Bangkok Hotel Deciions?
 

We will be spending the first week of Novemeber in Bangko at the end of a very long trip around Asia and Australasia and could really do with some help in deciding where to stay.we have previously stayed at all of the "usual suspects" and a re looking for somewhere we haven't tried before in the $100-150pn price bracket.

My shortlist so far is the Chatrium Riverside, the Anantara Siam (formerly the Four Seasons), the Novotel Siam Sq. or the Pullman Kingpower - the last two are driven mainly by points influences.

Any input or suggestions for other contenders would be much appreciated.

PS. At rmkkmk's suggestion we stayed at the Anantara riverside earlier in the year and loved it but rates seem to have increased by 50% since our last stay.

I have only ever stayed at Novotel Siam - pretty average so probably should give it a miss.

Anantara Siam - not stayed here but have eaten at its Spice Market restaurant which was excellent. If the hotel has similar service with the hotel staff then it should be fine (I would take that chance).

More expensive at around $200-$250 a night it's my home away from home - Hansar Bangkok. Good pool, good rooms. Ratchadamri BTS 2 mins stroll away. 7-11 just at the end of the soi for snacks/drinks etc.

I've stayed at the Four Seasons, for many years, and just stayed there for 4 nights in January before it changed over to Anantara Siam on Feb 01st, 2015. Cry...Cry...The Four Seasons has always been my personal favorite hotel. I've always liked that hotel, location, the fact that it's a low-rise building, it's old-school-ness and the general vibe of the hotel. Plus, the staff is really great, the best.

When I checked out of the Four Seasons and needed to go back to my rented condo, the staff wouldn't allow me wheel all of my luggage over to the condo although I mentioned that I could handle it. They insisted that a staff member come with me and the staff member wheeled my luggage down the sidewalk, past the soi dog, and all the way back to the condo. Then he rolled it all into the condo lobby, and then I took it from there. The same was done when I needed to check into the St. Regis. I went to the St Regis mentioned that I needed help with my luggage from the condo to the hotel and a bellhop was sent with me to the condo. The bellhop came into the condo, took my luggage, and wheeled it to the hotel. I arrived to the hotel about half an hour later as I was watching TV. When I got to the hotel, my luggage was sitting in my room.

I was told that the former Four Seasons was not to change much after the Anantara Siam take over. The restaurants were to stay the same. I've eaten many times at all of the restaurants on that property. I ate breakfast at the Four Seasons, almost daily, for 3 weeks.

I've also stayed at the Hansar as my rented condo is nearby so I took a night there just to try it out. I liked the Hansar. It's very low key, on a quiet cul-de-sac, and all rooms have a washer/dryer. Plus, 7-Eleven is across the street. I went on the Thai version of Expedia and got a room for somewhere between $125.-$150. I booked it about 2-3 days before checking into the hotel.

I also stayed at the St.Regis, across from the former Four Seasons. Although the room was really nice and the staff very helpful, there was just something missing in the vibe and ambiance for me. It just felt a bit sterile to me. But, then again, the Pen also felt sterile to me although there are folks who love it. I liked the Oriental Hotel much better than the Pen.

When I return in the winter, for my long stay, I'll still have the rented condo, but will probably also take a night at the new Anantara Siam, to try it out, and also back to the Hansar. I'll probably be eating breakfast, about every day at the Anantara Siam. When I check into both hotels, I can just leave my luggage at the condo, take a change of clothing, and stay a night at the two hotels. The bathtub at the Hansar is great. I only have a shower at the condo. Plus, it's great to be able to wash/dry clothes at the Hansar. The Hansar also has a kitchen although I don't need one as I have a full kitchen at the condo. Smiles. Have fun!

Happy Travels!

Correction on the Hansar price. I just looked it up. It was $161. but with all taxes included. The St. Regis was $218. before taxes and about $257. with the taxes. Those prices were up to January 19th, 2015 as I left on the 19th for Malaysia.

