Bangkok Hotels

[QUOTE=Syzygies;1664107]Sure its like I have many flights per year so I stick with Star Alliance to get my points.

You don't actually say what you pay on average per night, for room, breakfast and internet, taking into account all the discounts / freebies. So we can't tell if you are actually saving a lot of money in the long run, compared to picking favourable prices from miscellaneous Hotels. Maybe you don't know either.

Obviously a Hotel Group does want to offer discounts for very frequent guests, as Hotels are mostly under booked in total, so better to have guests making a little money than nothing.

[/QUOTE]Okay, I'll bite. My last stay in Bangkok was for 19 days at Starwood properties. Fifteen were free using points at a five-star hotel and I was upgraded to a huge suite, as I always am at that hotel irrespective of whether I pay cash or use points. Breakfast, internet, afternoon tea (with light food), drinks (from 6 to 8 pm), and evening hor-dourves (sufficient to constitute dinner) were also included for free. I stayed at another five-star (but maybe leaning in the four-star direction) hotel in the same chain for a bit less than 3500 baht + a night for the other four nights (the plus being tax and ten percent service charge). I was upgraded to a suite (although not as large as the first hotel's), there was no internet charge, I had free breakfasts and free drinks from 5 pm to 7 pm (with hor dourves). Quite a variety of drinks for free during cocktail hour, including maybe five types of martinis. The first was a 10-minute walk to Nana, the second a five-minute walk to Patpong.

I should say though after having done a number of these free hotel stays the last few years, I am getting somewhat low on points, for me at least. I now only have enough banked for about another 25 free nights at these hotels. To be fair, while many of the points were earned staying at Starwood hotels, many others were earned using the Starwood American Express card on other purchases (I only use it within the United States though as that card has a 2. 7 percent foreign currency conversion charge). Also, I travel to other places on business and accumulate points that way, although the last four years I have stayed primarily at another chain's hotels when on business so have not accumulated many Starwood points that way. As to staying at the hotels, when their rates are low (I. E. , 3500 baht or less) I often elect to pay, but not always. Another factor that informs my decision whether to pay or use points is whether they are running point promotions, such as three times points, and so forth, as those points can accumulate fairly quickly.

When I do pay, I never pay more than 4,000 baht + a night, usually less. But at least for the last few years I spend more nights getting free rooms than paying for them. And it should be added the cash prices vary a lot from week to week, so having the free option using points (no black out days) means I never have to pay when the cash prices are high.
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Now obviously not everyone, and indeed not most, will be able to play this game the way I have owing to the fact some of my point accumulation is from business travel (but not most of it), and I also acquire points using the co-branded credit card. But if one does a lot of travel, and pays attention to the factors I list above (like leaning towards using points when prices are high, or when the hotel brand is not offering a point promotion (which they often do if one registers for it, meaning pays attention to such things), one can do very very well. And I just checked. The hotel I paid around 3,500 baht a night for four nights was running a point promotion during that time. The points I accumulated from that stay come close (about 75 percent) to the number of points I will need for another free night.

[QUOTE=Syzygies;1664107]
Obviously a Hotel Group does want to offer discounts for very frequent guests, as Hotels are mostly under booked in total, so better to have guests making a little money than nothing.
[/QUOTE]I neglected to mention in my earlier post that when I do pay, I always book through the hotel chain's website. As a result I get the same rate any member of the public would. But the various perks and free rooms are the result of participating in the chain's frequent guest program and achieving a high status within that program.

In my extensive experience, it is not so obvious hotel groups offer discounts to very frequent guests. The exception is if you stay at a particular hotel on business many days a year, you might be able to contract for a corporate or special rate. But as an individual, not a corporate group, the discount often is not so much. Indeed I have been offered contracted rates that turned out to be more costly than what the hotel often offered on their chain's website, at least on many days of the year. But since I'm not in Bangkok on business (unless monkey business counts) I have never explored the option of a contracted rate with any Bangkok hotel.

[QUOTE=Kabukicho;1664513]Does hsbc exist any more for Bangkok? Hsbc is very avail for many asian locales around the world. I don't do banking with citi incidentally.
[/QUOTE]No; HSBC sold their retail banking operations in Thailand a few years back. Pissed me off some as I was a customer and liked having the option.

SunLover.

Recently stayed at president palace hotel Soi 11.

Advantages easy check in, good breakfast, clean swimming pool, minimum outside noise. Quite economical, large spacious rooms and bathrooms, courteous staff, WiFi.

Not that strong, beds comfortable, extra towels, they gave me nearly 4 sets off course with tips to house keeping very much girl friendly.

Around 300 meters to Nana station adjacent to clubs at aloft and hotel ambassador.

Try club class.

Ogm

[QUOTE=OldGentleman;1665649]Recently stayed at president palace hotel Soi 11.

Advantages easy check in, good breakfast, clean swimming pool, minimum outside noise. Quite economical, large spacious rooms and bathrooms, courteous staff, WiFi.

Not that strong, beds comfortable, extra towels, they gave me nearly 4 sets off course with tips to house keeping very much girl friendly.

Around 300 meters to Nana station adjacent to clubs at aloft and hotel ambassador.

Try club class.

Ogm[/QUOTE]Where is Club Class?

[QUOTE=Rodwint2;1665843]Where is Club Class?[/QUOTE]Sorry my mistake it is Deluxe club and Superior club after 14th floor with separate restaurant but limited menu.

Ogm

[QUOTE=OldGentleman;1665968]Sorry my mistake it is Deluxe club and Superior club after 14th floor with separate restaurant but limited menu.

