Rex Hotel Up For Sale

[johna]

Rex Hotel is being sold, negotiations on the price are ongoing but ฿10 billion is what I heard, I have no idea what property prices are, but that seems very high??

The buyers are reported to be the Taksin family who will put up a condominium.

I stay in the Rex every trip to BKK, and know all the staff by name so I will miss it.

[GooEng]

have some happy memories of the Rex too. shame it's being made into condos, an updated Rex would be nice ...

[Ulysses G.]

Is the Rex the (only) one that won't let men bring women to their room?

[smokie36]

Is the Rex the (only) one that won't let men bring women to their room?

I have a hunch you're not going to miss it UG!

[GooEng]

Is the Rex the (only) one that won't let men bring women to their room?

No, it isn't ...

[FunFon]

The Atlanta - one of the original Vietnam-era hotels, apparently first in Bangkok with a swimming pool - won't even allow an older farang to enter the restaurant with his younger teerak much less go up to the rooms.

And having a wedding certificate doesn't help, they just don't want their customers having to suffer such a disgusting sight.

The old German proprietor (who I'm sure has now passed on) told some great stories about his work with US three-letter agencies in the good old post-war/cold war days.

Excellent tutorials on Thai food ingredients in the restaurant's "long form" menus too BTW, good value food as well.

Edited April 16, 2013 by FunFon

[rookball]

what? they are converting rex to a condominium? who in the right mind would purchase a unit there? its almost like marrying a bar girl

[bartender100]

Stayed there many times in years past, very girl friendly

[Munger]

what? they are converting rex to a condominium? who in the right mind would purchase a unit there? its almost like marrying a bar girl

Well there are so many fools getting married to bar girls here, so they should sell all the condos in the first few days.

[Chicog]

The Atlanta - one of the original Vietnam-era hotels, apparently first in Bangkok with a swimming pool - won't even allow an older farang to enter the restaurant with his younger teerak much less go up to the rooms.

And having a wedding certificate doesn't help, they just don't want their customers having to suffer such a disgusting sight.

The old German proprietor (who I'm sure has now passed on) told some great stories about his work with US three-letter agencies in the good old post-war/cold war days.

Excellent tutorials on Thai food ingredients in the restaurant's "long form" menus too BTW, good value food as well.

I always laugh at the pomposity of this hotel, but it's up to them how they promote their hotel.

Zero Tolerance of Trouble Makers.

Pop Music or Violent or Pornographic Movies Banned.

Run on Conservative Principles.

Untouched by Pop Culture and Post-Modern Primitivism.

Miscreants are reported to the police without advance warning, without hesitation and without apology.

Yes, that pop music, the Spawn of Beelzebub and no mistake!

[Ulysses G.]

It looks like I was thinking of the Atlanta.

Edited April 16, 2013 by Ulysses G.

[SteeleJoe]

The Atlanta - one of the original Vietnam-era hotels, apparently first in Bangkok with a swimming pool - won't even allow an older farang to enter the restaurant with his younger teerak much less go up to the rooms.And having a wedding certificate doesn't help, they just don't want their customers having to suffer such a disgusting sight.The old German proprietor (who I'm sure has now passed on) told some great stories about his work with US three-letter agencies in the good old post-war/cold war days.Excellent tutorials on Thai food ingredients in the restaurant's "long form" menus too BTW, good value food as well.

They had no problem with girls on at least 2 nights in 1981.

It was still run by the same family (Thai/German) up til recently. Not sure if Dr. Henn is still alive - he'd be in his 90s - but it was his son (educated at Cambridge, I believe) who instituted policies in the mid eighties to set the place apart from the other places in terms of perceived sleaze.

[SteeleJoe]

Back in the day, the Rx was one of a few places to get a decent meal at 3AM (regardless of who you had with you)...

[chrispbacon]

The Atlanta - one of the original Vietnam-era hotels, apparently first in Bangkok with a swimming pool - won't even allow an older farang to enter the restaurant with his younger teerak much less go up to the rooms.And having a wedding certificate doesn't help, they just don't want their customers having to suffer such a disgusting sight.The old German proprietor (who I'm sure has now passed on) told some great stories about his work with US three-letter agencies in the good old post-war/cold war days.Excellent tutorials on Thai food ingredients in the restaurant's "long form" menus too BTW, good value food as well.

