Bangkok Experts: Where to stay if going to Bumrungard Dental Clinic?
 

Pleaes help! I need some advice from all the Bangkok experts on this forum on selecting a place to stay when going to Bumrungard.

My next trip to SE will take me through Bangkok and I thought it might be a good time to have all my dental work checked out at that time. Should any major work be needed (hopefully not!), I want to be able to return quickly to the hotel.

Would the Marriott on Sukhumvit be a good place?

I've enjoyed reading the Fodorite postings on SE Asia and have picked up numerous invaluable tips, so I'm hopeful that Fodorites will come up with the "perfect" place for someone possibly filled with Novacain! :)

Thanks in advance!

Unless you are planning on having major dental work done (and even then) I wouldn't choose my hotel based on that! We both had our teeth cleaned last time in Bangkok. We took the skytrain to the closest stop and then a taxi to Bumrungrad. We took a taxi to our next stop... lunch. I always stay by the river.

I'd say to stay where you want to stay, you'll manage the commute to/from Bumrungrad.

if you want to stay near to the hospital there are many choices including a hotel associated with the hospital....but others near by would be: the jw marriott, the landmark, the sheraton grande, the westin grande all at the top of the heap...many in lesser categories...

the hospital is a 5 minute walk from the nana skytrain station so you really could stay any place in bkk...

i personally prefer river locations as does kathie as noted above...

You go all the way to Bangkok to visit the dentist?????

Belli, If you have expensi ve dental work to be done, you can pay for your trip by having the work done in Bangkok!

We had our teeth cleaned there because we wanted to check out the medical care as we're thinking about returing to Bangkok. A routine check up and teeth cleaning costs me US$150. I paid 1100 baht at Bumrungrad, and it was a dentist who cleaned my teeth!

I've had my teeth whitened in Bangkok - the procedure in the UK (at that time, although think price has dropped since then) was c. £700. In Bangkok, it cost me £50.

If you are going to be using taxis, the Westin Grande Sukhumvit might be a very good choice because it's on the same side of Sukhumvit as the hospital. (Don't laugh -- getting from one side of Sukhumvit to the other can be a big deal!)

Many, many thanks for your instant responses!

Kathie and rhkkmk: I'm very much with you about staying along the river. My favorite hotel is the Shangri-La and I always try to stay in one while in Asia. It's just that I was thinking of staying one night near the hospital and then switching to the Shangri-La. Would that work?

Kathie: when you had your teeth cleaned, did you find the Dental Clinic to be within the hospital grounds? Did you make an appointment before leaving home? Sorry, for the series of questions!

Bella- yes, it's incredibly cheap, but it's supposedly also incredibly good dental care, so I've heard. I've not had much luck with dentists here in the States. One dentist that I do like has such large hands and my mouth is so small - sigh! It's exhausting to have to hold my mouth wide, wide open for him.

rizzuto: I finally found a map of Bangkok online that showed the location of Bumrungard Hospital in relation to the skytrain as well as the locations of several hotels in the area.

(If anyone is interested, it's

http://www.bts.co.th

Be sure to click on the "English" button at the top right - LOL!)

It looks like Bumrumgrad is on Soi Sukhumvit 3 whereas the JWMarriott is on Soi Sukhumvit 5, which makes the Marriott probably the closest one of the big "name" hotels. However, those left turns do give pause, as you have so wisely pointed out!

Three other hotels were shown to be along Soi Sukhumvit 3 close to the hospital - the Amari Boulevard, the Ambasssador, and the Bel-Aire Princess. Maybe, for one night, any one of these might work. (Of course, the Pakistani Embassy is just across the street from the hospital - wonder if they let rooms out?)

Generally, I don't like to stay in hospitals (who does?), so that's probably a choice towards the bottom - unless someone has stayed at the Bumrungard and can recommend their rooms?

Thanks for all the help while I'm exploring dental options! :)

i would stay the whole time in the SH-LA.....its only a 20-30 minute ride at the most or a 8 minute skytrain ride...door to door

i would not give up the sh-la for one of those lesser hotels...no way

The dental clinic is right in the hospital. It's just down the hall from the place you have to register as an international patient. (You have to come to your first appointment a bit early to register.) I made my appointment by filling out the online form on the hospital website a month or so before my trip. (Note that your email program may screen out their email - check your screened mail!) I worked in a hospital for over 20 years so am very alert to quality of care issues. The treatment areas (and the whole place) were immaculate, they open the sterile instruments while you are in the office. The care is excellent.

I'd recommend that you stay at your favorite hotel, the Shangri-La rather than switching hotels. It's really not a bad commute to the hospital from the river.

Absolutely, the standard of care is excellent. I wasn't suggesting that because it was cheap compared to UK prices that it was somehow inferior, in fact compared to some dental clinics I have been to here I think it is far superior.

I'll go with the rest... you should choose the Shangri-La if you like it.

If you still looking for hotel close to the bumrungrad, you should check out "Nai Lert Park Hotel" on Wittayu. it's a 3 min ride from the hospital, and a very good hotel (used to be "Hilton Bangkok")

the JW is also an option (on Soi 2), but the way to the hospital will take you 30 min. by taxi (back to the hotel is 5 min.
in sukumvit - it's all about directions...

I recently had my teeth cleaned at phaya thai 2 hospital on soi ayutaya. which is one of the top privet hospitals it only cost me 600 baht. the best part was that for the first time in my life a dentist didn't jab his/her tools into my gums just to watch me squirm in pain.

If your here mite as well get a full check up it only costs about $75 -100 and it it inludes everythiing from blood work to ultrasound test.

Wow! I'm really impressed with the wonderful responses I've gotten! Bangkok experts don't disappoint!

Thanks to all who recommended that I stay in the SL - so, if it doesn't make a difference, then the SL it will be. I love their quiet service.

Kathie: thanks again for the instructions on how to get started here in the States. I'll be sure to fill out their online form and check for screened message for their response.

Benkok: I'll check into the hotel you've recommended. It's difficult to get accurate information in English on smaller hotels - not that they're just as good as the bigger name hotels.

orgy7: I'll check into the other dental clinic as well.

Thanks again, all, ever so much! :)

http://bangkok-nailertpark.swissotel.com/

All the information you need...and in English...

This is not a "small Hotel"...and it's also not a cheap one...as i wrote, it used to be the Hilton (next to the UK Embassy)...enjoy