Ogm[/QUOTE]Thanks for your response, but were you referring to the Grand President hotel or Aloft or another hotel? I have stayed at the Grand President and don't remember it having any special class of rooms or a separate restaurant.

[QUOTE=Rodwint2;1666239]Thanks for your response, but were you referring to the Grand President hotel or Aloft or another hotel? I have stayed at the Grand President and don't remember it having any special class of rooms or a separate restaurant.[/QUOTE]Sorry, I did not realize that the reference to the club rooms were related to the President Palace hotel next to the Grand Presidents. My apologies.

[QUOTE=PaulKausch;1663918]I Agree. As I've reported before, I belong to Le Club Accor. With my membership I get better rates than you will find on Agoda, Expeding, [URL]Hotel.com[/URL] or any other hotel booking website. I also get many upgrades and amenities such as corner rooms on club floor and the breakfast buffet for free or for next to nothing, evening in high season.[/QUOTE]Paul, any problems with WG's at the Accor hotels. I am a LE Club member also. I always book for 2 but just wondering if any issues arise?

RL.

[QUOTE=RobertLong;1666362]Paul, any problems with WG's at the Accor hotels. I am a LE Club member also. I always book for 2 but just wondering if any issues arise?

RL.[/QUOTE]None whatsoever. On more than one occasion I've even had two girls in my room at the same time without a problem. I also book room for two.

Hi everyone,

I booked a room in the Rembrandt hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 18 in Bangkok and wondered if the hotels on this street are patronized by lots of Indians. I stayed near Terminal 21 two years ago and it was nice, but I remember there were a lot of Indians in the hotels on Soi 18 and 20. The local Thais don't have a high opinion of Indians and I really don't want to stay in a hotel full of Indian tourists. I've seen many of them when I was in Bangkok before and I don't think I would like their company. I hope I didn't offend any of the Indian readers here, but this is just from my previous experience.

[QUOTE=ShiftTab;1669492]Hi everyone,

I booked a room in the Rembrandt hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 18 in Bangkok and wondered if the hotels on this street are patronized by lots of Indians. I stayed near Terminal 21 two years ago and it was nice, but I remember there were a lot of Indians in the hotels on Soi 18 and 20. The local Thais don't have a high opinion of Indians and I really don't want to stay in a hotel full of Indian tourists. I've seen many of them when I was in Bangkok before and I don't think I would like their company. I hope I didn't offend any of the Indian readers here, but this is just from my previous experience.[/QUOTE]You remember there were a lot of Indians on Soi 18 two years ago but you wonder if there are a lot of them at Soi 18 hotels now? The answer is it probably hasn't changed much. And your question is offensive despite your best efforts to be sensitive.

[QUOTE=ShiftTab;1669492]Hi everyone,

I booked a room in the Rembrandt hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 18 in Bangkok and wondered if the hotels on this street are patronized by lots of Indians. I stayed near Terminal 21 two years ago and it was nice, but I remember there were a lot of Indians in the hotels on Soi 18 and 20. The local Thais don't have a high opinion of Indians and I really don't want to stay in a hotel full of Indian tourists. I've seen many of them when I was in Bangkok before and I don't think I would like their company. I hope I didn't offend any of the Indian readers here, but this is just from my previous experience.[/QUOTE]Despite your somewhat politically incorrect question: I stayed in the Rembrandt hotel exactly a year ago. I had breakfast in the executive lounge every day for 5 days. As far as I can recall there were mostly Europeans in the lounge, plus a particularly loud American. Scandinavian Airlines seems to have some sort of crew-deal with this hotel. I have stayed in other hotels that have seemed to be very popular with Indians (Amari Soi 5, Grand President Soi 11).

The Rembrandt does have a popular Indian restaurant on premises though. Note: You may be charged a joiner fee if you bring back girls to Rembrandt, unless you manage to sneak past the staff.

Soi 18 (I was there a week ago, one of my current favorite massage ladies works in one of the massage shops in that Soi) is not noticeably overrun by any particular ethnic group.

I stayed once at S31 Sukumvit hotel and once at Legacy Suites (Sukhumvit soi 29).

I can recommend both hotels.

I have a slightly preference for S31 because it is a newer hotel.

The suites are very nice with a staircase to go to the bedroom and bathroom which are at the upper level.

But it was difficult to close the curtains completely because they are so tall.

I didn't like that because I always slept till afternoon.

The suites at Legacy suites are also nice but older than S31.

And the whole room is at the same level and that is not as spectacular as S31 hotel.

Both hotels are 100 % girlfriendly and the staff doesn't say anything about bringing girls to your room.

[QUOTE=HarryDude;1670183]Despite your somewhat politically incorrect question: I stayed in the Rembrandt hotel exactly a year ago. I had breakfast in the executive lounge every day for 5 days. As far as I can recall there were mostly Europeans in the lounge, plus a particularly loud American. Scandinavian Airlines seems to have some sort of crew-deal with this hotel. I have stayed in other hotels that have seemed to be very popular with Indians (Amari Soi 5, Grand President Soi 11).

The Rembrandt does have a popular Indian restaurant on premises though. Note: You may be charged a joiner fee if you bring back girls to Rembrandt, unless you manage to sneak past the staff.

Soi 18 (I was there a week ago, one of my current favorite massage ladies works in one of the massage shops in that Soi) is not noticeably overrun by any particular ethnic group.[/QUOTE]Thank you Harry for the information. I know the question is not politically correct, but I didn't know how else to word it. I guess I'm just not politically correct. I chose the Rembrandt because it was close to the BTS and MRT station at Soi Asoke, but I won't be going to Soi Cowboy or any of the places nearby.