Milk78

I stayed at the Raya in April 2021. I liked the hotel a lot. Cheap (although i think prices have gone up a bit now that it is busier) and pretty comfortable. It is probably mid range. There is, or certainly wasn't when I was there, a dining room so no breakfast options. I stayed in the Grand Deluxe Room which was really big - 45 sqm? They also had a policy for late check out with rate for additional time displayed at reception. My return flight was quite late in the day so being able to buy a few extra hours for really not very much additional cost was really welcome. They were still doing some work somewhere in the hotel when I was there although I think it was nearly all done. I understand that the policy of entering via the car park is still in force at night. For me, it really wasn't a problem. There was a security guy on 'duty' but he barely looked up from his phone, let alone questioned or made anything awkward. Absolutely no problems whatsoever. I think it is a great option if the budget doesn't stretch to a more high end option.

I stayed at the Raya in April 2021. I liked the hotel a lot. Cheap (although i think prices have gone up a bit now that it is busier) and pretty comfortable. It is probably mid range. There is, or certainly wasn't when I was there, a dining room so no breakfast options. I stayed in the Grand Deluxe Room which was really big - 45 sqm? They also had a policy for late check out with rate for additional time displayed at reception. My return flight was quite late in the day so being able to buy a few extra hours for really not very much additional cost was really welcome. They were still doing some work somewhere in the hotel when I was there although I think it was nearly all done. I understand that the policy of entering via the car park is still in force at night. For me, it really wasn't a problem. There was a security guy on 'duty' but he barely looked up from his phone, let alone questioned or made anything awkward. Absolutely no problems whatsoever. I think it is a great option if the budget doesn't stretch to a more high end option.

i would have selected the entire post but that seemed excessive, save to say I agree with it all. I am interested in posts that provide positive advice - "this was amazing", "I had a great time here" etc etc, rather than those that are just filled with hate. There is no way one person can provide a definitive answer/ advice on anything. Of course, legitimate criticism on, say, the standard of a hotel breakfast is always useful observation, but comment on the state of how an entire nation is going to behave is just total bollocks. Simple as that really.

I was there in April so not super recent. The elevator in the car park was not at all bad at night. There was a security guy "on duty" but he didn't even look up when I brought a guy back.

I have not stayed in an AirBnB in BKK as I have found the hotels to be as good value for a week/ 2 week stay. I do like having the option of a kitchen and washing machine, but it is so cheap to eat out, that as long as the hotel room has a fridge i can use to keep beer cold then I find i don't use the kitchen anyway. I have stayed in AirBnBs in Chiang Mai which are fantastic value and much larger spaces than in BKK. These places often have "security" at the gate but they have never even raised their head when I walk in - let alone if I walk in with a boy! I did stay in one place in Chiang Mai that had a notice up in the lobby about not allowing short term rentals via AirBnb. This was clearly not monitored at all as there were large numbers of guests in the lobby with suitcases coming and going all the time. I didn't know about the no AirBnB when I booked it and there were no reviews to suggest that there was an issue with short term lets. So, it seems that some places do have "restrictions" in place but probably not monitored in any way. I would certainly back up the advice here to thoroughly check the reviews that have been posted. In my research - utilities tend to be included for short rental periods (up to two weeks) but for extended times utilities are often charged extra but not always. Pattaya, which i have been looking at quite a bit recently seems particularly keen on this - month long stays utilities are charged on top, electricity especially. On the whole though, I find hotels so cheap in Thailand that the potential saving on AirBnb is much less attractive. And there are a selection of hotel options that are really like serviced apartments and have the extra services included.

