one night in Bangkok and the worlds your oyster......will have already stayed "on the river" for 4 nights at the beginning of our trip so........
Sep 26th, 2008, 11:22 AM
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one night in Bangkok and the worlds your oyster......will have already stayed "on the river" for 4 nights at the beginning of our trip so........
I've looked through the threads but can't really find what I need and have a pretty specific question.
I posted yesterday and everyone agreed that we shouldn't stay at the airport our last night but come into the city. So my next question is...where to stay.
We will be in BKK from about 7:00 p.m. (flying in from Luang Prubang at 5:00 p.m.) til very early the next morning when we need to catch a flight home via 4 nights in Hong Kong.
Since we will have already stayed on the river at the beginning of our journey we would like to be in another area where we can walk out the door of our hotel and find a wonderful restaurant (I have rkk's amazing list)and maybe a little last minute shopping without having to catch a taxi or other transportation.
I'd like to keep the cost to about $150-175. a night or so...........
How would you spend your last night in Bangkok??
and I'd like to add a huge thank you to all of you who've taken your time to help me plan this trip. I couldn't have done it without you!!
We dont' leave until the end of January so there are still more questions to be asked but I wanted to let all of you know how much you are appreciated by me and every other person on this board who has come here not knowing how or where to start! You guys are Awesome!!!
I posted yesterday and everyone agreed that we shouldn't stay at the airport our last night but come into the city. So my next question is...where to stay.
We will be in BKK from about 7:00 p.m. (flying in from Luang Prubang at 5:00 p.m.) til very early the next morning when we need to catch a flight home via 4 nights in Hong Kong.
Since we will have already stayed on the river at the beginning of our journey we would like to be in another area where we can walk out the door of our hotel and find a wonderful restaurant (I have rkk's amazing list)and maybe a little last minute shopping without having to catch a taxi or other transportation.
I'd like to keep the cost to about $150-175. a night or so...........
How would you spend your last night in Bangkok??
and I'd like to add a huge thank you to all of you who've taken your time to help me plan this trip. I couldn't have done it without you!!
We dont' leave until the end of January so there are still more questions to be asked but I wanted to let all of you know how much you are appreciated by me and every other person on this board who has come here not knowing how or where to start! You guys are Awesome!!!
Sep 26th, 2008, 11:37 AM
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Lots of options on where to stay... here are some to consider:
The Four Seasons
Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit
Grand Hyatt
All of these are in the same area. All get great reviews.
I don't know about prices when you are there. I'd say check the hotels' websites for any specials.
The Four Seasons
Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit
Grand Hyatt
All of these are in the same area. All get great reviews.
I don't know about prices when you are there. I'd say check the hotels' websites for any specials.
Sep 26th, 2008, 12:30 PM
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Plaza Athenee
Intercontinental
Holiday Inn (Ploenchit Road)
All highly recommended and much more within your budget than Kathie's recs above. I have stayed in both the PA and the IC. Holiday Inn is right next door to the IC, gets good reviews here and is even less expensive. Note that hotels in this area take longer to reach from the airport than those on the river.
Intercontinental
Holiday Inn (Ploenchit Road)
All highly recommended and much more within your budget than Kathie's recs above. I have stayed in both the PA and the IC. Holiday Inn is right next door to the IC, gets good reviews here and is even less expensive. Note that hotels in this area take longer to reach from the airport than those on the river.
Sep 26th, 2008, 12:34 PM
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Hi Kathie & Craig: Thanks for that Kathy...
As Craig stated the hotels you mentioned are around $250+ a night which is a little more then we wanted to spend...especially for such a short time.
I'll check out these others also. Thanks...
As Craig stated the hotels you mentioned are around $250+ a night which is a little more then we wanted to spend...especially for such a short time.
I'll check out these others also. Thanks...
Sep 26th, 2008, 01:42 PM
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Of course my first choice would definitely be the Four Seasons, my personal favorite hotel in Bangkok. I stayed there for many years, but for your budget, I'd check out the Intercontinental or Holiday Inn from Craig's list. I'd pick the Intercontinental first although they're both in the heart of things...next door to each other.
