Here we go again

Hi all

I am planning my next trip to Thailand (24 April - 23 May) and need some information on hotels in Bangkok.

1) what rate is Jimmy quoting for the Pinnacle - yes have e-mailed him but no reply yet
2) telephone number from UK for Jimmy
3) any hotels in the same price range near the World Trade Centre
4) any reviews of m in Bangkok apartments - Ploenchit Road

Chiang Mai

any reviews on Comeon place hotel/guest house

sure I'll have other questions but i'll leave those until later

Thanks
Brian

[Smiles]

Brian, not sure about Jimmy (gave up on him long ago), but Precision Reservations (http://www.precisionreservations.com/ph-aspx-hotel_id.10683-db-hoteldatabase/HotelDisplay.htm) has some very good prices advertised for the Pinnacle Lumphini Hotel: 26 bucks US (1010 baht) for a "superior" room is quite close to the quote I last heard Jimmy was giving.

Used Precision for bookings for trip in April and was quite happy with their quotes and speedy service. But do a Google search for the hotel and you'll find lots of agencies giving competetive rates for the Pinnacle. It's a popular place.

Cheers ...

[wowpow]

************************************************** ********************************
The room rates for the Pinnacle Hotel Lumpinee, Bangkok that we offer currently are as follows :
(Weekly Rate = Minimum of 7 consecutive nights*)
************************************************** ********************************

1) STANDARD ROOMS (4th & 5th Floors) - Smoking rooms ONLY*:
================================================== =================
1.1) STD-Single(1 big bed**), for One person with breakfast = 840 baht/night (*Weekly Rate = 790 baht/night)
1.2) STD-Double(1 big bed**), for Two persons with breakfast = 940 baht/night(*Weekly Rate = 890 baht/night)
1.3) STD-Twin(2 single beds), for Two persons with breakfast = 940 baht/night (*Weekly Rate = 890 baht/night)
<*Note: As of 11 Aug '04 a Non-smoking room is no longer available in a Standard room.>
2) SUPERIOR ROOMS (4th, 5th, 6th & 7th Floors):
========================================
2.1) SUP-Single(1 big bed**), for One person with breakfast = 940 baht/night (*Weekly Rate = 890 baht/night)
2.2) SUP-Double(1 big bed**), for Two persons with breakfast = 1,040 baht/night(*Weekly Rtae = 990 baht/night)
2.3) SUP-Twin(2 single beds), for Two persons with breakfast = 1,040 baht/night (*Weekly Rate = 990 baht/night)

3) DELUXE ROOMS (8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th & 14th Floors):
================================================== ==
3.1) DLX-Single(1 big bed**), for One person with breakfast = 1,090 baht/night (*Weekly Rate= 1,040 baht/night)
3.2) DLX-Double(1 big bed**),for Two persons with breakfast =1,190 baht/night(*Weekly Rate= 1,140 baht/night)
3.3) DLX-Twin(2 single beds),for Two persons with breakfast =1,190 baht/night (*Weekly Rate= 1,140 baht/night)
================================================== ==================================

PLEASE NOTE: BREAKFAST IS NOW PART OF THE PACKAGE AND NO LONGER AN OPTION. HOWEVER, FOR AN ADDITIONAL 100 BAHT (starting 1 Nov '04), THE BREAKFAST COUPON CAN BE EXCHANGED FOR THE BUFFET LUNCH (Monday through Friday only, except public holidays). THIS SPECIAL OFFER IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO GUESTS BOOKING THROUGH J.F. HOLIDAYS, NOT THROUGH OTHER AGENTS OR DIRECT WITH THE HOTEL.
Remarks:
========
1) All floors have been renovated.
2) All rooms on the 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th & 13th floors are Non-smoking rooms.

3) Please advise whether you prefer a Smoking or Non-smoking room***.

4) **Big bed, ***Smoking and Non-smoking rooms, and special requests for a certain floor are Subject to availability at check-in.
5) Starting 1 Nov '04, extra charge for a Late Check-Out of no later than 6 PM is 500 baht. IF CHECKING OUT AFTER 6 PM, A FULL NIGHT WIIL BE CHARGED.

6) Extra charge for an extra bed (with breakfast) = 500 baht/night.

7) The above rates are inclusive of tax and service charges, and buffet breakfast.

8) The above rates may be subject to change.
9) PLEASE NOTE THESE SPECIAL PRICES ARE ONLY FOR BOOKINGS MADE THROUGH J.F. HOLIDAYS, NOT DIRECT WITH THE HOTEL.
10) No shows will be charged at the rate of 1 night. You must notify us of any changes or cancellation.

