Chatrium Bangkok - really opening in a week?!
 

As fans of staying near the river in Bangkok, we were excited to learn of a new luxe hotel opening there from other Fodorites - the Chatrium. We booked their special promotional rates, which were a deal (5,000 Baht/night including breakfast).

It turns out that this is a "soft opening" and that not all floors of the hotel are finished (it is due to open on the 20th). We just received word from the Chatrium that the floor we'd requested will not, in fact, be finished in time and so they have moved us to a room two floors below (presumably the highest floor yet completed?). We are beginning to wonder if we ought to book elsewhere.

Has anyone heard anything about the status of the Chatrium's opening in a few days or had experience staying in a hotel that is in "soft opening" mode?

This is common in BK. I was at Frazer on Soi Langsuam, a few years ago, checking out their new facility and stepping over construction stuff. They were renting out the apartments in the finished section and still working on the unfinished section. The place was so new until the girl taking me around couldn't even figure out how to turn on the water in the gym locker room. They had some very modern, faucet fixtures. I had to show her how to turn on the water.

I've experienced stepping over construction several times at buildings in BK.

Chatrium is WAY behind schedule in opening. Happy Travels!

Guenmai - many thanks for your comments. If it was just for a night we would not mind stepping over construction, but now wondering if we'd be better off booking elsewhere to ensure that our holiday is nice. Have you heard of any great rates at nearby places for the holiday period?

Winter, I'd contact the Chatrium and see what they say about their construction. Originally the hotel was slated to be finished a couple of years ago!

A number of hotels are having promotional rates. DO check the Pen's website and check with the Marriott and the ROS. There is a thread called "Peninsula" that talks about some rates.

Oh, and I once did stay at a hotel in Thailand during it's soft opening. It was just fine. Each day they brought some new decor item to the room and everyone admired it. But there really were no real inconveniences. I guess it depends on how "soft" the opening is.

I stayed at Centara Grand three months ago in their 'soft opening' - stay loose and it'll be fine.

Expect paint fumes, banging, crashing, teams of workmen clogging the lifts. But an eager, keen staff not yet blooded by the relentless wall of tourists - and cheapo, cheapo rates.

i hope i did not stear you wrong....

i think i would ask for a guarantee that you could leave if it is not perfect...there is plenty of room in bkk just now...

Thanks everyone! Since this is our one big vacation of the year we are thinking that paint smells, banging and workmen may not be the way to go. The Shangri La seems to be offering promo rates now (we are river people) - is it nice enough to be worth a little extra?

sh-la is quite nice....the breakfast is the best we have had in bkk...

join their club and get some perks for free...

We got a great deal at the Peninsula - for February. It was called the Peninsula Retreat Package and is 8,200++ per night, inc breakfast. You might want to see if it is available when you are going. That is for a deluxe room - I think it might be on the website but I just emailed reservations and asked for their best rate for the period.

rhkkmk - you said the magic words ... we do love a great breakfast (it is one of the reasons that we've been so loyal to the Pen over the years - loved the breakfast). Thanks also for the suggestion of joining the club - any tips on how to do this (it appears that Golden Circle is now invitation only)?

i just joined on line....was not a problem...maybe they have changed policies??

imo, the breakfast is superior to penn....

Could you share the link? Thanks! Did you have an activation code?

Winter -- there's a Krungthep Wing rate at the Shang with breakfast included, drinks, all manner of perks and when I made my reservation, it then put me into the club login when I came back to adjust our flight arrival. Not being a club kind of person -- we'll have to have Bob tell us what that means. Hope this helps -- the Pen rates are also very good but not available all nights and don't include as much. I'm still torn.

The new Chatrium is on the river but -- where on the river? Far from the Shang and MO? Is that quite a distance from the skytrain and otherwise where we would want to be? The hotel seems spanking new, with large rooms and does indeed have very good introductory rates, which I imagine may not change much if hotel occupancies stay low across BKK. Thanks

it is down the river from the sh-la about 4-5 minutes....about 1/2 way to the marriott on the "right" side of the river....they have a boat to taskin too...

the "club" is the FF club....someone gave its name above...i will go on their site and see how to do it again

i guess it has changed....it says you can sign up upon arrival/check-in, which i would do...

Thanks Bob - we will join on check-in -- we did change our reservation to Shangri-La from Chatrium (your comments about breakfast got us excited!!). Thanks again for all the help.

after my first suggestion, the breakfast now probably will be mcmuffins.....

if you have time check out chatrium for us and report back