I stayed at the Raya in April. I had a Grand Deluxe Room which i think was on the 7th floor? It was large, clean, and bright. The room cost me 1450 BHT for the night. They did not do breakfast. After a certain time the main entrance does close and you have to go to the elevator in the car park, but I am sure it went to a higher floor than reception - it took me to my floor and I was definitely higher than the 5th floor. I had a boy come back, the security on the car park gate didn't say anything or even look in my direction. I suspect the price may have gone up a bit now. I found it to be an outstanding choice. The location is pretty unbeatable and even if the price has gone up a bit, I suspect it is still one of the better value options. One think I did like was the ability to extend your check out time for only a small amount. I wish I could remember the exact price (I may have mentioned it in my trip report at the time?) but it was only something like 100 BHT per additional hour. As I had a late flight the ability to stay in the room for another 4 hours for a nominal amount was really welcome! The prices were clearly on display at the reception desk.

My best hook ups during my trip in March/ April this year were not MB on Grindr. I think the ratio of MB on Grindr was still very low as BKK had not really opened up fully. That is probably changing now. Certainly, it was easier to hook up with non MBs than it was to find MB at that time. Boys offering massage were much more common. And as stated elsewhere, with the bar boys still wearing jeans the appeal of offing a boy there and paying the premium cost as if everything were back to normal was much diminished i.e - I didn't bother and actually avoided the experience. I had two meets in particular which were fantastic with non MBs in BKK, both had blank profiles and because of that I nearly passed them by completely. Only after a conversation on the app did I end up meeting them. I so nearly missed out on some of the best meets i have ever had!

I had a very similar experience. I am not one for temples, but thought if there ever was a time that I was going to do Wat Pho is was when I was there in April. The place was deserted and I had a private tour with, at most, 4 other tourists in the grounds. I too had Reclining Buddha to myself! It was good to make the most of the quiet. On reflection, I probably should have made more use of the fact BKK was empty and done more of the tourist sites. Planning my next trip now for November!

Thanks @Boy69! On strength of your recommendation, I have booked a week second half of November in East Suites. Found a a great deal and booked the King Jacuzzi Suite that you mentioned. Free cancellation right up until 28 October so risk free. Just need to actually book some flights now! I will wait and see if a deal pops up!

Thanks for this! I was just in the process of trying to work this out for myself. I have not been to Pattaya and am in the early stages of planning a trip later in the year. I found East Suites last night and wondered why I had not seen them mentioned by anyone as it looks like a really good option. There also seemed to be a similar venue call Inn Residence? Do you know what they are like? I have looked at a few apartments in the area but nothing really blows me away. Yes, there are some very inexpensive options but they are all looking a bit dated and tired - I don't suppose Covid has helped. There are a few high end options but that seems extravagant when compared to the places that you have mentioned. That is why I like the idea of East Suites. I have had apartments (mainly AirBnB) in Thailand before and even though I have seldom used the extra facilities that you get with an apartment over a hotel room (like a kitchen), I really like having the option.

Does anyone have recommendations for sites to book condos? I use Airbnb a lot but wondered if there are other options or sites specifically for Thailand properties?

Yes, when I have been up to Chiang Mai I have stayed in an AirBnb. Are there other sites that you would recommend?

No, I have not been yet and I think it will make the list this time., at least to see what it is like. I have been reading a couple of threads on here about the place. a hotel was telling me that it was high season when I was asking about a potential long stay. They were reluctant to offer any sort of discount. With the restrictions now mostly lifted, I would think that things will start accelerating back toward normal - it is just how long it will take.

I am planning my next trip out - possibly November but it strikes me that is peak season and because I am not really tied to dates, I might ahead out during the shoulder season, particularly as things are opening up. Although what this winter will bring in terms of new infections is anyone's guess. With that in mind, where do people think is going to be the best value? I have been to BKK and Chiang Mai a couple of times and would like to spend some time at least somewhere else. Where am I going to the best all round package and value for money - boys, hotels, bars, restaurants, things to do?

