and I'm not talking about just the concierge or managers http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif The Oriental's staff is beyond compare, and is a continual target for the other high-end hotels, such as the Royal Orchid and Shangri-La. The Hyatt Erawan, Regent and Penninsula only rarely get Oriental-trained staff.
For 2 or 3 nights on a honeymoon, the Oriental is probably the right choice. However, for future stays, note that there are numerous hotels available just a notch or two below the Oriental (and those listed above) that provide very good service, but at a fraction of the cost with rooms that are often junior or full suites, and more conveniently and centrally located in BKK than along the river.
Best wishes.
The rates for the oriental now are quite a bit higher http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif
I find the Oriental too formal and pretentious for my taste but YMMV. I love the Peninsula - a wonderful blend of elegance and style but they don't have signs up stating you will not be let on the property if you have a backpack or are wearing the wrong kind of footwear (as the Oriental does)
In Bangkok there is no comparison to the Oriental. I used to live in BKK and before our house was ready to moved in to, I lived at the Oriental. Nowhere in the world even comes close in customer service.
On Koh Samui the best is indeed the Baan Taling Naam IMO. The Santiburi has the better restaurant but BTN is nice and isolated and has less of a family beach holiday feel to it.
Another vote for The Oriental in Bangkok and for Baan Taling Naam (I probably destroyed the spelling) on Samui.
The Oriental suffiness extends solely to non-guests (not to guests or visitors accompanied by guests). Yes, they keep the gawking bakpackers in shorts and flip-flops out. But if you're staying there, you can pretty well dress however you want.
The Peninsula has gorgeous facitlities, but comes across cold and the service levels are far below those at The Oriental.
I have heard very good things about the Sukhothai, but it is not on the river and is is a charmless business district.
Oriental is best (my opinion). Look at rates carefully, though; you should usually be able to find something for ~ US $189/night before taxes, though I've seen rates fluctuating wildly lately.
The Peninsula has some sweet deals. I had a suite there (1 1/2 bathrooms, 1 bedroom, living room, office area, foyer, luggage room, enormous bathroom, northern view of the river - oh, with a view of the Oriental, too...) for $180/night US including breakfast and taxes last May 2001.
One real bargain is the Regent. VERY centrally located, and they NEVER charge you for local phone calls or sending postcards (it's the gesture I love, not the nominal money saved), with a terrific concierge team. Their rates have somehow always been competitive. Get a view of the race track (which means above the 4th floor, now that the train is running) if at all possible.
UAL Traveler, chime in! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
Will
I stayed at the Sheraton Royal Orchid and it was pretty nice. One of the things I would reccommend is that you book someplace nice and then, on arrival in BKK, check with the hotel desk at the airport. They were able to get me a room at the Sheraton Royal Orchid for $90 USD which was better than the Sheraton website rate or any otherrate I saw. And they had all of the decent hotels on their list.
If you want to use a helicopter, I suggest the Shangri La. It is not isolated like most of the other hotels on the list, and has the wonderful luxury of virtually its own skytrain station on the southern terminus of the Mor Chit line.
Note that in past days, the helicopter was sometimes almost a necessity, given Bangkok's legendary traffic. However, in the past 2.5 years or so, both the tollway was completed from the airport (it actually begins well north of the airport), and the skytrain began operations. That has had a favorable impact on traffic, and now the helicopter is seen almost as an anachronism, at least among some circles of Thais.
Of course, if you like helicopters, who am I to say http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif
Ohh guys, now I'm really unsure...
I've done some digging on the Sukhothai, which looks great (really like the bathrooms, and know that my fiancee will too http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif ), but I hear what you say about the location - how big an issue is that ?
Also, I've looked into a chopper transfer from the airport to the Peninsula (it has a helipad on the roof) which really appeals to the small child in me; that's a real pluspoint over the Oriental, but it would then wipe out all the cost savings in the first place.
Anyone taken the chopper option ?
tia
Stewart
thanks guys - always good to get a definitive answer http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
So looks like the Oriental is the best, or maybe too stuffy, so the Peninsula is better, or is it maybe the sukothai....
I'm sure that I can't really go wrong with any of these - i'll do some shopping and maybe end up sticking a pin http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
 I Am a Sinner – What About You?
 Global Sourcing and Supplier Online by Dylan
|
hotels in BKK/ Thailand