Bkk Hotel Prices Coming Down

[jfchandler]

Noticed some hotel bargains/discounts around my neighborhood that I've never seen before in two years of living in BKK, and some even in four years of visiting before that...

You hear a lot of talk from the Thai tourist industry about supposed promotions and discounts. But a lot of the time, that turns out to be just hot air, like the supposed FREE hotel rooms on offer in Pattaya...

But speaking from personal experience...these I'm seeing lately are real and genuine. For example:

--Royal Asia Lodge on Sukhumvit Soi 8 is now advertising their standard/normal room for 999 baht per night, including breakfast for two, on their own web site, and AsiaRooms has the same room on offer for 920 baht. When I was a tourist more than two years ago, I used to regularly stay at the Royal Asia, and back then their rates were over 1,000 to 1,100 (if memory serves) and absolutely no breakfast included then.

--Nearby on the same street, the Salil Hotel just today was putting up a banner advertising their rooms for 1,150 baht, which is about as low as their grand opening promotion a year or two ago. The caveat is that rate doesn't include their breakfast and only applies for people who check in at dinner time or later. But it compares to their standard rate of about 1,600.

--And then when I was strolling down Sukhumvit Road earlier this week, I noticed the City Lodge Hotel at Soi 7 had a sign out advertising their rooms, I believe for about 1,000 baht, and I don't ever recall them advertising those kinds of rates before.

Of course, the tourism business had been going down, and probably down even more lately with the BKK riots and maybe even a bit due to swine flu. But given the Thai tendency to raise prices when things get slow, it's nice to see at least some businesses are really reducing their prices in an attempt to draw in more customers.

[ilovefashionTV]

Ive called a few places that dont advertise for a 1 month stay and asked if theyd give me a price for this amount of time, most just multiply their daily rate by 30. Others ask for a 2 months deposit which there is no way in the world i'll be handing over for such a short stay

Thing is if they want to keep customers and stay in business these may have to start being THE PRICE and not a so called discount price ... i can see many hotels going out of business over the coming year or 2, because no matter what discounts you offer if there arent the same amount of tourists here as before its going to be impossible to fill all the hotel beds.

[ilovefashionTV]

The price for a room in lower Sukhumvit has also gone up by 50% IMO in the last 4 years so maybe these discounts are the price it would have been without the money (credit) that westerners were spending that never really existed.

[Ulysses G.]

Ive called a few places that dont advertise for a 1 month stay and asked if theyd give me a price for this amount of time, most just multiply their daily rate by 30. Others ask for a 2 months deposit which there is no way in the world i'll be handing over for such a short stay

Thing is if they want to keep customers and stay in business these may have to start being THE PRICE and not a so called discount price ... i can see many hotels going out of business over the coming year or 2, because no matter what discounts you offer if there arent the same amount of tourists here as before its going to be impossible to fill all the hotel beds.

I've been staying at the Nana for many years, but they just are not woth more than 1,000 baht, although they keep raising the price. I'm looking for another place.

[jfchandler]

The price for a room in lower Sukhumvit has also gone up by 50% IMO in the last 4 years so maybe these discounts are the price it would have been without the money (credit) that westerners were spending that never really existed.

You can have your "opinion," and it may indeed be true for some hotels.

But regarding the examples I cited, I stayed at the Royal Asia many times between 2 and 6 years ago (during my tourist days). Their rates now are as low as I ever remember them being, except maybe when I first started coming to Thailand 6 years ago. And certainly lower than the last times I stayed there about two years ago. That's not opinion... that's fact.

Likewise, I remember very well regularly shopping for hotels in the area back then, and never stayed at the City Lodge because their prices then, even thru the various hotel discount web sites, were much much higher than my target budget back then of about 1,000 per night. Now, they're advertising about 1,000 a night.

Those hotels' prices now are down from where they were four years ago...not up...

[jfchandler]

Ive called a few places that dont advertise for a 1 month stay and asked if theyd give me a price for this amount of time, most just multiply their daily rate by 30. Others ask for a 2 months deposit which there is no way in the world i'll be handing over for such a short stay

Thing is if they want to keep customers and stay in business these may have to start being THE PRICE and not a so called discount price ... i can see many hotels going out of business over the coming year or 2, because no matter what discounts you offer if there arent the same amount of tourists here as before its going to be impossible to fill all the hotel beds.

I've been staying at the Nana for many years, but they just are not woth more than 1,000 baht, although they keep raising the price. I'm looking for another place.

UG, I understand your sentiments....