I once stayed at the Chateau de Bangkok, quite nice, and inexpensive. It's across from the back side of the Plaza Athenee. If you consider the Plaza Athenee, then consider the Chateau de Bangkok, which should be even less. It's about a 300 meter walk from the Ploenchit skytrain station. At least in that area, it'll be an easier shoot out to the airport. And there's a nice little mini center across the street , from the Chateau de Bangkok, that has a very nice restaurant called "Circle" I think it was. I took a Thai friend there for dinner and we really liked it. It's western food and used to be called California Circle, but got new ownership, and did a name change to Circle. It had gotten really nice write ups when it was California Circle. There's a really nice outside, upstairs, patio section. Happy Travels!
I once stayed at the Chateau de Bangkok, quite nice, and inexpensive. It's across from the back side of the Plaza Athenee. If you consider the Plaza Athenee, then consider the Chateau de Bangkok, which should be even less. It's about a 300 meter walk from the Ploenchit skytrain station. At least in that area, it'll be an easier shoot out to the airport. And there's a nice little mini center across the street , from the Chateau de Bangkok, that has a very nice restaurant called "Circle" I think it was. I took a Thai friend there for dinner and we really liked it. It's western food and used to be called California Circle, but got new ownership, and did a name change to Circle. It had gotten really nice write ups when it was California Circle. There's a really nice outside, upstairs, patio section. Happy Travels!
Sep 26th, 2008, 02:19 PM
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oops - I was afraid of that, Jasper, but I didn't have time to check prices when I posted. Craig has given you some good suggestions. Of the ones he lists, I'd probably opt for the Intercontinental.
Sep 26th, 2008, 04:35 PM
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Drats! the Intercontinental is $177 excluding the 17% taxes...that'll put it over $200.
I'll look into your suggestions Guenmai....
Fodors also has a hotel suggestion called the "Siam Heritage" which is at 115/1 Surawong Rd., Silom. They describe it as a "classy boutique hotel with a purpose --to preserve and promote Thai heritage". They have 51 rooms.
I thought I might go to trip advisor and see if anyone had comments about it.
Do you guys know that area at all? Restaurants and maybe walking around a bit for some last minute culture absorbtion before we head out the next morning is what we are looking for and I thought that the Patpong area is close by? Not that I want to go there in particular but I've heard that there are markets and stuff open later on in the evening around that area?
I'll look into your suggestions Guenmai....
Fodors also has a hotel suggestion called the "Siam Heritage" which is at 115/1 Surawong Rd., Silom. They describe it as a "classy boutique hotel with a purpose --to preserve and promote Thai heritage". They have 51 rooms.
I thought I might go to trip advisor and see if anyone had comments about it.
Do you guys know that area at all? Restaurants and maybe walking around a bit for some last minute culture absorbtion before we head out the next morning is what we are looking for and I thought that the Patpong area is close by? Not that I want to go there in particular but I've heard that there are markets and stuff open later on in the evening around that area?
Sep 26th, 2008, 05:36 PM
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I used to live there and would recommend the Sofitel Silom. Very lively area, loads of restaurants (a fantastic restaurant/wine bar at the top of the hotel itself, called V9 - great views, fabulous food and wine). Perfect area for shopping, close to the skytrain. Ex-Bkk resident friends of ours used to stay there when they came back for visits and reckoned it was ideal.
Sep 26th, 2008, 09:31 PM
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As for the Silom area, I've never been a big fan of Silom. It's just too busy for me. I only go over there to go to the Jim Thompson flagship store which is on Suriwong. Plus, you're in BK for only one night and it'll take longer to get to the airport, from Silom, than from somewhere out on Sukhumvit.
Let us know when you've found a place. If you come up with any other hotels, run them by us. I have stayed in and seen a LOT of hotels in the decade I've been vacationing there.
Oh, you can also try the Novatel Lotus. It's near Emporium Shopping Mall. I know the area very well as I stay at Emporium Suites Serviced Apartments which are attached to the Emporium Shopping Mall . The Novatel Lotus is one of the views from my terrace. It's across from me on the other side of Sukhumvit.
I've been inside of the hotel. I went inside in December2007, but only to the lobby area as I was trying to buy a ticket to the New Year's Eve celebration being held there. The Prom Phong skytrain station is nearby, attached to Emporium Mall, and the street that the hotel is on is interesting to walk. It's right off of Sukhumvit, soi 30-something. I'm sure it's on the Nancy Chandler map.
