Help please - urgently needing BKK hotel out of red zone
 

Hi all.

I have been a long time reader and admirer of this forum, and apologize that my first post comes in the form of a cry for help.

Our Bangkok hotel reservation for next week was canceled as the Pullman deemed itself unsafe/blocked off. In the grand scheme of things this is good as the area seems unsafe at the moment, however, I ma now in need for hotel reservations for Monday - eek.

We are thinking of staying in Sukhumvit (S31). Can anyone tell me if the area is still safe? Or recommend other safe areas close to the skytrain (moot issue if it's not back up by then).

Thanks so much and for those in Bangkok now, please stay safe!

Aimie.

Aimie,

Yes the Pullman is considered as being in an area that still see sporadic violence. IMO anywhere in Sukhumvit from Soi 4 or 5 on the other side of the road upward will be OK. Hotels on the river will be fine too or those on Sathorn, Silom or Suriwongse road. Pity the Pullman is still unsafe as I like the big rooms there plus the duty free mall there is very good IMO.

Both the Skytrain and the underground are still closed but the management are assessing the damages and repairs everyday. Perhaps they will have it operational by tomorrow or Sunday.

Aimie, if you are traveling to Bangkok by air, you should check with your airline to make sure that your flight is still on as scheduled. Many of the airlines (including majors like Singapore and Japan Air Lines) have either suspended or reduced service to Bangkok.

Thank you both so much! I really appreciate the swift rescue.

You might want to consider a hotel by the river: Marriott Resort & Spa, Peninsula, Hilton Millenium (all on the other side of the river) or the Shangri-La, Oriental or Sheraton Royal Orchid all on the city side.

Good luck!

I'm a broken record and a bit of a "shill" of you will, for the Royal River Hotel.
http://www.royalriverhotel.com/royalriver/

OK, so it's not "on top" of the Sky Train, but much better (IMO) a favorite and damn good reason to stay at the Royal River:

Take the Orange Flag Boat in front of the hotel (Pier N16) Krung Thon Bridge, down the Chao Phraya River to (Pier N1) Taksin Bridge/Sky Train.

It's only 12 wonderful stops and honestly, who can ever get enough of motoring on the Chao Phraya?

Late in the day, you can take the Yellow Express at Taskin back even quicker and you can also take a fast 3.5 mile taxi ride along Ratchawithi Rd. to Victory Monument to catch the Sky Train.

Despite the Royal River being a large hotel that caters to groups, the area is local with a few things to check out.

You can eat at an outdoor buffet in the area and try different foods and there is a restaurant overlooking/hanging over the Chao Phraya River offering great views of the lit up Krung Thon Bridge at night as well as air conditioned seating if you'd like.

OK, mostly it's about the great river view and balcony.

MAP:
Here's a Google Map loaded with Royal River Hotel photos. Room 807, balcony and street food photographs - The Satellite View works better for me.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...dba5e7fc0583d0


I think it's probably quicker to see the photos on Google Maps (clicking the titles on the left) but here are the same photos (maybe one or two more) at Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelt...7623941246219/


PROMO DEAL
Royal River Hotel has a promo: Book 4 nights, pay for 3.

The room pictured above goes for 2,700. ThB (US $ 87), with the promo, four nights will cost you 2,025. ThB/night ($65).

Note:
It's $7. bucks more a night than last year.

Anyway, I posted and pitched my reasons for staying at the Royal River Hotel and all the "usual suspects" checked in here:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...k-thailand.cfm

Here's another BKK hotel thread:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...in-bangkok.cfm


Aimie , the Royal River might not ft you needs, but I was planning to post the suggestion and map before we left anyway, so thanks for the question.

some other suggestions would be serviced apartments like the marriott sukhumvit on soi 24 or centre point silom... but i bet the river hotels might have good deals.. it would be worth a phone call

bob

bookmarking

Thank you everyone!! I knew that this was the right place to ask for advise. We've decided on the S31 in Sukhumvit. It's new, has good initial reviews and suits my desire to see parts of the city I don't generally get to.

Every trip someone in the family makes (we all love Thailand), we always come home dismayed that we ran out of time before properly exploring Sukhumvit.

So we're there till the 28th when we move back to Centre Point Silom (planned move).

Now that I am over my posting shyness, I will be sure to add a full trip report when I get back.

Thanks again!

Posting shyness? Me too! I've manbaged to scrape by over the years.

Aimie, I think you've made the right choice to move to Sukhumvit area. That's where I always stay... soi 8, the Adelphi Suites, in a one bedroom executive apartment. I have walked past S31 and I think it is a good choice. It is further 'up' Sukhumvit, so further away from the former red shirt compound area. Soi 8 was a relatively easy walk to the 'wall' that hs now been removed (thank goodness) on the corner at the Phloenchit BTS station.

If the BTS is up and running, you will enjoy the ease of getting to it. I'm not sure if you are closer to Asok or Phrom Phong station. Phrom Phong has the Emporium shopping mall, which was not affected by the protesters at all.

Have a great time. I look forward to your reports, as I will probably be heading back to BKK the last two weeks of July.

Carol

Hi Aimie! Can I just ask if Pullman mention when they will open again? Thanks!

as of today, sunday 05/24/10, the BTS is back running on reduced hours but decent for the day. only the one station Rajpradcha (sp) is closed but you can get past it to the river on the silom line.

if you are arriving adter 9pm at BKK airport, they do allow limo and taxi service to go to hotels, other than the 'red' areas. sukumvit had a military roadblock at the soi 4 end coming off the highway but they see who you are and wave you through.

hardly any tourists around! some restaurants open and others closed. many loca lstores open and some closed. maybe getting better with transportation flowing.

i have eaten all my meals alone in restaurants!

taxi drivers are more pesty than usual with no fares.

i walked from soi 11 to soi 4 through the sidewalk sellers and no one was in my way!!!

enjoy your trip regards

Fortunately, there doesn't appear to be any 'red zone' anymore in Bangkok. Since the riots the other night the city of void of protestors and any protest site.
Take your pick on where to stay at the moment, it has been very quiet this weekend.

Here's a website that lists the current status of hotel closings and reopenings/reopening dates:

http://reservethaihotels.net/765/ban...osures-status/

Good resource! Thanks, rizzuto.