Posted this over on Sawatdee, but thought i might also cross post here as there tends to be more BKK centric posts here... Especially with Vinapu and his hotel hopping!

 

BF and I have decided to spend the first few days of Songkran in Silom area this year
Having some difficulty finding suitable hotel at this late stage (April 11-14)

We are looking for a hotel "smack bang" in the midle of all the action... Last time we stayed in the Pinnacle - but it was just too far of a walk (for BF!) when wet at night and every taxi refused to take us!
BF lives only 20 mins away by taxi, but we are looking for somethig more central...

The following are sold out:
-Nantra Silom
-Glitz
-Ballys (D Varee)
-Silom Serene
-Om Yim
-Swiss Lodge

The followng are ruled out due to us (read:BF) not liking them:
-Tarntawan (nosey)
-Rose (poor A/C)

The following are ruled out as being too far away:
-Sathorn: Pinnacle, Malaysia, Ibis Sathorn etc
-Riverside: Novotel Fenix, Holiday Inns etc Althoigh teg Novotel does have an interesting 3 nights for the price of 2 deal on at the moment

I can find the Dusit thani on Hotwire secret deal @2600B per night - which seems quite good
Any recent experiences as to how easy it might be to have a guest to join us in the Dusit
Or as to how they might not appreciate us coming back covered in powder and soaked head-to-toe?

Anybody have any suggestions?

BBB Inn, not sold out , in the middle of the action 25 hours a day , 8 days a week , great A/C / I consider their best of all hotels I was in LOS ever / and definitely not nosey although your BF may not like it if he considers Tarntawan not discrete enough.

 

Dusit Thani deal looks enticing but too classy for me so no experience with guests , specially covered in talc

Thanks Vinapu

Did consider the BBB, but some of the pics on the various sites make it look like something out of the 80's!

Think BF would be ok with there, especially if the boys hanging around reception are cute!

 

Will add it to the list for consideration...

Overnighted in Silom Serene and liked it although view to street was not so nice and street was somewhat loud. But earplugs always help. But would prefer rooms with windows to inner yeard. Breakfast was good. And pool nice. They even have a sauna free of charge and nice gym.

 

Only thing that was left unanswered is how they would have reacted to a boy guest... Did not try my luck.

What about the Bally suites next to the entrance of DJ, you can't get much more slap bang in the middle of the action - perhaps too much though based on the location and the 24/7 activity there on silom street over songkran perhaps ?

 

http://ballys-studio.com/

Ballys is now renamed  the Catchy "D Varee Diva Bally" and is sold out

As is silom Serene

And BF say NO to BBB inn...

 

So looks like we are still on the hunt...

(to complicate matters, i need a 2nd room for a Farang travelling companion)

Thanks Vinapu

Did consider the BBB, but some of the pics on the various sites make it look like something out of the 80's!

 

it is,  but few hotels  beat it when comes to being close to the action, I admit I have soft spot for the place and their room 302 where somehow I always land regardless l book 6 months in advance or show unannounced. 

Ballys is now renamed the Catchy "D Varee Diva Bally" and is sold out

Sorry, I've just realised that you did already say that in your first post, I hadn't linked the new name with the old one, sorry.

 

I assume also ( and again sorry as I'm sure you already know this but it's worth saying just in case perhaps) that when checking reservations to be sure to try both the usual various hotel booking sites AND the hotels directly if you can should you ever get a"fully booked" answer from any source as I've lost count of the times I got a fully booked notice and then did get the room that the booking site etc said wasn't available by trying a different booking source, this being as the hotels only release so many rooms to each booking site etc on a strict contractual restricted basis , so in my experience it is always worth the try to check on a few fronts perhaps?

 

( And again sorry for pointing out the bleeding obvious to you perhaps as I'm sure you do already know all of that but maybe the tip will help other readers at some point if not yourself)

Tell bf, life together is a comprise. So unless you want to sleep on a park bench, you can't refuse everyplace. It's one of the busiest hotel weeks of the year in Bangkok.

 lost count of the times I got a fully booked notice and then did get the room that the booking site etc said wasn't available by trying a different booking source

very sound advice Nirish,

 

if Agoda says full, try Booking.com or Asiarooms.com etc. Even when hotel's own website says full, e-mail to hotel may result in hidden vacancy revealed,

 

speaking from personal experience as well,  most recent - Malaysia Hotel just before Christmas, booking.com showed full, 15 seconds later Agoda showed '2 rooms left at that price", bingo

The Pinnacle is just a short walk to the MRT and just 9 baht to Sala Daeng and where the action is.

The Pinnacle is just a short walk to the MRT and just 9 baht to Sala Daeng

9 Baht? Is that pensioners price?

9 Baht? Is that pensioners price?

Yes, it is the elder price!

I would avoid anything that requires the BTS or MRT. Even if you get on the BTS, getting off at Sala Daeng and/or getting down to Silom from the platform is practically impossible.

 

I have stayed at Swiss Lodge before for Songkran the location is perfect. I actually just checked in there two days ago and they handed me a flyer advertising special Songkran package deals. I tossed it without paying much attention to it, but if already sold out, I wonder why they are still advertising. Maybe check with them directly if you haven't.

