Yes, there is a transit hotel on concourse G.

November is high season so I guess the Novotel rates go up then like everybody else. It's amazing how far they jack up the rates now. I was looking at place in Phuket for another post, it shows $80 now but for a November stay it's $200+!

I'm leaving this Sunday and when I return I'll give my impressions of "Suwannapoom".

Kurt

FYI, a taxi from the registered taxi stand will cost approx 300 baht to central Sukhumvit (306 baht to be exact to Sukhumvit 11).

191 Fee, 65 tollway fee, 50 airport surcharge.

I booked a Novatel room a couple of months ago not knowing how booked they could get and got a rate for a January one night stay of $160. Yikes, pretty expensive for about 6 hours. I will check out the Louis Tavern Day room thing and hope that's opened. I need something easy and stress free for my first Asian visit but for this quick layover this is way too expensive!

$160. for a Novatel...ridiculous...although I like Novatels and have stayed in them in other places in the world. Happy Travels!

Cookie...I sometimes have 6-hour type of layovers in Bangkok when I fly...L.A.-Bangkok and then have a layover and then fly down to Singapore and start my vacation there first... before ending it in Bangkok. I just go into the city and get a hotel. It's cheaper. Try the Chateau de Bangkok which is also an Accor Hotel like the Novatel. I've stayed there. There's also a Novatel right across from my apartment building which I think is the Novatel Lotus...I stare at it from my terrace so I should be able to remember it better. That's at around Sukumvit soi 33 area...which is the east part of Bangkok going in the direction of the new airport. Maybe the rates there will be lower...plus there are lots of low-cost hotels in Bangkok although January is a more expensive month. Or try the Davis hotel which is at the end of Sukumvit,soi 24 which is my area. They seem to have decent rates and lower than $160. Happy Travels!

I've seen Novotel Suvarnabhumi for USD 120 for October but shoots up in November

Just been watching on local TV and so far the move had started and going ok

james---clear off your driveway just in case they need to make an emergency landing....

Photos of BKK Don Muang Airport…Ahh Memories…

http://www.pantip.com/cafe/blueplane.../E4703993.html

http://www.pantip.com/cafe/blueplane.../E4693069.html

http://www.pantip.com/cafe/blueplane.../E4682065.html

Last scehduled flight out from Don Muang was Kuwait Airways A-340, it was great to see the 'send off' on TV ( stayed up late! ) and it was very much 'Bye Bye' to Don Muang as much as welcoming in Suvarnabhumi ( there was actaully a Qantas 747 take off after Kuwait Airways but I think that was a flight 'delay ' )

First 'official' arrival on official opening was a Lufthansa MD11 from Mumbai and Frankfurt, there were special placques for flight crew etc, seems everything went 'smooth as silk'.

Hey Guenmei, thanks but my "concern" is that I'm brand new at travel to this part of the world, will have come from Boston and really want to max out the time in my room rather than hassling with the taxis and time etc. Next trip I may be more comfortable. I will also be bringing alot of luggage (possibly) with medical supplies so the idea, despite the outrageous $$$ is to make life as simple as possible. I did email the grand hotel people for info on the Louis Tavern Day rooms but haven't heard from them yet.

Cookiew-have you contacted Bob (RhkKmk) about the get together we're having in Cambridge on October 7, 2006 ? Guenmai will be there in person.

Just took a return flight(domestic Bangkok to Ubon) from the new airport and everything went relatively smoothly. Some minor safety concern on the departure flight where the pilot felt it was unsafe to take off in heavy rain and disembark all the passenger until the rain lighten up. Departed on 26th Sep by Air Asia and return just now by Thai.

For those interested in travel time here's my report:

From curbside of the arrival area to the Rama 9 exit off the expressway it took 15 minutes, to the Sukhumvit exit about 22 minutes and to the Silom exit about 30 minutes. Driving speed about 120 kph.

Forgot to add that my flight arrive at 9.30 pm so the driving time was for evening hours. Another thing, expect a long walk inside the terminal!

cookview---for GTG info and good info on thailand contact me at:

[email protected]

bob

Cookie...since you're new to that part of the world...keep in mind that you don't have to hassle much with things. Thailand put the "S" in the word service. All you will have to do is collect your bags, put them on a wheeled cart, go through the passport area, and then roll the cart to the limo service. Then the cart will be taken over, your luggage will be put into the car,and you'll be driven off to your hotel. Then when you arrive at your hotel, you will not have to hassle with your luggage since one or two people will meet your car and take your luggage which will disappear somewhere until it's delivered to your room. Then the next day, you just call the reception and have some one sent to your room to pick up your luggae and then put it into a taxi and off to the airport you go. At the airport, the taxi driver will probably find you a luggage trolley...there were plenty of them outside the terminal at the old airport...and then will put your bags on it and off you go to stand in the check-in line at the airport. This is the way I've done it for nearly a decade of trips to Bangkok. The taxi driver,last month,drove me from my apartment building to the airport and did everything for me. And that wasn't even a limo service. Happy Travels!

Thanks, I'll keep the S word in mind for future trips. No, I won't be doing a GTG quite yet, I'm actually doing a GTG with the local people who are involved with the hospital in Siem Reap that I will be working with so I'll be getting a ton of info on Cambodia next week! Can't wait! I'm also hoping to hear someone mention what's going on with the Louis Day Tavern at the new Bangkok airport- anyone??

bangkokairportonline.com Happy Travels!

Thai airways now has some good info on the new airport on its website - www.thaiairways.com and follow the link to airport info or the banner at the top of the site for the airport. It covers arrivals, departures, transport to and from, maps etc- of course mainly in relation to the Thai counters.

Don't bother with their info on the Thai lounges as it still relates to the old airport - hope the new ones are better as promised.