Shangri-La Hotel
This was the first hotel in which I stayed in Thailand. It was as impressive then as it is now. There are 799 rooms and 52 suites all fully equipped and lavishly furnished. If you check their website you can stay there for less than $175 a night. That is great value considering the service and fine facilities offered here.
Being our first vacation to Thailand, we did a lot of sightseeing. Sadly, on that first visit we did not get to try out all the hotel had to offer. The Shangri-La consistently rates as one of the top ten hotels in the world. Highlights are the impressive lobby, great restaurants, speedy and special room service and the views of the always-busy Chao Phraya River. There is enough going on here to spend an entire vacation without venturing outside.
There are two wings: Shangri-La and Krungthep. The Krungthep Wing ha s more expensive rooms and also offers 24 service apartments for long-term stays, with full use of hotel facilities and services, including signing privileges.
Every restaurant and bar in the complex is unbeatable. You can dine when you like on what you like. During the afternoon, the restaurants offer lighter fare, ideal if y ou return from shopping around 3pm and missed lunch. The 24-hour room service selection is vast. Room service breakfast arrives swiftly with fresh roses and crisp white linens and is a memorable meal. There is entertainment in one of the restaurants most evenings. It may be a fashion show or a traditional Thai show with music and dance.
The enormous counter in the lobby – uncluttered by the normal brochures and promotional material – offers every service from foreign exchange to arranging a limousine or booking a show. The gardens along the Chao Phraya River, ideal for an evening stroll, provide shade and shelter for the swimming pool. Numerous boutiques display treasures from around the world and there is a high-quality tailor’s shop along with a signature spa, tennis and squash courts. The hotel offers a helicopter transfer service to and from the airport. For those not wishing to spend so much on transport the Saphan Taksin station of the Skytrain, Bangkok’s elevated metro system, is within walking distance. This is not the best hotel for families – other hotels do offer more for youngsters. Couples looking for luxury will find it here and with special packages that include transfers and spa treatments, it can be good value for money. Once you have stayed here everything else seems second rate. In March 2009 the hotel eliminated all charges for Internet access.
Contact details: 89 Soi Wat Suan  Plu,  New  Road,  Bangkok, Thailand.
 Tel:  +66 2236 7777  +66 2236 7777 .     www.shangri-la.co/bangkok  

        Banyan Tree Bangkok
Tallest hotel in town (it was when I last looked) this 216 all-suites complex is in the center of the business district and its height allows views of the entire city. Luxury oozes from all 61 floors. This very special hotel continues to win awards, among them the best place to stay in the world. Spa packages can make this a more affordable place for the leisure traveler but is not a spot for the businessman on a budget.  Everyone equates Banyan Tree with quality and this property is no exception.  Everything is memorable here from the 24-hour coffee shop to the Spa Bliss.
There are no rooms – just suites. The least expensive of the suites covers 48 square meters, is exquisitely furnished and comes with a king-size bed and separate living room with a work area.  Newspapers and a fruit platter are delivered daily. Other items included: Coffee and tea making facilities, minibar, aromatherapy burner with essential oils, an incense burner with incense sticks, two-line telephone with speakerphone with voicemail, Internet access and two TVs with satellite news and entertainment channels. There is an in-room safe and guest stationery in the desk. The swish bathroom has the best of everything in towels and toiletries and there is an illuminated mirror for make-up or shaving. 
A great choice of top-notch restaurants include: Vertigo, open air on the top floor and a startling entrance as you suddenly see Bangkok from a great height. The picture tells is all  Other restaurants are Bai Yun, (nouvelle Chinese cuisine) Pier 59 (for seafood lovers) Taihai (Japanese) Saffron (the hotel’s signature restaurant offering top Thai cuisine with special dishes like prawns wrapped in crispy noodle, braised rack of lamb, massaman curry). There are several bars including one at the pool, one in the lobby and the juice bar. They do not have room service. Here it is in-suite dining, and very good too. The hotel has a great swimming pool and well-equipped gym. At the Banyan Tree Spa you can be pampered with extravagant treatments, from massages and body wraps to rejuvenating facials. Romantic baths can be prepared in your suite to celebrate special occasions. Or you can venture out into the city with a professional shopping companion and discover what Bangkok stores have to offer.
The only guest who would not feel at home is one who fears heights. Sixty-one floors is a long way up. Perhaps with all the fabulous food, service, and accommodation the person with acrophobia, or batophobia (fear of being close to high buildings) might be cured. This place is expensive but, sadly, quality costs. And this is top quality. Contact details: 21/100 South Sathon Road, Sathon, Bangkok 10120, Thailand. Tel: 02679 1200, fax 02679 1199 www.banyantree.com

