Any Feedback on the Raya Hotel on Surawaong Road?

[Guest ronnie4you]

I bought a "AIS buddy" SIM card 2GB for 7 days at airport for 169BHT.

 

What does that mean- AIS buddy?

[vinapu]

Breakfast buffet has a very large selection. In fact too large because nobody can eat everything on display. Price is steep at 850 bht but considering the offering it makes sense. Foodland Patpong makes mores sense with their 89 bht breakfast.

between 5.30 and 9 a.m. Foodland charges 62 baht only.

 

As for Raya I'm surprised soem note that breakfast selection is poor, how much really one need to devour for breakfast?

 

They usually have selection of 6-8 warm dishes plus regular breakfast stuff and I find it ample and varied enough.

 

All accolades about the rooms are well deserved, new , clean, quiet and spacious.

 

As for guest no problem whatsoever , if fact only if you are on floor 5 where reception is they see your guests at all. For all other floors you simply go there directly by the elevator  using your access card.

They did not blink an eye when I was bringing two boys together nor when one was leaving and I was greeting immediately one waiting in the lobby already. Sometimes they wanted to check ID , sometimes not.

 

Only thing is as Raya gains popularity good deals seem to be scarcer and scarcer.

 

Other possible inconvenience is as mentioned above that they don't allow for early checking i.e. before 2 p.m. although they made one exception for me , I guess my room was empty from previous day.

 

If one really need to get room earlier because feels sleepy short time room in nearby BBB Inn or Suriwongse Hotels can be hired for  a short nap up to three hours. Better still have a massage at BBB Inn with boys available 7/24

[ct2005]

What does that mean- AIS buddy?

The service provider name is AIS ... with green background lighting in their ads.

[orson]

I was at Le Meridien last week and wi-fi is free. Room was great as I was upgraded to the Vista corner room with the round bed.

Breakfast buffet has a very large selection. In fact too large because nobody can eat everything on display. Price is steep at 850 bht but considering the offering it makes sense. Foodland Patong makes mores sense with their 89 bht breakfast.

Naturally the best is the location. Easy access to everything around.

I could not test the guest policy so I cannot comment.

I suspect that you are an spg diamond/gold/platinum member if you were upgraded to an corner room and of course the free Internet. Normal customers need to pay for wifi

[anddy]

I suspect that you are an spg diamond/gold/platinum member if you were upgraded to an corner room and of course the free Internet. Normal customers need to pay for wifi

from the Meridien page on booking.com: Free! WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge. 

 

would have surprised me if it wasn't free, as that's standard throughout much of Asia

[Jasper]

Le Meridien Bangkok charges wifi access in GUEST rooms 470 THB per day according to starwoodhotels.com. Wifi in public area is free.

One of the reason I don't stay there despite the good location.

[vinapu]

Le Meridien Bangkok charges wifi access in GUEST rooms 470 THB per day according to starwoodhotels.com. Wifi in public area is free.

One of the reason I don't stay there despite the good location.

That's shame, even Nantra Silom with rooms for 30$ /night has free internet everywhere including guest rooms

[Jasper]

would have surprised me if it wasn't free, as that's standard throughout much of Asia

Many 5 star hotels charge guest room wifi access upto 500THB per day including Mandarin Oriental hotel.

[Guest ronnie4you]

I have stayed at the Le Meridien and did indeed have to go to the lobby for free wi-fi. Now that we have status with Starwood, wi-fi would be free in the room.

I had so much trouble with Le Meridien's website that I gave up on staying there and booked the Raya Surawong. They only had 2 classes of rooms left, the Deluxe Suite and the Executive Deluxe suite. I chose the Executive Deluxe suite. The price is US $100, and that includes all taxes and breakfast...for a suite! So I am taking you guys at your word that it is a nice hotel. And if I can bring guys to the room, all the better.

A final question on hotels. The Centara at Century shopping mall. I know it is on higher floors, but can one go to the mall without going outside? I'd like to avoid the heat if I could, not that I am booked there.

