Bangkok Hotels

[QUOTE=RBDave; 1422203]Here is an email I got back from Kata Beach Center Hotel. But I agree with you, if you book for two, then you should get two breakfast.

Dear Dave,

We do not charge for joiner but do not provide free breakfast if you book 'including breakfast. '

Best Regards,

Lybeer Saengthong (Beer) [/QUOTE]Correct.

Let's put it this way:

A joiner does not have a significant impact on the hotel costs as for them. Worst case scenario. Is just an additional round of towels (that you might ask anyhow even if you stay alone 100% of your time)

A (second) breakfast means extra cost for the hotel, doing the math.

Lots of hotels simply do not bother to the detail for commercial reasons and / or for insignificant impact in the costs (LL)

Other hotels, where the breakfast is expensive if and when you pay it, then it represents a big add on on their revenues.

So either you book for two with breakfast included (and the price of the breakfas (t) is in the daily rate) or you book for one and you get only 1 breakfast if included in the room.

[QUOTE=Bionicman;1422363]So either you book for two with breakfast included (and the price of the breakfas (t) is in the daily rate) or you book for one and you get only 1 breakfast if included in the room.[/QUOTE]If you know the girl well and is trusted, you can check her in as your 2nd person, then they cannot argue.

On one occasion it turned out my girl was 19 year old (I had little idea of her exact age) and Hotel would not allow her as a night visitor, claiming she was too young, but checking her in was okay LOL. No rule against having a 19 year old girlfriend, only against paying one for sex in the Hotel room.

Thais are very driven by official rules at times. I had a lot of difficulties at the airport when I had a seat booked on a plane and I had a re-issued ticket, but ticket no. Did not match that of my seat booking. To some staff this was impossible to resolve despite having a seat booked and a valid ticket to fly. Only higher management staff have authority to get around stupid rules.

[QUOTE=Syzygies;1422368]If you know the girl well and is trusted, you can check her in as your 2nd person, then they cannot argue.[/QUOTE]Matter of the fact is that room is paid for two guests and breakfast is included, nobody will check at the restaurant whether the second guest is resistered or not.

The discrimination factor is the room deal: with or without breakfast, for one or two guests.

On principle one can even have a guest joining him for breakfast only. Nobody will check if she was in the room before.

Lots of hotels, especially in Asia, automatically book rooms for 2 guest occupancy. That cuts the story short.

[QUOTE=NicFrenchy;1421573]2300 thb a week? That's a steal![/QUOTE]2300 THB a night based on weekly rates

[QUOTE=Natty Bumpo; 1421634]Thanks for the tip Somewhere. I will check AR out. Looks like AR is in strong competition with the Admiral Premiere another good BKK hotel I like to stay at.

(I read the 2300bt rate as the nightly rate available for a 7 day or longer reservation which is a pretty good deal all things considered for a 3. 5* plus BKK Sukhumvit suite hotel.) [/QUOTE]In Soi 6 I only could get more or less the same rate in Phachara Suites (2011). For mid and end 2012 and now April 2013 I contacted them again but they wanted me to give their most simplest room for that rate; the one bedroom option (that is the type I always want to stay in) they asked even over 3K per night.

I avoid the soke Residence also from mid 2010 till mid 2012 but finaly (after two years absence) someone got smart and offered me an acceptable rate and I love this place. Meanly Japanese expats renting this room for a very long time, they leave early morning (I asume) and you seem them only, mostly on weekend days in the gym, sauna, steamroom or on the swimming pool.

[QUOTE=Doc 50; 1421570]I liked the review, thought I would check the website.

They even say under maps that it is 1km from Sukhumvit and Soi Cowboy.

That is a very busy road and I would not like to walk anywhere from that hotel on it.

It is more like the 200m from Petchaburi subway that the website says.

So that leaves taxis everytime you are out.

Location would not be attractive to me. But thanks anyway.

Doc[/QUOTE]From Asoke BTS / Terminal 21 its 400 meter not more. If you like to go to Soi Cowboy you can take the way between Soi 19 and So1 21 (with the Pizza Restaurant on the corner. Pass the street (Soi 21) and its again a couple of hundred meters to Cowboy.

[QUOTE=RBDave;1422073]. Is the LL breakfast included in your booking? If hotels listed "All day breakfast included", I'd be more inclined to book them.[/QUOTE]Yes the LL breakfast is included and available all day. Not sure if it is available at dinner time though.

[QUOTE=Syzygies; 1422003]Interesting how opinions can vary. Citadines 23 was a Hotel that did not impress me enough to ever stay again, however its probably at least 3 years ago now. Tansak had warned me, I tried it anyway, and had to conclude he was right. Very disinterested staff back then and grumpy. Rang me too early disturbing my sleep to ask what time I would check-out. Beds noted as good quality but mattress too hard for my liking. Breakfast was very poor selection / variety of things that largely did not interest me. That was biggest problem of all. E. G. I like only omelette or scrambled eggs, but they only had fried eggs, Fruit selection was poor (e. G. I don't like watermelon) , Pastry selection poor, everything poor.

LL does not have these problems and breakfast available to almost any hour. Almost every other Hotel in vicinity of Cita 23 can do Omelette for breakfast and have reasonable fruit selections, and get a comfortable night's sleep.

