travelduo

I am trying to book the marriott, and i am trying to use the web site you suggested asiavoyage24, becs it gave me better rates than hunahin site. Anyway I am a little confused about my room choices. Here is what they quoted me, exactly as it appears on the site for the 4 nights we will be there.

Deluxe garden view $448
standard $468
Deluxe river view $504
Deluxe riverview $520

I have no idea what the difference is except that 2 of them have a river view, and i know you told me that that isnt that important but if its on ly $40 more then i can spring for that for our honeymoon Anywa, which one do i choose if i on ly want a king bed with the river view? And the last part of my qeustion is when i finish booking the hotel thru asiavoyage24 will i get some voucher or will i be booked directly into the hotel? I know this was really long and drawn out, so thanks so much for your help!!!! Jeffrey and April

P.S. i saw that you posted over on bidding for travel, and i really wanted to try priceline but got so scared that i would get stuck with the holiday inn after i fell in love with the marriott!!!

Cicerone

Hopefully rhkkmk will see this and post. I have stayed many times at the hotel and have a few comments:

1. Standard room are fairly small
2. Deluxe rooms are what I would call a junior suite, they are a good size and have nice large bathrooms, most with separate shower and tub
3. IMO it is worth paying extra for the river view room
4. Not sure which rooms have king beds
5. I would fax the hotel directly and ask them to match the price. Marriott has a "Look No Further Guarantee" program, and generally will match or better any bona fide internet rate. You could also request a king bed and any other special things you want if you work directly with the hotel. They will usually also include breakfast in the rate, worth checking with the hotel, as their buffet breakfast is great. I always feel more comfortable having a reservation directly with the hotel, plus no deposit etc. I would ask for a river view deluxe room as close to the river as possible, but on the inside also facing the pool, in either the building in which The Market restaurant is located, or the building in which the gym is located. (There are three buildings in a U shape.)

mrwunrfl

I assume we are talking about the Marriott Resort and Spa. I made a reservation there at marriott.com the other day, see details below. They have a rate $15 higher that includes breakfast for two. That may be the difference between the $504 and $520 prices listed above.

This is for Dec 26 for 6 nights and likely to change quite a bit.

Room Type: DLX RIVER VIEW RM(1KING/2TWNS)
Rate(s) Quoted in: US DOLLAR
Room Rate 160.00 per night.

Special Request
NON-SMOKING ROOM, GUARANTEED
1 KING BED, GUARANTEED

CANCELLATION POLICY
CANCELLATION PERMITTED
- BEFORE 1600 DAY OF ARRIVAL

Cicerone, I am not clear on your last sentence. It seems to be saying "ask for a room facing the pool in any of the three buildings and from those rooms you will also get the best river view (if that's not the case then I am supposing that you may mean the bottom side of the bottom of the U)

mrwunrfl

I read it again and see that you are saying to stay on the inside of the U in the The Market building or gym building but not the third building. Like this:

river?: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
stay this side > |_|
or stay this side ^

Cicerone

Sorry it is confusing. The hotel is a U shape, with the pool in the middle and the river at the open end of the U. There are hotel rooms looking over the pool ("inside" the U) and the river, and there are also some rooms on the "outside" of the U looking toward neighboring buildings. Some of the "outside" rooms have a river view, but IMO the better river views are from rooms inside the U overlooking the pool in the two buildings making up the sides of the U. One of these buildings has the Market Restaurant, the other has the gym; that is how I would describe it to the reservations people.

rhkkmk

against my better judgement i come out of retirement from fodors to try and answer this question...

i have only seen two types of rooms at the marriott...river facing and non-river facing....many river facing rooms also face the pool, but not all (the ends of the buildings and the backs of the left and right buildings only face the river)..
some of the agency quotes look strange like what you have shown above....just ignor how they are listed and choose the cheapest in the category you want: garden or river views---i think garden view refers to the back of the building on the street side but i have never been sure of that....no rooms are on the street, just on that side of the main building...in any case, i have always asked the receptionist for a river facing room and have been given it....i do not really see any benefit to it....all the rooms are the same, except the suites....i do not find them to be small either...i find them to be standard quality marriott rooms---not marriott airport type rooms, but marriott city rooms, if you understand the difference...
so from you quote of prices it looks like they are charging about $10 per nite more for a river room and that is worth it, imo....if you need to save the $40 i can certainly understand that and go for the garden room...you can see the river and pool while basking out in it....the rooms are basically the same...!!! i would choose the $504....one may be river and pool view and one river view only (end of building)....
i think they will send you a voucher a day or two after the res is accepted...that is how huahin site worked for me...
hua hin site was offering other perks like a river cocktail cruise...

one other thing to do is to join the marriott FF club and that may help you with placement too...if you also have time get a marriott credit card as this gives you instant silver status, which will help with room placement...it is free for year one...its from bank one...it is on the marriott.com site and you get 15,000 points just now and a free nites's room....apply today...