It'll be a nice area for you to stroll for your last day since you will have done all of the other things when you first arrive into BK. And there's Lemongrass restaurant right to the left of Emporium Mall at Sukhumvit, soi 24. Kathie has eaten there for 2 decades as have some friendsof mine from here in L.A. They love the place.
And you'll be to the airport within 35 minutes if traffic is good. I zip to the airport very easily from there.
If you take a car service, like AOT to the airport, just have the hotel call AOT for you and ask for the 850 baht car. I write down the AOT car prices upon arrival into BK, while standing in baggage claim waiting for my luggage. The rep is right there in the baggage claim area. I took an AOT car last in December 2007.
Then, if I decide to take AOT back to the airport, I can just say I want the 850 baht car. Then they don't try to send an expensive car.
If you end up in that area of Sukhumvit, Novatel Lotus area, and decide to take a taxi, to the airport, then you can negotiate a set price. I negotiate it at 300 baht, and then there are two tolls...one at 40 baht and the other for 20 baht...have exact change to give the driver when he gets to the toll booth.
Or you can just tell the taxi driver to TURN ON THE METER which is what I did in September 2007 and it cost me 229 baht, to the airport, plus the two tolls of 40 and 20 baht. So, 289 baht total.
I left my apartment building at Emporium Suites, on a Monday morning, at 7:30AM for an 11:15AM flight and was at the airport in 35 minutes. It's better to leave early to avoid the traffic. Hope this has helped. Happy Travels!
Sep 27th, 2008, 06:01 AM
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there is a new marriott courtyard just in back of the four seasons which you might look at....
majestic grande on soi 2 sukhumvit might work for you....
around soi 6-8-10 sukhumvit there is a newish sofitel....
the rembrandt hotel has fantastic restaurants and might be in your budget...
majestic grande on soi 2 sukhumvit might work for you....
around soi 6-8-10 sukhumvit there is a newish sofitel....
the rembrandt hotel has fantastic restaurants and might be in your budget...
Sep 27th, 2008, 04:21 PM
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Sofitel Grand Sukhumvit, soi 6, is nice. I just stayed there in May of this year. Holiday Inn Pleonchit is really quite nice as well. Good sized rooms, nice bath with rainbath shower. I enjoyed my stay there, back in Feb 07. I've also stayed at Intercontinental, when it was Meridien. Nice hotel. I like the lobby area.
Of those three, the Suk Sofitel has the least "easy" location.
There is a wonderful Thai restaurant on Sukhumvit soi 8, called Kinnaree. Of the three hotels I mentioned, the Sukumvit Sofitel would be the handiest.
For shopping, you would want to be at the Holiday Inn or Intercontinental, since some of the best shopping is only a short skytrain ride (basically one stop) or you) or you could walk down Sukhumvit and see mall after mall!!
Carol
(I'm not mentioned my current favorite place to stay in Bangkok, on soi 8, Adelphi Suites, since you are only in town for that one last night, and your probably have no need for a studio or one-bedroom apartment for that short of a stay.)
Of those three, the Suk Sofitel has the least "easy" location.
There is a wonderful Thai restaurant on Sukhumvit soi 8, called Kinnaree. Of the three hotels I mentioned, the Sukumvit Sofitel would be the handiest.
For shopping, you would want to be at the Holiday Inn or Intercontinental, since some of the best shopping is only a short skytrain ride (basically one stop) or you) or you could walk down Sukhumvit and see mall after mall!!
Carol
(I'm not mentioned my current favorite place to stay in Bangkok, on soi 8, Adelphi Suites, since you are only in town for that one last night, and your probably have no need for a studio or one-bedroom apartment for that short of a stay.)
Sep 27th, 2008, 06:41 PM
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I've checked almost every suggestion given on Sawadee.com and am going to confer with our travel buddies tomorrow.
I'm leaning toward the Holiday Inn (approx $124. a night excluding tax)
and the Novotel Lotus (approx $100) because of price and location.
All of your suggestions are very much appreciated! Thank you!
Now I need to look at rhkkmk's restaurant list to see where to eat!
I'm leaning toward the Holiday Inn (approx $124. a night excluding tax)
and the Novotel Lotus (approx $100) because of price and location.
All of your suggestions are very much appreciated! Thank you!
Now I need to look at rhkkmk's restaurant list to see where to eat!
