Hotel suggestions in Bangkok

[+ g56whiz]

I hope to make my maiden voyage to Bangkok and it's Tawan Bar. Are there any reasonably priced hotels nearby especially ones that permit entertaining? The Meridien seems a bit pricey for my tastes.

 

Also what's the best mode of transportation from the airport.

 

Thanks.

[body2body]

I usually take a hired car from the airport. AOT (Airports of Thailand) has a limousine desk in the arrivals area of the terminal. The fare is about 1400 baht (around $40) for a Toyota Camry and Driver. A cab is less, but the air conditioning

may not be on.

There is a Hotel on Suriwongse Rd. called The Tawana. It is old ( back in the 70s it was the Sheraton Bangkok) but I just checked on Trip Advisor and it still gets pretty good reviews with rates in March as low as $53. It is just about across the street from Tawan Bar and will put you in walking distance of Patpong and must confess I have no personal experience as I usually stay at the Intercontinental or the Grand Hyatt Erawan since I am there on business. I don't know The Tawana policy on bringing guests up, but many of the big hotels frown on it.

[+ nycman]

I just checked prices at the Meridien in Bangkok for this March.

 

Prices start around $100 USD. That's a "bit pricy"?

 

Forget the Mandarin, Peninsula, or St. Regis....all great.

[+ g56whiz]

 

Prices start around $100 USD. That's a "bit pricy"?

 

Sorta. It's not that I'm that cheep. I'll be staying at the Hotel Majestic in KL (that I highly recommend) for several days before repairing to my apartment. It's that I'm just planning a two day jaunt solely to sample BKK's carnal pleasures and I don't think I'll need the amenities of a 5 star hotel to accomplish that.

[nynakedtop]

Strongly recommend The Rose Hotel just off Surawong

[trav05]

The Rose is in the middle of a construction zone now. Not such a good place. They are tearing down the Montrion Plaza and building upscale shopping center. For 2 days the Tarntawan may be your best best. 1/2 block to Tawan. Tarntawan is under new ownership, but is very good at allowing company. Customers now seem to be tour groups. Check out the Raya. Next door to Soi Twilight. There is a new Red Planet and Amari about 2 or 3 blocks down Surawong.

 

Taxi from airport is about $12-15 us. Not nearly as bad as the horror stories people like to tell. Just hand driver address of hotel. Tell him to use meter. He he doesn't, just get out and get next one. Since they started using the ticket that you get from machine with taxi number on it, much less issues.

 

When are you looking to go. Hot season starts in about 6 weeks.

[sydneyboy]

I have stayed at the Tarntawan in years gone by but the the more recent reviews on TripAdvisor give horror a meaning it never had before.

[Despardo]

I am no expert on Bangkok having spent only 3 days there and there are hundreds of hotels. I was with a tour group and we stayed at the Montien https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g293916-d301388-Reviews-Montien_Hotel_Bangkok-Bangkok.html

 

It is a large, traditional tourist hotel. Rooms are in need of updating, but they were clean and comfortable. I believe the hotel is not expensive. It's main attraction would be its location right across the street from the main red light district were all the gay clubs are (including Tawan, which I liked a lot.) Also across the street is a huge night market and a large and popular city park as well as the sky train. I don't know what their policy is regarding overnight guests, since I did not bring anyone back with me. Some hotels charge a $15 guest fee. The Montien's location right in the middle of the sex circus suggests that the staff there is probably shock proof. Not a bad choice, but you might find something better. Still the Montien had some convenient features:

 

[Despardo]

I went to Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar one October--tail end of the rainy season. Not the "hot" season--could have fooled me. The humidity was crippling. Think south Florida in the summertime. I learned to put my camera in a zip lock bag so it could warm up on the street from the hotel AC. Otherwise, water condensed inside the camera! When I stepped out of the hotel, my glasses steamed up so I could not see. Temperatures in October were in the high 80s. During the hot season, they go into the 100s. Great if you are a mango. January to March should be perfect!

 

Suvarnabhumi Airport is the finest airport I have ever experienced.

 

If you are traveling around Bangkok consider travel by water--ferries and water taxis on the river and some of the canals. It is cheap, fun, and you will get to your destination much faster. Cabs are comfortable, reasonable and generally air conditioned, however, at certain times of the day, you will just sit in traffic. I did take a tuk-tuk when I could get nothing else. Did not have a problem. The general issue with tuk-tuks in Bangkok is that the driver may very well not take you where you asked to go, but to a silk emporium or gem showroom where he gets a kickback if you buy anything. The sky train is an excellent option and not too hard to figure out. Avoid motorcycle taxis (as distinct from tuk-tuks) unless you have a death wish.

