Hi again!

I'm considering to stay my last 5 days in Bangkok at a Serviced Apartment. My wife needs a big place to rest and keep her shoppings organized. Also, a must for her is a Washing Machine in the room. Does the Chateay de Bangkok has this type of facilities in the room? Aside from this place, are there others that you recommend and why?

I stayed there in the August 2004 and they have a laundry room that takes tokens in the machines. Now, I don't know if they'll put in a washing machine or not....and especially for only five DAYS. I seriously doubt it. But...who knows...maybe you'll get lucky. I'll have my serviced apartment...at the Emporium Suites.... for my entire 3-week vacation...this coming December... and technically they were supposed to install the washing machine only in a one-bedroom...or more... apartment(I'll have an 80 square-meter deluxe studio)and for the period of a month stay...or more.The Emporium Suites does not have a laundry room...so for about $60.00 a month they will install a washing machine into my apartment...it's $60.00 whether it's a month or less. When I was in Bangkok, in August, I went in person and talked directly to the sales manager and negotiated this all with her...for the upcoming trip. As for space, if you want space, then I'd get something at least 100 square meters big....for two people... As for the location of the Chateau de Bangkok, it's about 300 meters from the Ploenchit skytrain station and personally, I wouldn't want to slep too many shopping bags from the skytrain station to the apartment. I'd take a taxi from wherever you're shopping to the apartment building. The Emporium Suites building, on the other hand, is part of the Emporium Shopping Mall and the sky train stops right there at the mall.Plus there's a big grocery store inside the shopping mall and the Bangkok Bank is a few steps away from the lobby...MUCH more convenient than the Chateau de Bangkok...and much less time consuming especially for a five-day serviced apartment stay. They have a laundry service in which you can send your clothes out to be washed and don't have to deal with laundry at all. Also the Somerset Suwan Park View Serviced Apartments is more conveniently located than the Chateau de Bangkok and in a more interesting location. They have a very nice laundry room and the place is very clean. I did like the Chateau de Bangkok, though. Nothing wrong with it...it's just that there are better locations of serviced apartment buildings if one wants to shop...and has to slep bags. The Somerset Suwan Park View is on a quiet side street...near the Chitlom Sky Train Station... right in the heart of shopping.The Chitlom Central department store is right at the corner of the same street...the apartment building is on... called Ton Son(?).It's only a block from the department store and the main cross street....which I can't remember the name of...it's the other end of Sukhumvit Rd. that's got another name... I checked out this building,too. Go on moveandstay.com for photos. Happy Travels!

there are many places like this in bkk...one of the biggest groups is centre point...they have one place almost next door to chateau....also on wireless rd, sukhumvit rd, silom....

oakwood is another

marriott mayfair is the best one i have been in and it is on the same road as chateau...

Thanks a lot Guenmai and rhhhmk for your info and recommendations. I wil look into it.

I was checking out the Centre Point apartments options, and noticed many of them have in room washing machines. Which of them is in the best location or nearest to a Skytrain station?

Although I've seen them around town, I don't remember, off the top of my head, where they are all located. What I would do is order Nancy Chandler's map of Bangkok....nancychandler.net or I've heard the map can be ordered on Amazon...or get whatever good map of Bangkok that you can get and then go on moveandstay.com and get the addresses...there's usually a mini map with the location on moveandstay...and then select one nearest to a skytrain station. Hope this has helped. Happy Travels!

I stayed at Centre Point Silome last month when I was in BKK. I loved it! It was 80 sq meters and plenty of space for 2 people. It is located very close to the skytrain and river taxi and connects to Robinson dept store that has a grocery store in the basement. It was every thing plus more than I expected. I got it for $82/night on asiarooms. You can look on www.centresilom.bangkok.com/index.htm for all the information. I will be staying here in my future trips.

Here's another fan of Centre Point Silom. We've stayed several times and think it's incredible value for the price. The apartments, regardless of size, all include a full kitchen with a washer/dryer.

Stitchintime, did you stay in a studio or a one bedroom?

Can anyone tell me if the photos on the website show how the place truly looks inside? They look nice but I often find that phinternet photos can be deceiving.

My boyfriend is VERY picky about bathrooms in hotels. Are the bathrooms clean and roomy? I can't find a website that has photos of the bathrooms.

eurotraveller, we are also wary of online hotel photos, so it was with great trepidation that we arrived at Centre Point Silom the first time. The door to our 1BR opened from the stuffy, non-air-con hallway, and our jaws dropped.

Parquet wood floor in the entryway, a small dining table set for 4 with china and glassware, a comfortable living room area, a HUGE bedroom with a separate dressing area (closets, shelves, drawers, etc) and a spacious marble bathroom. Full size kitchen: that means a full size refrigerator and stove.

The washer/dryer is one of those combo deals that takes forever to wash and dry, but we just started it when we left in the morning.

Everything very clean. Can't imagine your boyfriend would have a problem with the black marble bathroom. I just wish mine at home were as nice.

By the way, we've stayed in a studio, a small 1BR, and a larger 1BR. The first time was the largest room, and we just felt for a few days it was way more space than we needed. The studio was about the size of a generous hotel room, but with the added kitchen area.

If you send me a link to the photo(s) you're looking at, I'll tell you if it looks anything like the rooms we had.

Marilyn, do you remember what it cost you for the studio?

Great info, Marilyn! Thanks!

Here is the link to the site with photos. it appears to be one of their bigger units with a dining room.

http://www.bangkok-apartment.com/apa...tion.asp?id=63

Every thing that Marilyn said is what I experienced. We took a tour before we booked, but when we checked in, it was better than I remembered. We got a 1 bedroom with riverview. The bathroom was very clean with a large shower and separate bath also. The room will be better than the internet photos. It also has a dressing room with 3 large closets with 1 safe. You get daily maid service and they change your linens every 3 days. The service was great from the maid service to the front desk.

Stitch, did you stay in a studio or one bedroom?

Degas, it was a few years ago, and I can't remember how much the studio was. I think maybe $50? I do remember the first, largest 1BR being about $65. I'm sure prices have gone up a bit, especially since stitchintime just paid $82. But it's still an incredible deal. I'd have to say it's the best value for price we've ever gotten in a hotel.

eurotraveller, those photos are quite accurate. We never had a chaise longue in any of our bedrooms, but otherwise it looks the same. The beds are kingsize, huge, comfortable. The dining room shot clearly shows a larger table than we had, but unless you are planning to entertain, I can't imagine that would be a problem.

I have lived in apartments smaller than their 1BR suite.

Oh yes, one thing I wanted to mention. We insisted on a river view the first time, but found that it was pointless. It's too hot and dirty to be out on the tiny excuse for a balcony, which is where you have to be if you want to see the river.

stitch, what did you think about the "river view?"

I would get a riverview again-it was not that much more money. To see the river, I had to stand by the window, and I would not go on balcony as the ac compressors were out there. Still, I love looking at the river in the early hours and had some great view at dusk and dark. The river is the essence of BKK to me.

STITCH, what type of room did you stay in, please! You seem to be keeping me in suspense!

OK...that was the building that I saw directly from my window at the Oriental.Now that I've thought about it more,it was the Centre Point building. I didn't have time to check it out though as I was checking out other places. Happy Travels!

Stitch, I suppose that if I would have read your post thoroughly I would have seen that it was a 1 bedroom you stayed in!

I think we will stay in a studio and I will post a review when we get back!

Thanks everyone!

Oh, can someone tell me how long it will take to get to Sukhumvit or an area with some good restaurants and nightlife?