3 days only – get 50% off all Hilton hotels in Thailand

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• Nathan says:

  10 Sep10 September 06:20

  I stayed at the millennium Hilton Bankgkok a couple of months ago and its a fantastic Hilton! Fortunately i’m Hilton Diamond so had access to the lounge on the top floor which does free cocktails in the evening for a couple of hours and some snacks etc.
  Really nice hotel and it is right on the river so taking the local boat up and down is really easy as the dock is just on the other side of the river which you can get to on the free Hilton boat that goes back and forth.

• James67 says:

  10 Sep10 September 06:39

  Unless you are desperate for the points I would recommend staying elsewhere. There will be better hotels in Thailand at the same rates as Hilton sale rates.

  • Waribai says:

    10 Sep10 September 09:10

    So….Conrad in Koh Samui. What would be better on the island than that property with the 50% off rate?

    • James67 says:

      10 Sep10 September 10:56

      IMO just about any room by the beach for under a thousand baht a night. Honestly why bother going all that way to hide out in a luxury hotel like samui residence. But I know what you are getting at so for folks who need such you would still be better renting a private bungalow with pool, car and driver. For thode with any sense of adventure and any interest in real Thai culture best just give samui a miss full stop. Head someplace like Songkhla instead.

• George says:

  10 Sep10 September 08:47

  I was hoping for a sale that extends well into March… I’ve got a Phuket stay planned and puzzled in terms of where the good deals are…

  • James67 says:

    10 Sep10 September 11:08

    My advice would be to do extensive research on smaller hotels and guest houses which are family owned. Amongst the more expensive ( by Thai standards) ones you will find some amazing places to stay. They will have incredible surroundings, amazing gardens, topnoth furnishings, absolutely spotless, incedible staff and food to die for. However, if you feel you must stay at a chain hotel then I recommend HI resort patong beach. It is really nice. Avoid hilton arcadia unless paying eith points. If staying anyplace outside patong I recommend you hire a car or bikes. Taxis are a rip off on Phuket. You will find Thailand forum at FT very helpful.

    • CV3V says:

      10 Sep10 September 12:45

      Taxis in BKK are great fun. From being told (on 2 occasions now) that China Town ‘is closed’, haggling with one taxi driver who insisted the meter rate was ‘per person’ – the same one then wanted a ‘congestion charge’ for being in a traffic jam, or the one who was swearing in Thai to his colleague about how I wanted to go to the airport rail link station and not all the way to the airport.

      I’m back there over Christmas and new year.

      • Rob says:

        10 Sep10 September 13:09

        It is fun. It was great when I was 20. But now I am mid-40s and a Conrad Koh Samui experience is preferable. You don’t see many middle class professionals in their 40s with wives in the £2 backpacker joints so clearly I am not alone in this view!

        • Brian says:

          10 Sep10 September 13:29

          To be fair, there is a huge difference between the 2pound backpacker joints and the 1000-2000 bungalows that you can get on most islands and which are more than good enough, even for middle-class professionals in their 40s, and offer much more local character and flavour than a chain.

        • James67 says:

          10 Sep10 September 14:04

          No I would not stretch it to £2 backpacker place either, I would even prefer to sleep on the beach. That said, there are some great private rooms all over Thailand that can be had for between £10 and £20 a night that are spotlessly clean with good furnishings, air con, cable tv and functional bathrooms. And they can usually be found in midst of town and adjacent to beach. However, my main point is that regardless of your budget it is usually always possible to find a better place than the chain hotel if you do your homework. The logic of taking kids of whatever age over 6000 miles to inhabit soulless chain hotels isolated from local community and culture totally escapes me. If it is weather then there are just as great hotels in Spain and Italy for example where the wather can be better relied upon than in the tropics.

      • James67 says:

        10 Sep10 September 14:18

        For me the funniest part of all ( unless you are a novice visitor) is that the taxi drivers often do not have a clue where they are going if they end up outside their own area. The locals hate that the drivers can refuse a fare. Therr is a lot of grumbles about this.

    • Waribai says:

      11 Sep11 September 10:04

      Horses for proverbial courses. I may have had similar views before I had a family. Now, the ‘reassurance’ of a decent chain hotel is highly sought after. As for Patong with a young family. I would really not recommend that to anyone!

• CV3V says:

  10 Sep10 September 12:59

  When booking in Thailand do check whether or not the rate includes tax and service charges – this adds 17% onto the rate.

  • James67 says:

    10 Sep10 September 14:13

    …and just to add to that take particular care at IHG hotels where the ectra person charge sometimes begins with the SECOND person in a room.

    • Rob says:

      10 Sep10 September 14:24

      In some countries, yes, inc Germany. Ambassador members at ICs are exempt.

• Dwadda says:

  10 Sep10 September 15:50

  The Millenium Hilton’s 360 lounge is rated as the best view in Asia (it is pretty cool). There are two suites on each floor that overlook the river (01 and 02). You will get these if you are Gold (and book a suite) or Diamond.

