Thank you everybody who told me I should stay by the river. I was trying to narrow my research and got to these three hotels, they are by the river and the rates are almost the same. Which one is nicer, more "Thai", has the best pool, etc?
THANKS again.

I think you would be happy at any of them. They do all have different "flavors."

If you opt for the Royal Orchid, pay the extra to be in the Towers. If you are in the regular rooms, I've heard that the atmosphere is rather impersonal. The extra $ for the Towers buys you daily breakfast, canapes and cocktails every evening and free laundry as well as more personalize service, etc. The Royal Orchid has two pools. One pool is set in a garden on the grounds of the Portuguese Embassy (off to the side of the hotel and down a set of stairs). It is lovely, shaded, with a swim-up bar and lots of lounge chairs. There is another, large rectangular pool between the hotel and the river. I really don't like it, it's in full sun all of the time. Note that all of the rooms have a full river view. The pier next to the hotel is a water taxi stop - very convenient. It is also connect to River City an Arts and Antiques shopping center. (This where I stay, so I can give you much more detail about it.)

Bob loves the Marriot and I'm sure will comment. He maintains that it has the best pool area in Bangkok. It's on the other side of the river, and involves 10-15 minute boat ride to the water taxi or skytrain stop (which you either love or hate).

People either love or hate the Shangri-La. It has a great location right by the skytrain stop and the water taxi pier. It has the "glitzy" look that all Shangri-Las have. It is a nice property, it's just a matter of what you like.

In terms of which is most "thai" it would probably be the marriott and many say it has the best pool. However, it is in the worst location. The shangrila is the most impersonal in that it is huge and is very "american" in my opinion but it is also probably the most deluxe. I love the location of the Royal Orchid but based on reports I would only stay in the Towers.

Another poster just posted photos of the BKK Marriott from their recent trip.
http://community.webshots.com/album/551668913PUnMoI

We've stayed there twice and love it. I think it is definately the nicest & most "Thai" of the three hotels, with lovely gardens, pool and service. The Shang & Royal Orchid seem more like huge impersonal high rise hotels anywhere. As Gloria says, the Marriott is somewhat less convenient in that you have to take a 15-minute river boat to get to the sky train station, but we actually love taking the boat on the river & find it part of the charm. On your return trip from the city back to the hotel they give you cold water, a chilled towel, and the smiling greeting of the boatman who gets to know the passengers.

most thai????? none really....the building of the marriott are the most thai looking, the lobby and public areas of the marriott have a thai flair, but i would not consider it hugely thai...its rooms also have some thai themes....it is the cheapest...it has the best pool bar none and best and largest pool area...

the sheraton orchid is void of most thai infleunces....it has a very lovely pool area in the PE, as kathie mentions above...the rooms could be anyplace, at least the suite we had was as much NY as it was london or bkk...the lobby areas really lack thai features...

the sh-la is international in flovor...huge as kathie has said...i do find its public areas to have a thai infleunce....the rooms have some thai infleunces, but not much---thai silk inserts over our bed for instance...its pool is ok but sort of in the middle of things and not private...we thought they had the best breakfast in bkk however!! its location is the best -- right next to skytrain...it is large and barny feeling however....

all are in the mid-lux category...they do not compare to the oriental or the peninsula and a couple more bkk hotels...

for overall satisfaction i choose the marriott repeatedly and also for economy...

i use www.huahin.20m.com to book my rooms...best rates, but prepay and no FF miles are given...

btw, we love the 12 minute boat ride to and from the hotel and find the location no inconvenience at all and we spend much of our time in and around sukhumvit rd...