About the monthly rates issue, some hotels list monthly rates (at a discount) on their web sites as an encouragement to guests willing to stay longer. Of course, I'd think that's in the hotel's interest, because then they have a committed, long-term booking. But some hotels don't, and no matter how long you stay, it's the nightly rate. If you look, you can find those with monthly rates, for sure.

About the Nana Hotel, I haven't checked them lately, but yes, they had been raising their prices in recent years. I don't know if they've dropped back lately. It may well be not. They are somewhat of a special case, as I'm sure you understand. Being located across the street from Nana Plaza gives them something of a built-in audience. As long as NEP remains there, I doubt the hotel ever will have to worry about occupancy rates hitting 25 or 30%, like elsewhere in Thailand.

[RAZZELL]

Here's an example:

http://conradhotels1.hilton.com/en/ch/spec...e_summerspecial

Looking at some of the better 4* and 5* hotels - which usually charge far more than I want to pay - there are definitely deals at the moment.

Majestic Grande has a "stay 3 nights or more and get the 4th night free (no breakfast)". Lebua at State Tower has offers.

If they're doing it I'm sure others are too.

I wish we could have a "pinned page" with all the deals people have spotted

RAZZ

Edited May 23, 2009 by RAZZELL

[thairet]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Don't forget to check out the leasing companies located in many larger hotels, especially for long term (6 mths plus).

I have enjoyed a two-bedroom, two bathroom apt plus separate, but small kitchen in Suk area for 5 years.

85 sq m, no abnam unfortunately and OK by me, but curtained fakboa and western toilet in both hong naams, maid once a week, washing machine, 4-ring cooker (no oven), m/wave, maintenance man on call during the day + hotel 24 hrs for emergencies, two TV's blah blah. All hotel (4 star IMHO) facilities available, pool, gym blah blah. The apt is re-painted every two years and (again maybe because of tenure) I enjoy a lot more personal attention than when I lived in the hotel in earlier years as a guest at 2.5 times the price.

I pay 1000 Baht per day. This excludes utilities (about 3000 pm including internet).

Caveat: I do not know the owner as it's a lease, but in 5 years the rent has not risen. I have made it clear to the leasing company that if the rent does increase (particularly in the current turndown) I will be out of there in a heartbeat. Maybe I got lucky with this owner and the apt which is great, and because of my long tenure I am considered "safe" or "select". So I would think a newcomer would start at 35K / 40K pm, but haggle, haggle and they will come down. There are many options in Met BKK if you cruise around.

Thairet

[Abrak]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Don't forget to check out the leasing companies located in many larger hotels, especially for long term (6 mths plus).

I have enjoyed a two-bedroom, two bathroom apt plus separate, but small kitchen in Suk area for 5 years.

85 sq m, no abnam unfortunately and OK by me, but curtained fakboa and western toilet in both hong naams, maid once a week, washing machine, 4-ring cooker (no oven), m/wave, maintenance man on call during the day + hotel 24 hrs for emergencies, two TV's blah blah. All hotel (4 star IMHO) facilities available, pool, gym blah blah. The apt is re-painted every two years and (again maybe because of tenure) I enjoy a lot more personal attention than when I lived in the hotel in earlier years as a guest at 2.5 times the price.

I pay 1000 Baht per day. This excludes utilities (about 3000 pm including internet).

Caveat: I do not know the owner as it's a lease, but in 5 years the rent has not risen. I have made it clear to the leasing company that if the rent does increase (particularly in the current turndown) I will be out of there in a heartbeat. Maybe I got lucky with this owner and the apt which is great, and because of my long tenure I am considered "safe" or "select". So I would think a newcomer would start at 35K / 40K pm, but haggle, haggle and they will come down. There are many options in Met BKK if you cruise around.

Thairet

Yeah, I have been thinking along the very same lines (but I suspect differently).

Why not buy/lease (difference too boring to discuss) a 80sqm apartment in say Emporium or a 5 star hotel for Bt100k/sqm (30years or freehold). Have the fridge stocked every time you arrive (even if you slightly overpay for the goods). Maid service, gym etc. Fully furnished and maybe a BT10,000 monthly fee. You could probably even rent it out but if you were that type of guy you probably wouldnt buy in the first place.

[Carmine6]

Early May, I stayed at the Royal President, for 1,799/night. Prior years that was 1,999. Well I've never stayed there, but at their sister property, the Grand President which was always the same price. They had the same discount.