                                                      The Oriental
All of Bangkok’s luxury hotels have large rooms, excellent employees, elaborate business centers and outstanding restaurants. Only one, the Oriental, has a great history. It started as a seaman’s lodge along the Chao Phraya River over a century ago.  It set high standards then and maintains them today. There are 358 rooms, 35 suites and five restaurants. There is a sense of old world charm and style that is unique in Bangkok. You do not just stay at the Oriental, you experience it. In its 130 years, the hotel has played host to royalty, the world’s leading political leaders and dignitaries. Despite its age, the hotel is in pristine condition thanks to a continuing program of refurbishing and upgrading.
Every room and suite is a work of art filled with Thai silk and teak wood. The standard 428 square-meter rooms include: Private butler service, work desk with Internet access, three IDD telephones, cable TV and CD player and CD library, minibar, fresh fruit and flowers daily, in-room safe, spacious bathroom with separate tub and shower. The top suite, 3,157 square-meter Oriental, has additional benefits: Two bedrooms, spacious sittin g room, floor to ceiling windows, and balcony, walk-in closet, pantry, private library, dining room for 12 people and four IDD telephones with two lines. 
Dining anywhere here is a great experience. If you take your eyes away from the menu in the main dining room - in its original palatial color scheme of taupe and mauve – look at the magnificent Oriental carpet. Throughout the property there is wonderful artwork and many items depicting the hotel’s great history.
The spectacular spa is in a traditional Thai-style house resplendent with wonderful golden carved teak across the river from the hotel. The hotel spent $1.2 million making this one of the best spas in the world. There are fourteen suites for ancient Ayurvedic remedies and modern-day massages. The spa is open daily from 8am to 10pm.  
The 393-room hotel boasts a state-of-the-art gymnasium and relaxing lounges, tennis court, swimming pool and a travel desk that organize anything from a nightclub tour to arranging a round of golf. Something different are the Thai Culture classes, which are held in the afternoons. Monday is Thai Ways, which includes a tour of the Bangkok canals, or klongs. Thai Beliefs are explained on Tuesdays. The Wednesday session is devoted to Thai Music and Dance and Contemporary Thai Culture is discussed in a two-hour session on Thursdays. Thai Art and Architecture is the topic for the Friday forum. The hotel’s Thai Cooking School is regarded as one of the best in Thailand. 
The property is full of history and nostalgia. World leaders have met here. Somerset Maugham and Noel Coward took afternoon tea. Things to note: Rates are quoted in dollars but final bills are presented in Thai Baht. Fluctuations in the Baht-$rate will mean clients will pay more or less than they expected. All rates are subject to 10 percent service charge and 7.7 percent government tax, which means about 20 percent, is added. Having breakfast included in a package is a big advantage. The excellent breakfast buffet is expensive if purchased separately. Many clients have said they prefer rooms in the garden wing room, which has views to the street and the river. Another plus is that they were quieter than the slightly bigger rooms in the river wing. Their slogan, your leisure is our pleasure, shows throughout the property. Contact details: 48 Oriental Avenue, Bangkok, Thailand. Tel:<skypetmptag0/>. www.mandarin-oriental.com.

                                               The Tenface Hotel

Very trendy and very chic is the best way to describe this new 79-room boutique hotel. The hotel is a little out of the way but it provides a shuttle to the BTS Ploenchit Station with a choice of vehicles - a customized vintage Mercedes, tuk tuk or a van. The service operates throughout the day and normal journey time is two minutes.

All the accommodation is decorated in great style and comes with the best in lotions and potions in the bathrooms. 

All suites have a living room, private balcony and full-equipped pantry.  Room amenities include LCD television, with international satellite channels, IDD telephone, free wireless broadband Internet, in-room safe, Nespresso coffee machine, minibar, electric kettle, bathrobes, slippers and a hairdryer. The two-bedroom suites have the added advantage of chinaware, glassware, silverware, dishwasher, range hood, two-burner electrical stove, microwave oven, a large refrigerator, and a front load washer/dryer.

The hotel’s Wanara Eatery combines traditional Thai recipes with classic Western ingredients to produce novel dishes. The fixed-price lunch menu starts from 280 Baht. The hotel has fitness facilities, an outdoor swimming pool and the trendy Sita Bar, which is open from 10am until 1am.  

If you were wondering about the strange name: Tenface is inspired from the 10-faced giant from the famous Asian epic, the Ramayana.

