Bangkok Hotels

[Evil Penivel]

The confusion over "guest friendliness" is partly a matter of semantics and partly due to uneven enforcement of hotel policies. Probably the most widely used definition on the LOS punter boards would be that a "guest friendly" hotel must allow an unregistered guest to stay overnight without extra charge, i.e., no joiner fees. Moreover, you must be able to change guests every night or even several times in the same day.

However, you do not have an absolute right to bring back an unregistered guest even if you have paid for a double room. Whether an unregistered guest can stay the night with you is always at the discretion of the hotel, no matter what country you are in. In fact, many cities have local laws which forbid unregistered guests in hotels (I doubt this applies to Thailand!). A further point of confusion is that some hotels in some countries won't allow you to have an unregistered female guest in the room under any circumstances after a certain point in time, usually 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. in the evening. So guys used to more restrictive hotels may regard a hotel in LOS as guest friendly even if it charges a joiner fee because they can take an unregistered guest back with them.

Farang punters sometimes describe how they have snuck girls past the front desk or security by using some trick. Or they claim to have argued about a joiner fee and gotten the hotel to drop it. They consider the hotel to be guest friendly in practice if not theory. Guest friendliness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Arguing about a joiner fee must involve a huge loss of face for the farang in front of the hotel staff and the girl, but some farang don't care about that, as long as they save a few hundred baht.

But even if we agree on a basic definition of guest friendly, it gets confusing. Some hotels in LOS allow you one unregistered guest without a joiner fee but charge a fee for a second or third. Some may permit certain guests to bring back unregistered guests without a joiner fee, but charge other guests who try the same thing. This can depend on what type of room the guest is staying in and the rate he paid for it. Some guests get highly discounted rates for one person and the hotel will ask for a joiner fee if an unregistered guest stays overnight. Finally, some hotels may impose a joiner fee to discourage rowdy guests. A hotel can be guest friendly, but that doesn't mean it welcomes wild partying. If you know that you'll be taking several girls back to your room each day as well as drinking heavily, you want to make sure your hotel is "monger firendly" as well as guest friendly.

For all these reasons, there can be conflicting reports about joiner fees at the same hotel. The best way is as Duniawala and others suggested - email the hotel or booking agency and ask whether a joiner fee is charged for unregistered overnight guests. The risk is, however, that some hotels will answer they charge joiner fees when in practice they don't. The hotel - particularly ones that are part of large chains - don't know who has sent the inquiry. It could be a journalist, an NGO or a corporate executive who only wants his employees to stay in non-guest friendly establishments. The hotel will play it safe and answer unregistered guests aren't allowed or that a fee is charged for them. The hotel's management doesn't want to read a magazine or newspaper article that claims the hotel encourages prostitution by allowing unregistered guests to stay overnight.

It's also important to keep everything in perspective. Joiner fees aren't a crime against humanity, they are simply a hotel policy. If it's in your power to choose the hotel on your own, then make sure you pick hotels that are explicitly guest friendly. If your employer or someone else assigns you (and pays for) a hotel that isn't GF, then pay the joiner fee yourself if you want an overnight guest. If you're on holiday and plan on 10 days or two weeks of wild mongering, then do your research and be certain to select an appropriate hotel.


Please note this applies to UNREGISTERED guests. If the girl registers at the hotel, "guest friendly" doesn't enter into the matter. Whether you've known her for 10 years or 10 minutes, as long as she REGISTERS with you, she's a guest on the same terms as every other guest. Also note that the front desk or hotel security collecting her ID isn't the same as registration. Registration means she gets her own key(card), can enter the room even if you aren't there, can order things and sign for them through room service, etc. Unless you know the girl very well and trust her to a high degree, it's a bad idea to register her.

Evil

[Member #3428]

Good advice. The hotels are generally very forthcoming on this. I would add "and if the answer is yes, is there a joiner fee?".

