we are splashing out a little and going to Thailand for our 20th anniversary. We love the look of the Peninsula but are wondering if we should go. Why?<BR>Well, we are just ordinary people and have had to save hard to go on this holiday. It looks like we will feel really pampered, but will I feel a little out of place? Is it a bit "snooty"( sorry, can't think of how else to phrase it!)And will everyone be expecting huge tips? Don't get me wrong, I do tip but wonder if we will have to spend more on tips/extras than we want to afford.<BR>I must sound dreadful but I do really want a great holiday and the Pen looks so good!What do you think?

I’ve not stayed there but I have been there several times and it is a lovely hotel, although it is on the ‘wrong’ side of the river.<BR><BR>No reason at all why you should feel out of place. Certainly it is nor snooty.<BR><BR>Tipping is not big in Thailand. Personally I have never tipped in addition to the hotel Bill, nor is one expected to. In a restaurant something between 20 and 50 Baht suffices, that is about US$0.50 to $1.10 so it won’t break the Bank.<BR><BR>Go for it and enjoy it.<BR><BR><BR>

I just got back a few days ago from spending 3 nights at the Peninsula. It is an amazing hotel with an incredible level of service.<BR>We booked through circleofasia.com which had the best rates around that included tax, service and breakfast. We had booked a nicer room with balcony and when we arrived, they offered us a deluxe suite for $40 more per night. We took it, of course. You only live once. The suite was stunning, huge, and beautifully furnished.<BR>We only tipped when they brought our bags and room service too the room-Somewhere between 50-100 baht ($1.20 to 2.50).<BR>Don't worry, you won't feel out of place. Everyone there was very nice and helpful. It's easy to get used to "the good life".<BR>BTW, the buffet breakfast was fantastic. We also had lunch by the pool which was very good and a dinner buffet one night that was excellent, though a bit expensive by Thai standards.<BR>A couple of tips:<BR>If you walk out the hotel down the long driveway to the street, directly across is a local restaurant with roasted duck hanging in the window. We ate there twice, and each time the whole meal (1/2 duck, sliced, with rice and 2 cokes) cost us 160 baht (about $4).<BR>If you want to use the internet, don't do it in the hotel as it is prohibitivly expensive (250 baht minimum). Again, walk out to the street, turn left and go 1/2 block. On your left will be a small internet shop where 1/2 hour minimum will cost you 15 baht!<BR>Go and have fun!<BR>If you want to read about my trip, chekc out my website at http://www.wired2theworld.com<BR>I have prior trips to Bangkok posted there and this latest one will be up soon.

My husband and I stayed at the Peninsula in January and loved it. We normally don't stay in hotels like the Peninsula. The only time I felt out of place was when we arrived from the airport from Krabi. We had our backpacks and were wearing shorts. The staff didn't make us feel out of place, we just felt that way. Once we got into the room, I changed into a skirt and my husband put on pants and we felt we fit in. The other posters are right on about the tips, they won't break you. The staff wasn't snooty at all. One thing to splurge on, arrange for one of their "cars" to take you to the airport. For 16000 baht ($40) we had a large Mercedes with driver (wearing hat and gloves). It was really fun to do, I could never afford to do that at home. Our driver was really friendly and nice. I think we tipped him 200baht. The bathrooms in the rooms are incredible too.

To: Anna (above poster)<BR><BR>How long does it take via car to the airport? We are thinking of staying at the Peninsula on our next trip to BKK but are concerned about the convenience (or lack thereof) of its location on the "wrong" side of the river.

thanks for all the reassurances and advice. People on this board are always so helpful. Sorry I have another question though- is the fact that the hotel is on the "wrong side" of the river any inconvenience?

It's not on the "wrong" side of the river- it's just on the other side of the river. <BR>It was in no means any inconvenience. For getting around town, just take the complimentary Peninsula teak boat across the river to either the oriental Pier or the Taksin bridge Pier where you can catch the skytrain. The boats run until midnight and we never had to wait more than a minute.<BR>We took a meter taxi to the airport and it cost us 270 baht including the tolls. Insist they use the meter- the driver wanted to charge us 400 baht.<BR>We arrived in Bangkok from Ko Chang via the eastern bus station and just hopped on the skytrain to the Taksin Bridge stop where the Peninsula boat picked us up.

I spent three nights in The Peninsula a couple of weeks ago, so I'll just pick up a few points raised in earlier posts, and reaffirm some of them.<BR><BR>There's no need to be dressed particularly smartly for the Peninsula. Smart casual is fine, I saw plenty of people in jeans and shorts and T-shirts, and occasionally people wandering through in swimwear and towels on their way to the pool. But I do agree with another poster that I feel slightly more comfortable checking in in something at least smart casual, but agree that that's my own feeling, not something caused by the way I'm received by the hotel. Service levels are very high, and that means that no one is going in any way to make you feel uncomfortable, in the way they might at, say, a London equivalent.<BR><BR>Unlike in much of the West, tips are welcomed, but not expected--it's not a Thai custom to give them. There will be no awkward pause, no clearing of the throat, or similar nonsense, and if you don't tip anyone at all during your stay no one will think the worse of you at all. B20 to B50 for room service is fine if you really want to tip. Don't forget you are already paying 15% service charge on everything you do.<BR><BR>I sympathise with Jody's feelings in her original posting. In general in Asia I enjoy this level of hotel far more than I do in most of the West, and I make more use of the facilities, simply because this ludicrous tipping system, where you pay again for a service for which you've already paid (twice, if there's a 'service charge') does not exist.<BR><BR>The hotel was the first major luxury hotel to be built on the side of the river it's on, which is why it's sometimes referred to as the 'wrong' side. But the river and its traffic are one of the reasons to visit Bangkok, and it is itself a major transport artery. The Pen runs three, free, boat services of its own: to the Mandarin opposite (every few mins until 1am), to the River City souvenir/antiques mall (hourly), and to the Taksin Skytrain station (every few mins). The Skytrain is the quickest and easiest way to get around, and should be taken wherever possible.<BR><BR>Building on the side of the river it did gave the hotel the luxury of a riverfront garden, often used for weddings, and offering one location for breakfast.<BR><BR>Of course, it's possible to get to the hotel far more cheaply, but I agree with the person who recommended getting the hotel to pick you up. After a long flight there'll be nothing better than being met straight off the plane by an impeccably mannered member of staff who whisks you through the formalities, the heat and humidity, and calls the car to meet you as you emerge from customs. The slow traffic will seem almost a pleasure. I was collected by Rolls from Hualamphong station (having come up from Singapore by train), and taken by Mercedes to the airport afterwards. Do it if you can.<BR><BR>Peter N-H<BR>http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html<BR>

Right, I've decided- its the Peninsula! Thanks everyone for the detailed responses.

The ride to the airport was about 45 minutes if I remember correctly. I think the taxi from the airport took an hour or so. We told the desk what time our flight was at and they helped us decide what time to have the car ready.<BR><BR>The Peninsula has complimentary boat service to the other side of the river, so it is easy to connect with the sky train or the public "bus" boats that go up and down the river. It wasn't really inconvenient to be on the "wrong" side since the boats were continuously shuttling people back and forth. The longest we waited for a boat was probably 15 minutes.<BR><BR>The buffet breakfast that was included is really nice, way too many choices! We tried the buffet for dinner one night and that was good too. My husband also made the long walk down the driveway. He went to the convenience store across the street and bought us Coke's and snacks for probably a tenth of the price of the minibar.