SueHuml

Has anyone (Bob?) ever paid for the upgrade to Executive level at the Riverside Marriott BKK?
Is it worth it? What are the extras that you would get vs. a regular room?.
Sue

rhkkmk

we did only once....$40 per nite to a junior suite...i was disappointed....they put us in a corner suite---usually good, but this one was buried back behind everything and we had NO view at all, except of that ugly canal under the bridge and greenery between the central building and the south building...

room was nice however....bigger and not square....double sinks... no club access i don't think....its in the lobby anyways which i do not like...

i find that if it is not busy they usually will put you in a river view room if you ask....of course they seem to know me for some reason???

i'm jeleous...have a swim for me...hi to dr pool too...

Cicerone

The hotel is three buildings in a U shape. The open end of the U is the river. The bottom end of the U is a building with contains the lobby, spa and the Executive level rooms, and have the worst views, IMO, unless you get one facing the pool, but even then you have the farthest views to the river and the large trees in the pool area obscure even that view. (Although the pool is lit quite nicely at night.) The executive lounge itself does not have views, and I prefer to have breakfast in the Market Restaurant which is on the river and has quite nice views or you can even have breakfast outside. (I am not really one to take advantage of evening canapés in the executive lounge, so don’t really consider that to be a plus; and their offerings ain’t the Ritz-Carlton in any event.) I would not pay extra for an Executive level room if the room were in that bottom U wing. I don’t know what benefits you are getting for the club, but unless they are like airport transfers and free internet, I can’t see that they would be worth it based on room location, size or the lounge itself, none of which are attractive to me. If you don’t know the extras that you would get (as seem to be implied by your message) you should ask.

I like the hotel a lot, however, and I would pay extra for a junior suite, on a high floor, river view, in either the building in which the health club is located, or the building in which the Market Restaurant is located. A river view room on the pool side in either of those wings may give slightly better views, as some of the river views on the outside look over a bit of an industrial area.

SueHuml

Thanks for the info. We are very familiar with the hotel and this will be our 5th or 6th stay there. I remember that for an additional $60 US a night they offer club access which I think includes a continental breakfast and afternoon tea. I believe there are other perks too but cannot find out what they are on the website. If this included evening cocktails, it might be worth it but an extra $60 is a bit steep especially as we wouldn't be around most afternoons or evenings when they might serve tea etc. However, if free internet access is included that could make it worthwhile.
You are right about the breakfasts in the Marketplace - they are superb but it's almost too much for us and as I recall was quite expensive especially when neither of us like to pig out to get "our moneysworth" .

Oh Bob, is that little internet place still in the little Mall that's attached to the Marriott?
Sue
(sorry you can't make it to our GTG!)

CFW

Sue, We booked with Sawadee.com & breakfast at the Marketplace was included in the rate. Not sure what Executive level means, but both times we've stayed at the Marriott we had a junior suite (for a modest upgrade) & thought it was worth it because of the bigger bathroom with separate shower & the larger room with separate seating area. One time we were in the left wing with a river view, and the other time in the right wing with view into all that lush foliage between the building & the pool. We found cheap internet access just up the block, so didn't feel we needed free internet access at the hotel, and as Bob & Cicerone have said the "club" breakfast area is located in the main lobby & is not nearly as nice as the Marketplace. We loved having breakfast sitting outside by the river. Just thinking about it is making me wish I were there right now! HAve a great trip.

rhkkmk

sue here is a secret....the lounge of the club has free wi-fi...BUT...don't tell anyone....if you go to the ground floor, under the lounge, just outside the bakery....on those sofas near to the exit door to the pool area, the wi-fi works there....don't tell anyone, it can be our secret...

the internet place in the mall is that small camera place on the ground floor of the mall....the front to back corridor on the right....two computers...sort of next to the drug store i think...