Hotel Recommendations

[littlestar]

I am coming to Bangkok this coming months and I do not know where to stay. This is considered my "first-time" here as the last time was many years back, I am coming with family including a infant and a 13 year old.

1. Where is a good place to stay I did a search on the web and found in general service apartments in the Sumhumvit area to be generally very reasonable priced. Is Sumhunvit a good location?

2. I planned to visit Wats and the Grand Palace and also do some shopping at the Markets. If you are familiar what would be the "MOST" convenient area that you will recommend us to stay??

3. Is Dec considered a peak tourist period in Thailand?

4. Is traffic bad throughout the whole day and whole year?

5. I was recommended Novotel Siam Sq and Patuwam Princess, also I took a fancy to the Jr. Suite at Indra Regent (2900 Baht) is that location good??

Your help would be most helpful.

[Jockstar]

Littlestar. Depends on your budget. Also depends what you want to do when you are here. There is a place near Khao San that is 300 baht a night. toilet, shower, fan double bed, tv, fridge, phone and free drinking water. Its on Samsen Soi 6 its called Nakorn Pink hotel. Personally i always book my friends in there. But again it depends on what you want. Air con is 100 baht more and hot water a little more. not sure how much. It is also not far from Grand Palace and Khao San Rd. Not to far in a taxi to the weekend market. Maybe around 120 baht. Theres a restaurant at the end of the soi thats excellent and cheap. December is is in the what they call the high season. Sukamvit is ok if you can afford it. I think its over priced due to the amount of farang living around there. Traffic is generally always bad in Bangkok. Very much so around lunch time and about 4-7 pm. Many people on this forum slate Khao san rd but its actually a reasonably priced place for drinking and eating compared to other places. ie Sukamvit, silom, Siam Square, etc

[valentinoxxx]

I think the budget can be estimated by looking at the hotels mentioned in the first post.....

Siam Square is an ok place to stay, but it would not be my recommendation.

I would suggest a Serviced Apartment. Why? You would want some sort of cooking and clothes

washing facilities for the infant. Also, ease of obtaining foodstuffs and household materials.

My recommendation would cover; ease of transport(to include the Old City), facilities needed for the children(including infant), overall standard(4*).

For your needs I would recommend; http://www.centrepoint.com/eng/location/31_silom.asp

A minute's walk from the SkyTrain that takes you to Siam Square, Sukhumvit etc. Equally close to the Express Boat that will take you to the Old City and all the major sites for a few baht. No need to get caught up in Bangkok traffic and the best and safest ways of travelling around the city.

Located close to the ShangriLa.

The apartments are built atop a shopping centre. It has a private entrance(with security guard) into the shopping centre(Robinson) and a supermarket(Topps) that is open until midnight.

So, it would be easy for the 13 year old to pop down to the shop without even having to go outside.

Bathrooms have a bath AND a seperate shower enclosure, so everyone can get clean at the same time.

Each bedroom has it own TV with another in the living room(which also contains an entertainment system)

Then there's the gym and swimming pool.

Overall, I would say that it would be most suitable for your needs. Take a look.

The One Bedroom Apartment(90 sq.m.) is US$86(£48) per night. The Two Bedroom Apartment(183 sq.m.) $180(£100)

The last time I was there, I stayed in the two bedroom apartment. I moved from the Oriental. I certainly didn't feel I was dropping my standard. If fact there were a few positive surprises.

Forget about Nakorn Pink and the Indra Regent. Neither of them are places where you would like to spend any of your time.

[kenk3z]

I just spent a few days at the Centre Point Silom apartments and can recommend it for anyone who wants a little more than just a hotel room. Very nice staff and excellent security. So convenient to the Skytrain and river boat system.

I'll write a more complete review soon to go along with reviews on the other places I visited - this trip I wanted to try more places and can suggest that its less boring to move around a bit.

But the Centre Point Silom visit was the highlight of the trip. I went for the riverview 1-Bedroom apartment and it was huge. The girlfried was sufficiently impressed that she started inviting friends over to visit. The interesting thing to me is that they were not the least bit impressed by the wonderful views (and they were awesome). Apparently to them the city landscape is boring and something they see all the time. But to me that and the river traffic was very entertaining.

Everything was really clean and kept that way. I did have a hard time learning how to use the Smeg integrated washer/dryer unit. Not only did it tend to wear out the clothing but because it does a wash and then dry cycle - I had a problem with lint from one cycle showing up in clothes on the next cycle. I'm no expert on this so its probably solvable.

The other thing I found entertaining (that the Thai friends couldn't understand) was that the entrance camera is shown on their TV cable Channel 1. So I got to watch the procession of people checking in and then later was able to review their selection of "visitors".

You should be able to find current rates as low as $50 USD.

kenk3z

[valentinoxxx]

You should be able to find current rates as low as $50 USD.

kenk3z

Oh yeah?! Where exactly? Top place though.

[littlestar]

I am very happy with valentinoxxx detailed recommendation, I would seriously consider your sugguestion to the service apt, and surely if you felt that moving there from Oriental is fine then I be in for a luxury stay.

Another place is The Residence Rajtaevee I found thur conicidence it looks not too bad, I wonder if you have any experience there (which I doubt so ) you seem to be a perso n who is into luxury too.

Link: Residence Rajtaevee

[valentinoxxx]

Location, location, location.... Centrepoint Silom fits your criteria. If you can afford it, go for it. If there was a more suitable option I would have posted it. Do you think it's a coincidence that Bangkok's best hotels are close to the river?

[littlestar]

Wow I found the place and it is very expensive way over my budget! 7,000 baht per night! That works out to be a lot if I am staying for over a week!!

[valentinoxxx]

What is your budget and space criteria? How many in the party?

These things are pertinent when making an enquiry.

You point to two hotels in Siam Square. They are in the same price point as the place I have recommended. There is no obligation to take the huge(183 sq. m.) two bedroom apartment. That is over five times the size of an average hotel room.

If you have three or less in the party, there is the 90 sq.m one bedroom apartment. That is over twice the size of a spacious hotel room. Coming in at less then £50(3550 baht) possibly up to 4200 baht depending on the age of the occupants. ie. 3 adults. 2 adults and an infant will be 3500 baht.

BTW, why did it take you so long to find it? There was a link in my original post, as there is here.

http://www.centrepoint.com/eng/location/333_1br_F.html

Take my word for it, you'll get more out of Bangkok this way. With easy access to the river, getting to the attractions will be a doddle, whilst getting to Siam Square etc via the SkyTrain just as simple.