Bangkok Hotels Does 5 Star Really Exist?

[smokie36]

Di it or don't do it. My favourite place is 1500 baht without breakfast and has a fridge empty of everything but water. If I want i can walk the five minutes to Asoke then fill it with champagne or beer or whatever.

Yeah the service isn't 5 star but then it aint at the Amari Watergate neither.

When my favourite is full I slum it at the Peninsula.

[farangme]

ps...although not five star, the Amari chain is a good and reasonably priced group to use throughout TL. I've found consistent quality and service across their locations over the years. Also, they even gave us a credit for the compulsory gala dinner one new years eve as we could not attend. Used the credit for dinning in their restaurants during our stay. Thought that was fair.

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[smokie36]

ps...although not five star, the Amari chain is a good and reasonably priced group to use throughout TL. I've found consistent quality and service across their locations over the years. Also, they even gave us a credit for the compulsory gala dinner one new years eve as we could not attend. Used the credit for dinning in their restaurants during our stay. Thought that was fair.

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Its OK.....but not 5 star as you say. Its the little things like the 500 Baht charge for internet....what's that all about?

Nah 5 star is your hotel driver sitting outside the sleazy bar waiting for ya cos they are a bit worried lol....

[manarak]

the pix look very bad.

could be a 1500 baht room.

Although I wonder why there is a sink in a 5* hotel?

Did OP book a regular room or is the hotel also offering serviced apartments?

My favorites: mandarin oriental, shangri-la, pan pacific, peninsula

Edited April 19, 2012 by manarak

[Ulysses G.]

I always thought the star rating system was based on facilities rather than services. If it ticks the boxes then it gets the rating

This is correct. The only thing that makes a hotel "5 Star" is that they have a certain number of meeting rooms, restaurants and such. It has little to nothing to do with the quality of the place.

[Captain Chaos]

The Sukothai hotel on Sathorn near the OZ embassy used to rate itself a 6 star or business hotel that doesnt allow more than an alloted number of tourists compared to hi-rollers and diplomats etc. Nice place with private bungalow style accomodation. Brilliant a/c. Nothing like the bungalow or dog kennels you get at the resorts.

Expensive but worth it.

Australian PM 's have stayed there if thats worth anything.

I stayed in the Sukhothai for a couple of nights when I first arrived in Bangkok (for work) many years ago. It certainly was very, very nice. Then I signed my contract and found myself mysteriously checked out of the Sukhothai and checked in to the Novotel Bangna instead. Funny that!

[chiang mai]

Try and stay at the Shangri-la or Oriental hotel. They are consistently rank among the best hotels in the world. I have never had any service problem at these two.

+1

[DP25]

Be interested to know exactly what made you check out after 30 minutes, must have been a shocker.

Ok you asked for it, i wasn't going to Blurt it all out as obviously its only our perception and opinion and we are aware that others have enjoyed the <snip>,

Here's the list of things that p____ed us off, you have to remember that we were seeking a 5star experience (me the wife and our baby daughter)

we wanted a warm cosy room with 5star room facilities.

Dark cold feeling as you enter the hotel, Cold reception from staff at lobby did not help us with our bags or even say hello as we walked up to the counter. the building felt so OLD and Decrepit. (pic attached of dark entrance looks like a closed down shopping centre)

They had not prepared our reservation even though we had phoned on our way to confirm our immanent arrival, we were told to sit and wait for them to sort a room out. the reception staff looked stressed and under staffed, no land of smiles here. they kept demanding ID card for our daughter! asking her name and DOB etc, shes only 6 months we dont have any passport for her or ID yet.

On arrival in our lonely room on the 56th floor, that had probably not seen a guest for years, No alcohol in minibar! we arrived hot and went straight to the fridge for a cold one.. it only had coke and water! no snacks or chocolate etc as per normal mini bar ( NOT 5 STAR!! )

Room basic and old, not even any paintings or pics on the white washed walls! drab, and NOT COSY (pic attached of cold white washed wall bedroom)

The Room actually felt like an old serviced apartment like you can get on Sukhomvit for 1500 per night, not a hotel room. (pic attached of horrible old kitchen)

Paint on balcony was all coming off, No chair on furniture on the large balcony. (waste of space)

The shape of the room was horrible, it was Long and only had window at one end, so the lounge part of the Suite was all dark and dreary with not even a TV to relax and watch with a cold beer, the lounge was a wasted space, we were told that all of the 1 bedroom 1 lounge rooms are this shape.

We found out that due to the size of the hotel and lack of guests they have shut down massive parts of the building, its like a ghost town building, we were up on the 56th floor, and she said there was not any other rooms occupied on that floor or near. (anyone seen the Shining?) it was a weird feeling.

The duty manager was stone cold and blatantly rude to me when i called her to our room to try to cancel our booking, not apologetic "Not even 1 F___ given"

"we have your money so F you".. atitude.

This is not even close to 5star, to be high class you dont just need a beautifully decorated warm building you need warm staff to match and we didn't see either.

within 1 minute of entering the Shangri-la we felt warm and welcome the place has a lovely vibe, and amazing staff, the room is fit for a king beautifully decorated with wall paper and pictures, mahogany furniture, gorgeous mini bar full of treats, bathroom also fit for donald trump.

Let me get this straight. Your perfectly livable hotel room didn't have beer already in the fridge, the shape wasn't right, no paintings on the wall, and the lounge not quite luxurious enough, so you were forced to abandon it, and the three nights you already paid for, and instead pay hundreds of dollars a night somewhere else in addition to the money already spent for a room you refuse to sleep in? LOL 1% problems

Edited April 20, 2012 by DP25

[RAZZELL]

The Hotel that Can't be Named™ is a good 4* hotel.