 

If you are a shopper, Bangkok is paradise!--beautiful things, amazingly cheap. Great place to buy gifts or have clothes made to order. Bangkok also boasts the most aggressive and persistent street vendors of any place I have visited. They offer a wide variety of goods and services. The words, "No, thank you!" have no meaning for them. To avoid hucksters, say nothing even if directly addressed, avoid eye contact, behave as if they do not exist, and they will lose interest. Any flicker of attention from you and it is like blood in the water to a shark. This advice from my Thai guide. I spent my life in customer service industries and it is incredibly hard for me to treat people rudely, but it was in fact the only thing that worked. Basically, you snub them completely. You are expected to haggle over everything (which I hate)--pay no more than 50% of the original asking price and offer 25% to 30% to start the haggling. Good luck. They are pros at this. You need to get them down at least 25% just to save face. Most often, the original inflated asking price seemed pretty reasonable to me. In department stores and high end designer shops, one generally does not haggle.

 

Given that my hotel was across the street from the red light district, I should not have been surprised when every time I walked out of the hotel, I would be approached with, "Hi, you want girl?" or if that didn't work, "You want boy?--no problem!" There are in fact a great many very friendly Thais on the street who will greet you with a cheerful "Hi, Where you from?" The English translation of that question is, "Hi, How much money are you willing to part with?" If you answer America, you will have a new best friend. If you answer Russia or India, when you look up, the guy will have already vanished. Many of these guys just want to help you out of the kindness of their hearts. They are or have a friend who is a guide and will take you around or they have a brother/cousin who is a tuk-tuk driver and will take you where you are going. If you tell them where you are going and how you are going to get there, they will give you all sorts of reasons why you should not do that and will suggest an alternative involving said brother/cousin. Bangkok is not a particularly dangerous city. If you go off with one of these people, you will probably not be murdered. You may be robbed, and best case scenario is that you will wind up spending a lot of money. (But, of course you knew that.) These hucksters are easier to shake than the ones selling products. Just tell them that you know exactly where you are going and how to get there even if that is a barefaced lie.

 

Have fun!

[trav05]

Despardo, Bangkok is one of the safest cities in SE Asia. Much of what you say used to be true, but things have gotten much better over the last few years. Many of the street vendors have been moved to dedicated areas, or are allowed in busy street areas only a couple days a week.

I dont use tuk tuks at all. But again, government has cracked down on them a bit. More customer friendly now. Not to say there aren't a few bad apples. A hot dirty ride. Use taxis, very cheap, or as mentioned Shytrain.

 

As an American, I've never been taken advantage of. Though I have many times been asked if I want a boy or girl, I just say no and that's the end of conversation. This usually only happens when you are alone.

 

The Montien Hotel is in a great location, but as I mention in a previous post, same problem as Rose Hotel. They are in the middle of a big construction zone. The OP mentioned only needing a couple of nights and wanting Tawan Club.

That's why I say Tarntawan or Raya. Tarntawan has lost its luster, but very customer friendly and if only 2 nights, location can't be beat.

 

Your right about the heat and humidity. Spring time takes as much A/C as you can find.

I live in Bangkok 6 months out of the year. My US address is in South Florida. I spend lots of time in the heat.

[+ g56whiz]

The "OP" thanks you all your comments. I've in-laws and an apartment in KL so I'm used to the weather and the basic differences in cultures. I even have some minor experience with Thai culture. For over two years I was "next of kin" for a Thai friend who became paralyzed here in the US with Guillain Barre. This trip is strictly to experience the "boy culture". Until I get there I'll practice my Russian accent.

 

Thanks again

[nynakedtop]

I have lived in Bangkok for several years, both while worked in the local office of an large American philanthropic foundation and as the site for my graduate thesis on rural-to-urban labor migration. I still maintain an apartment in the City and am there regularly.

 

Despardo's posting is quite spot on. What many people do not realize, largely due to a very successful campaign launched by the Thai tourist authorities, is just how poor the country is. Not to "essentialize", but I have found the Thai people to be wonderful to be around, both in casual everyday encounters and more long-lasting relationships, professional and personal. But one must always keep in mind that life there is very difficult for most people... instability in the government, rural poverty, a degrading environment, corruption, and just bad infrastructure make the everyday an ordeal in many ways. Also keep in mind that the sex industry there really is an industry, efforts to sugar coat it notwithstanding.

 

As for coping, Despardo's advice is good... I speak the language so I can politely decline offers in Thai which both surprises, amuses, and renders speechless most people who might approach me. Otherwise a polite smile and a simple phrase: "mai ow, krub" will suffice.

[sydneyboy]

The report from Despardo contains one observation I find extraordinary. Suvarnabhumi is one of the best airports he has experienced. From my experience it is arguably the worst. Signage is almost non existent, if you walk in the wrong direction you can be literally kilometres from your desired destination (it happened to me once trying to find a business class lounge). I did read once but forget the detail of how far it is from one end of the airport to the other. The distance is staggering with no means of transportation to take you where you want to go. If you find someone who can speak English all they will do is point out how out of the way you are and offer their condolence (again I speak from experience). The airconditioning is shocking the ''coolers'' appear to be cheap humidifiers hopeless in a tropical climate. I recall the time it was constructed (under Thaskin) there were criticisms it was done on the cheap something that is all too obvious. It you want to experience a magnificent airport try Dubai. Perfect signage, staff who speak English that roam around to assist anyone who appears lost and rail system to take you from one part of the airport to the other.

