Banyan Tree, Shangri La or Penninsula hotel?

We are looking to book a trip to Thailand next year and are looking at various hotels that our tour operator provides.

We thought we had decided between the Banyan Tree Club room and the Shangri La Krungthep room. However we are now wondering if the Peninsula may be a better option?

We are looking for any advice as to which may be better suited for sightseeing around Bangkok in the day and hotel facilities during the evening.

We probably won`t venture out after sightseeing too much so things like service, facilities and room quality and restaurants will be important factors to making our choice.

Would be grateful for any advice.

Kind regards.

Diane

Banyan Tree, Shangri La or Penninsula hotel?

Hi Diane,

Was on the cusp of replying to your initial enquiry, re the BT and SL, but now that the Peninsula is in play, here goes ... must immediately confess to an enormous personal Pen bias. ((One of my all-time favourite business/leisure travel hotels (after the Park Hyatt Tokyo), and the site of our recent - September 2006 - Bangkok budget busting honeymoon bliss, along with the BKK Oriental --- and Four Seasons Singapore.))

Nothing against the SL and BT. I love pulling in late to the SL Krungthep Wing, from Singapore, Tokyo, or Hong Kong. Immediately arrange for an in-room massage (24-hour, if so desired), and sweet dreams. (And, certain suites on the 58th floor at the Banyan Tree come close to sensations I have experienced at the Park Hyatt Tokyo.)

Recently (27-30 October, 2006, to be exact), my wondrous wife and I enjoyed another fine time at the Peninsula. We always try to partake of so much that is graciously offered: Aftertoon tea in The Lobby, Cantonese dining at Mei Jiang, and our current favourite, an evening riverside table at Thiptara. (And afterwards, a quiet sanctuary in the sky --- please forgive me for not revealing our special rooms/suites/floors.)

';For more info,'; another thought is to type ';macintosh peninsula banyan tree shangri-la'; in the search bar. Wherever you stay, savour your time --- in the City of Angels.

macintosh (robert)

Down by the river/

(Neil Young)

Banyan Tree, Shangri La or Penninsula hotel?

Thanks for your reply.

I think we have now made up our mind and will go for the Penninsula in a balcony room.

It would appear that the Banyan Tree is perhaps a little out of the way for sightseeing for the time we have. Also the views from the Penninsula look great.

We read some bad reports on the Shangri La so have discounted this one also.

We looked at the Oriental but think that the Penninsula may be less formal and more relaxing for us. We will probably just go to the Oriental for dinner one night and afternoon tea on another. We had thought of the possibility of staying at both but as we only have seven nights there thought it may be wasting time with transfers and packing and unpacking. etc.

We are looking at a 3 week trip going to Cambodia and Phuket also.

We have looked at numerous hotels but hopefully have now made

the right choice.

Any comments on room choice or restaurants at the Penninsula would be very welcome.

Thanks again Di

Di

Def consider the Oriental it is not stuffy and I thought the Penninsula was more formal.

The Oriental has more of a resort feel where as the Pen imo is more business orientated.

The public areas at the oriental are some of the best ive seen.

The resturants at the Oriental are fantastic and the buffet rest by the river is supberb, all the restruants were very busy and that is a good sign. Im not a buffet person, but this was the one of the best meals ive had in ages.

The service at the Oriental is outstanding, prob the best I have ever had, and im a picky person.There was nothing they couldnt or wouldnt do, they even changed my flights so i could extend my stay for me which were on a promotion price, something that was impossible to do in the UK, (no charge)

Rooms poss have the edge at the peninsula but overall experience id go for the oriental.

Shangri la very nice hotel and ticks all the boxes but the Oriental and Peninsula are better hotels, but i suppose it comes down to price.

I would also say that whilst the location of the peninsula didnt bother me it was more convient at the Oriental as some say that is the right side of the river to be, shangri la is next door more or less to the oriental.

Bangkok mariott and spa has a lovely pool and very resort feel to it.

We went to the oriental for 6 nights in the summer followed by a week in Raffles in Singapore and had i have not paid in advance for Raffles I would have been straight back to the Oriental.

Ive done a report on the Oriental in august im from shropshire if that helps in finding it , it is quite lengthly but i was totally delighted with the hotel. I would recommend paying the extra and having a room facing the river.

my report is dated the 9 august under slwatkins

Hello Diane,

Thanks for your message. Concerning Peninsula restaurants, you already have fine recommendations from your other post. My wife and I currently enjoy drinks and light dinners in the Pen%26#39;s ';Lobby'; (a beautifully lit venue in the evening), listening to a wonderful jazz trio. We love jazz, and the vocalist has a voice like the late, great, Billie Holiday.

And you now have fine comments concerning the Oriental. As I%26#39;ve noted in previous posts, my wife is partial to the O (it%26#39;s her parents%26#39; special place), and I, the Pen. (I love gently disagreeing with my angel.) We have reached a compromise (as all good couples do): alternate between our two BKK honeymoon hotels. Last month, it was the Pen, and now, for a pre-holiday celebration next month, the O. (With the ';in-laws'; ... actually, they are great; still haven%26#39;t figured out why they permitted the likes of me into their fold.)

Noticed you are staying a week in Bangkok. This might not appeal to you, but consider staying at more than one property. (My wife and I travel a bit for work, so it%26#39;s rather commonplace for us to spend 2/3 nights in a hotel/country before moving on to the next locale.)

Finally, would love to help you out with your other request, but I can%26#39;t give you our favourite rooms/suites/floors at the Pen and O (and FS Singapore, HK Island Shangri-La, Park Hyatt Tokyo ... strict orders from the better half, mind you.) (And please don%26#39;t enquire about our favourite First/Raffles suites/seats on Singapore Airlines.)

One last thought is to go back to the search bar with ';macintosh oriental peninsula.'; (Fine thoughts from other fine forum members, and more miscellaneous ramblings from yours truly.)

As always, wherever you stay, savour Thailand. (Most certainly one reason I am happily married --- and paying bills.)

macintosh (robert)

Let%26#39;s agree to disagree/

(Buck Owens)