Seems like most places were 10%-15% discount to prior years. When priced in dollars the discount was usually better due to the rate change.

I haven't seen the Landmark for less than $110- $120 since I stayed there for $90 or $95 five years ago. I paid $130 in 2005, then went frugal. Now their best rate is showing $100.

[think_too_mut]

Here's an example:

http://conradhotels1.hilton.com/en/ch/spec...e_summerspecial

Looking at some of the better 4* and 5* hotels - which usually charge far more than I want to pay - there are definitely deals at the moment.

All corporate and tourist packages have always been on "deals". Probably 90% of occuppancy.

Conrad is one of my corporate hotels and 87US$ all included has been our rate since opening in 2003. 87$ is less than today's "deal".

What is happening now, hotels are opening near-corporate rates to 10% of customers (non corporate and non package) that had been excluded before.

The trouble is - since corporates cut their non-essental travel (in fact, realized that 95% of travel has never been needed at all) not many takers are coming, deal or not.

In parallel, there are reports of hostel industry booming.

Edited May 24, 2009 by think_too_mut

[barrybike]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Don't forget to check out the leasing companies located in many larger hotels, especially for long term (6 mths plus).

I have enjoyed a two-bedroom, two bathroom apt plus separate, but small kitchen in Suk area for 5 years.

85 sq m, no abnam unfortunately and OK by me, but curtained fakboa and western toilet in both hong naams, maid once a week, washing machine, 4-ring cooker (no oven), m/wave, maintenance man on call during the day + hotel 24 hrs for emergencies, two TV's blah blah. All hotel (4 star IMHO) facilities available, pool, gym blah blah. The apt is re-painted every two years and (again maybe because of tenure) I enjoy a lot more personal attention than when I lived in the hotel in earlier years as a guest at 2.5 times the price.

I pay 1000 Baht per day. This excludes utilities (about 3000 pm including internet).

Caveat: I do not know the owner as it's a lease, but in 5 years the rent has not risen. I have made it clear to the leasing company that if the rent does increase (particularly in the current turndown) I will be out of there in a heartbeat. Maybe I got lucky with this owner and the apt which is great, and because of my long tenure I am considered "safe" or "select". So I would think a newcomer would start at 35K / 40K pm, but haggle, haggle and they will come down. There are many options in Met BKK if you cruise around.

Thairet

nothing cheap about that by the sounds of it.you would be better buying somewhere rather that throwing away dead money on rent like this...well thats only my opinion...

[Ulysses G.]

As long as NEP remains there, I doubt the hotel ever will have to worry about occupancy rates hitting 25 or 30%, like elsewhere in Thailand.

I stayed there when the Yellows were rioting and closing down different areas in Bangkok and they were begging for business. I was shocked at how few old farts were sitting around the lobby. I don't know what it is like now.

[RAZZELL]

Here's an example:

http://conradhotels1.hilton.com/en/ch/spec...e_summerspecial

Looking at some of the better 4* and 5* hotels - which usually charge far more than I want to pay - there are definitely deals at the moment.

All corporate and tourist packages have always been on "deals". Probably 90% of occuppancy.

Conrad is one of my corporate hotels and 87US$ all included has been our rate since opening in 2003. 87$ is less than today's "deal".

What is happening now, hotels are opening near-corporate rates to 10% of customers (non corporate and non package) that had been excluded before.

The trouble is - since corporates cut their non-essental travel (in fact, realized that 95% of travel has never been needed at all) not many takers are coming, deal or not.

In parallel, there are reports of hostel industry booming.

Well, we can't all get "corporate deals" can we? Unless you know someone who can get me some?

So for normal "Joe Smoe" it's a result

RAZZ

[think_too_mut]

Well, we can't all get "corporate deals" can we? Unless you know someone who can get me some?

All packages through bigger agencies were at corp prices. Anyone could have them. For example, Qantas holidays, "Bangkok 7 days 6 nights, extra night +" and then range of hotels, mostly 4 and 5 stars.

What is happening now is opening those prices to "smart" shoppers over the Internet. The prices are what the hotels are projected to work at, nothing is being given away (yet).

Further cuts in prices will come with cuts in services : no breakfast, tax not included, fewer cleaning staff that prohibit late checkout, charging for this and that...

Lower than that is a padlock at the door.

[Maestro]

Noticed some hotel bargains/discounts around my neighborhood that I've never seen before in two years of living in BKK, and some even in four years of visiting before that...

You hear a lot of talk from the Thai tourist industry about supposed promotions and discounts. But a lot of the time, that turns out to be just hot air, like the supposed FREE hotel rooms on offer in Pattaya...

