Nice Bangkok Hotels or Apartment?

[Guest ronnie4you]

If I stay 3 weeks in Bangkok. I think I might enjoy trying out nice hotels that I couldn't afford in other cities. I have stayed at the Dusit Thani, years ago, the Pan Pacific, now I think a Crowne Plaza, the original Crowne Plaza, now a Holiday Inn, the Sofitel on Silom, the Sheraton Orchid, the Shangri-la, the Hilton Millenium, the Le Meridien, the Renaissance, the Lebua (one of he best), the Marriott Riverside, the Montien, the President, the Narai- the last 3 being not so good. I've stayed at Center Point apartments and Marriott Apartments.

 

Any ones you suggest? They don't have to be 5 star, just very nice and not horribly expensive.

By that I mean money for what you get. I have booked another stay at the Hilton Millenium because I liked it so much. It's expensive at $207, but what you get for that is a King room on a high floor with views and breakfast for two. I remember their breakfast being the best in Bangkok.

 

But, I could stay for a few days at 2 or 3 other nice hotels when I come. So if you have some recommendations, please share. I do not need to bring guests back. I know the Suriwong!

 

Funny story at the Narai. I took a very hot Tawan boy back. They have a "housekeeper" on each floor and he dropped a dime on us. So security knocks. I answer to a man who identifies as security and says he thinks I have a woman in the room. No, no, I respond. He wants to come in and see for himself. There is no woman! But I have to pay for the boy to be there, and given how hot the guy is, I say okay. It's about $40. Alas, the kid didn't bring ID. So the hotel and I both kick him out.

 

At another Sukhumvit hotel the name of which I forget, my Thai friend knew the manager, who assured me no problems bringing a guy back. I do so, finish, and then escort him to the lobby. Back on the elevator I am followed by a creepy man in a suit. He pushes a higher floor than mine, but gets off at my floor and identifies himself as security.  He, too, thinks I have someone in my room, so I open it for him and it is empty. Ha! The next day the manager denies that his security did that. So who was the suited guy?

 

Interesting story from the Shangri-La: The turn-down service was done by two young and cute guys. Naturally, I stayed while they worked. They were friendly, and one spoke good English. The latter guy also was a bit flirty. When his colleague went for pillows or something, he approached me and kissed me. I met him after work and we had sex elsewhere than the Shangri-la. I offered him some baht afterward and I have never had a Thai guy so offended. I read that one completely wrong.

[Brummbaer]

The Sofitel on Silom is  "Pullman Hotel G" now, which I believe Accor Group puts in between 4* and 5*. Rebranded 2012 or 2013 as far as I recall. 

There is a new Sofitel So just down the road from Dusit Thani on Rama IV corner Sathon Tai. As I normally have Accor Points to burn, those two are the hotels I stay at when I arrive in LOS. I'm there for the first couple of nights to meet up with my BF, before we leave Bangkok for the remainder of the stay. 

[vinapu]

If I stay 3 weeks in Bangkok. I think I might enjoy trying out nice hotels that I couldn't afford in other cities. I have stayed at the Dusit Thani, years ago, the Pan Pacific, now I think a Crowne Plaza, the original Crowne Plaza, now a Holiday Inn, the Sofitel on Silom, the Sheraton Orchid, the Shangri-la, the Hilton Millenium, the Le Meridien, the Renaissance, the Lebua (one of he best), the Marriott Riverside, the Montien, the President, the Narai- the last 3 being not so good. I've stayed at Center Point apartments and Marriott Apartments.

 

nice litany, only Pavillion Place and BBB Inn seem to be missing, just kidding.

 

Splurging for few days I understand but for 3 weeks? Spent money on the boys rather than flowers and chocolates on your pillow each morning.

 

Hotels charging joiner fees and even worse , having security entering your room should be named and shamed in capital letters font size 48 on every forum so others can avoid them and warn their friends too while recommending them to one's ememies

[firecat69]

I have stayed at every Hilton, Marriott and IHG hotel in BKK. Absolutely no problem bringing guests back.

 

Just like I don't criticize anyone for watching their money and staying in Hotels I would not stay in , equally I would never criticize someone who can afford it staying in a 5 star Hotel.  It is a fact those Hotels are a fraction of the cost in most Major Cities of the World.

 

However longer stay would always look for a First Class apartment at much less money.

 

Slight correction. My first trip ever stayed at Holiday Inn on Silom where guests were a problem .

[Londoner]

I may have to return to the issue raised by firecat69 if the changes at Tarntawan force me to change after sixteen years' patronage.

[Guest ryanasia]

Tarntawan is a dump and we all know it. It is a good place but realistically it has rested on it's laurels of being able to bring people back for a long, long time. Google boutique hotels Bangkok and you will get a top ten written by the Bangkok post. They will be generally a tad cheaper than your corporate brands. 

 

If you go to Ayutthaya then a great place is The Iudia. Get the front room they call it the Yamada room. Something like 3,500 a night and when it is quiet it is as good as a private pool villa. If you tell me exactly where in Bangkok you would like I could help out more. 