But, I have points at Hyatt, Hilton, and Marriott, and find using them in popular cities a veritable pain. Only one Hilton hotel in New York will let you book with points, at least at the time I am going to be there. A Sheraton that is $326 a night was only $190 at Hotwire. So I can forget obtaining more points when the rate is so high.

[vinapu]

 So I am taking you guys at your word that it is a nice hotel. And if I can bring guys to the room, all the better.

 

as Barack Obama used to say 'yes, you can"

[ct2005]

between 5.30 and 9 a.m. Foodland charges 62 baht only.

 

As for Raya I'm surprised soem note that breakfast selection is poor, how much really one need to devour for breakfast?

 

They usually have selection of 6-8 warm dishes plus regular breakfast stuff and I find it ample and varied enough.

 

I have taken a photo of The Raya breakfast cafe that might give a idea of its breakfast selection.

As what Vinapu has described, it has enough choices to satisfy those who is not picky about food. I certainly have no complaints about the food or going for a 2nd or 3rd helpings. Realistically, one cannot expect it to have "an egg or omelette station" whereby there is a chef who will take your orders & cook the eggs the way you like it, or a "sushi corner" or Chinese "Dim Sum" choices for the small amount of money added for room with breakfast.

 

Having said that, my friend who used to stay in more luxurious hotels & did lower his expectation for this hotel (since he is paying a much lower room price), took a look at the breakfast selection and declare that he has no appetite and went back to his room to continue to sleep .

[Guest ronnie4you]

If that is not enough food, one can always cross the street and pay the big bucks for the Le Meridien big breakfast.

[vinapu]

I think and deeply believe that all this breakfast discussion is misplaced. Most of us including 86 kilo of myself  of course can use much, much reduced breakfast servings than those offered at Raya, not to mention Meridien ones.

 

Do you guys really travel that far to have nice and sumptuous breakfast ?

 

I'm always amazed how much place food discussion and information takes in a guidebooks and how much time travelers spent  discussing food and restaurants.

 

I just returned from Cambodia and positively more people asked me how did I like food and what did I ate than what I did actually see there.

[Brummbaer]

During a normal work week I don't eat breakfast at all, because I can't eat that early in the day. While on holiday I can sleep in and it's late enough in the day to eat a big breakfast, which then will be enough food for the rest of the day. Give me one big breakfast and I won't feel hungry until next morning. My boyfriend needs/wants food every three to four hours, so he has a small breakfast and smaller meals throughout the day.

[Guest ronnie4you]

I love a big breakfast, and it is a factor in deciding where to stay. I usually skip lunch though.

[worldatlarge]

I suspect that you are an spg diamond/gold/platinum member if you were upgraded to an corner room and of course the free Internet. Normal customers need to pay for wifi

In fact I am Expedia Gold+ and get upgraded in only some of Expedia's hotels.

Sorry to push on the subject but I just rechecked Expedia now and all the rooms at Meridien have free Wi-Fi.

...and, Vinapu, after a night out at Jupiter, Fresh Boys and DJ Station, I do not get up before 9am not even for a 1 $Cad saving (hihihi!)

[vinapu]

...and, Vinapu, after a night out at Jupiter, Fresh Boys and DJ Station, I do not get up before 9am not even for a 1 $Cad saving (hihihi!)

longer you sleep, shorter your vacations are

[anddy]

between 5.30 and 9 a.m. 

I think and deeply believe that all this breakfast discussion is misplaced. Most of us including 86 kilo of myself  of course can use much, much reduced breakfast servings than those offered at Raya, not to mention Meridien ones.

 

Do you guys really travel that far to have nice and sumptuous breakfast ?

 

I'm always amazed how much place food discussion and information takes in a guidebooks and how much time travelers spent  discussing food and restaurants.

 

I just returned from Cambodia and positively more people asked me how did I like food and what did I ate than what I did actually see there.

During a normal work week I don't eat breakfast at all, because I can't eat that early in the day. While on holiday I can sleep in and it's late enough in the day to eat a big breakfast, ...

I love a big breakfast, and it is a factor in deciding where to stay. I usually skip lunch though.

