Guest lurkerspeaks Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 I finally just booked my first trip to Bangkok. It will be a short trip since I can only take a total of 9 days off work.. I leave Phoenix on Wed Nov 8, and will get into Bangkok just after midnite, on the early morning of Friday, Nov 10.. I will be leaving the next Friday, Nov 17. My birthday falls on Wed the 15th, so hopefully I will have a great birthday there.. I have not booked my hotel yet.. I was wondering if anything has changed on the hotel scene lately? I am seriously considering Raya Surawong, for its location and reasonable pricing, along with its liberal visitation policy. I can get a room there for around $70 USD per night.. any other suggestions around the same price? I definitely want something in a good location, close to the boy action. I did find a few nice looking places on airbnb for less, but I figured for my first trip, it would be better to stay at a hotel until I learn my way around more.. I would love to meet up with anyone who happens to be in town during my visit. I will be traveling alone, so any company/advice, etc would be most welcome. I have made numerous trips to Rio and I love the sauna scene there, but I am anxious to experience the massage parlours and the gogo bars there in Bangkok. I tend to like the twink types, but unlike most of the members here, I prefer my twinks to be tops.. I have 8 months to build the anticipation now.. so, I welcome any input, advice, etc from all you seasoned members...and hopefully I get to meet some of you face to face.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stijntje Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 I stayed in Raya Surawong last month and I really loved it : nice room, safe because you need your room card to activate the elevator, the gay action is around the corner, no problem to invite a boy, ... vinapu 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alizizou Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 Try booking at nantra silom..only 3 minutes walking to tawan bar..and 3 times cheaper than raya. vinapu 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anddy Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 you are right about better getting a hotel rather than an airbnb on the first trip. In the past, Tarntawan was a hotel of choice for many (incl me), but that's no longer as you are probably aware (you seem to have done your homework by reading a lot around here). Raya and Nantra have gotten good reviews here, especially from vinapu who has stayed in both countless times so he should be able to tell. Having said that, asking for hotel recommendations is always a somewhat futile excecise, because a LOT depends on your personal preferences regarding things like - location - room size - amenities (in room and out-of-room such as pool/gym/sauna etc) - cleanliness - budget - level of comfort or "luxury" (you ok with :basic" or prefer 5-star ambiance?) - joiner policy (quite important to many obviously) For a bit more upscale than the aforementioined, member numazu has reported very positilvely about the Crowne Plaza, which is also a stone's throw away from Soi Twilight. As for meeting up with members, well I live here, so we shall see... vinapu 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason1975 Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 For a first timer, you should book Raya since it's literally metres away from Soi Twilight. Book early so that you have good rates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firecat69 Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 Raya good choice for first trip but make sure you look on various sites for the best price which usually is not on the Rays site. Also from posts here you will not be able to check in early which may factor into your decision. Of course I'm not sure how early you mean. I know it is a short trip but you really should spend a couple of nights in Pattaya. As long as you don't travel on the weekend it is only 100 minute trip and you will find the prices much more reasonable. Leave at noon, arrive by 2pm and check into Hotel in Boystown which are quite reasonable and enjoy a different vibe. Esteemed member Vinapu says the best Gay Bar in Thailand is in Pattaya and he may be right? Drinks at most of the Bars 30-50% less. Off fees 25% less . Tips for boys 25-33% less. Not sure what you arrival time is but you might consider just jumping in a Limo for $40 and going to Pattaya on arrival. Spend 3 nights and return to Bangkok on Monday for 4 nights. Sunday return is a no no because of traffic. TotallyOz and vinapu 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lurkerspeaks Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 you are right about better getting a hotel rather than an airbnb on the first trip. In the past, Tarntawan was a hotel of choice for many (incl me), but that's no longer as you are probably aware (you seem to have done your homework by reading a lot around here). Raya and Nantra have gotten good reviews here, especially from vinapu who has stayed in both countless times so he should be able to tell. Having said that, asking for hotel recommendations is always a somewhat futile excecise, because a LOT depends on your personal preferences regarding things like - location - room size - amenities (in room and out-of-room such as pool/gym/sauna etc) - cleanliness - budget - level of comfort or "luxury" (you ok with :basic" or prefer 5-star ambiance?) - joiner policy (quite important to many obviously) For a bit more upscale than the aforementioined, member numazu has reported very positilvely about the Crowne Plaza, which is also a stone's throw away from Soi Twilight. As for meeting up with members, well I live here, so we shall see... My main critieria (at least for a first visit) will be location (near the boy action), niceness (I am not a hotel snob who needs 5star, but