2 hours ago, asnstudent said:

If the rates are comparable, and if you have an option between Raya hotel and Novotel Bangkok Silom Road, I am curious which one you would choose.

 

Not a lot of difference...which is closer to where you think you will be spending your time?  I look for a certain level of comfort but give priority to location.

Following a members recommendation my partner and I have just spent 3 nights at Le Siam Hotel.Bangkok.

We stayed in a Classic room (which is the entry level), the room is described as 21 meters, which felt comfortably large enough for us, and looked like it was newly renovated.

The breakfast was great with the eggs and bacon being cooked to order.

Very friendly staff

I paid on Agoda 1700 baht per night including tax and service

Few impressions from hotels in Bangkok and Pattya  I was staying at during my recent trip

AMARA

Normally I don’t stay  in multi star places as I rather spent my money on the guys than rooms but thanks to a lucky coincidence – somebody owing me for few years couple  hundred dollars suddenly decided to pay his debt just when I was about to book my hotels, I decided to spent windfall on something upscale.

No regrets, pool on the roof with great view. Even if I did not use it, option was there. I got room on 16th floor so again great view from the room. Well appointed although not very spacious, everything working, marble bathroom with upscale toiletries. Bathrobe and  iron among conveniences. Very good breakfast with variety of Asian and western dishes , fruits , pastries. No problem with visitors at all, no questions , no raised brows , no winks even if one of my guys , heavily tattooed  with sleeveless shirt was kind out of place both staff and guest kept their composure. Walking distance to Sala Daeng and Chong Nonsi BTS, right beside Red Planet hotel where is 7/11 store. Not sure will stay again due to expense but definitely don’t regret that splurge.

GLITZ

Right around the corner from Tawan so close to everywhere. Room a bit on smallish side  but everything working, very little street noise sipping in, not much of  a view but very convenient. I had guy with me both nights so registered him as a guest but I doubt it would be any problem  with visitors. Only problem was air conditioner  blowing straight on  a bed  but that could be cured by being closer together. Access through card and that caused a bit of middle of the night problem. My guy went to eat something at 2 a.m., go figure ! Left stupidly his card on reception and upon return no personnel  was there to retrieve it from so he got stuck for few hours and had no way  of opening door  leading from reception upstairs . LESSON TO LEARN - NEVER LEAVE    KEY OR CARD  ON RECEPTION IN SMALLISH HOTELS WITH ONLY ONE PERSON ON DUTY. Imagine me, waking up to empty bed in dead of the night , not knowing what is going on with guy returning only at 6.30 or so.

Small warning- they require 500 baht key card deposit

Other warning about Glitz – there’s no elevator.

Will stay again

BAAN SILOM soi 3

Currently my favorite in the Silom area. Spacious room and bathroom, full size refrigerator, well positioned air conditioner. Oddly , no kettle.  No problem with visitors, no question asked and I had more than one. 7/11 across the soi. Bit walk  from  Silom  but none of guys I brought complained. During day busy neighborhood market just around the corner .

Definitely will stay again

BAILY XPRESS PULA

A little hidden in very small soi just off Silom but well posted. Room smallish but very well organized, full bath tube. No windows just glass panels instead  so no noise. Toiletries provided. No problems with visitors, no questions asked. Ordered waking up call  and phone rung  exactly as ordered to the minute.

A/C very well positioned.

I liked it very much , almost at par with Baan Silom  and will definitely stay again.

Small warning- they require 1000 baht key card / damage  deposit.

In all hotels mentioned WI-FI was working perfectly 

I will report about Pattaya hotels in a separate post

 

Delete

16 minutes ago, Boy69 said:

@Vinapu

Very informative and useful report ,

I like your attitude not stick to one hotel and moving from one hotel to other , to tell the truth I am too lazy to do it and usually stick to one hotel but on my next trip I am tempting to adopt your approach.

 

Any up-dates on the Tarntawan refurbishment?

3 hours ago, vinapu said:

BAILY XPRESS PULA

 

Thanks for the review.   Is this a rebranding of the D Varee Xpress Pula Silom ?     The room description sounds like it.    Or another interesting option for us to consider ?

11 hours ago, asnstudent said:

If the rates are comparable, and if you have an option between Raya hotel and Novotel Bangkok Silom Road, I am curious which one you would choose.

The Novotel Silom is a good hike (or short ride) from Patpong and Silom. I'd choose the Raya for the far more convenient location.

But I'd keep in mind that the Raya has many rooms with artificial windows. If having a real window is important to you, I'd contact the hotel a day or two before arrival and confirm your preference. Last time I stayed there I had booked a room with real widow only to be assigned to one with a blank one. I arrived about 10p.m. and desk said all the rooms with windows were occupied.

3 hours ago, z909 said:

Thanks for the review.   Is this a rebranding of the D Varee Xpress Pula Silom ?     The room description sounds like it.    Or another interesting option for us to consider ?

No I just mixed names , of course it is D Varee Xpress Pula Silom

3 hours ago, reader said:

The Novotel Silom is a good hike (or short ride) from Patpong and Silom. I'd choose the Raya for the far more convenient location.

 

Thank you for your suggestion. I just reserved a "suite" room at Raya. It is about $20/night more costlier than Novotel Silom, but I decided to choose it for the exact same reason you mentioned. my focus will be on Lucky Boys and other bars on the same street, and Moonlight.

1 hour ago, asnstudent said:

Thank you for your suggestion. I just reserved a "suite" room at Raya. It is about $20/night more costlier than Novotel Silom, but I decided to choose it for the exact same reason you mentioned. my focus will be on Lucky Boys and other bars on the same street, and Moonlight.

good choice as those rooms at Raya are pretty sizeable  you can dance all the way from door to the bed with your chosen one.