AT2

Yes but even hotels with joiner fees I've never been asked for a fee or bribe. My firm books me a double room, my name and guest or Mr. and Mrs. at all times and never have had a problem. Of course I'm not taking a girl dressed like a **** drunker then anything at 3 am. Do they register the girls I check in with, usually yes they do, but after checking in with a girl, and I bring back other girls later in the trip, they never ask for other girls ID's.

So there really is not a good rule. I've read reports of joiner fees at some hotels where I've not had an issue before so it's confusing. There is no hard fast rule when it comes to girl friendly or not. But it seems like if you book a double and check in with a girl (if you have a steady or a girl you know, just check in with her) and you can get away without the joiner fee atleast in my experiences.

[Duniawala]

Lately a lot of requests/questions have been about whether a particular hotel is GF or not. Here is what I did on my first visit to LOS many years ago.

I had booked a room through Asia Travel (www.asiatravel.com) but I needed to know if the hotel was GF or not. So I asked the agent the same. Does the hotel allow bringing girls to the room? Surprisingly I got a reply the next day with the answer, yes.

I would suggest the same for all those seeking the answer. Call/email the agent or the hotel directly and you will get the answer. Lot better than getting ambiguous answers from fellow posters.

So have fun and post your hotel experience here.

[AliasDonkey]

I considred booking the Tai Pan 2 years ago, and was told by the staff it was 100% absolutely not GF. A rather large joiner fee was required, I think about 1,000.

There are so many other hotels, why take a chance at the Tai Pan?

The Tai Pan is in the perfect location for a Soi Cowboy mongering. Location location location is the key LOL...

Dont want to cross that 8 lane street while im drunk LOL..

Well what do you recommend?

[1Ball]

I considred booking the Tai Pan 2 years ago, and was told by the staff it was 100% absolutely not GF. A rather large joiner fee was required, I think about 1,000.

There are so many other hotels, why take a chance at the Tai Pan?

[M P Lurker]

GF status seems to be a subject of debate.

Maybe GF needs to be carefully defined,
e.g.
Does it mean non-checked in guests not allowed in room at all; or
subject to joiner fee or bribe;
dependent on double room booking?
etc.

I recall one post saying GF but joiner fee required, which would be unfriendly in another view.

The other issue is that different Hotel staff may not be consistent and rules change over time if not being GF is hurting business.

[Heston]

Interesting. I would guess that folks are starting to feel the pain of higher airfares resulting from fewer flights and high fuel surcharges. But it could simply be that they over-reached. I personally went away from them when they jacked the rate for the nicer wing to 2800, and I booked the CitiChic instead for my last trip. I certainly would have stayed at the Dynasty Grande had they kept the 2280 rate early last December. I wonder how many other customers that they lost due to that big price hike. Obviously, they felt the pain.

Gentlemen,

Which wing at the Dynasty Grande is the "Nicer wing"?

Thanks

[Thomas Jefferson]

I RTFF, but could not find. I will stay in Grand Merure Park Avenue.

Can anybody tell me about their GF policy?

Thanks

Jefferson

[AsiaTraveler2]

Has anyone stayed here: Tai-Pan Hotel Bangkok

Its very close to Soi cowboy but i havent seen anyone post anything about this place.

Girl Friendly?

Run down?

Thanks for any info.

Alias,

GF status seems to be a subject of debate. The Traveler and Horntoad seem to indicate No and others indicate yes. My gut tells me yes, given the location, but who knows why all of these guys are having such different experiences with the GF issue.

AT2

TAI-PAN HOTEL (SUKHUMVIT SOI 23 – ASOKE BTS) – Star Rating *** / GF: Subject of debate as some mention joiner fees of 600 baht a few years ago.

Tai-Pan Hotel website
Tripadvisor reviews
Horntoad ISG report .. GF: No
MilesToGo ISG report .. GF: Yes
Giotto ISG report: GF: Yes Confirmation
The Traveler ISG report .. GF: No
Freeman 418 ISG report .. GF: Yes

[Horntoad]

Tai-Pan Hotel is definitely not GF friendly. Friend stayed there and rooms were decent but not great.

[AliasDonkey]

Has anyone stayed here: Tai-Pan Hotel Bangkok

Its very close to Soi cowboy but i havent seen anyone post anything about this place...