Sep 27th, 2008, 09:17 PM
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Jaspertl...One reason I suggested Sukhumvit, soi 33 area is that by the time you get back to BK for that one night, you probably will have already done all of your Bangkok stuff at the beginning of your BK trip. And since you won't arrive into BK until around 7PM, it'll be quite late. You'll get to Suk, soi 33 quicker than if you're in the heart of town and especially at that heavy traffic hour. So, why waste your little time in more traffic than you have to? Plus, it's easy to hang out in that area of Sukhumvit.
There's the absolutely beautiful Koi restaurant on Suk, soi 20...you can google it. It's the same, famous Koi restaurant that we have here in L.A., but I have never eaten at because the one here is too expensive. that we have here in L.A. It's about a block up the street from Bei Otto, the German deli/bakery and beer garden and on the opposite side of the street. Bei Otto is right there when you enter Suk, soi 20, on the left. I took 2 Thai friends to dinner at Koi, and they loved it. It's Japanese, but a kind of California style Japanese restaurant. You can easily walk from Suk, soi 33. I walk from my place which is about 10 minutes EAST of the Novatel Lotus whereas Suk, soi 20 is west of the Novotel Lotus.
So, food is not a problem in that area. The Tamarind Cafe , very highly rated, is also on Suk, soi 20 if you like vegetarian food. The food there is delicious. The owner is a female chef from Lyon, France and the cook is Hawaiian. I've taken many non-vegetarian friends there and they've really liked it. I eat there each trip.
As for the Novatel, I've stayed at several and, in my experience, they've proven to be very good for the money. I've stayed at them in Europe and in Ghana, West Africa. There are reviews, on trip advisor, of the Novotel Lotus. Happy Travels!
There's the absolutely beautiful Koi restaurant on Suk, soi 20...you can google it. It's the same, famous Koi restaurant that we have here in L.A., but I have never eaten at because the one here is too expensive. that we have here in L.A. It's about a block up the street from Bei Otto, the German deli/bakery and beer garden and on the opposite side of the street. Bei Otto is right there when you enter Suk, soi 20, on the left. I took 2 Thai friends to dinner at Koi, and they loved it. It's Japanese, but a kind of California style Japanese restaurant. You can easily walk from Suk, soi 33. I walk from my place which is about 10 minutes EAST of the Novatel Lotus whereas Suk, soi 20 is west of the Novotel Lotus.
So, food is not a problem in that area. The Tamarind Cafe , very highly rated, is also on Suk, soi 20 if you like vegetarian food. The food there is delicious. The owner is a female chef from Lyon, France and the cook is Hawaiian. I've taken many non-vegetarian friends there and they've really liked it. I eat there each trip.
As for the Novatel, I've stayed at several and, in my experience, they've proven to be very good for the money. I've stayed at them in Europe and in Ghana, West Africa. There are reviews, on trip advisor, of the Novotel Lotus. Happy Travels!
Sep 28th, 2008, 12:10 AM
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Have only been to 3 hotels in BKK (HI Silom, Ploenchit & Lebua). HI on Ploenchit gets my vote for location. Only a few steps to the Skytrain. Staying there makes me think that BKK is one big Night Market. There were stalls lining the street in every direction I took. I did not need to return to MBK while staying there.
Not clear when you will be staying there but checked prices for a Phantom reservation of Oct 25th.
Sawadee- $124 incl of tax , no brekkie
Agoda- <agoda.com>- $115 (stand) $132 (sup), no brekkie but incl of tax
ICH website
(https://secure.ichotelsgroup.com>- $ 112(stand) $130 (sup) , no brekkie, incl of tax
Have not done business with sawadee but prefer to do either Agoda or ICH website as they both allow you to become members & gain points towards hotel stays. I have redeemed free hotels stays with both clubs.
Not clear when you will be staying there but checked prices for a Phantom reservation of Oct 25th.
Sawadee- $124 incl of tax , no brekkie
Agoda- <agoda.com>- $115 (stand) $132 (sup), no brekkie but incl of tax
ICH website
(https://secure.ichotelsgroup.com>- $ 112(stand) $130 (sup) , no brekkie, incl of tax
Have not done business with sawadee but prefer to do either Agoda or ICH website as they both allow you to become members & gain points towards hotel stays. I have redeemed free hotels stays with both clubs.
