I am spending three nights in Bangkok in October, and I have the following choices of accommodations:

1. Four Seasons promo rate of $225/night.

2. Peninsula (with breakfast, afternoon tea (once during stay),possible upgrade). $300/night.

3. Mandarin Oriental. (Breakfast, $100 spa credit, possible upgrade). $475/night.

I have been to Bangkok a few times, though not in a while (last time I was there the SkyTrain was new/ under construction). I've stayed at The Mandarin Oriental, which is pretty special, but seems relatively overpriced. I've also stayed at the Four Seasons, and I'm familiar with The Pen, where i stayed only for a quick one night layover. Even though i've been to Bangkok, I am completely lost when it comes to understanding the city and the various pluses and minuses of each location. i am traveling for leisure and will be there for a minimum of three nights before going to Chiang Mai for a few days.

I was leaning towards The Peninsula, but the rate at the Four Seasons is so good, it is really tempting.

I Would love to hear advice, particularly about the differences in locations. Thank you.

If a river view is not essential to you then the Four Seasons would be ideal. Sky train station is right outside and it's close to several malls as well.

FS is the best location for shopping but nothing beats those fabulous breakfasts outside by the river at the Pen (and they is included in your rate).

imo, i would pick the penn... teas is fun there.. all rooms have full river view..

4 seasons rate is good and i like the hotel, especially for its beautiful lobby and great restaurants. i have often had trouble getting a taxi from there..

I would probably also pick the Penn. Craig is so right about the breakfasts along the riverside terrace in the morning... coffee, newspaper, relaxed reading time... perfect!

Yes thats a good rate for the FS but does not include breakfast- when you factor that in plus the great views and the nice ride each day on the hotel boat to the skytrain the Penn wins hands down. The MO - way over priced.

I hope it doesn't sound like I'm ganging up but the Pen does look like the best deal of the lot to me also. Love the spa there too! The tea and the breakfasts thrown in makes the deal for me. Why is the Oriental so expensive now?

Aloha!

I would recommend the Four Seasons looking at your hotel choices. Simply for the good value it provides, not to mention a fabulous hotel regardless of the deal. The Oriental is certainly the best, but its just too expensive.

I also may be the odd one out here, but I find the Shangri La to be a better river hotel choice rather than the Peninsula. Its not that the latter is bad (its quite good), but the Shangri La is just a tad bit better.

I have been looking at the same hotels. The Shangra la s about $200 per night in the regular wing. How much r taxes and extra fees? Is this area old. Is breakfast really expensive where u need a food package. ? R there places to eat a lite breakfast near hotel especially if u r started touring early

1ladyrep: y doo u rite that weigh?

Tax and service in Thailand add 17.7% to hotel prices. Check the website you are looking at to see if taxes and service are included.

Breakfast buffets at top hotels cost US$20 per person and up, plus tax and service. The buffets are lavish, and are a great way to start the day. You probably won't want to eat again until dinner time. There are plenty of places for dinner near the Shangri-La.

Regarding the prices, I already added tax and service; they are included in my quotes. I slightly understated the Pen, which is $320/night all in for a deluxe room; still $100 more per night than the Four Seasons.

I too was surprised in the Oriental's pricing. This pricing was uniform on the MO website, Amex Plat FHR, and Expedia; with no promos anywhere to be seen.

Amex PLat FHR has a four night for three promo on all of their hotels except the Oriental, but I think I am only staying three nights; though a fourth night really makes the Pen a great deal. I tend to change my itineraries, so we'll see.

I'm leaning towards the Pen, for many of the reasons mentioned above, but I am still undecided due to the great value of the Four Seasons (how many times can one utter the words "value" and "Four Seasons" together). If I stay four nights, it will definitely be the Pen.

of those mentioned the pen is the best overall.. i have not stayed at the oriental, but don't put it at the top..

old part of sh-la is ok but nothing special and it is huge..

look at some of the discount sites for prices---sawadee.com.. agoda.com... hotels.com...

Which one to stay at depends on what you like.

I've stayed at all three and for me it's the Four Seasons hands down. I've nearly lived at the FS as I've stayed there so much. It's centrally located in the heart of town, which I prefer. I'm not a river person, but I've tried out three hotels on it. I'll give about any hotel and area a try.

From the FS, I walk to the shopping malls, which start a block away, at the Erawan Shrine area. And the FS is also not a huge high rise hotel, like most of the major hotels in Bangkok. It also has Biscotti restaurant right inside and which is very good and out of the three hotels, I found the breakfast buffet the best at the FS. Although I now stay in serviced apartment buildings, I still travel across town sometimes for breakfast and other meals at the FS and sometimes to just sit in the lobby, have a cold drink, and read the paper after a long day of shopping. The hotel also has two other very good restaurants.

My room was so high up at the Pen until I felt no type of attachment to the river as the boats on it looked like little specks out my room window. As for the Oriental, I liked it better than the Pen. So, my personal choices would be: 1) FS 2) Oriental 3) Pen.

Happy Travels!

Don Topsz I write that way not because I cannot spell but it has become a bad habit I suspect from texting with my grandaughters.

So now that I have to decide between the hotels mentioned, I need to find out if I can use my United and American points for the hotels. Hope so,

probably not a good use of miles as the hotel costs are so reasonable in comparison with hotels say in hong kong, paris, london, etc where use of miles would benefit you more

Fishskis, what did you decide? We chose the Pen based on everyone saying that the river location was so special--we only have one evening and about 1/2 a day in Bangkok, so won't be able to do much. The FS rate w/breakfast and taxes came out to just about the same. Guenmai's post is pretty persuasive as we, also, generally don't like high rise hotels. You'll be there longer so the choice has more impact on your stay.

Of couse you can always request a low floor at the Penn and thus avoid the "high rise" problem and thus have the river view as well-- it may even be cheaper as I recall the cheaper rooms at the Penn are on the low floors. Since your time is limited I advise getting Ratt as your driver and thus you can do/see a lot more in the limited time you have.

i loved the high up floors as it gives a super view up and down the river... the pool and restaurants are at ground level and you connect really well with the river that way, plus your frequent use of the boats on the river

I had the cheapest room rate at the Pen and was stuck very high up and there wasn't anything available lower. Happy Travels!