Bangkok Hotels

[Moris54]

I have no idea what criterias for a 5 star hotel, but IMHO the Sofitel Sukhumvit is a true 5 star hotel. A little less classy than Mandarin Oriental or Peninula, but definately on the same level as JW Marriott, Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit or Intercontinental.

Mandarin Oriental is a notch above 5 star, that is their brand and have to keep up appearances so I am not expecting the Sofitel to be on the same level. I expect it to be on par with The Grande Hyatt, Intercontinental, Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, etc.

5 star to me means a level of unprecedented service. Does not have to be as classy as the Mandarin Oriental (which is overpriced and the novelty wears off fast but good for a first time experience) but I still expect 5 star hotels to know my name before I show up, expect my needs i.e when I am in the bar or relaxing by the poolside and my drink is running low, or if i require an extra towel or a desert menu - the less i have to ask and the better they anticipate the better the quality of the hotel. I expect the breakfast and the quality of the food to be better than all the 3-4 star hotels, with a wide selection, attention to even the most minute details, and stellar service with the ability to accommodate any and all requests (even unusual ones) that I may have during my stay. I do mind privacy and stolen glances by staff when I am entertaining a lady, i.e an escort within the hotel bars and restaurants is a big no-no. Lets see if they fit my bill. Stay tuned for an in-depth review.

[Zauberfee]

Would you say its true 5 star hotel?

I have no idea what criterias for a 5 star hotel, but IMHO the Sofitel Sukhumvit is a true 5 star hotel. A little less classy than Mandarin Oriental or Peninula, but definately on the same level as JW Marriott, Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit or Intercontinental.

[Bigger747]

Hi guys,

Will be staying at this hotel early next month. First time in BKK, any actions here that can be recommended?

Thanks

[Moris54]

Moris54,

I have just returned from my stay at Sofitel from 1st to 5 Nov. Highly recommended due to central location and walking access to both Nana, Soi and many discos. I had booked the club room but was barely at the hotel to enjoy any of the facilities. And when I was I slept. Missing breakfast or evening cocktails. Few cups of tea and breakfast on the last day is all I had there. Hence if you not going to stay at the hotel Kuch time then save money and get a deluxe room. Lot of options to eat all around.

Hotel is slightly expensive but worth it. Property is still in good shape. Getting a girl was no problem. Most of the time when I returned with a girl there was no one at the front desk. I had to call them or wait for the girls I'd to be retained. I always insist on that.

Thermae is next door when you come out of the gate. Few good looking FLs standing there in evening as well as LBs. I do not prefer street walkers generally hence abstained here. There are also guys who keep calling at you when you are walking out with massage pamphlets. Quite irritating.

Only issue I faced was that there are a lot of black guys hanging out at the 7/11 besides the entry gate throughout the day and late into the night. When I was walking one night with a girl from climax at around 2:30 they passed some comments and we're saying something. We ignored and continued to walk inside the hotel.

Thanks for the intelligence on the Sofitel. I booked the Club Room for 5 nights and 6 days. Most of the time I need a good place to work as my trips to BKK is always on business witha little pleasure thrown in so the Club Lounge offers a great option to plonk down and work. It is pricey. Would you say its true 5 star hotel? For the price I am paying I expect it to be so and I expect a lot since I have run the gamut of many hotels 3-5 stars in Asia.

[Daddy San]

Hi guys,

Can someone please report on the Livingstones Lodge, as it is today?

The rooms on the website look the same as before, but are probably more worn out.

I see the offer breakfast again.

And even without the beürgemeister, it's a bargain.

Anyone stayed there recently?

Thanks.

DS.

[Milo12]

Anybody know of a long term hotel in Bkk for 10-20000 bht per Month not too far from the MRT or sky train?

[IllusionHeart]

Thanks for the insider info. I am very inclined to book the Sofitel for my week of debauchery in early December. Never been to Thermae. Actually I have not done a lot of FL hunting in BKK in my previous trips so its time to rectify that I reckon.

I still won't forget this one girl I saw outside the Sofitel who gave me the "look" as I was walking past to my room at the GM. She really was one hell of a stunner and it took a while to sink in that she is on the market and by then it was too late. Sometimes we forget these things as most working ladies in BKK are 6-7's IMHO.