Looks like things might get worse before they get better - https://loyaltylobby.com/2022/04/12/chaos-at-bangkok-airport-arrivals-area-leads-to-additional-counters-testing-requirement-possibly-be-eased-soon/

My week in Chiang Mai was great. Lots of great food. There definitely seemed to be more non-Asian tourists in Chiang Mai than in Bangkok. I stayed in an AirBnB which was great. Lots of space, decent Wifi, balcony, washing machine, kitchen etc, and for very little money for the week. I spent most of my time with a boy I met a couple of years ago and with whom I have been in touch with ever since. He is a university student and his English is very good. I met him on Grindr (not a money boy). We spent most days with him coming over to my apartment, going for lunch and then off to an art gallery or other local attraction. It was a very chilled out few days. On Thursday, he had to go home to BKK to see his mum and sister. I had a couple of days to myself so checked out Grindr to see what was about. I hooked up with a few guys over the next three days. There are plenty of guys on the app so didn't have to try to hard to find someone. Lots of massage boys on Grindr in Chiang Mai and the prices are about 50% cheaper than in BKK. One money boy got in touch with an initial price of 2000 thb but i wasn't really interested. He kept trying though and was down to 700 by the time he got the message and looked elsewhere. I didn't really check out the gay scene in Chiang Mai. I did go to Orion Bar which had a cabaret show on at about 9pm? It was empty when i sat down for a drink at 8pm ish but by the time of the show it had filled up quite a bit and there was a bit of a crowd. I like Chiang Mai it is an easy place to hang out and relax. And there are some signs of life returning. Venues appear to be filling up again. There was excellent Thai restaurant near my apartment. They do a Burmese style curry which is one of the best things i have ever eaten. Having been there twice already, I thought I would treat myself on my last night and go again. I turned up to find a queue to get! It was way too hot for me to stand around so found another venue. This is the place if you are interested - https://www.facebook.com/TongTemToh/ It is right next door to an Italian restaurant called Why Not? It is also excellent - http://whynotchiangmai.com/ Back to BKK for one night and stayed at The Raya. What a fantastic little hotel. Very good value, large room and you can't beat the location. I caught up with a forum member for drinks in Soi 4. It does seem to be a little more lively than it was when i was there a week before. Maybe the impact of a few more tourists and Songkran in a couple of days? My drinking partner let me depart early as I had important "errands" to attend to. I managed to hook up with the birthday boy I mentioned in an earlier post. We had planned to meet straight after his work at 6pm but he then had to take overtime at work and was not able to meet until later. Sadly, that meant that our hook up was much curtailed in terms of time together. Still, he was as excellent as the first time we met. My flight back is not until late tonight but it has been a low key day. It is blisteringly hot today and I feel complete; I don't feel the need to be doing much more. Checkout at The Raya is 12pm but you can have a later checkout time at the cost of 100 thb per hour, which feels like excellent value to me. It means I can hang out here and take sanctuary in the air conditioning! I have just ventured out to the @vinapucommended, 5* dining experience, and now back in the room. I have Grindr on and a few messages coming in but I think I am done now, I have had my fill. Some reflections on a couple of weeks back in Thailand: Print all of the documentation out. I can't imagine trying to manage it all off the phone. On the way out my papers were checked 5 times and not all the same combination of documentation. The testing is a nightmare and a waste of time and without a doubt killing tourism. I bought a phone sim at the airport - dtac have a shop by baggage reclaim. It turns out the deal i got was better than i thought it was and no more expensive than buying from a 7-11. I know this because I thought i had only got a 2gb data limit. It turns out it was Unlimited data. My phone had an odd setting which made it appear to be limited to 2gb. When i went to a dtac shop to increase my data she couldn't really understand what/ why I was asking. It was only then i realised my (good) mistake. It was a good job i did get the sim card at the airport, as my first trip outside of my room after Day 1 PCR test confinement, I got locked in a stairwell! Luckily, I was able to phone reception and they sent someone to let me out! Like everywhere else, Covid has hit businesses. That compounded with only a trickle of tourism, many shops, bars, restaurants have closed and show little to no sign of returning anytime soon. Many of the tourist dependent shops have gone - the night bizarre in Chiang Mai is half the size I remember it being and many places even though they say are open in Google have just disappeared. Grindr worked really well for me. Lots of local guys not trade to hook up with. Yes, there are money boys and massage guys on there as well and very easy to find, but plenty of local guys just looking for fun as well. I learnt on a number of occasions to go with the flow. Two local guys I nearly ignored turned out to be two of the best hook ups ever. This is my second time in Thailand and I know that I will be coming back. My first visit, two years ago just before Covid, was spoilt a bit by a heavy cold that I came down with the day before I flew out. It really hit my first week in BKK. This time, once the testing had been successfully navigated, I was able to have a much fuller experience. Yes, there are some restrictions and things not open, but there is still plenty of things that are still standing to enjoy. Hopefully, travel restrictions will ease over the next few months and people will start coming back. I am already planning my next trip out and have got my boss to agree to let me work UK hours in Thailand, if possible for a month. I can think of no better escape from the UK winter!

