We are visiting Bangkok (and on to Hua Hin after) early April 2007. My husband, myself and two teenage daughters.
We cannot decide where to stay (all the websites make the hotels look grea). We are happy to get two rooms if necessary as it seems 4 of us room is too many for most Bangkok hotels! We can, however, get 4 of us in a suite at the Pennisula, or should we try the JW Marriot Spa Resort, Shangri-la, Conrad, Millenium Hilton? We would like a deluxe hotel, luxury rooms, with a great pool and ammenities. We like the idea of being by the river but we are totally flexible. Please help???? Thanks for all your input.

I highly recommend that you stay by the river. The Pen is considered to be the best of those you list. Others to consider are the Marriott Resort and Spa (Not the JW Marriott - it's not on the river) and the Shangri-La. The Millenium Hilton is new enough that we don't know a lot about them yet. Some of the early reviews were good, some were not so good.

OOPs you are right I did mean the Marriot...not the JW. Thanks for info.

Jane

Overall, the Grand Hyatt Erawan is the best hotel in Bkk; great food, superb location for all activities and impeccably trained staff. The Pen is also rather nice but is out of the way. The Pen suites are magnificent and much newer than the Hyatt but the Pen lacks that special ambience of a first class self-indulgent hotel, in my opinion. The Pen pool is a waste of space. The Hyatt also runs a shuttle to the Hyatt Regency Hua Hin ( 500 baht/adult- 300/child) every day (around 10 am) so you can go from one to the other with little fuss- seems to be an easy decision!! The Hyatt will pick you up in a new Mercedes (have to book it and pay, of course) at the airport so your arrival and check in at the hotel will be seamless. Think about joining the Grand Club before you arrive.
Enjoy your hols.

The river is out of the way? I guess it depends on what you want to do. I always stay by the river.

I've long been a Hyatt frequent stay guest (platinum Passport) but I really don't like the Grand Hyatt Erawan. I found the rooms to be not very comfortable (bad furniture) and the service not very personal.

I do always stay in the Club level at Hyatts, which I think is well worth it. The recommendation to join the "Grand Club" is, I assume a recommendation to join the Hyatt frequent guest program, called Gold Passport. The way to get a Club room is to pay for it.

You can take the Hyatt shuttle to Hua Hin if you are staying at the Hyatt at Hua Hin (for a reasonable charge) even if you don't stay at the Hyatt in Bangkok.

the river is the only place to stay with your girls....the marriott resort and spa might suite you perfectly...it is my favorite...the pool is the largest pool area in bkk and the best i have seen....the mini mall attached has lots of things for the girls: mcdonalds, burger king, ice cream, drug store, bank, jewelry, tailors, thai restaurant and many more....

it is not as lux as the penn, but nicer in some ways i feel...

look at this web site for hotels:

www.huahin.20m.com

the rates for winter are not yet posted---next month...marriott will be about $135-140 incl. breakfast and taxes...the penn would be about $240???

for some reason no one from fodors ever mentions the hyatt in bkk except for its restaurants???? i am staying in the hyatt in HH in november and like it a lot...

conrad also gets good reviews and is the newest of the lux hotels, i believe, except for its cousin the hilton, which probably in not as lux...

These matters are all a matter of opinion. I live within a few hours of Bkk. Have been staying at the Hyatt Erawan at least six times a year since it was built- never a bad experience. Have dozens of friends who have stayed there with resounding success. Have spent many happy xmases there- the staff/furniture/services/location/food is "impeccable" (try the new Tea Room next door in the old Sogo building). At the end of then day you will make up your mind based on whatever info you have at hand and go for it. If you like the riverside, the Pen is fine. You really can't go wrong with any of the big hotels. Enjoy.

My husband and I went to Thailand (BKK and then Phuket) last March. We had a fabulous time. Okay....I dont know about the JW Marriott which is different from Marriott resort and Spa which is located on the Chao Phraya but farther away from the main area. It might be a plus for you but for us we wanted to be in the middle of the action on the river..we were going to Phuket where we could relax in solitude. Our Bangkok stay was for nightlife and fun! For the first part of our BKK trip we stayed at the Conrad which is NOT located by the river but more in downtown near all the embassies. It felt more "westernized" to me...like a sterile environment. All Seasons Place where the Conrad is located is very sterile! But only 10 minutes away by walk is the night market which is very cool and very Asia! I loved the Conrad because the service was excellent (we are diamond HHonors members) that made some difference but overall it seemed lovely. The pool area is soooooo nice...palm trees, water, the pool boys have little bikes they ride around taking your drink orders (its so cute). The service is amazing! Location is alright...but I really love the river area more. Next....for the other 3 days we stayed at the Millenium Hilton...It was brand new at the time (March 2006) so it was rough around the edges. They were still trying to even out their hotel procedures and details. The front desk girl didnt speak english well...we were trying to get to Sala Duang for massages. She didnt help much but the bell boy did. The Hilton pool is weird! I mean not weird in theory (its actually quite lovely to look at..the "pool" has cabana chairs floating in the water" but it wasnt practical. It was more for asthestic purposes. And I find a rooftop pool irritating sometimes when you cant see views anyways. But of course the service at the Hilton was superb...breakfast was excellent. You wanted coffee? What type ma'am? Iced? Espresso? etc etc. Delivered outside on the Executive Floor balconeys while we took in views of steamy Bangkok. The location of the Hilton is excellent. Right on the river easy access...they have a Hilton boat that takes you to the station across the way where you can easily take the clean and very A/C comfy transit system! Very nice...The rooms were done nice but the Conrad bathroom is MUCH better. They have a waterfall shower that is to die for. Also if you check in tripadvisor.com you can see pics of all hotels from candid travelers. The biggest problem at the Hilton is the shower door...it leaks into the bathroom...bathroom looks beautiful but AGAIN another impractical thing. Shangri-la I went inside but did not stay. I found it a bit tired. Oh yea the Hilton has a wonderful lunch buffet overlooking the water! Spectacular sushi buffet, fruits, pizzas, thai, italian etc...all overlooking the lovely evening water of the Chao Phraya. Both have their negatives and positives..it really depends on your wishes..hope this helps!

Thanks so much for all your input....I think we are going to consider the Penn, Conrad or the Marriot Spa (Just have to decide which now!) going out and coming back thru Bangkok on our way home for 2 nights (we are also Hilton Diamond Members) we are going to try the Millenium. We wanted two different hotel experiences. It seems that the hotels that I have been looking at are the ones everyone seems to recommend. So at least we are on the right track. Thanks again to all that replied!
J

I say the Four Seasons...next to the Erawan Hyatt...the skytrain station is right across the street... if you choose a non-river location....Anyhow, you need to make a list of what you want to do and then get a hotel with transportation that's easy to get to the places you want to go to because it's hell hot in Bangkok in April...one of the worst...if not the worst weather months...I'd be real near a skytrain station. Get a Nancy Chandler map to learn the city layout and places....nancychandler.net Happy Travels!

I forgot to add that you can type in the SEARCH box,"Siam Ocean World" and you'll find my Bangkok report there....Dec2005/Jan2006. I was sitting in the internet cafe in Emporium Mall typing it and wrote about restaurants,Emporium Mall, Paragon Mall...then just opened a few weeks before I arrived...the Siam Ocean World aquarium that's in the basement of the Paragon Mall...and has a glass-bottom boat to view the fish from..., and lots of other things. I think my report would be quite helpful for you to read. Happy Travels!