11) Payment must be made to J.F. Holidays in room 1312, NOT to the hotel.

12) Payment can be made after checking into the room. Payment must be in CASH ONLY (Thai Baht) and is due immediately after checking-in (or within 24 hours after checking-in, at the latest). Otherwise, you will NOT receive the special rates shown above. NOTE: Office hours for payment are normally 10 AM тАУ 3 PM.

13) Complete instructions for payment will be given to you again with the booking confirmation.
************************************************** ****************************************
ARIE, PLEASE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THE BOOKING(S) FOR YOU :
1) Your FIRST and LAST NAME (as on your passport).
2) The room type preferred.
3) Smoking or Non-smoking room (*Note: a Non-smoking room is not available in a Standard room).
4) Number of rooms required.
5) Number of persons per room.
6) Check-In and Check-out Dates.
7) Arrival flight details.
8) The estimated arrival time.
9) Also, your contact phone number(s) and alternative email address (if any) would be helpful
We await your prompt reply.
Best regards,

Jimmy / J.F. Holidays Travel & Trading Ltd., Part.
C/O : Pinnacle Hotel Lumpinee, Bangkok
Room # 1312
Tel : 02-287-0111
Mobile : 01-859-6585
E-mail : jimmyfirst@hotmail.com

I booked the Pinnacle Hotel with www.asiaroom.com (http://www.asiaroom.com) for a few days stay in June this year, and paid 1,099 baht per night for a superior room with breakfast for 2. Got a confirmation the day after I had submited the booking.

If you are going to stay for a week or more, it will be much cheaper with Jimmy. But if you're going to stay for just a few days, better book with other agents for your own peace of mind.

I don't like Precision Reservations. I have found it annoying becasue their prices do not include taxes and fees. Watch for the Grand Total before submit the order.

Bangkok Palace Hotel, same grade as Pinnacle, is a short walk to World Trade Centre. I have seen it but have never stayed there. 1,154 baht a night with breakfast for 2 from asiarooms.com

http://www.asiarooms.com/thailand/bangk ... alace.html (http://www.asiarooms.com/thailand/bangkok/bangkok_palace.html)

Agree with chuckwow.

Have booked the Pinnacle through asiarooms.com three times.

Reliable service, decent prices.

Will use them again.

I was told last night about the Malaysia Hotel in Bangkok: http://www.hotels2thailand.com/bangkok- ... -Hotel.asp (http://www.hotels2thailand.com/bangkok-hotels/Malaysia-Hotel.asp)

I was told it has many if not mostly gay guests, advertises a joiners fee of 100 baht and has room charges, for the dates I looked at, of 20 US dollars per night (about 800 baht I think). Also it looks a very short walk to Silom and soi Twilight. Is this too good to be true? It sounds about 600 baht cheaper than BBB Inn, which I thought was cheap and had a good location.

Anyone stayed at the Malaysia Hotel Bangkok?

[atri1666]

In CM i stayed in Novotel and was very happy. No problems with visitors. Many gaybars (circle-pub-doiboy-freeguy-gardenbar-66bar-adams apple) in short walking distance(about 3-5 min). They have very good breakfast-buffet and also lunchbuffet for 195 baht. The rooms are big and i payed only 25 euro for one night. House of male is only short tuk-tuk ride.

[wowpow]

They are both in the same street and about the same for gay guests - average over 65%. The Pinnacle rooms are quite a bit smarter and more comfortable. The Malaysia rooms are Spartan but clean and adequate (hard Thai beds) rooms with carpet are extra but they have a nice outdoor pool and a 24hour coffee shop. There is often a few money boys hanging around the gate - they used hang around the coffeshop but Police stopped that. The Malaysia staff seem particularly pleasant.

For location the Malaysia in nearer Babylon and the Pinnacle is nearer the Subway train so much of a muchness. If anything the Malaysia is harder to get rooms in as it is very well established and for a long time.

http://www.malaysiahotelbkk.com/
http://www.pinnaclehotels.com/lumpinee/index.html

atri - The Novotel is reasonably priced because it is remote from most of the interesting tourist places. Sure it's convenient for several gay places and - if I remember not too far from the wonderful Simon Cabaret Chiang Mai (Simon Cabaret Phuket not wonderful in my experience)

[SteveSF-old]

Having just returned from Chiang Mai, I can strongly recommend the Lotus Hotel (www.lotus-hotel.com (http://www.lotus-hotel.com)). This is a gay owned hotel for gay clients. It is just up the street from the Novotel mentioned previously in this thread. I stayed in the first room pictured on the web site, and it was nicely appointed, comfortable and quiet. The room was actually nicer than the rooms I have stayed at in the large hotels in CM, including the Imperial Mae Ping, (straight) Lotus PSK, and Chiang Mai Orchid.