I was staying at the Banyan Tree in BKK a couple of weeks ago. I had quite a few boys come over, some money boys, some massage guys, and some local guys i met off Grindr - no problems with bringing any of them in. No questions or looks from anyone. I stayed at The Raya for my last night in BKK, having spent a week in Chiang Mai (but in an AirBnB so no issues). In the evening, you have to use the service elevator in the car park. They had two guys on security and again, no questions, no looks, all fine.

I am up in Chiang Mai now and there seems to be loads more tourists here than in Bangkok. Or certainly, more non-asian tourists. My taxi driver from the airport said that things had been noticeably picking up over the last 5-7 days. I am back in BKK for a night next week before heading back to the UK. It will be interesting to see if things have improved a bit in the week that I have been away. I have a feeling they night have.

@vaughn Baan Khanitha & Gallery is very nice. Pricey for Thai standards but the portions are big. Food very good.

I know. If I had given any more I really think he would have been offended. He didn't want to take that for a 60bht taxi.

Thanks for all the recommendations that you sent to me. They have made my trip much more interesting and enjoyable. What a great bunch of people you are!

It was a lazy start. I have usually been down to breakfast at about 7-7.30am but this morning it was a good couple of hours later before I made it down. Stuffed my face (with food!) and went back to bed. I was still a bit weary and ended up sleeping for another couple of hours. River journey recommendations gratefully received from @thaiophilus I headed to Sathorn Pier at about 3pm. Caught the Orange Flag boat up to Nonthaburi. What excellent value for an hours trip up the river. I didn't stick around long in Nonthaburi. There was a bit more Thai life going about its daily business; plenty of street food. Restaurants mainly closed. I was the only non Thai face around. I had a wander round the market for a little while. I debated whether to get the boat back but in the end elected to jump in a taxi and head back into BKK. Another recommendation took me to Siam Paragon and I finally found where all the crowds are! It seems that the majority of the tourist life is zoning in on the sprawling complex. A fair few locals as well as there was some sort of celebrity event going on which had drawn a big crowd and lots of cameras. I am not sure who it was but was told it was a sponsorship event for Under Armour - possibly a Thai football player? I did spend a little while looking at some of the shops and bought myself some trainers, but the crowds in the food area of both Paragon and the Siam Centre were enough to drive me on to find alternative options. I ended up back at the Mango Tree and had an excellent meal there. I was flagging a bit though - despite the lazy start. My muscle boy seems to have taken it out of me today! I stopped at the 7-11 and picked up some snacks to take back to the hotel, a contented evening of taking it easy and just watching some Netflix ahead of me. I tried and failed (again!) to get a taxi on Surawong Road - a sign of things and the lack of general footfall in the area I suppose. But no bother as it meant I could again wander down Patpong Alley 2 and past Hot Male, Dream Boys and Fresh Boys - same story and this was a Friday night at 10pm. Soi 4 looked to have a little more life to it, although I didn't go in. I caught a taxi straight away on Silom Road and was back at the hotel shortly thereafter. Checked Grindr for messages, mixed a couple of drinks, and settled into watching some Netflix. This was my evening done. And then at midnight a message on Grindr pinged through. I wasn't really looking as had had a couple of drinks by this point, it was pushing on for midnight and I wasn't far off going to bed. But of course, I had a look and as soon as you open up the app for a couple of mins messages start coming in. Now my sexual preferences are pretty varied as long as there is a boy involved. I am vers and like to mix it up. A message came through from a blank