pricline is only good for people that really study what is happening on biddingfortravel, imo...

back to retirement until next month

stockexchanger

Bob don't go anywhere!! You have been, hands down, the most helpful Fodorite of all time.
I thought when we post on the boards we are asking for "opinions". And we should expect (and appreciate!) varied ones. Points of view. Then you digest the opinions and you evaluate where your personal preferences are, and you act accordingly. This is the most valuable and informative travel site on the web, thanks to people like you (there are others as well!)
I have found that people in life who believe "my way or the highway" have a lot to learn. Stressing your own opinion is wonderful, putting down other people for theirs does nothing but make the person being negative look very foolish.
You are terrific Bob, thankfully I have your email address!

travelduo

Thank you so much for all your help! This is such a big thing for us and we so appreciate all your help! Have a enjoyable retirement from fodors for awhile!

divediva

bob....
i agree with everyone that you have been monumental in helping with our travel plans for our trip in october.
thank you thank you thank you...

p.s. i do think you are very opinionated, as are most of the avid
fodorites...but all of you have been
wonderful resources of information
that is invaluable...again, thank you

orgy7

SPY, play nice. I actually think BOB is one of the best contributers on this forum he has actually stayed in and dinned in most of the places he mentions. he is also good natured I've sparred with him many times and all was fraindly at the end. (and at times some lagit contrasting contriversial views were exposed)

I get the feeling RHKKMK has the Bankers upselling killer instinct. lol

all three of us have deserved TIME OUTS over the years but thats OK..

RHKKMK. postpone that retirement. those pen vs oriental posts are being naglected.

lets all play again.

Spygirl

Orgy-dear, I'm not sure what you're talking about. through the years? I don't know who's been here through the years, it certainly hasn't been me. And as far as taking a time out, you're right, there are posters that absolutely do need to do that, since they cannot seem to refrain from getting overly personal in their opinions. Perhaps when they return they'll get the idea that you can express strong opinions without going overboard and putting someone else down for having a different viewpoint.

Craig

Spygirl, Kathie has a valid point. Your postings on Bali have also been "my way or the highway" types of opinions. She didn't tell you whether or not you should post your opinions, just that yours are as strong and one-sided as Bob's.

Bob, I'll miss your input but I certainly understand that everyone needs a break. Enjoy your retirement and come back when you feel "rested". I'll keep in touch via e-mail.

Craig

Seems like the site was experiencing technical difficulties this morning - my post above never topped.

stockexchanger

Actually I don't think Bob ever sounds like "my way or the highway"....it is other people who sound that way to me. He just tells his opinion, he doesn't "yell" at others and put them down.
Jeez, this is for travel!
We are planning a trip to Thailand for this winter and this board is great.

Gpanda

Bob couldn't find the highway on his best day unless there was a good restaurant ideally situated. Or maybe a Marriott with a good pool and a super tailor in the adjoining mall. As an aside, he and I are as diametriccally opposed as possible on matters political and it hasn't hindered our frienship. Also, I'm a Royal Orchid Sheraton supporter and he hates it. He's wrong, but so what? It doesn't minimze the enormous amount of information that he provides. Also, I keep hoping that one of his recommendations turns out rotten, so I can PRIVATELY chastise him. Hasn't happened yet.

emtravel

Bob, I miss your posts. We are off to Asia in a week, and I will post my reports in October. If I will not see you on this board (I hope I will), I will email you.

Kathie and Spygirl, Orgy, Gpanda Cicerone and others, you've been great help, will report.
sophia

Gpanda

Sophia-Have fun. If you have a several hour layover in Narita, you or someone in your party may want to consider using the shower, which can be rented for a 1/2 hour. I did this on my first trip and found it to be wonderfully relaxing. Last trip we were too rushed. If you are thinking of doing this, take a change of undergarments and socks.

Kathie

Have a great time, Sophia! I'll look forward to your report.

Spygirl

Again, for those who completely ignore Travel Warnings put out by the USG, those posters aren't going to like anyone discussing any issues related to those warnings-no matter how valid and credible the information. And discussion of the factual realities underpinning Travel Warnings are of a slightly different quality and nature than posts concerning which city is preferable, or which hotel is better, etc.

Kathie

Whether a travel advisory or warning is in effect by any particular government is a matter of fact. It is useful to alert people to the fact that there is a travel advisory or warning.

What the travel warning or advisory means, what the quality of information is behind it, and whether information is distorted in some way for political reasons is a matter of debate.

I certainly don?t mind you calling to our attention that there is a particular advisory or warning. I do find it irritating and eventually offensive when you go on and on about a travel warning as if it were totally predictive and the people on the board have neither the intelligence nor the judgment to decide for themselves what to do.

Mention it and move on.