But speaking from personal experience...these I'm seeing lately are real and genuine. For example:

--Royal Asia Lodge on Sukhumvit Soi 8 is now advertising their standard/normal room for 999 baht per night, including breakfast for two, on their own web site, and AsiaRooms has the same room on offer for 920 baht. When I was a tourist more than two years ago, I used to regularly stay at the Royal Asia, and back then their rates were over 1,000 to 1,100 (if memory serves) and absolutely no breakfast included then.

--Nearby on the same street, the Salil Hotel just today was putting up a banner advertising their rooms for 1,150 baht, which is about as low as their grand opening promotion a year or two ago. The caveat is that rate doesn't include their breakfast and only applies for people who check in at dinner time or later. But it compares to their standard rate of about 1,600.

--And then when I was strolling down Sukhumvit Road earlier this week, I noticed the City Lodge Hotel at Soi 7 had a sign out advertising their rooms, I believe for about 1,000 baht, and I don't ever recall them advertising those kinds of rates before.

Of course, the tourism business had been going down, and probably down even more lately with the BKK riots and maybe even a bit due to swine flu. But given the Thai tendency to raise prices when things get slow, it's nice to see at least some businesses are really reducing their prices in an attempt to draw in more customers.

Even lower when booking on http://www.agoda.com/?site_id=91344, ThaiVisa's new partner for hotel reservations.

Royal Asia Lodge: 849 Baht with breakfast, and earn 124 Baht rewards

http://www.agoda.com/asia/thailand/bangkok...l?site_id=91344

Salil Hotel: http://www.agoda.com/asia/thailand/bangkok...l?site_id=91344

City Lodge Hotel: http://www.agoda.com/asia/thailand/bangkok...l?site_id=91344

--

Maestro

[jfchandler]

Maestro, one of the reasons I don't like or use Agoda much for my hotel bookings is the way they handle their pricing...

Re your comments and example about Royal Asia Lodge, for example...

Agoda advertises a rate of about 846 baht per night, which sounds great. But, unlike most other travel booking sites, they don't include tax and service charges in their quoted rate. So when you add those in, the real price on their web site is about 1,030 baht per night, which of course is NOT lower than even the hotel's own web site.

But then, they advertise about their rewards program, which apparently would, if a customer used it, reduce the price back to about 990 baht per night. That's a bit better than the hotel's own web site, but nowhere near the real, all included rate of 920 baht listed by Asiarooms, which is inclusive of taxes and anything else.

A bit of truthfullness in advertsing would be appreciated....

[ilovefashionTV]

--Nearby on the same street, the Salil Hotel just today was putting up a banner advertising their rooms for 1,150 baht, which is about as low as their grand opening promotion a year or two ago. The caveat is that rate doesn't include their breakfast and only applies for people who check in at dinner time or later. But it compares to their standard rate of about 1,600.

I checked in here after the Paradiso Hotel on Soi 10 which is very nice decided to put my rate up from 1500 to 1700, upon checking out they asked why i was leaving so i told them and they said we are cheapest hotel in the region but didnt wish to answer why my agreed rate had gone up ...... unbelievable as its low season

Anyway its 1190 at the Salil but it has gone downhill a lot since i stayed there the day it opened it needs painting new shower curtains, bed sheets etc, just minor things but it'll make a lot of difference, plus the internet rate is extortionate.

I am meeting a girl tonight and told her to stay there she called to book a room and as with me they said the price is 1300 despite having signs everywhere saying its 1190, i told her to call back and now theyve told her she can have the 1190 price but cant check in until 6PM, nothing like trying to make the customer work to stay in an empty hotel.

Theyre advertising this price on the golf cart and outside the building but are still trying to squeeze a poxy 110bht from potential customers ... brains up their ass i think!

Edited May 25, 2009 by ilovefashionTV

[jfchandler]

Sorry to hear that... Based on your experience, both of those hotels are working hard to LOSE customers, not gain them...

Dunno what the folks at the Paradaiso are smoking, but at 1500 or 1700 per night, they're not even close to the most economical hotel in the area.

Just across the street from the Salil on Soi 8 is the Royal Asia, under 1,000 baht per night, and I've never had a bad stay or room there (other than the fact that invariably their room safes are locked open upon arrival and you have to call hotel management to come and reset the safe, in order for you (the new guest) to use it).