I don't want a dump either). Cleanliness is important (Don't want any bedbugs, etc). For budget, I would prefer something around say $75 USD per night or so.. with cancellation available, just in case... allowing overnight guests is a must. The only real amenity I want/need will be wifi in my room. I am not a pool or gym person so I couldn't care less about those type things. I would prefer a decent sized room with a nice bathroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lurkerspeaks Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 Raya good choice for first trip but make sure you look on various sites for the best price which usually is not on the Rays site. Also from posts here you will not be able to check in early which may factor into your decision. Of course I'm not sure how early you mean. I know it is a short trip but you really should spend a couple of nights in Pattaya. As long as you don't travel on the weekend it is only 100 minute trip and you will find the prices much more reasonable. Leave at noon, arrive by 2pm and check into Hotel in Boystown which are quite reasonable and enjoy a different vibe. Esteemed member Vinapu says the best Gay Bar in Thailand is in Pattaya and he may be right? Drinks at most of the Bars 30-50% less. Off fees 25% less . Tips for boys 25-33% less. Not sure what you arrival time is but you might consider just jumping in a Limo for $40 and going to Pattaya on arrival. Spend 3 nights and return to Bangkok on Monday for 4 nights. Sunday return is a no no because of traffic. My flight is scheduled to arrive at 12:05am on Thur night/Fri morning.. I will be departing at 8am on Thursday morning, so my time is very limited, unfortunately. For this first trip, I think I will stay in Bangkok to try to learn my way in just one city. Hopefully on my next trip, I will be able to split time between two cities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anddy Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 My main critieria (at least for a first visit) will be location (near the boy action), niceness (I am not a hotel snob who needs 5star, but I don't want a dump either). Cleanliness is important (Don't want any bedbugs, etc). For budget, I would prefer something around say $75 USD per night or so.. with cancellation available, just in case... allowing overnight guests is a must. The only real amenity I want/need will be wifi in my room. I am not a pool or gym person so I couldn't care less about those type things. I would prefer a decent sized room with a nice bathroom. sounds very much like Raya then lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firecat69 Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 It does appear it will be impossible to find anything close to your target price at Raya unless it is non-refundable. I would make a refundable reservation somewhere else at your target price and then when you are sure check the non refundable at Raya and if the price suits cancel the other Hotel. Other members here can give you much better suggestions for other Hotels close to the Boys in your price range or less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lurkerspeaks Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 since my flight arrives at midnite on Thurs night/fri morning, I assume I will need to book hotel for a thurs arrival, and then inform them of my very late arrival... Are most (or all) hotel front desks open 24 hours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lurkerspeaks Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 It does appear it will be impossible to find anything close to your target price at Raya unless it is non-refundable. I would make a refundable reservation somewhere else at your target price and then when you are sure check the non refundable at Raya and if the price suits cancel the other Hotel. Other members here can give you much better suggestions for other Hotels close to the Boys in your price range or less. trivago doesn't show a low refundable rate for Raya, but on their own website, I can get a deluxe room that is refundable for $76 USD... works for me..unless someone has a better option... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ronnie4you Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 When we arrived in Pattaya at 5 am, we had booked the night before at half-price, so it was just a very late arrival, and well-worth the money. I agree that you should skip Pattaya on the first trip. There are enough boys in Bangkok to keep you busy. If you are absolutely into young twinks, then skip Bangkok and do Pattaya! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emailbroken Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 I finally just booked my first trip to Bangkok. It will be a short trip since I can only take a total of 9 days off work.. I leave Phoenix on Wed Nov 8, and will get into Bangkok just after midnite, on the early morning of Friday, Nov 10.. I will be leaving the next Friday, Nov 17. My birthday falls on Wed the 15th, so hopefully I will have a great birthday there.. I have not booked my hotel yet.. I was wondering if anything has changed on the hotel scene lately? I am seriously considering Raya Surawong, for its location and reasonable pricing, along with its liberal visitation policy. I can get a room there for around $70 USD per night.. any other suggestions around the same price? I definitely want something in a good location, close to the boy action. I did find a few nice looking places on airbnb for less, but I figured for my first trip, it would be better to stay at a hotel until I learn my way around more.. I would love to meet up with anyone who happens to be in town during my visit. I will be traveling alone, so any company/advice, etc would be most welcome. I have made numerous trips to Rio and I love the sauna scene there, but I am anxious to experience the massage parlours and the gogo bars there