Staying at the Bangkok Peninsula in April. A few questions:
1) What is the difference btwn a deluxe and grand deluxe room?

2) Trying to determine if we should book directly through the hotel or one of the booking websites (sawadee). Sawadee price includes taxes, but not breakfast: $253 US(deluxe) or $266 US (grand deluxe) vs. hotel website which includes breakfast but no taxes: $255 US(deluxe) or $275 US (grand deluxe). Since I don't know how much they charge for the buffet, I am unable to tell which (if any) is a better deal. Can anyone help me?

Deluxe rooms are on floors 4 - 9. Grand Deluxe rooms are on floors 10 and up. Layout and furnishings are the same.

Breakfast was THB 650++ in August...should be the same or more, but not less than that in the future. Tax and service adds 17% to all hotel charges. Breakfast for two works out to be THB 1521, todays exchange to US$47.00 or so.

Sawadee's rate including tax for Deluxe plus breakfast would be US$300.00 per night. Peninsula's rate would be $298.00 per night with taxes and breakfast.

Book with sawadee and you have to pay before check in and are penalized for changes or cancellation. Book with the Peninsula directly and you give your credit card for guarantee only and can change or cancel without penalty up to one day before I think (this was our case at least).

Book a deluxe room...in our experience, we have always booked deluxe suites or deluxe rooms, and have always been upgraded to Grand deluxe at check in. If you are not and being high up is important to you, you can ask about paying for an upgrade. However, I prefer the lower floors as the view is "closer"...from high up, the skyline is nice, but the river boats are tiny, and that's what we like to watch.

Book through a Virtuoso agent and get a deluxe room for $289.00++ ($338.13) and get the following benefits:

One class upgrade from deluxe to grand deluxe room or deluxe suite to grande deluxe suite (not for upgrade from room to suite or to balcony room)

Daily breakfast for 2

Afternoon tea for two once per stay.

Early check in and late checkout.

Thank you KimJapan. What/who is a virtuoso agent? It's a better deal.

I actually thought a room higher up would be better, but you bring up a very interesting point. Maybe we can see a deluxe room when we arrive before we decide about an upgrade.

Do all rooms have a river view?

All rooms have a river view. We've stayed in rooms that face up river and those that face down river. Right now, down river is a construction site, so requesting up river facing rooms is a good idea.

Virtuoso is a consortium of elite travel agents that represent elite properties. You can go to virtuoso.com to be referred to an actual agent, or you can book a Virtuoso rate on kiwicollection.com or whatahotel.com. Customers do not pay for the service, the hotels pay commission to the agents and both hotels and agents meet strict standards to belong to Virtuoso.

the regular room is just fine actually and you are up high enough to see very well....

take a look at asiarooms.com as well for good pre-paid rates...incl. breakfast usually, but not always...

you can always eat a la carte, but the buffet is very nice...

i often feel that booking through the hotel you get a better room...

watch the hotel web site for specials....last year at this time there was a $190 special...

Thanks! I think I will book a deluxe room through the hotel directly since I can always change it/cancel if I find something better. That way I can take rhkkmk's advice and watch for special promos.

i see at least 2 special offers on the top of their web site....$315 incl several add ons and a suite deal with free nite