Again, more comments about the difference. Why on earth would you want to travel all the way to Bangkok to have a good European or American Breakfast??? Stroll the streets for exquisite mangos and sticky rice. Go for the Oriental - it is what Thailand is all about?

My husband and I recently stayed at both the Oriental and the Pen. The Pen's deluxe/grand deluxe rooms were huge, much bigger than the Oriental's standard rooms. We found the service at the Oriental to be really extrodinary and their lobby and restaurants to be more lively.

I give a slight edge to the Pen, while my husband really loved the service at the Oriental. Both are great...I would really try to stay at both if you can

Someone above mentioned staying at both, which if you have 5 nights might be worth the hassle. We have stayed at both, albeit on separate trips - my vote goes to the Penn - its a better value: larger rooms, lower cost. I should also add that the view is better, especially from the upper floors of the Penn. As far as your criteria - service, ambience and general feeling of being pampered, these are subjective - you'll just have to experience the hotels for yourself.

We have also stayed at both and my vote goes to the Pen. I feel you get more value for your money at the Pen and I wasn't too thrilled with the way the doormen at The Oriental treated their returning guests.

Aloha!

just a plug for the oriental....where else in this world can you go and see gloria sitting in the lobby totally content....its her favorite and they love her...

just made my res for peninsula for november for loy krathang...looking forward to it

Oriental has a special going on. You pay for 2 nights and get 1 night free for a standard room, ends on Oct 15 . The total for 3 nights is about $396USD. It's from a Hong Kong agency, so I am not sure if it is for HK market only. Pls check http://www.wincastle.com.hk/.
I have booked it and had no problem.

That's a great price for the Oriental!

Stayed at both..always a tough choice but on a leisure trip I'd go for the Oriental..I'm a sucker for the history..

I agree with Hobbes...when one's at the Oriental you really feel part of history and also that you've really arrived...so to speak. I think it's a good experience for someone if it's his/her FIRST trip to Bangkok. As for the Pen,as someone described it last year on this forum, "It's just super deluxe". But, wherever you stay I'm sure you'll love it...afterall you'll be in Bangkok...who could ask for anything more? Happy Travels!

Evereyone knows that for me there is no contest -- it's the Oriental all the way. As someone else said --it's a main reason I return to bangkok. The Pen could be anywhere. The Oriental is Bangkok.

I agree with Gloria on this one. The Oriental stands out and has a Bangkok feel.It's like that feel I got when I first went to Bangkok, back in the 90s, and stayed at the(no longer) Siam Intercontinental Hotel...on the grounds of where Paragon mall has just been built. That hotel made me feel like I was really in Bangkok.I'm really glad I stayed there.The Oriental is like that...only 5 star instead of 3 and a half to 4 star. I think it's a great hotel for a first-timer to Bangkok. Happy travels!

My daughter and I stayed at both in April. We stayed at the Pen first and the whole time my daughter kept saying, "I don't know how any hotel could be better than this". We went to Phuket for a few nights and then when we came back to Bangkok we stayed at the Oriental. Then my daughter *age 13* kept saying "Now I know what is better at the Oriental". Your every need is anticipated. The rooms are more techno at the Pen and the pool at the Pen is much nicer. Both are fantasic hotels but the Oriental just has that history and warm homey feeling.
Either way have a great trip, you will not be dissappointed either way.
Any chance you have time to stay at both like we did? Have the best of both worlds!!
April

Yes, that's exactly it..."History and that warm,homey feeling" and the fact that you don't feel like you're staying at a hotel, but at someone's residence instead.Plus, you really feel like you're in Bangkok.If I were to take my mom to Bangkok, I'd split her stay in the Four Seasons, The Oriental, and the serviced residence where I stay and I know she'd be a Very happy person. Happy Travels!

i have never been to a residence that had that many people milling around in the front hall...

I've only eat and drank in the restaurants and bars at The Oriental. It's always felt very much like a hotel to me, albeit a fancy one. The lobby has always been very busy and I've never managed to find a free seat in it....unlike my own residence :-)

I've experienced some big residences. Happy Travels!

For me the difference is that at the Oriental I have "friends" -- at the Pen I have "staff". As I posted on another thread, I just turned 60 and got a gorgeous floral arrangement from my "friends" at the Oriental with a note from the Director of Guest Relations saying that she was sorry I wasn't able to spend my 60th birthday with them and hoped to see me soon. Good promotion -- obviously but it's the kind of personal attention I can't imagine getting anywhere else.

I think if you stay often enough at any quality 4/5 star hotel the staff will pay more attention to you, you will get better service, they will anticpate your likes/needs and they also will become your friends.

I think it depends if the staff stays for more than a year or so. The reason I have "friends" at the Oriental is because many of the staff have been there for 20 or more years. Even the waitresses stay for several years and many get promoted so you see the same people when you return. Even a great hotel if they have staff turnover can't achieve that level of personal attention.