My summary of Cita 23 was cheapish but still not worthwhile.[/QUOTE]I agree that the breakfast at Citadines is their weak point: it is overpriced and not the quality I wish for either but then again they offer room rates without breakfast and it is easy to make or organize your own breakfast in the kitchen in your studio, or just hop outside and buy some from a street vendor.

And I just happen to like hard mattresses (provided there is a soft Thai body between the mattress and me).

I have stayed in three different hotels during my last weekend's trip, and my conclusion is that the nice hotels with rooftop bars are just too far away, and the only option would be the Fraser Suites, which was not one of the hotels I booked, unfortunately.

The views from both LaBua and Banyan trees were spectacular, but these hotels were so far away and traffice on weekends were so bad that it is just not practical to take a girl from Sukhumvit. The views fom Above Eleven is not as good, but they open late. 2am vs 1am in the other two, so it is still a great place to go. You certainly can walk to other hotels in the area, and just forget about taking a taxi at 2am since that whole place was like a parking lot, not moving at all, so you pretty much have to walk to get around NANA area, so to enjoy a nice drink at Above Eleven, you have to stay in that hotel or the Aloft next door.

OS

[QUOTE=Somewhere15; 1422412]In Soi 6 I only could get more or less the same rate in Phachara Suites (2011). For mid and end 2012 and now April 2013 I contacted them again but they wanted me to give their most simplest room for that rate; the one bedroom option (that is the type I always want to stay in) they asked even over 3K per night.

I avoid the soke Residence also from mid 2010 till mid 2012 but finaly (after two years absence) someone got smart and offered me an acceptable rate and I love this place. Meanly Japanese expats renting this room for a very long time, they leave early morning (I asume) and you seem them only, mostly on weekend days in the gym, sauna, steamroom or on the swimming pool.[/QUOTE]Just for info, never go directly thru Phachara. The rates are 1/2 on the broker sites.

Good luck.

[QUOTE=Old South; 1422559]I have stayed in three different hotels during my last weekend's trip, and my conclusion is that the nice hotels with rooftop bars are just too far away, and the only option would be the Fraser Suites, which was not one of the hotels I booked, unfortunately.

The views from both LaBua and Banyan trees were spectacular, but these hotels were so far away and traffice on weekends were so bad that it is just not practical to take a girl from Sukhumvit. The views fom Above Eleven is not as good, but they open late. 2am vs 1am in the other two, so it is still a great place to go. You certainly can walk to other hotels in the area, and just forget about taking a taxi at 2am since that whole place was like a parking lot, not moving at all, so you pretty much have to walk to get around NANA area, so to enjoy a nice drink at Above Eleven, you have to stay in that hotel or the Aloft next door.

OS[/QUOTE]While these places are in locations with heavy traffic, it's not that difficult to get either of these hotels. Take the skytrain to Chong Nonsi and grab a cab. It's a fairly short cab ride to either place.

The Lumpini MRT station is another option, and perhaps a bit closer, to Banyan Tree. The Surasak skytrain is closer to State Tower. In any case, it is practical to get there from lower Suk. It's just a bit more effort.

[QUOTE=Old South; 1422559]I have stayed in three different hotels during my last weekend's trip, and my conclusion is that the nice hotels with rooftop bars are just too far away, and the only option would be the Fraser Suites, which was not one of the hotels I booked, unfortunately.

The views from both LaBua and Banyan trees were spectacular, but these hotels were so far away and traffice on weekends were so bad that it is just not practical to take a girl from Sukhumvit. OS[/QUOTE]Didn't we warn you on this when you inquired some weeks ago?

Up to you, but changing 3 hotels during the course of a weekend seems quite hell of a work.

[QUOTE=Wolvenvacht; 1422440]I agree that the breakfast at Citadines is their weak point: it is overpriced and not the quality I wish for either but then again they offer room rates without breakfast and it is easy to make or organize your own breakfast in the kitchen in your studio, or just hop outside and buy some from a street vendor.

And I just happen to like hard mattresses (provided there is a soft Thai body between the mattress and me).[/QUOTE]Makes sense. If you like hard mattress and get breakfast elsewhere or make it yourself, it would be fine. I do like to have Kitchenette and I especially like Hotels with a large fridge with proper separate freezer (e. G. Admiral Premier).

These days I do largely make my own breakfast of cooked rolled Oats and Coffee and maybe a little fruit. Am controlling my diet these days so no more pastries for breakfast. Omelette and smoked salmon would be nice though.

[QUOTE=Bionicman; 1422745]Didn't we warn you on this when you inquired some weeks ago?

Up to you, but changing 3 hotels during the course of a weekend seems quite hell of a work.[/QUOTE]Yes, but the changing hotel part was no big deal, just that I didn't know traffic can be so bad in BKK.

Also, I wanted to show some pictures, but somehow I cannot attach the JPG file, any idea?

OS

[QUOTE=Old South;1423051], I wanted to show some pictures, but somehow I cannot attach the JPG file, any idea?OS[/QUOTE]When you access message area to write there is an option Attach Files. Follow it. You can do so also from a mobile. I am writing this from an iPad and attached a picture to prove it works (and have a laugh at the picture content)