Edited January 26, 2017 by sydneyboy

[fedssocr1]

sorry to resurrect this ancient thread....

 

I don't find Swampy to be all that much worse or better than any other giant airport. There are moving walkways to help you get around. Frankly I found DXB to be pretty horrible too on my one and only experience there. Also a very large airport where things are far apart from each other. Probably on-par with places like FRA which can certainly also mean some very, very long walks depending on where your gate is.

 

As for hotels in the gay part of town I think the main ones have been mentioned. I stayed at the Crowne Plaza Lumpini a couple of years ago and generally liked it except for the need to use two elevators to get anywhere. It's right around the corner from the Sala Daeng BTS station or the Silom MRT. And the walk to Soi Twilight or Tawan further along is not too bad. Other places to consider are the other direction down Silom like Pullman Hotel G or 222 Silom. The walk from there to Tawan is not too bad other than crossing one big road but you can take the overpass to do it.

[+ Axiom2001]

Ten years ago I stayed at both the Montien (as mentioned in one of the above posts) and The Tartawan and had a pleasant stay in each. But of the two, I preferred the latter in my ease of having company in my room. At this hotel the staff look out for its guests by having a card filled out upon registration, and if a visitor does arrive, you'll receive a telephone call to your room before as well as after. I had a hot masseur come to my room on a Saturday morning, and that is what transpired. My stay there was wonderful, and I'd probably stay there for a few days anyway if I were to return to "The Land of Smiles." I love Thailand and its people in general.

 

Go to www.agoda.com and check out the hotels and the accompanying reviews.

Edited February 14, 2018 by Axiom2001

[fedssocr1]

agoda, not agota

[nynakedtop]

Ten years ago I stayed at both the Montien (as mentioned in one of the above posts) and The Tartawan and had a pleasant stay in each. But of the two, I preferred the latter in my ease of having company in my room. At this hotel the staff look out for its guests by having a card filled out upon registration, and if a visitor does arrive, you'll receive a telephone call to your room before as well as after. I had a hot masseur come to my room on a Saturday morning, and that is what transpired. My stay there was wonderful, and I'd probably stay there for a few days anyway if I were to return to "The Land of Smiles." I love Thailand and its people in general.

 

Go to www.agota.com and check out the hotels and the accompanying reviews.

although i have an apartment in bangkok and not 100% current on the hotel scene, it is my understanding that the tarntawan hotel has changed ownership and the quality of the customer experience there has significantly changed, perhaps not for the better.

 

just anecdotal evidence here, mind you....

[+ Axiom2001]

agoda, not agota

 

Thanks for correcting my typo. I went back and did a wee bit editing!

[fedssocr1]

interestingly enough "agota.com" redirects to the right place

[trav05]

Nynakedtop has is correct. Ownership change. While now still gay friendly, many long time staff were let go.

They now cater to many tour groups. Just not as comfortable as with the old ownership.

Airbnb is huge in Bangkok. Any trip over a week you should probably look for condo.

[img2ciya]

Bump...

 

I definitely can recommend the Baan Saladeang guest house. Each room is unique and you can see pics to check out the details. It's centrally located - near the boy bars, many saunas and massage spas, the BTS and MRT public transportation and good restaurants, but it's far enough away to not be bothered by any noise. The only drawback (well, for me...) is that they don't have an elevator. If that's bothersome for you, stick to the lower floors. The staff is very friendly, they serve a nice breakfast (not much of a rotation but I still like it), and they are fine with guests as long as they register. I've had lots of fun there. Once or twice, the overnight staff was away from the desk so I just brought my guest inside without registering but they have never given me any trouble or judged me for having a guest.

 

https://www.baansaladaeng.com/main/index.php

 

I have stayed at other hotels in Bangkok but Baan Saladeang is always my first choice by far. Specifically, I stayed at Tawana once and they were the worst when it came to having guests. I don't know how I managed it but I did sneak guests in somehow, but it was a HUGE hassle.

 

And yes, just take a taxi from the airport. It's usually about 250-300 Baht for the metered fare (sometimes the driver "offers" a flat rate of 500 Baht but you should decline and request the metered rate).

[Sean Y]

I’ve stayed at the Trinity Silom and the Heritage previously. Trinity has a rooftop pool (in apartment across the street) that’s huge and great for swimming laps. Heritage has a room top pool that’s fairly shaded. Both are right off the sky train and easy walking to street food and food court, Tawan and bars, and massage parlors. And you can you take air train to the sky train from airport to hotel - really cheap.

[Bargara Leatherboy]

Any updates on BKK heading to Thailand for first visit In November

[fedssocr1]

the various gay thailand forums are a good source of up to date info. gaythailand.com is probably the most active these days. There's also gaybuttonthai.com and sawatdeenetwork.com

[nynakedtop]

Or... contact me!

 

Just returned from a six week stay in Thailand.