Girl Friendly?

Run down?

Thanks for any info.

[AsiaTraveler2]

There is also another Holiday Inn on Ploenchit Road at the Chit Lom BTS station. It is right across the street from the Grand Hyatt and next to Gaysorn Shopping Center. It is a bit removed from the action but a two stop ride down to Nana and other things.

You are right! Bad assumption on my part!

AT2

[Thor93]

Dacapo,

For the Holiday Inn, you will be located near the Surasak BTS station. AT2

There is also another Holiday Inn on Ploenchit Road at the Chit Lom BTS station. It is right across the street from the Grand Hyatt and next to Gaysorn Shopping Center. It is a bit removed from the action but a two stop ride down to Nana and other things.

[AsiaTraveler2]

Couldn't find a recent post on this hotel - can any provide any info, e.g. GF, near any parlours or clubs, etc?

Thanks in advance

Dacapo,

There's a search function that works very well. Just remember to select the country and view as "report" option, and you will get great lists of reports for any topic you choose.

For the Holiday Inn Silom, you will be located near the Surasak BTS station. If you are staying with family, then I understand the choice. If you are in BKK for R&R, then it's not a great choice. Two stops north on the BTS (Skytrain) takes you to Patpong (Sala Daeng Station) and about a 10 minute walk to your left (If you are facing Patpong) you will stumble upon Soi Thaniya (Japanese style pubs/bars). Two stops further north from Sala Daeng takes you to Siam Station, which is the transfer point to the Sukhumvit Skytrain line. Sukhumvit Soi 2 through Soi 33 are the stops for half of the Bangkok action. Buy the all day or multiday pass. Just a few bucks and you can use it all day, hopping from stop to stop .. no hassles.

The key stops on Sukhumvit BTS line are Nana (Nana Plaza, oil massage parlors and bar after bar), Asoke (Soi Cowboy, More bars, more oil massage parlors, and transfer to the MRT to Soapy Massage land), Phrom Pong (Soi 33 bars, more massage parlors, Emporium Shopping Plaza) and Thong Lo (More bars, more massage parlors). Check the Bangkok and Bangkok Massage threads to get a feel for what's at each stop. Check the link below for the BTS map. The spelling for each stop can vary, so don't get confused if there's an h or r missing or added.

The Asoke BTS stop is the transfer point (need to exit the BTS and go downstairs to the MRT subway station), to get to Huai Kwang and Suthisan which are home to many of the best Soapy Massage parlors.

Traffic gridlock will be your worst enemy, that's why it's important to understand the MRT and BTS system. In terms of gauging distance, each stop is about a 15 minute walk apart or 5 to 7 minute ride apart.

BTS Skytrain map to get from Silom area to the Sukhumvit line

MRT subway map to get from Asoke BTS station to the Soapy Massage Parlors, KTV's and other nightlife action north of Sukhumvit

Good luck!
AT2

[Marstop]

I stayed at the Dream Hotel recently, in part because of the recommendations of an enthusiastic member of this forum.

Pleased to confirm that the Dream is GF. No hassle with ID cards, or extra charges; also had 2 girls, no problem.

The only slight hiccup was that breakfast for the girl was extra because my room was booked only for single occupant. I think that this could be corrected by booking double occupancy given that the charge is the same for double as single, or perhaps simply by speaking to the front desk.

Very friendly hotel staff. The occasional hot topless guest at the pool (Dream 2 just behind the original Dream has the pool). Good location between Soi Cowboy and Nana. Cool lighting in the room. Impresses the girls.

Hard for taxis to find but the hotel has a little card with the address on it. No problem once I learned to say Sukhumvit Soi Sip Hah (Soi 15) and then tell the driver to keep going straight (throng pai) till we got to the hotel which is some distance down the soi from Sukhumvit.

Overall would recommend.

Also give my thumbs up. Both left and right!

Have stayed their five times and echo all of Washburn's comments. Other than a little pricey for BKK, the Dream has going for it. A great location, friendly discreet staff and small but very comfortable rooms.