IsisMnroe

Re: New Year's eve in Bangkok
We arrive 5 pm at the airport and plan to stay near the River.
Any suggestions for dinner/recreation?
Shall we make reservation for Sala Rim Naam restaurant owned by the Orientatal?
I read Hyatt Regency at Siam Square at the shrine outside the Hyatt - Thai dancing - thai's all over bring offerings of wooden elephants on tray and lotus blossoms.
What special things are going on New Year's eve? Thank you!

Kathie

I've stayed on the river a number of times on New Years Eve. There are fireworks at midnight from barges on the river. All the hotels have special meals and parties you can go to.

The Thai buffet food at the Sala Rim Naam is renowned to be mediocre, though the cultural show is good. Personally, I'd opt for somewhere else.

rhkkmk

IM--my opinion---skip the oriental show---B O R I N G and the food is less than average....

on these special days reservations fill up quickly as the thais love to party so don't wait too long to make your res....if you could eat at lord jim in the oriental near the window and there were fireworks you would be very happy, but it will be expensive...

i'd opt for something like harmonique or some other less than 5* place....and then i would find a place to see the fireworks---like the roof of centre point or the roof of river city---there used to be a restaurant up there which could be fun too...

or why not eat early away from the river and then return to the river area for viewing...or go on a boat for the fireworks...i don't know who does it but someone can tell you...

the only time we saw some fireworks we were on the marriott boat on the way back to the hotel....it looked like they were in the area of river city or slightly more up stream...

good luck

enjoy the books

Kathie

If you are staying on the river you can probably watch the fireworks from your room. I always stay in the Towers at the Royal Orchid, and have watched the fireworks from there a number of times.

offwego

I am reading with interest this bit from Kathie about being able to see the fireworks on NY Eve from the Royal Orchid Sheraton.

We will be staying at the Peninsula on the 33rd floor on NY eve and I wonder if we will also be able to see fireworks from our balcony. According to the map, it doesn't look to be that far between the two hotels...

What a fabulous stroke of good luck that would be!

Kathie

Yes, you certainly will be able to see the fireworks from your room at the Pen! Along the river in Bangkok is my favorite place to be on New Year's Eve.

offwego

That is going to be so cool. In this case, I am going to throw down the extra 20 bucks and get a balcony!

glorialf

If you are staying at the Peninsula you will probably have to pay to participate in their New Year's Eve event. Many of the top hotels demand it.

The Sala Rim room doesn't operate on New Year's Eve and the area is used for one of the Oriental Hotel's parties. I would also skip the show although many people like it. However, the food there is quite good at lunch or outside in the evening (without the show).
'n,.UMb

twofortheroad

We were at the Peninsula last Christmas eve. There were special set dinners in ALL the restaurants. It was not obligatory. We had e-mailed a month before to reserve for Cristmas Eve & were sent the prices and had to reserve using our credit card as guarantee. We chose the Thai, Thiptara at 3200 baht per person. The Lawn & Terrace buffet & set menu at Lobby Terrace were 4200 baht per person. The New Years Eve dinners were at least triple this amount. I remember $400 per person for the Lawn & Terrace, black tie. Many Thais were dining. These evenings, as expensive as the are, sell out. The hotel was full. There were fireworks.

The room price was not raised for Cristmas, but it was raised for the entire New Year's weekend. It was considerably higher.

glorialf

and New Year's Eve dinner wasn't obligatory?

twofortheroad

We were there from the 24th to 28th, not New Years, but the procedure was the same, credit card guarantee, cancelation clause. You had to cancel at least a week, if not 2 before, or you would be charged the full amount. So from that, it does not seem to be obligatory. If anything, it looks as though they get more requests then they can accomodate.

These "festive evenings" as they call them, are planned from a special banquet department. I am now on their e-mail list, thus the prices for New Years. I just received one for Loi Krathong in November.

offwego

as an FYI--I just booked the room at the Peninsula. The prices are the same as they always are in high season and no mention was made of any obligatory events.

glorialf

that's interesting. The Oriental is at least 25% more from Dec. 30- Jan. 3 or 4 and I think they require a minimum of a 3 night stay. And they're charging it again this year which is why I am going straight to CM on January 1st -- see no reason to pay a premium when I won't even be there to enjoy it (they do a great party on Jan. 1 for returning guests). If the Penn is regular price I assume they got resistance last year or don't think they can go up that much. Almost 80% of the Oriental's clients during that period are returning guests and many have been coming for years. Maybe the Penn hasn't had the time to build up that loyalty yet.

Hanuman

Firework firing sequence along the river: For festivals like the Loy Kratong there are normally 4 sets or group of firework show along the river. The Menam has a mediocre show, usually the first one to fire their fireworks. This is followed by either the Penn and Shangri-La who normally put on a joint display, then the Oriental and then the last show from the Sheraton. For the new year they all fire at the same time.

The windows in your room at the Penn, especially on the 33rd floor, will reverberate every time a firework explode right outside your room.

offwego

fabulous!