Moris54,

I have just returned from my stay at Sofitel from 1st to 5 Nov. Highly recommended due to central location and walking access to both Nana, Soi and many discos. I had booked the club room but was barely at the hotel to enjoy any of the facilities. And when I was I slept. Missing breakfast or evening cocktails. Few cups of tea and breakfast on the last day is all I had there. Hence if you not going to stay at the hotel Kuch time then save money and get a deluxe room. Lot of options to eat all around.

Hotel is slightly expensive but worth it. Property is still in good shape. Getting a girl was no problem. Most of the time when I returned with a girl there was no one at the front desk. I had to call them or wait for the girls I'd to be retained. I always insist on that.

Thermae is next door when you come out of the gate. Few good looking FLs standing there in evening as well as LBs. I do not prefer street walkers generally hence abstained here. There are also guys who keep calling at you when you are walking out with massage pamphlets. Quite irritating.

Only issue I faced was that there are a lot of black guys hanging out at the 7/11 besides the entry gate throughout the day and late into the night. When I was walking one night with a girl from climax at around 2:30 they passed some comments and we're saying something. We ignored and continued to walk inside the hotel.

[Mogwai]

I'm looking for a moderate or budget priced place with a decent bed, not one of those rock hard beds that make you hurt all day. I'd like to stay under 1500 TB if possible and I'd like to be near Sukhumvit if possible, preferably near Asoke, but a good bed is more important than location. Thanks in advance for any ideas. My former go-to place, the CheckInn Regency Park changed all their beds a year ago and got cheap ones.

The Dynasty Inn in Soi 4 has decent beds, firm but not too hard. And it's a good hotel overall, I've stayed there many times. The standard rooms in the old wing are 1480 TB. The rooms can be a little dated but the beds are always good.

If you want a room that is in better condition you'll have to pay 200 TB more for a room in the new wing at the back (which is also more quiet).

http://www.dynastyinn.com

[Mogwai]

It is next door the Thermae. As did you, I observed many FLs every evening on the sidewalk around the hotel and outside the entrance to Thermae. I thought they were among the more attractive FLs I saw on that trip.

You're right about that. I saw a few attractive FLs as well around there lately.

[Paul Kausch]

Thanks for the insider info. I am very inclined to book the Sofitel for my week of debauchery in early December. Never been to Thermae. Actually I have not done a lot of FL hunting in BKK in my previous trips so its time to rectify that I reckon.

I still won't forget this one girl I saw outside the Sofitel who gave me the "look" as I was walking past to my room at the GM. She really was one hell of a stunner and it took a while to sink in that she is on the market and by then it was too late. Sometimes we forget these things as most working ladies in BKK are 6-7's IMHO.

I saw better quality FLs hang close to Sofitel. It's new and 5-star. They figure guys staying there have money. Thermae girls have a reputation for not being farang friendly. There are many Japanese men there, the preferred customers. However, my experience when I went in for a peak was that many attractive ladies gave me beckoning stares. Last trip I spent a lot of time in the gogos. This trip I'm going to hunt FLs. I plan to try Thermae. A couple of years ago I had good luck in the early evening at Gulliver's. It attracted better quality FLs, often in pairs. I'm going to pay it another visit. Used to be 7-ish was a good time to get there.

Yes to my eyes most Bangkok SW are 5 to 6, with a few 7 and an occasional 8. Some of the most attractive girls I saw on my last visit were FLs in front of and inside Thermae, and on the sidewalk between Sofitel and Thermae. Many, but not all were dolled up to appeal to the Japanese men. Some were nicely dressed in hip, youthful clubbing clothes.

I've never had a problem with FLs. I do evaluate the girl carefully before making a deal. I also have the lady leave her ID at the concierge desk for my protection. They will call up to my room to make sure everything is okay before returning the ID. I've never stayed in a five-star hotel that wasn't cool about guests taking an SW up to the room.

[Moris54]

I'm looking for a moderate or budget priced place with a decent bed, not one of those rock hard beds that make you hurt all day. I'd like to stay under 1500 TB if possible and I'd like to be near Sukhumvit if possible, preferably near Asoke, but a good bed is more important than location. Thanks in advance for any ideas. My former go-to place, the CheckInn Regency Park changed all their beds a year ago and got cheap ones.

On my first trips to Bangkok I used to stay at On 8 - I hate to call this place a Budget Hotel since its really a class above most budget hotels in BKK. They have 2 or 3 versions of rooms I can't quite remember but the Superior options may still fit within your budget. Its tucked away nicely on Soi 8 and its a solid hotel, with one magnificent pastry bar at the lobby if you are hankering for a Lemon Square.