When booking a Deluxe room at the Pinnacle, Precisions room rate is a small 31 baht higher per day then Jimmy. The kicker is that Jimmys rate INCLUDES tax and service charge.. which is an additional 280 baht per day through Precision. Whether not having to hassle with Jimmy and the fact you have to pay him CASH is worth the extra 300 baht surcharge per day is up to you....

[llz]

I was told it has many if not mostly gay guests, advertises a joiners fee of 100 baht and has room charges, for the dates I looked at, of 20 US dollars per night (about 800 baht I think).

Joiners fee in Malaysia ? This would be a revolution ! Can someone confirm it ?
(This was my second home during the first years I came in Thailand and I have fond memories there although I now stay in Saphan Khway)

[mikelele-old]

Yup Malaysia Hotel has 100 BHT listed for 'extra persons' - they have always had this posted on their website - but they have never charged this rate (they never did with me anyway) when I was there.

I don't think they are very strict with this particular rule. The front desk people are very nice and quite eager to help.

Of course I get a sly smile from that one concierge when ever I bring a new face back with me... LOL :)

M

[Smiles]

When booking a Deluxe room at the Pinnacle, Precisions room rate is a small 31 baht higher per day then Jimmy. The kicker is that Jimmys rate INCLUDES tax and service charge.. which is an additional 280 baht per day through Precision. Whether not having to hassle with Jimmy and the fact you have to pay him CASH is worth the extra 300 baht surcharge per day is up to you....
Correct about the tax & fee not included with Precision. I had to take a second look at my booking voucher to confirm it (I had forgotten).

But all in all I agree with one2go. I found the "cash" thing with Jimmy a minor annoyance (especially with the touch of jet lag I often have the morning after I arrive ... as well as having little cash actualy on me at that point), and the trundling down to his room, and sitting waiting for the paperwork etc etc etc. Frankly, I'd rather be in bed! Add to that the lack of email confirmation ... and sorry ... Jimmy is an "up to you" proposition for me.
His prices however are definitely the best.

Cheers ...

Recently at the Pinnacle.
I witnessed a straight getting charged a 500 baht joiners fee.
Any other experiences there recently with this?
Could be they are starting to enforce this, it has always been their policy but enforcement is the question.

Recently at the Pinnacle.
I witnessed a straight getting charged a 500 baht joiners fee.
Any other experiences there recently with this?
Could be they are starting to enforce this, it has always been their policy but enforcement is the question.

[TrongpaiExpat]

and sitting waiting for the paperwork etc etc etc.

You mean as he looks over a long track driven computer paper roll, with yellow stickies here and there, draws lines on it vertically and horizontally, writes in the margins, left and right and under the lines and an asterisk here and there as he answers the phone that rings every few minutes, and then has to do that all over again as the phone call distracted him, and then goes to the calculator and punches in numbers, and then, writes a little receipt with a carbon, and then, between joking and asking questions as you fork out cash, he opens up that little tin can stuffed with cash and counts out the change followed by a few more jokes and all this as your sitting in his room where he has the AC always off and the windows open and your almost never the only customer?

I visited Chiang Mai in Jan. We checked into the Lotus "Boutique" hotel. After seeing our spartan and depressing accommodations we checked out after 20 minutes. The desk help seemed understanding yet they charged us for a one night stay. We had no problem with this. The location,although near gay venues was about as bad as you can get. Not a restaurant or shop in the vicinity. We checked into Porn Ping and had a wonderful stay.

[Davey612]

I noticed that Smiles seems to be annoyed at Jimmy for the lack of e-mail confirmation.

I just used Jimmy this last week, and let me tell you that if you want prompt help, he is much better than all the online services I have used.

For example, when my friend decided at the last moment (the day before departure) to make a reservation at a BKK hotel, Jimmy was able to help him book a room at the Pinnacle and even called my friend's U.S. number to confirm that everything is fine.

Then, when I found that I needed an extra coupon for the breakfast buffet (don't ask me why hehe), Jimmy found a way to give me one without me paying extra for it.

So, in my case, I found Jimmy's service to be more personable and attentive. Unlike the online back and forth dialogue that some online services make you go through in order to find...no rooms available for the dates requested.