Gloria- well lets see- we did go to the lobby of the big O- maybe that counts. We have a sick cat so it looks like a stalemate.
We are going to have a lot of fun at this HGT- travel quiz, raffle, prizes- see what you are missing!

Bill -- being in the lobby doesn't count. :). Sorry about your cat. But pets become like family so we have to do what we have to do.

I'm sure there will come a time when we will be able to debate face to face!

Bill, you need to stay at the Oriental before you can weigh in on this. Bella, save your 2nd visit to the "O" for your next trip to Bangkok, providing you feel it is the better of the two.

is there still yellow water coming from the faucets at the oriental??

sorry i just could not resist..

Craig- yes to make a fair comparison one does need to stay at both places. But I can make a few observations without staying there- namely:
1) The price is usually better at the Penn- not always but usually. Its very unlikely that I'm going to pay more to stay at the O.
2) The views are much better at the Penn
3) Since the Penn is fairly new- that means everything works. You are not likely to find the yellow water problem at the Penn. My own theory on this is that the O is old, therefore even though you can upgrade the furishings you can't do much with the infrastructure- namely the water pipes and such. I suspect the pipes there have corroded to some extent and maybe groud water/river water seeps in at times. There is not much the hotel can do about that.
3)Apparently not all rooms are created equal there at the O so one could wind up with one that is somewhat "Old".
4) Service- of course this is what everyone raves about at the O and without staying there I cannot comment on that aspect suffice to say the serrvice at the Penn was wonderful also.

Bottom line- I am a value shopper so if we do go back to BKK and the rate offered at the O is a great deal compared to the Penn- we might just give it a try!

Bill-- You're right that the price is usually lower at the Pen. However, there have been some reports recently about things looking worn or being mouldy at the Pen so the "it's new so better" may no longer be true. Also, the views are a matter of taste. One of the things people love about the views at the Pen is that you can be much higher. I'm someone who much prefers the views from lower floors where you can see more details of the boats etc. So I don't think anyone can say which is a better view -- just which one they can prefer. One thing that definitely IS true is that the standard rooms at the Pen are larger and are more high tech. For some that alone would make it the appropriate choice. The other clear difference is that the Oriental has the history behind it.

But again -- it's really about trying to ascertain what is the right hotel for "you".

The Oriental and Peninsula are very different hotels but both are deluxe. Which one a person prefers probably says more about the individual than it does about the quality of either hotel

I love the Oriental but in Chiang Mai I would much rather stay at Baan Orapin than any of the 5 star luxury resorts but that's because what is most important to me is the atmosphere, kindness of staff, homey feeling etc. If I was a billionaire I wouldn't stay at the Dhara Devi or 4 seasons in Chiang Mai. That's me. Doesn't mean that those hotels aren't worth every penny to someone else.

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Wow, Gloria is talking in foreign languages now!! Or is that a da vinci code at the end there???

One thing to remember it that these two hotels are what, 300 yards apart? you can easily try both without a lot of humbug making the transfer. I've stayed at the Penn (and loved it) and eaten several times at the Oriental (and Loved it), next time I'll probably stay at the Oriental, and love that as well. They are both fantastic hotels.

how exciting - I've sparked off a debate :)!

I did look at the room we would get at the Peninsula. We have a Grand Deluxe Room booked and get an automatic upgrade to a balcony room for $224 and breakfast, late checkout and 2 massages are included in the price. However the balcony room is really too small for a cot to be in there too. The receptionist recommended booking a Balcony room for $240 which would get us an upgrade to a Deluxe Suite with extras as per above.

For $315 we can book a Deluxe Double at the Oriental but will be upgraded to either a Deluxe Stateroom or a Executive Suite depending on availability. We get a free lunch and breakfast and late checkout etc from the Oriental.

Part of my concern about the Peninsula was that it was incredibly quiet - just very serene and peaceful everywhere. We have a rambunctious two year old so peaceful environs can prove stressful as she disturbs them :). The Oriental had a more lively lobby and also had a fantastic kid's room where she could play with lots of toys and books.

I was v keen to stay at both in order to be able to compare but now I am wondering whether I should leave the Peninsula visit until a later date when I have a more serene child! V interested to hear any more views :)
BB

The balcony rooms are not a good deal at the Penn. It is too hot to sit outside, the balcony itself blocks your view from the room and, as you said, the rooms are small. I do not consider the balcony rooms an "upgrade" from the grand duluxe. See if you can upgrade TO a grand deluxe from a less expensive room or go for a suite.