sharon212

Hi, all. I'm new to this message board. I've been looking at asia.com and your messages about choosing a hotel in Bangkok on the river for first timers. My husband and I are traveling to Thailand in March and I was wondering if anyone knew about the Menam Riverside Hotel. We want to spend around $100 per night and this place looks nice. Do you have any other suggestions? We're very excited. Thanks, Sharon

KimJapan

I think for $100.00/night and in March, you can do much better than the Menam Riverside. On the river, the Bangkok Marriott Resort and Spa is a favorite here (though I've never stayed there), and I'll bet you can get it for around $100.00, maybe a bit more. There is a new Hilton opening up on the river, just up from the Peninsula, the Millenium Hilton. I'll bet their opening rates will be good, They are online at sawadee.com, but not at hilton.com yet. There is also the Ibrik on the river, which looks lovely...small and personal.

If $100.00 is your absolute limit, you might find better value away from the river. You might start your search by browsing listings at sawadee.com and reading some of the reviews. asiahotels.com also has listings and reviews.

When searching out the best price, do explore all of your booking options, including booking directly with the hotel. sawadee.com and the r24.com bookings sites (all the same) referenced over and over on this board, are very good. asiahotels.com and precisionreservations.com are also liked by many. I'd look at all of those sites, plus the hotel's own pages, plus send an e-mail to the hotel about rates and packages they might be offering for your time.

You also might consider staying at a couple of places if you are in Bangkok at the beginning and the end of your trip to Thailand. You might balance out costs by spending more for a gorgeous riverside experience at one of the 5 stars (Peninsula, Oriental, Shangri-La, Sheraton)...then the other hotel one of the less dearly priced ones away from the river.

You could consider the Davis, the Metropolitan, the Conrad (in December we'll try the Conrad and report on it), the Majestic Grande (we're trying this one in January, so watch for our report on it)...that's just a start off the top of my head...there are many, many more places that are great.

rhkkmk

i would highly suggest you stretch your budget for the marriott...you will not be disappointed...

try this site:

www.huahin.20m.com
drop down the top window and choose bangkok....the marriott is down just a short ways....prices include breakfast and tax/service (17.7%)....

rhkkmk

i agree that you can do much better than the menam....

another option near the river is centre point silom...just in back of the shangri-la hotel....excellent and large rooms

KimJapan

I wouldn't pick the Montien either. To me, it's in the same class as the Menam, meaning you can do better for your money.

sharon212

Thank you all, so much. I feel well cared for by this message board. I will research some of the other hotel suggestions and forget about the Menam. Our plans for the 23 days we'll be in that area are Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Hanoi, Siem Reap, Phuket and home. Hotel-wise, we can afford a little more, but had planned to splurge at the Kata Thani resort in Phuket (on your recommendations), and were hoping to find great values in other places. I thought maybe Bangkok would be one of those places - but the river looks so beautiful that it seems like the right place to stay for us, even if we have to spend a little more than planned. Would it make a difference if I waited until after January 1 to book - might the rates come down?

glorialf

For the money if you want to stay on the river I would stay at the Marriott with the new Millenium or Royal Orchid as possibilities depending on the money. You might find better rates after Jan. 1 but if you see a great rate now, take it.

simpsonc510

I just stayed at the Kata Thani end of September. It was a really LOVELY place to stay on Phuket. Our group was very pleased, indeed. I don't think you will be disappointed at all. Kata Noi beach is really nice, and much quieter than Patong. You can easily go to Patong by taxi if you want to go there for an afternoon or something.

When on Phuket, you must try dining at Mom Tri's Boathouse Grill (at the Boathouse on Kata Beach) and Mom Tri's Kitchen (at Villa Royale). They are two of the very best restaurants on Phuket, and they are just about a stone's throw from Kata Thani!

***If you are standing on the beach at Kata Thani, look to the far right end of the beach, you will see a stairway going up to the rocky hillside. THAT is Mom Tri's Villa Royale property. DO go up there and ask to have a look at a villa and/or a suite!!! (although you should probably enter from the front drive and not from the beach stairs, I would say, it's more "proper&quot They are a very special treat for sure. I've stayed there twice before. You might want to stop by and make a reservation for the Kitchen (which is small) and then ask about seeing their rooms while you are there. They were very accomodating to us and showed us one of the new villa suites. The older villas (my favorites) were undergoing some minor refurbishment at that time, or I'm sure we could have seen one)

Do enjoy your trip. It sounds lovely. I think you will become another lover of Thailand, if you will get out and experience the people!!

Carol

rhkkmk

you may see rates drop a little after the first of the year....rates generally drop from april to oct 31 significantly....some site like the huahin site post rates now...last year the 4400B rate for the marriott dripped to 4000 about march for the may-oct period...a 400 B savings....

the difference between the nice hotels and the ok hotels is amazing....and for a difference of less than $50 you will be in a whole different world....thats why i like marriott....it starts slighly less than the other river hotels and when their rates come down it is cheap...

the sheraton orchid has some good rates from time to time especially on weekends....i do not like the hotel but others love it....AARP (seniors rate) is often good, if you qualify...

Brazilnut

I have just returned from Bkk and from staying at the Menam. It is OK, but if given the choice (I did not have it), I would stay elsewhere. Though the staff was nice and the breakfast decent, the room smelled of mildew and the shuttle boat was always out of order.

The meetings I attended were held at the Shangri-la and it was quite a difference!

rhkkmk

brazil---yea...like 2/3 star to 5 star...but not that much difference in price comparitively...