 

There are other hotels in the area of Silom Serene. There is a new Holiday Inn Express. The Furama Xculsive, iResidence, Hertiage,Baan Silom Soi 3. Not interested in these? As someone else pointed out, it is difficult to get to and from Soi 3 during Songkran because it is so crowded on Silom. It's so crowded, it's dangerous IMHO. I would probably consider hotels over on Suriwong. Easier to get from the hotel to Silom Soi 4 area via Patpong, Thaniya, etc from Suirwong, than going all the way to Soi 3 on Silom.

 

Tawana, Montien, Le Meridian, DeArni are the ones I know in that area.

I am staying at Bandara Suites Soi Saladaeng 1 for Songkran. Easy walk to Silom Road. Stayed before at Songkran time and no problems with staff or anything else there. I booked months ago so not sure if they have rooms available.

Surawong: Siam Heritage is quite nice, almost next door to Tartawan and opposite Meridien. Joiner may be an issue there, though.

 

Bandara Suites seems never fully booked. When looking at it in the evenings I always see only a few rooms lit up. And if the walk to Silom (maybe 500m) to Silom is to fr for layzy BF, they have a free hotel Tuktuk service :-)

 

You also may want to search for serviced apartments in the area, such as Silom Convent Gardens on Soi Phiphat 2 (right next door to Sauna Mania), another one on Convent Road the name of which I can't think of right now, or At Ease Saladaeng by AETAS on Saladaeng Soi 1 (bit too far maye, itäs at the far end of the soi, closer to Lumphini Park). 

I would avoid anything that requires the BTS or MRT. Even if you get on the BTS, getting off at Sala Daeng and/or getting down to Silom from the platform is practically impossible.

I find walking or running down the steps usually does it.  Aided by no more than 15kg of luggage.

 

I believe they have disabled facilities, although you would have to look for them & I could understand people complaining about that aspect. 

There are also connections into the shopping centres on each side, from one level below the trains. 

Check Amber... it isn't fully booked yet (at least yesterday wasn't)

I find using the MRT at the Lumpini station (2 minutes from the Pinnacle) easier than using the BTS at Sala Daeng. I used to stay at the Swiss Lodge but using the BTS during the dinner hour was a hassle. Escalators to street level or lifts to 2nd level at Sala Daeng.

I find walking or running down the steps usually does it.  Aided by no more than 15kg of luggage.

 

I believe they have disabled facilities, although you would have to look for them & I could understand people complaining about that aspect. 

There are also connections into the shopping centres on each side, from one level below the trains.

 

I was referring to period during Songkran only. The BTS platform and the steps leading down to Silom are wall-to-wall people. It is nearly impossible to move because there are so many people on Silom and no where for anyone to go.

 

I have described the process of "walking" down Silom as the laws of physics. You don't walk, you just join the crowd and are moved along by the movement of the other bodies.

 

Anyway, I was suggesting not to book a hotel that would require travel to the Silom Songkran activities via the BTS/MRT.

Thanks to all for their comments so far
I thought i had secured 2 rooms in one of the suggestions above, but they have gone quiet and not responding to my e-mails, since i politely declined to supply them with my Credit Card details by e-mail to a generic hotel address...

 

So once again its time to start a new hunt... especially as other open options have since closed out..
 

We have decided to stay in Ladprao area on the 11th so we can hit Ratchada clubs that night, so are now looking or April 12+13 only

 

New HI express is unfortunately booked out...

 

Both Furama's, Amber and Bandara are both way over budget at this stage and costing in excess of 4000B per night..

 

Silom Convent Gardens is still available as an option, but ned to run that past my travelling companions..

 

Any comments as to the guest friendliness of the Tawanna?

I have described the process of "walking" down Silom as the laws of physics. You don't walk, you just join the crowd and are moved along by the movement of the other bodies.

 

 

I was once part of such a crowd at Saphan Taksin BTS during 2014 Loy Krathong and never again, unpleasant and outright dangerous even in well behaving crowd like Thais.

 

Thank you for a warning although for many reasons / heat , work load / I'd never consider visiting BKK at Songkran time.

Indeed, not that it is mentioned: Songkran 2013 I was living in Lak Si. Bus to Chatuchak was no problem, but at BTS I had to queue about 30 minutes to change notes to coins (beginner's mistake), and then another 30 minutes to buy a ticket, and then again at the gate, and at the train!

 

ChristianPFC's Songkran advice: only walking (not taxi, bus, MRT, BTS)!

 

ChristianPFC's Songkran advice: only walking (not taxi, bus, MRT, BTS)!

Thats why we want to stay as close to the action as possible

 

Last time around we nearly froze to death waiting for an MRT to arrive at  Silom MRT Station!

I was referring to period during Songkran only. The BTS platform and the steps leading down to Silom are wall-to-wall people. It is nearly impossible to move because there are so many people on Silom and no where for anyone to go.

Right, I very much get it now. Being stuck in that kind of crowd is my idea of hell.

 

As for hotels, is the Baan Silom free when you want to stay ?