rhkkmk

can you tell us a little of the places you reviewed that you liked...i think if you made an inquiry that you would find that they will rent for a lesser period, but perhpas not less than one month...

have you looked as ascott?? and the leisureville (not the right name) on luang suan---the one with the spa....and the marriott mayfair is quite fabulous...???

SueHuml

Yes Bob, actually in Jan 06 we stayed at the Marriott Mayfair Exec Apts for four nights. It's very nice indeed, in a great location, the people there are really nice. We had a very roomy 1 BR and full kitchen, with washer/dryer, huge living room dining room. I think we paid about $106 per night. I guess we should look into the rates there long term, it's certainly in a good location, we loved the bar/ restauraunt on the very top, ate up there a couple of times so breezy at night. There was a great international grocery market right next door too. I think I've mentioned before that I'm a huge Marriott point junkie and after our stay at the Mayfair was sad to see that they only give 3 points per $ rather than the usual 10!!! Also at the suggestion of Fodorites, we stayed at the Davis and loved it there- Our Design room was upgraded to Super Deluxe and it was fab. Plan to go back again next year for a few days at least.

Back in Jan we noticed that one of the often mentioned Center Point serviced apts buildings was right across from the Marriott Mayfair so we did go in and look at a 1 BR place. I was not too keen on it, the decorations were rather blah and it didn't feel very Thai to me. Quite a bit less expensive than Marriott Mayfair though.
Sue

When I have more time though I shall do some work on scouting out some posibilities of places to visit to look see for long term, and Bob, you can report back to us when you return in Dec if you found something somewhat upscale but not too too pricey.
Sue

Guenmai

Bonita...Thanks a million for all the info. As for the paragraphs...I don't own a computer so I'm on borrowed computers and VERY limited borrowed time, so I wouldn't even have time to try cutting/pasting. And like you said, stay with one's style. I don't fret over paragraphs in the forum, plus I figure with all of the spelling mistakes...typos not inluded...misplaced grammar and twisted up syntax in many posts that I read and on more than just this forum....well...something like paragraphs seem the very least of the problems. I barely have time to type and try to proofread occasionally..... As for the serviced apartments that you mentioned...I haven't looked into Centre Point Wireless...but I'll check it out on moveandstay.com to see how large the studios are. I need 80 square meters or more. As for the Ascott Sathorn...I checked it out summer of 2005 I think it was...got the show-around and the place was beautiful, but I wasn't shown a studio since they were occupied. I just wasn't too thrilled about the area...kind of dead. As for Siri Sathorn...isn't that the one on Soi Saladaeng? If so, then I passed it on the way to check out the new condo building down on the corner. The condo building was still under construction, but I was shown around...stepping over all the construction stuff as I went along. As for Emporium and balconies...yes...they have balconies. My apartment faces west which I think is best and it has a HUGE(by BAngkok serviced apartment standards) balcony with a GLASS rail...not an ugly,white,concrete one that obstructs one's view. I have no obstruction of view. So, I can lie in bed and look out my huge window and have the gorgeous view in front of me. It's an 80 square meter studio. It has two doors that lead out to the balcony. And the ceiling of my apartment is so high that if I were to stand on a chair, I still couldn't touch the ceiling...love it! SPACE!!!!The pool area and state of the art gym are beautiful and there's a Clarins spa on the premises. Hobbes from this forum has lived there twice as well as the Somerset Suwan Park View building. If Somerset would just renovate a bit, I'd live there half of my stay...since it's cheaper than Emporium and the street is wonderful. When are you next in BK? I'll be there three weeks from now, but for only a week and then again in December/January for 3 weeks. Take care. Happy Travels!

Craig

Yes, Guen but if you actually want people to read your posts, you have to make them readable. All you have to do is hit the space

bar (see - takes no time at all) and it makes it so much easier for all of us.

Craig

Guen, I also forgot to mention that I have noticed little if any spelling or grammer mistakes in your posts. I just appreciate your information so much that I do not want to miss anything

Bonita

And Guen, thanx for all your info on the Emporium, and your fine descriptions of! I have toured endless serviced apartments in BKK, i love looking at places, and now i feel i had a superb tour of Emporium too! Balconies, views and High Ceilings, my very favorites. I am sold!

However, Emporium for me was always a wee bit over budget and i ususally prefer to stay either in Plonchit/Chitlom/silom/riverside/Sathorn area. I am just not the biggest fan of Sukhumvit, (just me) though i do like the Emporium Area. But i will check out the place as i love a good serviced apartment, for my breaks from the rigors of the road in India!