Rooms and location are ok, view quite nice, as is the breakfast.

The OP is being a bit disingenuous as the "reception/lobby" pic is not the entrance to The Hotel that Can't be Named™ but to the Apartment side of it.

I think it's pretty good value for money - you can't compare it to hotels which cost 2 or 3 times more and you'd be a fool to try...

RAZZ

Edited April 21, 2012 by RAZZELL

[IGCKorat]

Five star certainly does exist in Bangkok. The Four Seasons Hotel (which was the Regent of Bangkok for many years, and opened as the Peninsula) bears witness to that. Next door, the Grand Hyatt Erawan also provides a true 5 star experience. Both of course, offer 5 star pricing. In Bangkok, just because a hotel claims 5 star status, you must look well beyond that claim. You should know immediately you enter a true 5 star hotel, whether or not you have been a victim of its hype. Neither of those mentioned will let you down.

Edited April 21, 2012 by IGCKorat

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Try and stay at the Shangri-la or Oriental hotel. They are consistently rank among the best hotels in the world. I have never had any service problem at these two.

Peninsula also, IMO even more so than Shangri-La.

[Suradit69]

Try and stay at the Shangri-la or Oriental hotel. They are consistently rank among the best hotels in the world. I have never had any service problem at these two.

The one time I stayed at the Shangri La, the clerk at reception was such an unpleasant person that we checked out the next day. Now I prefer to take a serviced apartment like Marriott Executive Apartments on Sathorn or Center Point Silom ... wouldn't qualify as 5 star hotels, but I find them more of an enjoyable stay.

[Deserted]

I recently stayed at the Dusit and was not disappointed. Definately a 5 star experience and would be happy to stay there again. Had the best hotel staff I've ever come across.

[Jimjim]

I've seen the Mandarin Oriental described as one of the only 6 star hotels in the world, before, so that would probably get you at least 5 star, even by international standards.

[lopburi3]

Moderation attack post removed per forum rules. The laws of Thailand are not on the side of those making negative comments and naming names (which is why even largest newspapers never use more than initials in such reporting). It is not our desire for censorship; but your protection that is at stake.

[ashacat]

I stopped booking hotels in advance years ago, the taxi driver will do his best to get you a hotel in your price category. If you don't like it, he is waiting for you to go on to the next. Usually works unless there is an elephant festival or something.

What bizarre advice.

[sunseaker]

The Hotel that Can't be Named™ is a good 4* hotel.

Rooms and location are ok, view quite nice, as is the breakfast.

The OP is being a bit disingenuous as the "reception/lobby" pic is not the entrance to The Hotel that Can't be Named™ but to the Apartment side of it.

I think it's pretty good value for money - you can't compare it to hotels which cost 2 or 3 times more and you'd be a fool to try...

RAZZ

The really tall hotel that cant be named that and has the bar and restaurant on the roof looking over bkk was for sure disappointing,

I would be interested to hear from others who have actually stayed there, did they feel like they were in a hotel or a serviced apartment? I had booked a deluxe hotel room, im starting to think that the reception put me in the wrong room.

I spoke to one of the restaurant managers at the Oriental and he said that the L____ has kind of lost their way and now is only famous for the bar on the roof he thinks unless it gets a large bail out soon it will be gone within a few more years. the hotel is really quiet these days.

[smokie36]

How much did you pay per night to stay at the hotel none of us can remember the name of?

[doggie888888]

Oriental is great, but rooms very small and very expensive. Many nice hotels in bkk as mentioned by others on this thread. Just need to do a little homework before selecting one.

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I went to the lobby of the much celebrated Oriental and had a cup of tea as I was waiting for someone there. I was shocked that the tea was like dishwater so I peered into the pot...it was devoid of tea leaves, not even a tea bag!!!! It was like economy class tea on a Chinese airline. I can't remember exactly but I think it was close to 200baht ++ for the dishwater served in chipped and stained crockery.

As the late afternoon sun streamed into the lobby, I noticed (as did the table next to me) how streaked and dirty the glass windows were.

I am sorry, that is NOT 5 star, no matter who had stayed there before or what reputation it had in the past.

[sunseaker]

Oriental is great, but rooms very small and very expensive. Many nice hotels in bkk as mentioned by others on this thread. Just need to do a little homework before selecting one.

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I went to the lobby of the much celebrated Oriental and had a cup of tea as I was waiting for someone there. I was shocked that the tea was like dishwater so I peered into the pot...it was devoid of tea leaves, not even a tea bag!!!! It was like economy class tea on a Chinese airline. I can't remember exactly but I think it was close to 200baht ++ for the dishwater served in chipped and stained crockery.

As the late afternoon sun streamed into the lobby, I noticed (as did the table next to me) how streaked and dirty the glass windows were.

I am sorry, that is NOT 5 star, no matter who had stayed there before or what reputation it had in the past.

We Dine at Oriental often but dont stay there, if you read on Tripadvisor some say that its now just coasting on its past fame, just like the Lebua state tower is coasting on its beautiful views and fancy roof bar AND a scene in the Hagnover2 was filmed on the roof bar. Shame that such famous hotels can loose their spark. Oriental was the first hotel in BKK opened 1876 while we were there last week the King of bahrain and 40 enterage where checking out. The Oriental is still the choice for the rich, famous or Royal. Im sure that they put tea bags in King Khalifa's tea pot!?

Oriental is well worth a Wiki read! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandarin_Oriental_Hotel,_Bangkok