[Moris54]

I stayed at the Sofitel in June and look forward to staying there again later this month. The location is very good. The hotel is only a couple of years old and still in good condition. My room was spacious; the bed was very large and comfortable; and the room was nicely furnished. It was on one of the club floors, but I did not have club privileges. I'm a Le Club Accor member and get discounted rates and free room upgrades. The staff quickly learned my name and were very gracious. The amenities are very good: a very good gym for a hotel, great locker room with showers and sauna, nice pool. The breakfast buffet was very extensive and quite good. Restaurant (w/ continental menu), bar and outdoor seating on the twenty-something floor affording expansive views of the city.

It is next door the Thermae. As did you, I observed many FLs every evening on the sidewalk around the hotel and outside the entrance to Thermae. I thought they were among the more attractive FLs I saw on that trip.

Thanks for the insider info. I am very inclined to book the Sofitel for my week of debauchery in early December. Never been to Thermae. Actually I have not done a lot of FL hunting in BKK in my previous trips so its time to rectify that I reckon.

I still won't forget this one girl I saw outside the Sofitel who gave me the "look" as I was walking past to my room at the GM. She really was one hell of a stunner and it took a while to sink in that she is on the market and by then it was too late. Sometimes we forget these things as most working ladies in BKK are 6-7's IMHO.

[Paul Kausch]

As for the Sofitel, well am just curious and I have always seen a ton of stunners grace the hotel and its surroundings.

Any and all suggestions are welcome.

I stayed at the Sofitel in June and look forward to staying there again later this month. The location is very good. The hotel is only a couple of years old and still in good condition. My room was spacious; the bed was very large and comfortable; and the room was nicely furnished. It was on one of the club floors, but I did not have club privileges. I'm a Le Club Accor member and get discounted rates and free room upgrades. The staff quickly learned my name and were very gracious. The amenities are very good: a very good gym for a hotel, great locker room with showers and sauna, nice pool. The breakfast buffet was very extensive and quite good. Restaurant (w/ continental menu), bar and outdoor seating on the twenty-something floor affording expansive views of the city.

It is next door the Thermae. As did you, I observed many FLs every evening on the sidewalk around the hotel and outside the entrance to Thermae. I thought they were among the more attractive FLs I saw on that trip.

[Some American]

I'm looking for a moderate or budget priced place with a decent bed, not one of those rock hard beds that make you hurt all day. I'd like to stay under 1500 TB if possible and I'd like to be near Sukhumvit if possible, preferably near Asoke, but a good bed is more important than location. Thanks in advance for any ideas. My former go-to place, the CheckInn Regency Park changed all their beds a year ago and got cheap ones.

[Moris54]

The GM has generous 39 sqm rooms, about the same size as the SGS, Sofitel and JWM, and larger than the Landmark. I thought you were being sarcastic when you asked if the rooms were too small. By the way, I appreciate sarcasm.

I think the Sofitel is nicer in large part because it is newer; it's the newest 5-star hotel on that stretch of Sukhumvit. Hotels begin to show their age after 6 or 7 years, depending on how much and what type of use they get. In my opinion the rooms in the JWM and GM need refurbishing. I could say the same thing about the Intercontinental and the Shangri-La for that matter, but I'm not using them in the comparisons because of their locations. I would include the SGS on this list but I've been told it has been refurbished.

The Sofitel is a relatively inexpensive 5-star chain. The property on Sukhumvit is very reasonably priced. I just did a price comparison on Tripadvisor for December 2014, which quotes rates from multiple booking sites, and got the following: SGS US$157, JWM US$176, Sofitel Sukhumvit US$141 and Grand Millenium US$123. However, using my Le Club Accor membership I recently booked a two week stay at the Sofitel for US $112. All the big chains reward loyalty. They will offer a first time guest who signs up for their loyalty program about the same price as the best price you will find through the hotel booking sites; and after you have stayed a few times in one of their hotels you will get significantly lower rates. Booking far in advance also lowers the price.

I use Tripadvisor when I'm doing research. One thousand ratings, taken in aggregate, give a good idea of what people think of each property. Even the best hotels get a small number of disgruntled guest ratings. Poor hotels get a large number of poor ratings. I look at the aggregate numerical rating. I read a smattering of the reviews. It's not too hard to tell which poor reviews are written by disgruntled guests versus people who have valid complaints. Also, in December I had the Sofitel staff give me a tour of the property and based my decision to book it in June on my impressions from that tour. On this last trip I toured three more hotels, one for myself and two for a friend.