And yes, Ascott Sathorn does really have large Lofty studios when avail, with great simple open lay~out and high ceilings/wood floors etc, too!But very popular and hard to book.. And yes, Ascott in a commercial area/Sathorn. i actually kind of like the location, as it is neither here nor there but U can get to Silom, river, skytrain, Lumpinee park in no time. And great resturants on premises too.

And yes, Somerset Suan view would be all that better if under renovations, i even told that to the manager that. Love the location and Peace and Quiet!

But if u like new and good furnishings, there are quite a few places on Langsuan these days that fit the bill. These wld be Fraser Apartments and Natural Ville Executive REsidence. I have toured both and both look very good..

U wld probably consider their studios at Fraser and Natural Ville too small as per your space liking, but they do have good one bedrooms//...I like big one~bedrooms so i can divide my chaos in two rooms.

I think this year i will start staying at Natural ville, as the place is gorgeous, good central location and great Spa too. No balconies, however, but i will have to settle.

And yes, Siri Sathorn is on Soi Sala Daeng area, near Silom..it is a beautiful boutique place..

Bangkok bound..Oh, u are going to Bangkok. soon.Great! Where will u stay? I actually do not have a set schedule when i will be there, but i will be in/out of Bangkok numerous times this year/next. I am a American who lives/works in India from Oct~april, and all to often jet over to Bkk. Perhaps out paths will cross. Sawadeeka..Namaste.

Guenmai

Craig...people do read my posts. Happy travels!

Craig

Guen - even I read your posts but I find myself skipping forward and concerned that I might be missing out - its just easier when things are spaced. I don't want to miss anything - just friendly advice - do what you want.

Guenmai

Bonita...I'll be at the Emporium, as usual. As for Naturalville, I went there on this last Dec/Jan trip and that's the only building that wouldn't show me an apartment...supposedly all were full. They also had a one-month minimum stay. I had an extensive tour of Frazer which is very nice and I liked the staff,too. The place was so new until there was still construction going on and the water faucet fixtures were so modern in the gym locker room area that the staff member couldn't figure out how to turn it on. The studio I was shown was too small and the kitchen was right in the open space...not as a separate room. But the apartments were beautiful. The corridors,however, were narrow...not wide like the ones at Emporium. Plus, I just didn't like soi Langsuan. It was just a different vibe from what I get up on Sukumvit. My Thai friend, whose from Bangkok, didn't like the street either and said that she liked better where I was up on Sukumvit. The only time I faced hostility was on soi Langsuan.

Bonita

Guen...The apartments at Natural Ville are quite nice! VEry modern and boutique feel, light and lovely!! They changed policies and now do let u book short term these days, but the place is often booked UP as it is such a hidden gem..shhhh.! I have been to the Spa there many times too, love it, love it, Nibhana Spa!.
Soi Langsuan, not so bad, not so good, but it is very convenient and getting better too..I like the Central location!!! U have Central Chitlom about five/ten minutes walk in one direction, and Lumpinee Park/other..And can also easily walk to Silom, by corssing park or otherside/ Suan Luam Night Bazaar..

On Soi Langsuan there are many other serviced apartments these days, Marriot, Capehouse, a Centre Point langsuan(old/but huge rooms/baby pool!!), as well as some luxury apartment complexes..I find the streeet okay, filled with some good eats,a good supermarket, a superb starbucks, some fancy~smancy boutiques, and some decent places for foot massages/facials, and the likes! It is not the perfect street, but it works for me.
happy Travels, and Sawadeeka

Guenmai

Bonita...one problem I have with soi Langsuan is that there are so many serviced apartment buildings on that street...just very crowded...and tons of people. The buildings are pretty close to each other,too. It's hard to describe, but it's kind of Vegas strip in Bangkok to me...and I detest Vegas. Emporium is more low key. If I could I'd even stay further east out Sukumvit if there were some excellent buildings out there. It's kind of nice to get out of the hoopla...with the exception of the Somerset Suwan Park View which is at least on a quiet street so that you feel like it's out of the hoopla. Having a nearby skytrain station is an absolute must for me since I'm out and about a lot. Plus, at night while out alone, I don't want to have to walk too far down dark streets after getting off the skytrain. At least at Emporium as soon as I get off of the skytrain, I'm home. Happy Travels!

rhkkmk

we looked at centre point on luang suan and thoght it better than the one on silom but not much and they were not allowing short term rentals then of say a week...natural ville was the place i had the name wrong for...i hope to see it and yes i will look at apartments in bkk and pattaya and report back...

Bonita

That's funny, to each his own.

I definately find this area Soi Langusan more low key, less commercial and far less crowded than Sukhumvit anyday, even though there might be alot of SErviced apartments here in this area.., Certainly none of the so Called entertainment hoopla, so i like that..

I actually find the streets quite quiet in this hood, hardly ever see anyone on the streets, definately not vegas style..Maybe u came on a bad day!

