I have been staying here for 20 years and feel like the staff are now my friends. My last time there was last year and I stayed in the River Wing. I'm wondering if anyone has stayed in the Garden Wing since their renovation and can tell me how the rooms (the standard ones, not the suites) compare to the ones in the River Wing. I know that the views aren't as good. I'm going with someone who has never been to Thailand so I'd like to get the room that is the nicest. That said -- I know there are bigger, more luxurious rooms in other hotels and I stay here largely because of the staff, location, ambience and restaurants.

Gloria

ttt

When was the renovation? We stayed in the Garden Wing in 2000 - seemed fresh and new - they were working on other areas of the hotel. Can't compare to River Wing but our split level room (pretty sure it wasn't a suite) was wonderful. Since it was July, the view was often fogged by the humidity build-up on the window. When it was wasn't, the views of river activity were fantastic.

The Garden Wing was closed for renovation in July of 1997. Don't know if they've done additional renovations since then.
We always thought the Garden Wing rooms had more charm.

I looked back at the 6th edition of Fodors Thailand which we used when we went in 2000. It recommended the Garden Wing which is the original building. It said it had just been refurbished and had the best rooms. If you look in the "Hotels" section of this site you will see that Fodors Thailand is now on its 8th edition. It says the original building is now called the Author's Residence and its rooms are still the most comfortable unless you want to stay in a suite in the River Wing.