profile with no pics and very little/ no info in the profile. I would usually just skip this and move on, but he opened with a message that he didn't mind top or bottom, as long as he could "just play with my ass". He sent though some pics and no more than 10 mins later, a very well presented young guy turned up at my room. And wow did he worship my ass - for the best part of an hour and a half, a single minded focus on my ass. It was amazing, there is no other word for it. Maybe not everyone's taste but I loved every single minute of his massaging and exploration. Here was a boy who knew what he liked doing and was very skilled at his chosen task. I could have let him go on all night as he certainly seemed to be enjoying himself but at 2am I resolved to bring things to a close. After a fantastic finish we sat and talked for a bit. His very smart appearance was due to it being his 27th birthday and he had been out celebrating with friends! Their night had finished I think with the bars closing at midnight. He was from Thailand, which I was a little surprised by. His more formal, dressed up look made him appear almost Japanese. Really good, self taught English skills, University educated and working in a call centre for an insurance company. He was nervous for his job as the company is about to lay people off and he had only recently joined so was most at risk. My heart did break a little for him and then I felt guilty about his spending money on a taxi to come over and see me with his job at risk in what has clearly been a difficult time. I offered him money for his taxi home which he initially refused and said I didn't need to pay him - the last thing i wanted to do was offend him but convinced him to take a 100 bht for the journey or at least let me get him a Grab. He smiled and I gave him a red note to get home. Really lovely guy. I hope very much that he is about later on. I might see if he wants to go for dinner.... It was well past 2am before I got to bed. I am not really into the tourist attraction thing. I love Thailand and come here for the food, the atmosphere, and the boys. I don't feel a massive pull to go and see a load of temples, but whilst I was on the river I thought that if I was going to do any of the temple highlights now would be the best time. I would probably never get another opportunity like this to have these sites without the crowds. My plans were severely tested by 2am activities but found myself waking unaided at 6am. I really needed more sleep but forced myself up and went down to breakfast. I headed off to Wat Pho and arrived at just before 9am. The place was deserted. There were maybe two other couples there. There was an official guide waiting for some business and booked him for a half hour tour. I think because he had the time as there was no other customers, the tour was more like an hour. He was great. He gave the history of the site and features, reclining Buddha included and introduced me to some monks. I tipped him well. As I was leaving there seemed to be a bit of increase in the number of people coming in but still only a handful at most. Made it back to the hotel and have been lounging around every since. Caught up on some sleep and now just contemplating what I am going to get up to this evening. This will probably be my last post of this trip. I head up to Chiang Mai tomorrow and my intention is full on relax mode. I met a guy there two years ago and we have stayed in touch since. He is a university student and we are intending to spend a bit more time with each other. Surprising things keep happening on this trip though and if anything noteworthy happens I will be sure to let you all know. Now, let's just see if last night's boy has any dinner plans.....

A teaser for the next post... It is now just past 2am. Wow, just wow. That is all. When I have had some sleep, I will write it up. Night.

I haven't had the others. All i can comment on is Banyan Tree. I stuffed my face this morning. Omelette, cold cuts, Thai Chicken red curry and rice, passion fruit, orange juice, coffee. It plenty worked for me...

Thanks! Going to catch it this afternoon.