Bangkok hotel, bus to P

[a447]

Has anyone got a recommendation for a nice hotel near Patpong/Soi twilight? Previously I have stayed at the Plaza and the Rose. Are there any new ones in the area? I want a place with no joiner fee, of course.
Also, what is the difference between a gogo bar and a host bar?
And opne more - what is the best way to get to and from Pattaya from Bangkok? Last year I used mr Toom's taxi service but it was abit expensive, and the driver got lost! What about the bus??

You may like to try DeArni Hotel at Suriwong Road. New and if you book for double, you can bring boy back. Tel 02-2357373

[TrongpaiExpat]

Morchit used to be located next to the BTS station of the same name but for reasons that elude me they built a new smaller building that is not connected to BTS, MRT or even the old Bang sue train station. The old Morchit is still there being used as bus storage. Someone told me you can get over to Morchit via a dirt walking path, and then through a hole in a fence from MRT Bang Sue but I have not tried this yet.

Regarding the Pattaya bus from Ekamai, be sure to ignore anyone in front of the terminal asking if you are going to Pattaya. They are touts for the slow bus that runs out of the back of the terminal. Go to the first window on the right clearly marked Pattaya/AC and it's about 121B. The bus will load from platform one, first on the right. You should be on a blue and white bus, if not your on the wrong bus. Don't accept a seat number higher than 40 unless you have very short legs, that's in the back. Numbers are on the seat back, not easy to see, numbered left to right, just count them out.

[adman5000]

Yes, I learned the hard way several years ago to only go to the window and avoid anyone outside the window asking you where you are going. Sometimes they act quite official so you might not think they are touts.
On a bus trip a few months ago I got a seat upfront in the second row. Upon entering the bus, a Thai woman was seated in my seat. The bus driver said something in Thai to me and another passenger kindly translated that I was too tall for the front seats and to follow him. He lead me back to a seat behind the rear wheel which had much more room and was very comfortable.
I have always been impressed by the service when I travel by bus in Thailand.

[Shuee]

watch out for the thai women that stings you 100bt short on your change at the ticket window in eekamai bus station, anyone else experienced this also?
if so make a big deal of it as she's been doing it for far too long now

[fedssocr]

It depends on your budget I suppose.

There is a brand new Le Meridien on Suriwong close to the boy bar action. I don't know about joiners fees there. But it's a 5 star hotel so they may frown on unregistered guests.

I stayed at Siam Heritage a couple of years ago. I liked the executive suite room I was in, but at the time they were very militant about enforcing their no unregistered guests policy. That may have changed in the intervening time.

Of course there is always Tarntawan Place which some people love and some don't. No joiners fee there.

[TrongpaiExpat]

watch out for the thai women that stings you 100bt short on your change at the ticket window in eekamai bus station, anyone else experienced this also?
if so make a big deal of it as she's been doing it for far too long now

No, never but she never stops talking to the lady in the adjacent stall. It's a strange set up, there must be 20 windows each for a single destination. Why can't they just combine them all in a few windows called ticket sales all destinations? Some sort of set up like most of the movie house use.

[a447]

Has anyone stayed at the @Silom Hotel??

[iwonderwhy]

It depends on your budget I suppose.

There is a brand new Le Meridien on Suriwong close to the boy bar action. I don't know about joiners fees there. But it's a 5 star hotel so they may frown on unregistered guests.

I stayed at Siam Heritage a couple of years ago. I liked the executive suite room I was in, but at the time they were very militant about enforcing their no unregistered guests policy. That may have changed in the intervening time.

Of course there is always Tarntawan Place which some people love and some don't. No joiners fee there.

I noticed the new Le Meridien when I was in Bangkok in December. It's in a convenient location and looks quite nice. I usually stay at the Tarntawan but was thinking of trying someplace new on my next trip to Bangkok. Has anyone stayed at the Le Meridien? Can you bring guests back to your room without problems?