Rho

Hello,
We'll be in Bangkok for New Year's Eve and were wondering if anyone has been there to celebrate one and if they had any suggestions on where to stay or what sights to see that night? I hear they have a huge fireworks display and if that's the case, where is the best place to view them? I imaging a high-rise along the river would be a great option, but which one would have the best view? We're also considering either doing the dinner cruise for NYE or having dinner and drinks at Sky Bar. We're in our 30's and are pretty low-key, so a huge party is not what we want, but we do want to be somewhat near some festivities or events!

On a more serious note, has anyone heard of any possibility of a bomb threat again this coming NYE?

Thanks!

rhkkmk

there are huge fireworks displays along the river....most hotels will require that you participate in one of their evening galas....they will charge it right to your room even if you do not particiapte..

the peninsula is a fabulous place to see the fireworks, as is the sheraton, oriental, hilton or shangri-la...the penn's rooms all face the river but the other hotels have some rooms that do not...the higher that you are up in the building the more spectacular...

we stayed at the penn last fall for the fireworks on loy krathang and it was fantastic...

lcuy

We were in Bangkok at the Pen last New Year's Eve. We had a balcony room on the 26th floor.

It was Fabulous!!! We stood on the balcony and could hear the music from the outdoor party down below, and see the lights and partygoers over at the Oriental and the Shangri-La.

There were three barges setting off fireworks in the river (right between the Peninsula and the Oriental) and many of the fireworks went off right at our eye-level. We have great videos of us- Husband and two daughters- all oohing and ahhing with the booms and hisses going on right there! After the first three barges finished, a fourth one floated into position and did a whole new show. Best New Year's display ever!

The next evening, there was another display at about 7 pm...We had just crossed the river to the Oriental Pier and enjoyed about 15 minutes from the river level. The experience from the 26th floor was better, but this was unexpected, so equally exciting.

We had no desire to go to any of the parties...they were black tie and/or terribly overpriced.

Instead, we had massages at Face Spa in the early evening, then had a relaxed dinner at Toungue Thai. We had bought some snacks from a convenience store plus ordered fancy desserts from room service to make the "party" in our room at midnight.

lcuy

Oh, and I don't know about other hotels, but participation in the NYE activities was optional at the Peninsula. We were given a description / reservation request form for about 4 different parties on site about a month before we got there, but it was not mandatory.

Elainee

We swere at the Shang. Went to the party even tho it was not required. Not my style...but others had a great time. Went back to room and had excellent view of the fireworks...that was very good. Bangkok is a good place for NYE, but the next day it was just a regular day.

rhkkmk

interesting to hear about the non-compulsory dinners....almost every hotel has it written on their web site...

lcuy

Bob,

I think it may be that the hotel parties are so popular now with non-guests as well as hotel guests. We were at the Oriental on Christmas Eve and just like the Pen's NYE, we were asked many weeks in advance if we wanted to reserve a spot for dinner.

As we had no desire to pay the prices and dress to the nines, we ate at the Gallery Cafe instead. It was fun coming back through the lobby and watch all the guests arrive in their tuxes and gowns.

Security was tight people without a hotel room or party reservations were turned away at the Oriental.

BradinBangkok

The beer garden outside Central World Plaza is a great spot. They have fireworks as well.

Rho

What a dud! I have no one to blame but myself for procrastinating on booking our room for NYE! The Oriental, Peninsula, and Shangri-La are all full for that night!!

There is availability for us at either the Hilton or the Sheraton, however. Has anyone stayed at either one? How do they compare?

Thanks!

glorialf

Are they fully booked or is it that they require more than a one night stay? To be honest I would be very surprised if they were booked this early. The Oriental I know has a 3 day minimum stay over New Years.

lcuy

Rho- they aren't full, but they have a min stay on the Pen's booking system at the moment. Either email them directly or wait a while and you should be able to book less nights.

I just plugged in Dec 29-Jan 1 and got offered rooms at a rate of $240 US per night and up.

Gpanda

We always stay at the Sheraton. We love it, but it is not very Thai. The location is super. You can actually walk to several good restaurants, e.g. Harmonique, Gallery Cafe and Tongue Thai. The pool is wonderful and a very pleasant place to relax in the afternoon. It's fun to hop on the river ferry. They now have a shuttle boat to the skytrain, so everything is simple. The Hilton is across the river from the ROS. Also, I hate to say it, but you should also look at the Marriott. It's farther down the river, but has a shuttle. The pool is great and the grounds are very nice. Many have raved about it.

glorialf

I don't know if other hotels do this as well but the Oriental does a lovely New Years day party for all guests that is completly free. Wonderful food and the bankok Symphony playing both for background music and then for dancing.

Kathie

I have stayed at the Royal Orchid Sheraton a number of times on New Years Eve. I always stay in the Towers (the Club floors) and the rate includes breakfast, evening cocktails and canapes, and free laundry (6 pieces per person per day). I've never been charged for a New Years Eve gala there.

Note that all of the major river hotels have their own firworks displays, so any of these hotels will have a great view of the fireworks. I love watching the fireworks from the Towers floors - the shells break about eye level there!

Rho

lcuy-i have tried both emailing and searching different hotel online reservation systems for just a two-night stay at the Penn, but i've struck out every time with the response that there is a three-night minimum over the New Yr stretch (12/28-1/2. I've already booked our flights, so our dates to stay at the Penn are not flexible. What website did you find availability for the Penn?

So far, we're leaning toward the Shangri-La out of the hotels on the river that have availability (and don't require a minimum stay of three+ nights!). From the reviews I've read, it doesn't look like a bad option. Has anyone stayed at the Horizon Club room level or at an Executive River View room? Both are very reasonably priced at about $250/nt. The Lebua State Tower looks great too, but they also have a minimum stay requirement and don't look as close to the river as we would like to be.

lcuy

Rho- I went to the Pen's own site, but note the dates I plugged in were for 3 nights...

What I suggest you do is book the three nights there, then see if they will later --say in Sept or Oct) let you cancel the third night. At the same time, book a cancellable reservation at a different hotel.

From what I saw last year, they start out early asking a lot for rooms, then the prices actually dropped when the rooms didn't sell. It may be the same with this three night minimum- as last year it was two nights.

I got a room rate at the Oriental for two nights- Dec 23 and Christmas Eve- that was much cheaper than the Pen's. Later the Pen's prices came down to equal the Oriental, but I was happy to try the Oriental for those nights!

Rho

That is wonderful advice, lcuy! Thanks, I think I'll try that little trick of yours out. Maybe we'll get lucky!