[bkkjames]

--Nearby on the same street, the Salil Hotel just today was putting up a banner advertising their rooms for 1,150 baht, which is about as low as their grand opening promotion a year or two ago. The caveat is that rate doesn't include their breakfast and only applies for people who check in at dinner time or later. But it compares to their standard rate of about 1,600.

I checked in here after the Paradiso Hotel on Soi 10 which is very nice decided to put my rate up from 1500 to 1700, upon checking out they asked why i was leaving so i told them and they said we are cheapest hotel in the region but didnt wish to answer why my agreed rate had gone up ...... unbelievable as its low season

Anyway its 1190 at the Salil but it has gone downhill a lot since i stayed there the day it opened it needs painting new shower curtains, bed sheets etc, just minor things but it'll make a lot of difference, plus the internet rate is extortionate.

I am meeting a girl tonight and told her to stay there she called to book a room and as with me they said the price is 1300 despite having signs everywhere saying its 1190, i told her to call back and now theyve told her she can have the 1190 price but cant check in until 6PM, nothing like trying to make the customer work to stay in an empty hotel.

Theyre advertising this price on the golf cart and outside the building but are still trying to squeeze a poxy 110bht from potential customers ... brains up their ass i think!

Mate, I understand your frustration but really - it's only 110 Baht. You won't impress your gal friend if you go out for dinner tonight and make her fork over 55 baht so you can get back some of the money this hotel is ripping you off.

As for the Golf Cart, obviously you didnt see the * on the other side that says - subject to change at any time.

[ilovefashionTV]

Mate, I understand your frustration but really - it's only 110 Baht. You won't impress your gal friend if you go out for dinner tonight and make her fork over 55 baht so you can get back some of the money this hotel is ripping you off.

As for the Golf Cart, obviously you didn't see the * on the other side that says - subject to change at any time.

If you knew how much ive invested in this one over the last 3 weeks with more or less no return you'd call me a horrible names, hence the separate room. (my room with its 1 glorious bed was offered)

But i'm a sucker for a pretty face and it makes a refreshing change to have to chase!

Edited May 25, 2009 by ilovefashionTV

[sabaijai]

Noticed some hotel bargains/discounts around my neighborhood that I've never seen before in two years of living in BKK, and some even in four years of visiting before that...

You hear a lot of talk from the Thai tourist industry about supposed promotions and discounts. But a lot of the time, that turns out to be just hot air, like the supposed FREE hotel rooms on offer in Pattaya...

But speaking from personal experience...these I'm seeing lately are real and genuine. For example:

--Royal Asia Lodge on Sukhumvit Soi 8 is now advertising their standard/normal room for 999 baht per night, including breakfast for two, on their own web site, and AsiaRooms has the same room on offer for 920 baht. When I was a tourist more than two years ago, I used to regularly stay at the Royal Asia, and back then their rates were over 1,000 to 1,100 (if memory serves) and absolutely no breakfast included then.

--Nearby on the same street, the Salil Hotel just today was putting up a banner advertising their rooms for 1,150 baht, which is about as low as their grand opening promotion a year or two ago. The caveat is that rate doesn't include their breakfast and only applies for people who check in at dinner time or later. But it compares to their standard rate of about 1,600.

--And then when I was strolling down Sukhumvit Road earlier this week, I noticed the City Lodge Hotel at Soi 7 had a sign out advertising their rooms, I believe for about 1,000 baht, and I don't ever recall them advertising those kinds of rates before.

Of course, the tourism business had been going down, and probably down even more lately with the BKK riots and maybe even a bit due to swine flu. But given the Thai tendency to raise prices when things get slow, it's nice to see at least some businesses are really reducing their prices in an attempt to draw in more customers.

Not discounting the swine flu, etc, but May, June and September are the lowest months of the year in Thailand, tourism-wise, and hotel rates everywhere are almost always lowered this time of year.

[RAZZELL]

Not discounting the swine flu, etc, but May, June and September are the lowest months of the year in Thailand, tourism-wise, and hotel rates everywhere are almost always lowered this time of year.

True. But I've seen rooms at The Landmark in Bangkok for £56 on Expedia in August, £41 in September!

Never seen them that low before.

RAZZ

[mzqueenie]

If thats the price for Royal Asia then I'm sold, i stayed there last year and paid around 1100 baht.. it will be good this year, our Australian dollar isnt as strong like before, so i'd probably save a bit

[jfchandler]

I saw about 920 baht per night, including breakfast, for the Royal Asia on Asiarooms.com. The hotel's own web site I believe is advertising 999 baht per night.