They had no problem with girls on at least 2 nights in 1981.

It was still run by the same family (Thai/German) up til recently. Not sure if Dr. Henn is still alive - he'd be in his 90s - but it was his son (educated at Cambridge, I believe) who instituted policies in the mid eighties to set the place apart from the other places in terms of perceived sleaze.

Nonsense, I dined with my sleazy bar girl friend over a weekend without anyone batting an eyelash.

[MegaRanter]

Rex is the one near the Philipino embassy, mid sukumvit, with burnt brick facade?

[GooEng]

Rex is the one near the Philipino embassy, mid sukumvit, with burnt brick facade?

yep. VERY tired and in need of renovation last time i was there 2-3 yrs ago, but not unpleasant.

[SteeleJoe]

Nonsense, I dined with my sleazy bar girl friend over a weekend without anyone batting an eyelash.

I am happy to take your word for it. I only go by what C. Henn said and what others who have stayed there since then have told me. I haven't stayed at the Atlanta for decades (my first night in Thailand 31 years ago when 3 of us had girls with us and a few years later, the second time, I didn't have anyone with me but I saw the signs).

Edited April 16, 2013 by SteeleJoe

[Neeranam]

The Rex hotel has been a horrible hotel for the last 10 years or so. I did go to the coffee shop many years ago and it was pretty good.

I would never stay there just for the fact that they charge foreigners double the Thai rate.

I used to live very near it on soi 49. I went to book rooms for my parents and my wife's parents once when my daughter was born. Of course I told the manager where to go when he told me of the double pricing.

[RefinedGentleman]

I stayed at the Rex Hotel last November and really enjoyed my stay. Don't understand where the negative reviews on the booking sites come from.

[asdecas]

Yes, the Rex was my favourite for a year or two, but they really are overpriced, and as someone above mentioned, operate a covert double-pricing system. There are much better options in the price range too.

Ten billion Baht? We've all heard of soaring land and property prices but the equivalent of $335m for effectively just the site would be a ridiculous price.

[tartempion]

Stayed at the Rex from 1990 onwards for 10 years, farang price was 600B, yes found out about the double pricing when they had this huge banner at the front showing Thai price in Thai. Last time I stayed price went up to 1100 breakfast included, they renovated they swimming pool also.

There were shops and tailor John on the ground floor.

I remember the days before Sukhumvit went dark when the started building the BTS.

Always walked in without reservation and all the staff knew me.

Arrived one night at 3am, was hungry and the restaurant was in full swing.

Those were the days my friend.

Nowadays I stay in 5* properties, what a change....

Stayed at the Nana and Grace once, Rex many

[Arkady]

Can't justify that sort of business on such a prime sport any more. I wonder how long the Chawala massage parlour will last.

[Arkady]

I once stayed in a hotel in Sukhothai and when I checked out the next day was presented with a bill that was double the price of the confirmed booking. When I queried this I was told that was the foreigner price. My secretary had called to make the reservation, giving for some reason her own name rather than mine or more likely they hadn't listened properly, and they had assumed the booking was for a Thai person. I refused to pay the difference since I had a written confirmation of the price and they threatened to call the police. Then a few farang guests came into the lobby and queued up behind me to deal with the sole receptionist who was arguing with me in Thai. I suddenly switched to English, a language she could barely speak, demanding to know what special services the hotel had provided me with to justify the additional rate she was trying to charge me after finding out I was a foreigner. I nastily asked her if the premium was due to her excellent English and had to translate the question into Thai because she couldn't understand. After another couple of minutes of this she capitulated and charged me the original price, having previously said that she had no authority to charge less to a farang and that her boss was unavailable.

I was sickened by this experience and would never consider staying in a hotel that has a known dual pricing policy.

[GooEng]

actually that's the first i've heard of dual pricing at hotels - i wasn't aware that it was going on when i stayed at the rex.

at tourist attractions and so on i don't really care about it, but in a hotel?? no way! i'll look out for it in future....

[Hedghog]

So if a Farang wants to buy it,is it 20 billion?

[Hedghog]

The price quoted by the OP is pie in the sky.

As if he a customer of a low end hotel would be privyy to the selling price of said dump.

[varun]

Rex is way past it's hayday, and pretty much a shithole now.

It's worth 1/4th the asking price, around 2 million would be more like it, maybe 3 tops.