10 minutes ago, vinapu said:

good choice as those rooms at Raya are pretty sizeable  you can dance all the way from door to the bed with your chosen one.

Totally agree! Love the spaciousness of the grand deluxe room (45 square metres). There is a sofa area separate from the bed. I would be on my Ipad in the morning while my LT boy is asleep in bed. It also serves as perfect area to host drinking session for 2 to 3 boys.

when will you be in Bangkok, ASN? If my work schedule allows me, I might just hop over from Singapore to meet you over the weekend!

16 minutes ago, vinapu said:

.................................... with your chosen one.

or with the chosen ones. 

3 minutes ago, jason1975 said:

when will you be in Bangkok, ASN? If my work schedule allows me, I might just hop over from Singapore to meet you over the weekend!

I would very much love to hang out with you again.  I will be there from 10/2 through 10/6.

4 hours ago, asnstudent said:

or with the chosen ones. 

I know what you are talking about , after all one of my birthdays was celebrated in Grand Deluxe room there with 2 guys volunteering special show as a  birthday gift.

20 hours ago, vinapu said:

LESSON TO LEARN - NEVER LEAVE    KEY OR CARD  ON RECEPTION IN SMALLISH HOTELS WITH ONLY ONE PERSON ON DUTY. Imagine me, waking up to empty bed in dead of the night , not knowing what is going on with guy returning only at 6.30 or so.

At least he had a reception to hang out in. I once went out of a small hotel in Nan for a walk round the area and when I got back the receptionist had gone home and locked the front door! I had to wait outside for a couple of hours until the night security guard turned up.

1 hour ago, ceejay said:

At least he had a reception to hang out in. 

and his phone to entertain him

21 hours ago, Londoner said:

Any up-dates on the Tarntawan refurbishment?

I stayed at the "refurbished" Tarntawan for three nights.  Lobby shows no change.  On the upper floors the carpet has been removed from the hallways and the guest rooms.  It's been replaced with simulated a hard wood floor.  New beds, more comfortable than the old ones.  New desk chair.  I mention the chair as it didn't seem to have a way to set the height and would sink down as I sat down.  Reader reported seeing water tanks being delivered.  The disruption to the courtyard was noticeable with repaving and work remianing to be done on the planter - which was a bit of a construction site.

I mention the water because on my first full morning there I turned on the tap to wash up after breakfast and a dark flow poured out.   Same with the shower.  I reported this to the weekend desk manager, who has been with the hotel for many years.  He apologized and said he would alert maintenance.  Well, the problem went on for several hours.  BUT the staff was constantly checking and running the water until it cleared.  I learned that the new water system has several tanks and the one supplying water to my room - which was at the far end of the hallway from the elevator had developed a problem.  So negative on the water system and positive on the staff response.

I was only at the Tarntawan for three nights from a Friday to a Monday morning.  The makeup of the guests is not what it was way back when in Lukas time.  There was a group of six Japanese golfers who left every morning for a different gold course.  Several couples of varying ages.  

Breakfast buffet is the same as before.  Staff is the same as it's been since the management changeover.  Very willing to help and in remembering guests.

When I went to check out, no one was sent to check the room for missing towels or empty bottles for the refrigerator....I don't know if this is a new policy or its just that I've been there multiple times.

No problem with guests and as two of those I brought back knew the way from both Moonlight and Lucky Boys, and had their IDs out and headed for the security guard when we arrived, I more than suspect there is still a lot of traditional practice taking place.

Note to Vinapu - I know, I  know I need to write a full report....

 

Edited September 12, 20197 yr by ggobkk

Thanks. It seems a long closure for such a meagre result! Not sorry to say goodbye to those carpets but pleased that breakfasts remain the same. It is one of the very few Thai hotels- some of which are more expensive than Tarntawan- where I can get decent bread. I must confess that I miss some of the staff who left when the new management took over. 

7 hours ago, ggobkk said:

 

Note to Vinapu - I know, I  know I need to write a full report....

 

yes, specially in  view of fact that I already started. LOL

Ill wait for u guys finished yours before i put up mine hahaha. Lazy to start.

7 hours ago, spoon said:

Ill wait for u guys finished yours before i put up mine hahaha. Lazy to start.

go-go-go!!!!!  

22 hours ago, ggobkk said:

I mention the water because on my first full morning there I turned on the tap to wash up after breakfast and a dark flow poured out.   Same with the shower.  I reported this to the weekend desk manager, who has been with the hotel for many years.  He apologized and said he would alert maintenance.  Well, the problem went on for several hours.  BUT the staff was constantly checking and running the water until it cleared.  I learned that the new water system has several tanks and the one supplying water to my room - which was at the far end of the hallway from the elevator had developed a problem.  So negative on the water system and positive on the staff response.

Not sure how old the Tarntawan is but hotels and apartments built before around 1995 are likely to have metal pipes throughout the building. A new water tank seems likely the cause on this occasion. But in the heat and humidity of Thailand if the general piping has not been changed to the heavy duty plastic variety increasingly water will have a slightly brownish tinge. 

I'm booked in to stay at the I Residence hotel, right in front of Chong Nonsi BTS, for my upcoming trip. Seems okay, has some mixed reviews, but has a rooftop pool. Some reviews even say that condoms are included in the room too lol. Will report back.

3 hours ago, ichigo said:

I'm booked in to stay at the I Residence hotel...... Will report back.

it would be nice as I'm eyeing that hotel for a while so let us know how you liked it