i do not personally know the aisa except that many tours stay there and the ladyboy show is there and it is directly on the skytrain route...

i have visited the HI and will stay there next month...its location is good although a walk to the skytrain, but shopping and restaurants are all around...

novotel is near to siam sq i believe and it a solid 3* like the others..

HI is regularily available on priceline for about $40 or 45....

dive--if you go to HI then upgrade for $24 per nite to exec. floor and it is much nicer....

thanks for the info...is the calypso caberet at the asia hotel?? we saw the show so we must have been there. the skytrain was directly across the street as i recall.

on priceline....is holiday in silom a 4 star/silom area???? do you upgrade prior to arrival or at the desk. i joined the holiday inn premier club long ago...would that give me any benefits?
thanks bob

i went to look at a couple of rooms at the asia last month, and the deluxe rooms on the 17th club floor is excellent.non-smoking. internet price is 2119b. the bts stops on the second level of the hotel, so you can walk into the second level of the hotel. can beat it.
the calypso so is here at the hotel.

i stayed at the hi silom, and its ok, but the surasek bts is about a 10-15min walk.

between the two, i rec. asia hotel, one stop to mbk and the other centers.

dive---the HI is the one on silom and priceline ranks it as 4* but most of us feel that it is really 3*...

i bid and got one nite for $45, plus $15 service (june 6)...after that i contacted the hotel via e-mail and gave them my FF number (plus king and non smoking) and asked about the upgrade..they responded that it was $24 and was i interested---if so let them know and they would add it to my reservation...i did and so i guess i am all set...they sent back an acknowledgement....
the mattresses in the exec rooms are lux type, while in reg rooms they were 5 inche foam at best...otherwise the room was about the same....the lounge is nice and free internet...drinks, etc...the pool is a smallish roof type on maybe the 10th floor...you would not be unhappy there...the lobby is large and to me a bit of a turn-off but you don't spend any time there...i am glad to be trying it...

you will like the area for its convenience...only neg is the skytrain...just take cabs instead...with 3 of you, its probably cheaper for a taxi instead of skytrain at 35 or 45B each per trip out...

great restaurants in the area...

did you like lady boys?? we are finally going this trip...

just want to clarify that there are more than one novotel in bangkok and the one most convenient is novotel siam square. i've also stayed once in novotel lotus which is in suhkuvmit area. this one is cheaper but still within walkable distance from bts station.

RHKNK... your natural BANKER upselling instincts are acting up again.. $84 is about twice as much as the person stated they wanted too pay..

"let them eat cake"

I give thumbs way up for the Chateau de Bangkok by Sofitel...an Accor Hotel. I stayed there for a night in Aug 2004 and it was VERY nice. It's 300 meters from the Ploenchit Sky train. I had a Junior Suite with kitchenette...regular size fridge and microwave...stainless steel sink and counters and nice cabinet space. I paid 1500 Baht before the taxes and about 1800Baht after at an exchange rate of US 41. There is a laundry room,too where you can do your own laundry and there's also a pool on the roof. The place is right across the street from part of the Plaza Athenee Hotel. Happy Travels!

to bob....we loved the calyspso caberet...i recommend you sit on the center isle near the front.-)
you will have lots of fun...

orgy...bob knows i am fond of comfort too...we stayed marriott and shangrila
last visit and will stay at the marriott again at the end of our holiday...

guenmai...i tried to get info on the chateau and it appears that it is not available in october. the hotel sounds great and i would certainly consider it if it was available.

i went to tripadvisor and almost every hotel we are talking about has gotten mixed reviews....its very confusing and i might spring for a 5* again....

dive---go to the accor hotel site and there seems to be plenty of availability at chateau for october...

as has been posted many times.. A mid tier hotel in bangkok is equivalent too decent lux in most cities of the world..... you should remember that this is thailand and $40 is a lot of money. the local hotels that charge these rates tend too be verry good.;.it's not like places in europe and America where $40 bucks gets ya a brick slab too sleep on and a bucket too take care of nature..

I know people who have gotten US$40 per night rate at the Amari Watergate and been quite happy with the rooms and service...I haven't stayed there myself...

the amari watergate too me always seems like a good option for those looking for hotels in the shipping district.. Amari is a thai owned luxury hotel group..

but it is a bit of a walk too chit loam BTS STATION..

We spent a few nights at the New World Lodge, on Samsen Rd....in the Banglamphu district. It's a clean Muslim-owned hotel that is just the best bargain--clean, courteous, and very well located, if you are going to Khao San and stuff...close to the river.
I would SO stay there again. It was recommended and so I pass it on to you...

Oops! forgot to note it was about $20 a night, for two of us, and that was in 2002. Also lots of foreigners there...

hi divediva! i was in bangkok and chiang mai last year.

stayed at manhattan hotel in bangkok, it's just off sukhumvit, serves buffet breakfast (nothing exceptional though), a short walk to the BTS, it's got a small pool, and is close to shopping malls. decent rooms. cost was around THB1200 (US$22).

for chiang mai, i stayed at suriwongse hotel, which has the night bazaar at its doorstep, also serves buffet breakfasts. rooms are better than manhattan. cost was around THB1200 (US$22). i don't recall if there was a pool, though.

i believe both hotels are 3 stars. i was generally happy with both hotels, since i was out sightseeing for most of my stay and didn't really anything fancy. got the rates online, i don't remember what website though.

Divediva,
What about Novotel Siam for Bangkok. I am planning to stay there in July. It is centrally located and so far have read only good reviews on both Tripadvisor as well as on Fodors. It is $64 on asiarooms.com for the basic room.

We stayed at Asia Hotel and were happy with it. Very good location - near shopping centers and near sky train. Nice room, two pools, Cabaret Show is there. We paid 40 $.