  Tip: Don’t bother with the hotel water ferry, which runs infrequently, just take the river crossing ferry 100ft away (v cheap) to cross the river to the Sheraton, where you can catch the ferry to the Palace etc. Look for water ferry’s with an orange flag, not blue (more expensive, crap tour guide) – DO NOT buy a ticket before you get on the boat, otherwise you’ll be restricted to taking the blue flag boats.

  Tip: Uber works in Bangkok – but beware of drivers who aren’t familiar with driving in all parts of Bangkok or aren’t familiar with English (most of them). Uber is the best way to get around. Just leave yourself plenty of time if you’re heading to the airport. We had to cancel and get a hotel car because the Uber driver was lost. They closed the check-in before we arrived, but BA ground staff pulled out all stops to get us on board. It’s good to be BA gold. I just feel sorry for the two chaps they’d given our seats to because I saw them strapped into the jump seats for take off.

  Tip: If you want nightlife stay around Sukhumvit

  • James67 says:

    10 Sep10 September 16:43

    Sukhumvit covers a very large area. If it’s nightlife you are looking for I think Dwarf a is referring to Sukhumvit Sois 8 through 12 around Nana extending to Sois 18 through 22 around Terminal 21 which is between Nana and Asoke sky train stations. Millenia hilton has most visually pleasing but also the most inconvenient location of hiltons in bkk.

  • Simmo says:

    11 Sep11 September 09:12

    I have a King Executive Suite booked at the Millennium Bangkok for a few nights as a Gold HHonors, do you have experience of getting a river view? any other ‘perks’?

    Also have 3 nights at the Hilton Sukhumvit booked for a change of scenery.

    Best ways of getting from the airport and back? arriving 8am(ish) I guess rush hour?

    • Rob says:

      11 Sep11 September 09:57

      Ask the hotel for the cost of a car, it is the easiest way and your brain will be a bit frazzled after the long flight

      • Simmo says:

        11 Sep11 September 13:56

        2,500 THB – £50! Think I’d rather try my luck with a taxi!

        • Dwadda says:

          11 Sep11 September 15:29

          2,500 is for a 7-series or S class. Ask them for the Toyota Camry that’ll be about 1,500 .. considering that it could take 1.5 hours during rush hour that’s pretty good value. They want 1800 for a Camry if you get one from the Airport.. Actually, taking the taxi is pretty painless, they are well organized. The trip is to walk all the way to the queues at the end where there are fewer people. It’s 100 yards from the first queue to the last.

          I too booked the king suite (but not exec as you get that with Gold anyway). I think that is the class of rooms we stayed in so you will get the amazing view.

          Enjoy.

        • James67 says:

          11 Sep11 September 17:58

          Just go to the official taxi rank. The agent takes your name, hotel and records taxi number,. Should cost you no more than 400 baht or £8. Despite what you hear it is trouble free most of the time and easier than spotting your private transfer. Often I just show taxi drivers 400 at airport, point to meter and shake my head. That makes them happy and you get no drama but often they will skip expressway to save the 400 fall for themselves. That can actually be an advantage at rush hour sometimes.

• TravelMush says:

  12 Sep12 September 05:58

  Some good tips above re Bangkok Hiltons and airport transfers.

  I have stayed at most of them and can offer the following on my 2 favourites:

  MILLENIUM HILTON

  A taxi to the Millennium can take a long time due to location but there is no problem getting it from official desk at airport as mentioned by James67 – cheapest option and simple.

  For the slightly more adventurous you can use the airport rail link train to join the BTS network once in town – during rush hour, because of traffic this can be quicker than a taxi…

  The Millennium has 2 suites overlooking river on each floor as mentioned above, as Gold booked into a King Executive Suite you should have a decent chance of getting one – i would say check in at the Exec Lounge as opposed to downstairs to stand a better chance.

  Despite Dwadda saying don’t bother with hotel ferry I have found it OK (every 30 minutes) it is free and links with the Saphan Taksin BTS station which is on the Silom Line and gives you access to the whole city.

  From this same point you can also access river boats as mentioned.

  HILTON SUKHUMVIT

  Recent stays at the Sukhumvit Bangkok has led this to being my favourite, lovely lounge, lovely staff, decent pool and the option to use the pool next door at Doubletree Sukhumvit

  Easier access from airport using taxi or BTS

  Right next to a BTS station

  Not the ‘other’ side of the river so better for exploring

  both hotels offer decent value using points or points & cash

  these are only my opinions but i thought they may be of some use

• Neil says:

  19 Sep19 September 04:55

  im currently enjoying the excellent Conrad Bangkok and have booked further rooms for some friends all in my name but with them as the additional guest, i wonder if i am eligible for points on all the rooms, anyone have any experience of that?

  • Rob says:

    19 Sep19 September 11:29

    Yes, should work, whatever the rules say

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