Contact details: 81 Soi Ruamrudee, 2 Wireless Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330. Tel:  02695 4242, fax, 02695 4240. www.tenfacebangkok.com

       Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square 

The 429-room Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square provides reasonably priced accommodation for both leisure and business traveler and is located in the city center. The property has easy access to the Bangkok Sky Train system, which means traversing this vast city is easy and inexpensive.
Some of Bangkok’s finest shopping and entertainment centers surround the hotel, noted for its fine service. All the rooms and suites here have Internet access, IDD telephone, minibar, hairdryer, television with local, cable and pay per view channels. There is a choice of restaurants and bars. There include Chinese, Italian, and an international buffet.
The hotel’s nightclub, CM2, is popular with Bangkok residents as well as visitors. CM2, has karaoke, food stalls, and a vibrant disco. Most night there are live bands.  Contact details: 392/44 Siam SquareSoi 6, Rama I Road, Pathumwan, 10330, Bangkok, Thailand. Tel: , fax . E-mail: reserve@novotelbkk  Website: www.novotel.com/novotel

                                                      Amari Atrium
Impressive inside and out the Amari Atrium attracts both business and leisure travelers with its first class facilities, friendly and efficient staff and affordable rates. Other plus factors for this 568-room property include stylish rooms, 24 hour room service and business center, pleasant swimming pool and excellent dining spots. During 2009 the hotel dropped all charges for Internet access. Hopefully that program will continue. The hotel provides shuttle buses to Central World Plaza and Siam Square throughout the day offsetting complaints that the property is a little out of the way. The property is close to the city’s expressways making it a relative easy drive to the airport. All the rooms are spacious, fully equipped and tastefully decorated. The 14 deluxe corner rooms are well worth the extra money. Want a late check out? The property proivides this service on a sliding scale for extra hours. If you stay six more hours until 6pm it will cost you around $25.  There is a fabulous food selection: The Cascade Restaurant has bountiful lavish buffets and an international a la carte menu. The Cascade Lobby Bar is open all day for drinks and snacks. The Vivaldi Italian Restaurant serves upmarket Italian cuisine and an English touch is Mingles Pub. Other amenities include

                                           President Palace Hotel

Another classy, quality hotel opened its doors in Bangkok at the end of 2009. The President Palace Hotel is located in the trendy Sukhumvit Soi 11 of downtown Sukhumvit Road – an upmarket area for shopping, dining and entertainment. The 236-room property is within walking distance of the Nana BTS Skytrain Station and Asoke-Sukhumvit Interchange MRT Station.

Room sizes range from 34 to 48 square meters and include double-glazed windows, 32-inch LCD TV with local and international channels, broadband and wireless Internet access, bedside control panel, in-room safe, IDD telephone, minibar, and coffee and tea making facilitates.

The hotel is home to first Manchester United Restaurant and Bar in Thailand. Guests can enjoy the memorabilia that adorns the facility and watch team action on the video projection screens, buy Manchester United merchandise, and socialize with visiting players when they are in town.

Other amenities include a more expensive club floor, which occupies the 16th floor of the property, with its own lounge where clients enjoy private check-in and check-out, a continental buffet breakfast, evening cocktails with canapés, Internet workstations, wireless Internet access and use of boardroom and meeting services. There are banquet facilities that can accommodate 80 guests. The hotel has a Splash Bar by the outdoor swimming pool which has a fully stocked bar and serves light snacks. Other on-site amenities include a fitness center, indoor car park, 24-hour room service, tour and travel desk and a business center.

To celebrate its opening the hotel offered a rate of 2,599 Baht. There was no expiry date given at that time.

Contact details: 18 Sukhumvit Soi 11 Bangkok 10110 Thailand
Tel: +66 (0)2 120 8888. Fax: +66 (0)2 120 8899. Website: www.presidentpalacehotel.com

        Bangkok Marriott Resort And Spa  
 I have placed this review beneath the Shangri-La since I consider both are among the best places to stay in Bangkok. In some ways, the Marriott does not have the splendor of the Shangri-La but it has the benefit of making you feel you are in a country retreat yet close to the buzz of the city.
The 319 rooms and 94 suites on seven floors that make up this complex are all luxurious. Should you tire of walking through the lush scented gardens along the riverfront, there is a shopping plaza and the bustle of Bangkok on the entrance side of the complex. The resort has everything in fine food and super service that operates round the clock. From the lower priced rooms to the fancy suites, the furnishings are exquisite using the best that Thailand has to offer. Fluffy towels, top toiletries and fresh flowers are just some of the amenities. If your room overlooks the river – sadly mine did not - you can be entertained for hours by the constant traffic.
There are 10 top quality restaurants offering true International cuisine and numerous bars. The international buffets served, expensive at $35, are among the most spectacular I have seen. The grand array of seafood and enormous cheese selection was impressive.
There are two outdoor pools – one for the youngsters, tennis, a fitness center, super spa, jogging track, shops, high speed Internet access (you pay extra for that) a business center and the not-to- be-missed dinner cruises along the Chao Phraya river. To reach Bangkok’s Sky Train on the opposite side of the river there is a complimentary ferry service. 
If you find the treatment prices at the Mandara Spa, a wonderful spa set in the resort’s gardens, a little high for a return visit, you will find several beauty shops in the arcade in front of the hotel. Contact details: Bangkok Marriott Resort and Spa, 257 Charoennakorn Road, Samrae Thonburi, Bangkok, 10600 Thailand. Tel: 66 2 4760022, fax 66 2 4761120. www.marriott.com