 

Anyway here is the view from the front room at the Iudia if you are looking for a nice boutique hotel, a bit out of Bangkok. There are numerous little hidden jewels like this and if your taste is like mine for small boutique hotels I can recommend many. 

 

The pictures aren't great but you get the idea.

[Guest whall]

What changes do we think might happen at Tarntawan?

[Guest ryanasia]

What changes do we think might happen at Tarntawan?

 

We can only hope a coat of paint and other improvements. 

[vinapu]

I only hope  staff will stay , particularly one super cute guy from reception

[worldatlarge]

The Banyan Tree on Sathon is great. Was there November 2015 and got good rate (around 140 USD) on Expedia and got upgraded due to gold status. Lovely and big room. No idea about joiner fee as I was not alone on that trip. Walkable to Silom and close to Prince and other massage places.

You must at least have a drink at Moon bar or splurge on a dinner at Vertigo both on the roof of the hotel on the 61st floor. Good food, great service and expensive but so worth it considering the greatest 360° view of Bangkok on a warm night. Even with a large tab it was worth it considering I would have remorse of not having done it shouls i have decided not to try it. But next time a drink or 2 will suffice!

Here is picture of the room.

On the other, should I be able to go back to Bangkok I might decide to be a bit closer to the night life.

[Guest ryanasia]

Here is one somebody posted from another thread that is worth a mention. Rates around 4,500 Baht. 

 

http://hotelmusebangkok.com/?merchantid=ppc-mgc-mar-goo-th-en-sear&sourceid=th-loc&xtor=SEC-705-goo-[ppc-mgc-mar-goo-th-en-th-bro-sear-th-loc]-[mgc-v4991-bangkok-7174-muse]-S-[%2Bhotel%20%2Bmuse]

 

Not sure why the link looks so funky but it works.

[Guest ronnie4you]

I had so many problems with the Holiday Inn on Silom. Arriving at 2 am, my friend and I were told that our rooms were not ready! It's not like they didn't know that we were coming. It took an hour for them to get the rooms ready. We were bushed after that long flight. Later, I got caught at the elevator trying to bring a guy in. They wanted money- too much, in my opinion.

 

Right now I am looking at an apartment as well as three luxury hotels. I admit that I like comfort, although in my youthful trips price always mattered. I like having the room cleaned every day, and I like a nice breakfast. An apartment would require me to work too hard! I'm on vacation, after all.

[firecat69]

Try  http://www.centrepoint.com    Hotel serviced apartments of all sizes at reasonable rates all over the city

[Travellerdave]

I go along with Worldatlarge - the Banyan Tree is superb by far the best experience I have had with Thai hotels. Fantastic panorama from the upper floor Windows and from the swimming pool.

[Guest ronnie4you]

firecat, I tried the CentrePoint near the Marriott Courtyard. It did look great, but the furnishings are for looks, not comfort. The bed was particularly bad.

[fedssocr]

Bangkok has such a huge glut of nice properties, both Western chains and others. I would choose based on location. I've read that others have had good luck with AirBNB which might be a good way to find a nice apartment for not a lot of money especially on a long stay. And probably less chance of problems with "security".

 

I've stayed at the Siri Sathorn apartments several times. It's quite nice. Operated by the same management company as the Sukhothai Hotel...or at least it was. Location is a short-ish walk from Silom. I brought a boy back there once and did feel like we were being watched pretty closely when we walked through the lobby. But nobody gave us any real trouble. 

 

Also stayed at the Frasier Suites Sukhumvit 11 which was also very nice. One of it's best points was it's close proximity to Hero when it was open.

 

But, like I said, the city is just full of really nice hotels and apartments.

[Guest topazann]

Old topic but want to lift up. Been coming to Thailand for years but can't find a soft mattresses in hotels.

Does anyone know where they have a soft latex mattress not a hard sprung one like http://jonsguide.org/best-top-icomfort-mattress-reviews/  ?Looking for info all Bangkok but I find the beds hard there as well as the chains like Amari & Marriott.

[reader]

Beds at the Crowne Plaza are among the most comfortable hotel beds I've had the pleasure to sleep in.

[DivineMadman]

Le Meridien has nice beds.  

[spoon]

Love the bed in dusit thani as well. Still the speing thick type bed but with a very thick and soft mattress pad under the quilt that makes u feel like u were sleeping on a cloud

[fedssocr]

 I stayed at the Crowne Plaza Lumpini on my last visit and seem to recall the bed there was pretty comfy. The only thing I didn't like was having to take two elevators every time I arrived and left. Location is great though right at the corner of Silom and Rama 4.

 

Siri Sathorn I mentioned above was always pretty good too. And the Grand Hyatt.

 

I found the beds at Tarntawan like concrete the one time I stayed there long ago. And the Triple Two Silom was the same.

 

I'm trying out the Continent Hotel near Terminal 21 when I am in town in a few weeks. 

[forky123]

Well, if some of the changes at the Tarntawan include cleaning the carpets, curtains and wi-if, maybe they will be a good thing.