I often walked home this way on my way back to Somerset, where i stayed for a month in April and cut thru a soi to get to the parallel stree..And yes, Somerset Suan view/ on the paralllel street is lovely, ultra serene quiet, and i loved that..But the street was actually empty/deserted at night and i often felt more comfortable walking most of the way on langsuan.

Oh, may have mentioned it earlier, but there is another Somerset that actually has just been renovated and that is the Somerset Suanplu and has wonderful rooms with new furniture and nice design touches too..That is located on a soi off Sathorn, not far from Silom/sala daeng..NO studios,but the rooms are lovely there, though some may not like the location, off a soi from Sathorn. But i too like this place, and wld consider it again. The rooms are definately more on par with Ascott but much less expensive...
happy travels.Sawadeeka./

Guenmai

Yeah, I was thinking of checking out the new Somerset...It will all depend on time. As for soi Langsuan, I didn't mean that it had anything to do with Vegas entertainment, I meant that it just reminds me of walking down a strip in that...when I went...there were so many westerners walking around until it just reminded me of hotels on the strip and folks, on vacation, out everywhere on the street. One can kind of tell who looks like a tourist and who has been there for a while... It was really crowded. Yes, Sukumvit and the area is busy, but as I mentioned just a different vibe. In the Emporium, there seem to be mostly Asians and Asian families and some western families who seemed to be there for long stay. I talked to some of the neighbors. For example, studios are rented only to short-stay people. If you stay a month or more then you have to rent something other than a studio unless you are granted special permission by the management. So, all of the other apartments are either occupied by short-stay or long-stay people, but I think there are lots of long-stay people since I couldn't see apartments on some floors since I was told that there were long-stay people living there. Happy Travels!

Bonita

Guen. I wld say, there are certainly plenty more westerners/tourists walking down strips of Sukhumvit, far more Vegas bright lights, etc, etc than Soi Langsuan, in my humble opinion. This Langsuan area caters mostly to long stays, business people, folks connected to the embassies, etc. Again, it is a so~so street, neither here nor there, but i do find it quite livable, affordable and very convenient,plus smack between two BTs stops and also easy to walk so many places too.

Of course down Sukhumvit out at Emporium area, i too like the vibe there better than most other parts of the street. But the prices at the property are not for everyone. And again, i prefer to be more central. *Rather, what is central to Me!*

In terms of serviced apartments, i have now stayed extensively in four properties, The Ascott Sathorn, Somerset Suan View, The SomerSet Suanplu and Cetre Point Silom, and have toured endless others. In almost all properties i have found about half the clientle to be Asian/ so i think it is pretty consistent with the serviced apartment scene..I have met many a folks from Singapore, Philipines, India, Hong KOng, japan, etc, while staying or touring various pads.

Anyways, i just got the up on my India season, and looks like in need to be bac in Delhi by oCT 5, so now thinking to pass thru Bkk last week sept/first week Oct en route to Delhi. Wll probably stay at Natural Ville or Somerset SuanPlu or perhaps Centre Point Wirelss, depending on pricings and availability, etc,. But while i am in Bkk, will certainly tour the Emporium, "in your honor" and grab some great fresh eats from the marketplace and 2 for 1 wine from the supermarket down the street !.Sawadeeka and happy travels.

Bonita

Guen..If u are out there, i forgot to ask? What brings u to BKK long stay so often. Holiday, work? Anyways, enjoy and happy travels.

Guenmai

Bonita...It's purely vacation...and it's not such long vacations compared to over two decades of vacationing in Europe of which most were of entire summers. I'm trying to get back to doing that again, but only vacationing that long in Bangkok instead. That's one reason for checking out so many serviced apartments. Happy Travels!

Guenmai

Oh, Bonita...I just saw the other part of your post...and yes...Sukumvit can be quite touristy depending on what part of it one is on...it's such a long road... but it's not that bad by the time you get as far as soi 24, where Emporium is...remember soi 39 is opposite 24, so that's quite a bit away from the glitzy parts of Sukumvit. Happy Travels!

Guenmai

Bob...Interesting about your opinion of Centre Point on soi Langsuan. I went to Centre Point on soi Langsuan back in Dec/Jan to check it out and it just wasn't what I was looking for. I'll try checking out the Silom one when I get there in a few weeks,out of curiosity, but I have a feeling that Centre Points, in general, are just not for me. I'm more into the Ascotts if I were to stay anywhere other than Emporium. So, I think I'll put most of my time into going to other Ascotts. Happy Travels!

rhkkmk

i find the centre points decent and certainly decent for the price....they are not what i would call lux however...as good as or better than most hotels however...i could easily see staying there for longer than just a vacation...