in Bangkok. I tend to like the twink types, but unlike most of the members here, I prefer my twinks to be tops.. I have 8 months to build the anticipation now.. so, I welcome any input, advice, etc from all you seasoned members...and hopefully I get to meet some of you face to face.. I bet many of us are a bit jealous that you have the anticipation and the sensual onslaught of visiting for the first time. You'll get a lot of great info here. Do remember to come back and share what you learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firecat69 Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 trivago doesn't show a low refundable rate for Raya, but on their own website, I can get a deluxe room that is refundable for $76 USD... works for me..unless someone has a better option... I missed that . Cancel more then 5 days before you are ok. Good deal. If your flight is on time you are likely to be in room by 130am. I would guess you will need to pay in full for that night and make sure you get email confirmation of your late arrival. Make sure you print out Hotel and address to give to the taxi person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggobkk Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 I'mone of those who switched from the Tarntawan to The Raya. My flights to Bangkok from the US always arrive around 11pm. Depending on the line at immigration, it's about ninety minutes from exiting the plane to The Raya. You need to book for the night the plane arrives. I used Agoda last two times and got a good rate with the same cancellation you were offered. Read up on getting a taxi from the airport. Have The Raya's address as most driver's don't know it and tend to come down Surawong so that the hotel will be on the left. At 1:30-2pm, the bars are closed or closing. You might see some of the boys who didn't get offed eating from the carts in the bank parking lot to the left of soi Twilight. Post on the forum about a week before you arrive that you will be in town. It's fun to meet up with other members if the have time. Many of us don't have out plans as organized as you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 777ckl Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 If you are more flexible on location, I just stayed at Triple 2 Silom hotel. Great price, huge nice rooms and bathroom. Great service. A bit longer to walk to from boys town, but a 100 baht taxi ride max . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fedssocr Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 I've done the Pattaya - Bangkok transfer on Sundays a few times and never noticed it taking any longer or being any more traffic than other days. I usually check out of the hotel around 11 and get to BKK by 1. But it's been 18 months or so since my last trip so maybe this is a new issue? I stayed at the Crowne Plaza on my last visit. It's quite nice. As an IHG platinum (just for having the IHG MasterCard) I was upgraded to the club level automatically. The best thing about it is that it's just around the corner from Sala Daeng BTS (and Lumpini MRT) for getting around town. I suppose if all you're interested in is seeing the boy bars that might not be so enticing, but if you plan to see the city a little it's helpful since it's a shorter walk in the hotter parts of the day. It's not a long walk from Soi Twilight though either. The only thing I didn't like about the hotel was that you have to take 2 elevators every time you leave or arrive since the main lobby is on the 23rd floor or so. Given how expensive the gogo bars/drinks have become I don't spend much time there any more. If you plan to use the hook up apps it doesn't matter too much where you stay. But for a first timer for sure you should check out the gogos while they still exist. On subsequent visits it's worth branching out a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lurkerspeaks Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 I missed the Gaiety before it closed. I missed Amsterdam and Blueboy/Club Whynot before it closed. I don't want to miss the Thailand gogo bars. I do want to see some of the local sights during the days of my visit- the various markets, some of the temples, but no snakes. Hopefully I can find someone, local or expat, who wouldn't mind showing me around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveller123 Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 I do want to see some of the local sights during the days of my visit- the various markets, some of the temples, but no snakes. Hopefully I can find someone, local or expat, who wouldn't mind showing me around. If you are willing to pay for a guide Siam Roads (who often post through Moses on this website) seem to have an excellent reputation Moses 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest whall Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 Why the Tarntawan hate? I was there October 2015 (gulp) and it was great. No complaints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firecat69 Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 Been numerous reports here about change in ownership and thus operations> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest whall Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 Hmm...anybody stay there recently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokopelli Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Yes. Visit http://sawatdeenetwork.com/v4/forum.php. Many posts about Tarntawan ,ad nauseum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a447a Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I wouldn't bother if I were you. After god knows how many posts on at least two threads, the conclusion is........ nothing has changed! I was last there in January and apart from a couple of new staff and the relocating of the business centre, it was the same as before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