Bangkok hotels have very reasonable rates and large rooms. There are many excellent properties in the city. I think the Sofitel is nicer than the GM. That doesn't mean the GM is not nice. I think the Mandarin Oriental is nicer than the Sofitel. I'm not going to spend US $400 per night for a hotel room. I would pay a little more to stay at the Sofitel over the GM. All of the Bangkok properties we are discussing are much nicer than the Hong Kong hotel I booked for December. My room in the Hong Kong Ibis, a 3-star Accor hotel, will cost more than my room in the Sofitel. I could have stayed at a Novotel on Hong Kong Island, a 4-star Accor hotel property, but I don't think it's worth the additional expense. I have money to spend because I spend wisely and look for opportunities. I flew business class from LAX to HKG, but I booked a premium economy class seat because I thought it was worth the additional expense and I had a hunch I might be offered a free upgrade to business class. I would not have paid for a business class seat. I might use miles to get a free upgrade to business class. I'm more likely to use miles to get a free economy ticket. As for first class, I'd have to be much wealthier than I am before I'd spend that much for a plane ticket, and even then I probably wouldn't. I have the means to afford a few luxuries because I have worked hard, invested wisely and live beneath my means. A luxury has to have good value before I'll spend my money on it.

On my last trip to BKK earlier this year I stayed at the Grand Millenium after an extensive search of where to stay in LOS. This is always big hassle for me as I just can't seem to find the place that is just right in all aspects for my tastes and my needs.

The Grand Millenium has a very unique architecture. While walking into the lobby I was amazed and almost felt a sense of vertigo by the endless ceiling in the lobby going all the way up to the top floor. All the floors are designed this way, like an endless cascade of floors with Gothic like architecture. The lobby itself is a little small but the grandeur and sheer endless ceiling give a sense of weightlessness to the hotel which feels very relaxing and almost etheric. Unfortunately this feeling can only be experienced in the lobby as the floors itself do not have the same ambiance. So +1 for a great lobby, reception area.

I stayed in one of the Club Floors. With access to the Club Amenities and Lounge. This had to be the highlight of my stay. Everyday from 4-7 was happy hour with free drinks and snacks all of high quality. The spread was wonderful, top shelf drinks and high class food made fresh. You can just stuff yourself on the club floor and not have to eat anywhere else and feel satiated. I still can't forget those yummy morsels of deep fried pork bellies. Mmm.

Unfortunately that's where the good of the GM ends. The rooms were a little lack luster, especially for the price. A tad old. The entertainment system dated, the desk and office chair were not comfy and felt out of place with the decor.

The bed was wonderful. Must be one of the best mattresses I ever slept on but that was the only high about the room. The toilet was confusing to say the least, with the tub jutting outwards into the room so you can watch TV while taking your bath or while your escort is massaging them nether regions but since the TV did not protrude with an attached arm, I found this rather pointless. Also there was no central control system for the lights, AC, TV etc and no DVD player. A big NO NO for me. Also the channels suck. Not premium.

The breakfast. Lackluster to say the least. I was not impressed with the spread and felt that the breakfast spreads in lesser hotels such as the Majestic Grande was much better. In fact the room amenities in the Majestic Grande are much better than the GM, although the decor looks older and much less posh than the GM.

Another annoyance is the location. Its not on SUK. As a bit of a walk from the ASOKE crossing which can be a very busy highway. Its very close to Soi Cowboy but hardly an enjoyable walk because of the high traffic and rush of cars always in your face from the adjacent highway.

Overall. I probably would not stay there again. The cost vs benefit ratio does not deem it worthwhile. The Majestic Grande is a much better value and the money you save can be used towards a high class call girl and a great night out. The club lounge in the Grande Millennium is stellar, and I would say its worth it if the rooms backed it up, but alas it a non repeat for me.

So for my next trip in a few weeks its a toss up between Intercontinetal and Sofitel.

Intercontinental I hear has a great club lounge and club amenities, not to mention MIXX right there for a quick pickup. As for the Sofitel, well am just curious and I have always seen a ton of stunners grace the hotel and its surroundings.

Any and all suggestions are welcome.