I was gone to S.E. Asia for so long (nearly two months), until hotel and apartment/condo-rental prices started becoming a blur. LOL!

Happy Travels!

clive, we will be at anantara riverside until 11/3 and at hyatt from 3rd to 5th.

anantara siam would be my choice...

lets have lunch or dinner???

We stayed at the Chatrium Riverside and it was very nice. Paid ~$110 for a small 1 bedroom apt with a great view. Apt was nothing fancy, but comfortable. Nice pool if I recall. Breakfast was the typical buffet with everything under the sun available.

Many thanks for you input guys. Anantara is looking good, although we may "do a bob" and split our stay with the Chatrium. Will keep an eye on the booking and hotel sites for deals.

Dinner sounds great Bob - it's been a long time! We arrive in Bangok on 30 Oct and leave on 5 Nov. any day apart from the 30 Oct would be good for us. I will of course leave to you and your encyclopaedic knowledge of Bangkok restaurants, to choose where :-)

You might also consider the Anantara Baan rajprason. I found this last February, when the Four Seasons switched and was fully booked the first days as Anantara Siam.

The one bedroom suite was one of the nicest rooms I've had. Really beautiful, great view, nice kitchen dining and living rooms with every amenity possible. Extremely helpfull staff. Gorgeous pool. It is a block from the Anantara Siam and right before the Hansar. From the Ratchadamri Skytrain station it's about a 50 yard walk.

Last Feb it was $80 a night. I've found so many Bangkok hotels are really reasonable for the first year, then (like the Hansar) jump dramatically once they become established. I'm returning in October, and it's at $118 this time.

http://rajprasong-bangkok.anantara.com/

I was given a tour of the Chatrium Riverside last year.

It's beautiful, and the prices reasonable, but the lobby and grounds were really packed with guests. That, and the fact that their boats only run each half hour from Taksin, discouraged me from trying it in October.

(Sorry...I seem to be a serial poster today)
Were you really able to find rooms at Anantara Siam in the $150 range? When I was booking the Baan Rahprasong last week, the Siam started at about $180 per night.

I can get the anantara on booking.com for $125 Pn ( non refundable, no breakfast). This apparently includes my "genius" discount! Breakfast increased the rate by $60 pn - must be some breakfast!! I got a similar rate on the anantara website which inc. a long stay discount - 7 nts.

Lcuy - just looked at the Anantara Baan rajprason - it does look very good - so many choices!

i'll look at dates

I am a little late to the party here but let me say something about the Grand Millennium Sukhumkit where we stayed two yrs. ago and is now called the Pullman Grand. We spent a week there and the hotel was beautiful and the service was great. While in BKK my wife had to be hospitalized for neary our entire stay there as she arrived sick from something she contacted in India while we were there first. The people could not have been nicer to us and were very concerned about her condition. She was d/c the day we had to leave for home and I told them I would pay an extra day for a late check out as our flight home was 2245 and I did not want her to sit in the lobby all day. So when I went to square up the bill they most graciously waived the extra as they knew how much we had been through.

I just did an Agoda search for prices for early Nov. and they began as about $105.00 USD per night which is a steal IMHO.

Just a suggestion.
http://www.pullmanhotels.com/gb/hote...it/index.shtml

Thanks for the though jacketwatch. We stayed in the Pullman Saigon and were impressed. However, I have just booked another Accor property - The Hotel Muse Bangkok Langusan. I got it on an Accor Club members special deal, slightly over budget but we get exec club access, breakfast and a free upgrade (plus more points!)

Sounds great!

GREAT

RIGHT NEAR US WHEN WE ARE AT HYATT...

Hi Bob,

Have you come up with any dates to get win Bangkok yet?

btw in Hanoi at the moment - the Apricot Hotel by Hoan Kiem is now fully open and looks fantastic! The restaurant looks interesting too. They have a Norwegian Salmon 6 course set meal on at the moment @ 450k dong - may have to give it a try.

the 3rd or the 4th would be best for us. we will be at the hyatt erawan.