How To Find Luxury Hotels In Bangkok, Thailand
March 3, 2010 by bkkpkerplayer
Filed under Bangkok Travel
If you are looking to make reservations online you can visit any one of the online booking websites to book accommodations in Bangkok luxury hotels online. You can also reserve a luxury hotel in Bangkok by phone.
Stay along the Chao Phraya River. This is the most beautiful area of the city, which means that rates for luxury accommodations on the river will be 10 to 20 percent more than those downtown. Consider staying around Sukhumvit Road. A convenient stop on the skytrain, this area offers numerous options for luxury accommodations. You will find many tourists in this renowned shopping district.
Choose from among more than twenty Bangkok luxury hotels. The most plush ones are the penthouse high rise suites found at the international chain hotels. Expect to pay in excess of $150 a night for luxury accommodations in Bangkok. Across Thailand you will find hotel rates on the cheaper side.
You should organize your transportation in Bangkok. Land at Don Mueang International Airport. Almost all major airlines land at this airport, which is about 15 miles away from the city center.
Get your driver choose the expressway from the airport. This may help you escape some traffic, but will result in you spending 40 baht at the tool booth, so be sure to make change before you get in the cab.
Take a tuk tuk. Perhaps the most hated way to travel locally in Thailand, it can also be the most speedy in densely populated areas.
Preparing your visit to Bangkok, Thailand also will be of great advantage. Try to understand the currency of Thailand, the baht, as fast as possible. You will recognize that almost everyone appears to barter, which is part of the fun. Exchange booths affiliated with the major banks can be located in all popular tourist areas.
Carry a phrase book. While Thai is the official language, you will come across many English speakers, particularly in tourist areas, but it never hurts to learn some of the local language. Enjoy this stunning city, which holds the world’s longest place name, according to the Guinness Book of World Records: Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udom Ratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanu Kamprasit.
When you are trying to book a luxury hotel in Bangkok by phone, always be careful. Phone numbers include the United States international prefix “011.” When calling internationally from outside the United States, look for which international dialing prefix to use. All country codes are within parentheses and start with a “+” sign.
There are more reasons that you enjoy your stay at these Bangkok luxury hotels. The public transportation infrastructure in Bangkok is one of the most organized in the world, so feel secure accessing the skytrain, buses or boats anywhere you need to travel. It can take close to two hours to cross the city in a cab due to traffic. It is best to travel via public transportation. Be aware that the heat in April can be tough to bear and the rain in October may be a real pester, but in general, Bangkok can be visited year-round. And the case with luxury hotels in Bangkok is no different.
Bangkok Hotel Booking – Top 14 Tips
August 17, 2009 by bkkpkerplayer
Filed under Bangkok Nightlife
1. Location, location, location. Just like in real estate – find out where you are going to be and what is available around you. Is the bus, train, highway near? Where are the shopping malls? How far is it to that temple you want to visit? Remember when reading through the hotel write-ups – not every hotel is “centrally†located. Avoid Khaosan Road unless you like backpackers.
2. Don’t be fooled by a name. Most of the hotels in Bangkok use the words “Grandâ€, “Boutiqueâ€, “Royalâ€, “Luxuryâ€, “Executive†in the name of the hotel – so just because you booked a room at the Royal Grand Executive Luxury Boutique Service Apartments doesn’t mean the place will be royal, grand or any of the other words.
3. Ask your friends. If they have gone to Bangkok before, ask them where they stayed and get a recommendation. This doesn’t mean you have to stay there – but it should give you some ideas.
4. Shop around. The Internet is a wonderful place. Pop in the name of the hotel you want information on in Google, and you will see a myriad of info and a range of prices. Take good notes. Read actual reviews keeping in mind most people are more willing to write a negative report as opposed to a positive one.
5. Find a forum. There are many forums available on Thailand in general and Bangkok specifically. Most will let you read the info without registering but if you want to post a question you will have to register. A good place to get very current information.
6. Is it near the “action� Bangkok is infamous for its nightlife and you may or may not want to be close. Most nightlife is centered on Patpong Road (between Silom and Surawongse roads), Nana Entertainment Plaza (Sukhumvit and Soi 4), and Soi Cowboy (near Soi Asoke). So these are the areas to either avoid or make your reservations.
7. Sukhumvit is a very long road. Your friend recommends a hotel on Sukhumvit road but can’t remember which Soi (small street or alley) it is on. So, based on her recommendation, you book a room on Sukhumvit and Soi 103 only to realize it is a gazillion miles from anything. If you want to be centrally located – find a place off Sukhumvit between Sois 1 and 23.
8. What else is included? Free breakfast? Free Wireless? Transportation to and from the airport? Cable, Satellite, DVD, International Direct Dial (IDD) phone? Check to see what is and what is not included.
9. Is there a joiner fee? For the single guys who may bring back a guest for the evening, some hotels charge ridiculous amounts of Baht for having a guest. Best to ask first, and then avoid. You may be able to beat this if you book a double – but it isn’t worth the hassle.
10. You get what you pay for. Don’t expect Marriott service at a flea bag. We all want value for our money – but if you go cheap – don’t expect much. Look for a mid-range priced hotel – around USD $50 per night and you should be satisfied. Bangkok, and all of Thailand, has different prices for different times of the year – high and low season. Check the listed prices carefully.
11. Have fun and smile. Remember – you are in a foreign country and they may not do things like they do back home. Keep your cool, avoid arguing and smile. If you have a problem, ask for the manager and explain it with calm words and a pleasant tone. Yelling and screaming will get you nowhere in the Land of Smiles.
12. Online consolidators can often beat the price of a direct booking.
13. You don’t land at Don Muang Airport any more. Bangkok has a relatively new airport – Suvarnabhumi – about 50 kilometers further south than Don Muang. Plan your airport hotel accordingly.
14. Don’t expect the hotel staff to be fluent in your language. Most will speak English to a degree. Get a dictionary and learn a bit of Thai.