 

on breakfast, I agree with vinapu, it often gets so much attention. I am often amazed how people in hotel reviews (like on tripadvisor or booking.com) OBSESS about the perceived lack of breakfast quality or choices. Seriously, like vinapu says, do you travel that far (or travel anywhere at all, for that matter) for breakfast? On top of that, for a breakfast you want to be the same or very close to your home version, rather than sampling the local delights?

 

But above discussion shows that those preferences do exist and are real. On that note, while agreeing with vinapu on breakfast (I am a non-eater in the morning like Brummbaer), I disagree on the general food statement. Eating and enjoying local food when traveling to other countries is one of the big pleasures of traveling for me. Again, here we have the personal differences in what we like and we know vinapu is not a foodie at all.

 

Bottom line is, the breakfast discussion may be a bit overblown here, but still of relevance to some like ronnie4you. having said that, Raya's breakfast quality is completely irrelevant (to me) anyway, as it closes at the ungodly hour of 9am haha  By that measure, the old Tarntawan was clearly the TOP of the TOP choices as they offered 24 hour a la carte breakfast, now discontinued as i read in that thread here.

 

longer you sleep, shorter your vacations are

true, but sleeping long is one of the luxuries afforded by a vacation! By the same token, not to have to wake  up to an alarm clock ever (except when having made the mistake to book a morning flight to travel somewhere haha) is now one of my biggest luxuries of retirement

[traveller123]

, I disagree on the general food statement. Eating and enjoying local food when traveling to other countries is one of the big pleasures of traveling for me. Again, here we have the personal differences in what we like and we know vinapu is not a foodie at all.

 

I agree with Anddy, possibly it is age linked and Vinapu will change as he gets older.

I will be in Jomtien over Christmas and we will eat at Sandbar on Christmas Eve, Bite Me for Christmas Lunch and Cafe Des Amis on Boxing Day.

If anyone is in those restaurants on those days say hello - Im the 70 year old relic with my 34 year old partner

[Guest ronnie4you]

There may be more food than we could possibly eat. The restaurant looks affluent affluent and more customers arrive.

Pretty soon it's big dinners, they might get rich.

[ChristianPFC]

I just returned from Cambodia and positively more people asked me how did I like food and what did I ate than what I did actually see there.

 

One reason why I don't buy Thai language travel guides is that they are split in three equal parts: what to see, where to stay, where to eat. I'm only interested in "what to see", and won't buy a book that has two third of stuff I don't care about.

 

When traveling, I wish I could charge my stomach at a power plug instead of wasting time looking for a place to eat.

 

As for hotels charging for WiFi (the Malaysia does), that's outrageous. An anachronism. 100 years ago houses in Paris advertised "Water/Electricity on all floors", and some of these signs survived and are now left as curiosities. I hope charging for WiFi goes the same way, soon.

[vinapu]

 

As for hotels charging for WiFi (the Malaysia does), that's outrageous. An anachronism. 100 years ago houses in Paris advertised "Water/Electricity on all floors", and some of these signs survived and are now left as curiosities. I hope charging for WiFi goes the same way, soon.

At least Malaysia may justify it by their very low room rates but reports are that much more upscale hotels are charging for internet access.

[Guest ronnie4you]

We spent 6 nights there recently and were unimpressed. I should preface this with the thought that for many guys, just having a clean hotel that close to Soi Twilight, one that does allow visitors to the room, already covers all of the bases.

Those who might look further will find a lumpy bed, lumpy pillow loud A/C, and an indifferent staff. The a/c seems to blow right on the bed, making it difficult to whet a comfortable temperature.

The hotel also caters to the Japanese community and may have been surprised at the gay interest. Although a renovated facility, the Raya, to my mind, cut many corners.

[Guest ronnie4you]

Duplicate expression of my opinion on the Raya hotel.

[steveboy]

would have surprised me if it wasn't free, as that's standard throughout much of Asia

 

Not in Singapore. In every hotel there I had to pay an arm and a leg for the WiFi.