glorialf

For those of you who have been there recently I'm wondering what's happening to the new Hilton millenium (I think) hotel that was being built on the same side as the Penn. it's the hotel that started out as a Sofitel and then they stopped building when the bottom fell out of the economy. Last December it looked like it was being worked on again and had been taken over by Hilton. Any word?

laurieco

gloria, is that why they stopped work on it? We were told by a guide that when Sofitel was building, either Sofitel or the builders cut corners and the foundation wasn't stable and Sofitel decided to ditch it because it would cost too much to correct it. Interesting how different stories get passed around.

glorialf

Both are the reasons. There was/is something wrong with the foundation but it came at a time when the bottom fell out of tourism and the economy so it was a double whammy. But it looked as though Hilton had bought it last winter.

Jim0884

when i was there in April crews were working at the site...

Kathie

Jim, when they were working on it were they removing the partially finished building or were they trying to repair what was there? I heard from someone in Bangkok (after the work stopped on the Sofitel many years ago) that the foundation problems were such that it would have to be torn down!

rhkkmk

in june we met an american ex-pat lawyer in bkk who does lots of hotel work there....i asked him about the hotel---almost a sofitel at least 10 years ago....i had always been told that the project was stopped by the government because the structure was found to be unsafe....he clained that that was only a rumor and the real reason was that the developer went bust....he said the hilton group has taken it over and hoped to open by the end of 2005 or the beginning of 2006---watch for some special deals ...at least we can hope...

work was going on in may and june...lots was being done to the outside...

glorialf

They didn't tear it down.

sandi

... and we were told that the bulk of the building was built too close too the river on unstable underpinings and on close look it sure looked that way. Unlike the Penn which is set back with only gardens, pool and restaurant at the bulkhead.

rhkkmk - when the lawyer says the developer went bust... does that mean Sofitel?

Whatever the reason, I think the Penn needs a "buddy" on that side of the river.

rhkkmk

the penn has a buddy already---the marriott...

bust means bankrupt....not sofitel, they are just the management team...the developer was the owner of the building--he ran out of funds...most hotels are not owned by the name on the hotel but are owned by individuals or other corporations...

gloria...the building stands just as it has for 10 years....not sure if i will stay there or not...they also will have yellow water...hahaha

Jim0884

http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2...tonSeddon.html

This, and other sites I've seen, suggest they are on track for a 2005 opening. It's a "Millennium" Hilton

glorialf

Seems like they would start promoting it if it was going to open in 5 months.

simpsonc510

They are maybe not going to be a little bit too quick to announce, just like the new BKK airport! How much behind schedule is that one... LOL (Ahhh Bangkok, you gotta love it)
The only think I noted was the Millenium sign on the building. That was in February. I took a photo of it.
Carol

Jim0884

I'll be there in a few weeks, and will report back on anything i find out...

aoy

Hello Guys,

Thanks a lot for interesting in our stunning new contemporary hotel.

For more information, pls go to www.hilton-bangkok.com.....Enjoy.

hope to welcome you all here soon.

Thanks & kind regards,
pansiri

aoy

www.hilton-bangkok.com

rhkkmk

that's very exciting....gloria---looks like you be giving up the oriental for this....?? you seem so the minamalistic type...hahaha...very stiff chairs in the lobby...

Kathie

hmmm... and no answer to what they did about the unsafe foundation

Jim0884

looking at Hilton honors point exchange, it's not cheap: 35,000 points for one night. Must be quite swank

rhkkmk

the latest report on this hotel is that there was no structure problems...the developer simply went bust....this was told to me by an american ex-pat lawyer who represents hotel chains in bangkok...i think it 100% reliable...he claimed that the building had no problems at all...

interesting that i do not see a revolving lounge or restaurant listed in their description...

laurieco

Bob, I hate to break this to you, but an attorney will not say anything negative when speaking of interests they represent. I should know, having practiced law for 15 years, you just don't do it. Quite a few of us did hear, from different sources that there were structural problems, specifically with the foundation. That's not to say they haven't been fixed. That aside, I had a look at the website and although the hotel looks nice, I'm not giving up my room at the Pen just yet.