Iconic Bangkok hotel calls time after slide in luxury room rates

 

The Dusit Thani Bangkok hotel will close next month for a US$1.1 billion redevelopment, and when it re-emerges, it will have office, retail and residential space - and about half the number of rooms it has now. DUSIT THANI BANGKOK FILE PHOTO

 

Bangkok - A landmark Bangkok luxury hotel is being reshaped by intense competition in a city where posh rooms can sell for as little as 3,200 baht (S$137) per night.

 

The Dusit Thani Bangkok hotel will close next month for a US$1.1 billion redevelopment, and when it re-emerges, it will have office, retail and residential space - and about half the number of rooms it has now.

 

"We have got a lot of complaints about tearing down our iconic hotel, but it's necessary," Dusit Thani's chief financial officer Narongchai Wongthanavimok, said in an interview.

 

Full story: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/real-estate/iconic-bangkok-hotel-calls-time-after-slide-in-luxury-room-rates

 

-- Business Times 2018-12-13

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

will close next month for a US$1.1 billion redevelopment

sure mate, they will build a new building of gold and diamonds right?

A mall with some offices and flats on top.

Huge development, will be interesting to see how it will reshape this area.

Also where will Dusit Thani be as a company once the hotel opens in 2022 or later.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

A landmark Bangkok luxury hotel is being reshaped by intense competition in a city where posh rooms can sell for as little as 3,200 baht (S$137) per night.

 

 

 

I wonder how they came up with the $137.00 figure.  I get less than $100.00.  Need some new proof readers..

3 minutes ago, GLewis said:

I wonder how they came up with the $137.00 figure.  I get less than $100.00.  Need some new proof readers..

Singapore dollars not us dollars 

It's NOT iconic it's a hotel. The Eiffel tower can be described as iconic.

Considering the hotel being in operation for almost 50 years it is remarkable, that they still get a minimum of Baht 3'200. Others operate with 25% of this. Who is at fault? The visiting non-Thais of course. Latter being scared away over the last 20 years - let's face it. Thailand has been bad news with SARS, civil-war-kind of situations in downtown Bangkok with closed airports for weeks during peacetime, visa restrictions second to none (compared to other countries), absolutely uncoordinated and unplanned city development, traffic jams to the nines, mostly unfriendly if not rude staff not being able to speak proper English, touts and crooks from the moment you step out of the airport to visit temples at two-tier pricing policies and almost every cabbie offering boys, girls, kids and, if nothing works, his own sister. No booze on Buddhist holidays (no other Buddhist country has this rule) and election and by-election weekends (some six, seven years ago this covered four out of ten weekends in high season).  I dont mind all this but - in all honesty - there are better destinations for tourists, meeting conventions and for doing business. Thailand needs to clean up its act - if there is enough time. 

1 hour ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

It's NOT iconic it's a hotel. The Eiffel tower can be described as iconic.

It is considered iconic because it was once the tallest building in Bangkok and the last word in luxury. A symbol of a bygone age. I feel a bit of a symbol of a bygone age myself sometimes. I was also once described as an icon, come to that, by someone who was an icon himself, but that's another matter.

Iconic......it must be the most overused word on the planet.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

for a US$1.1 billion redevelopment

That's a large number, for a market that is being (and will be further) disrupted.  An influx of new generals is on the books...?

38 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

It is considered iconic because it was once the tallest building in Bangkok and the last word in luxury. A symbol of a bygone age. I feel a bit of a symbol of a bygone age myself sometimes. I was also once described as an icon, come to that, by someone who was an icon himself, but that's another matter.

I watched them build it so that must also make me some kind of an Icon 555

I remember it being built

8 hours ago, fruitman said:

sure mate, they will build a new building of gold and diamonds right?

Ah...you have seen the blueprints already. Very nice!

19 minutes ago, chama said:

Ah...you have seen the blueprints already. Very nice!

 US$1.1 billion!!!

7 hours ago, Pedrogaz said:

Iconic......it must be the most overused word on the planet.

I believe "hub" can claim that trophy in the LOS.

Very good that there is an oversupply and a crisis....many middle to upper grade hotels in 3rd world countries get a bit to arrogant and ask for inflated prices for their rooms. Sometimes, some deserve a good crisis and a slap on the face,  to avoid getting swolen headed and ask for prices that can sometimes be more then Europe. Same for some restaurants in Thailand.

13 hours ago, Pedrogaz said:

Iconic......it must be the most overused word on the planet.

Awesome!   ????

19 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

almost every cabbie offering boys, girls, kids and, if nothing works, his own sister.

Where can I find one of them?