Balmy Bangkok

My son and I spent a couple of very rewarding weeks helping out at an orphanage in northern Thailand, so on the way home, I decided to splurge on a little luxury for the "vacation" part of our trip. I wasn't sure if I'd made a good choice, but the JW Marriott proved to be an amazing place to stay. In fact, it was so nice, that I felt a little guilty after having seen some of the real poverty that exists in the rest of the country. But who am I kidding? I admit it! I am a wee-bit spoiled. (Aren't we all in the US and the UK?) And I like five star hotels. Truly, after a plain, non-air-conditioned room in which lizards played each night on the ceiling, I was in heaven for the couple of nights we'd spend in Bangkok.

How was the service? From our arrival at the hotel we felt pampered. The staff here is first-rate, and the service is phenomenal. We checked-in with no problems. We had fruit waiting for us in our room. The concierge helped us plan out our first afternoon. Doors were constantly opened for us, and everyone we met was cordial and professional. I couldn't fault anything.

How was the room? Very nice. We had two double beds in what looked like a traditional Marriott space with Thai accents for decoration and hardwood floors. A large desk reminded me that this is a favourite choice for business travellers in Thailand. The bathroom had a power shower as well as a bathtub and wonderful, grapefruit-scented toiletries. The flat screen TV had plenty of English choices including a free movie channel. (Thai was in subtitles.) There were also pay-for-view movies, of course. The beds were amazingly comfortable, and we couldn't have been happier with the space.

Were there extra benefits? Sure. I used the business centre to check my e-mail. Admittedly, this was a lot more expensive in the hotel than it would've been outside, but it was quick and easy and comfortable. There is a full spa on-site that looked amazing but expect Western prices. There are several restaurants as well as shops. All is comfortable and upscale... what you'd expect from one of the top rated hotels in Asia.

How was the location? I had read other reviews that said the location was bad for a tourist. I am not sure what the people were on about. Yes, you have to hop on a Sky Train and then take a water taxi to the Grand Palace, but the whole trip is hardly a long or difficult one. Plus, if you can afford the Marriott, you can afford a cab! Keep in mind the hotel is between two Sky Train stations, the closest probably being the Nana stop. There was a night market here when we were in town, which was also convenient. I'd already been to a larger night market, so it was fun to just walk up and down the road full of stalls and see what was available outside of the hotel. Plus there is a shopping centre that you can access via an above-street walkway without ever going outside. This was a wonderful asset for casual people like us who didn't necessarily want to go to the hotel's restaurants. My son and I got lunch in the shopping centre one day before going sight-seeing. We also got hour-long massages here for 300 baht each rather than paying the hotel's spa prices. (That's around $10 or £5 for each massage!) And the hotel wasn't an insane way from the airport either. A cab was less than 400 baht when the hotel secured one for us. (I have to admit, I paid 450 going to the hotel after talking a woman down from 600 at the airport.... Just be aware of what you should be paying or get a cab with a meter when you're going around Bangkok.) I didn't find it difficult to get anywhere we wanted to go.

Any other pertinent hotel experiences? Well, we had room service on our last night. I've always loved having the bellhop guy show up with a little table covered in a white cloth for in-room dining. Granted, this route is a lot more expensive than eating outside of the hotel, but it was still very reasonable when compared to having a similar meal in England... and the food came quick and warm. Anyway, my son and I truly enjoyed our Pad Thai, soup and banana splits as much as we would've liked a five course meal with lobster as the main. We did, indeed, feel pampered.

Bottom line? This is a great hotel. It deserves its five-star rating. It is part of a large chain, and you can certainly see the American "Marriott" influence, which might not suit if you don't like that sort of thing. You can also stay in cheaper places in Bangkok, but this is an out-and-out bargain when compared to the prices you'd pay for similar accommodation in London. I also think this hotel deserves its great reputation, and we were very comfortable throughout our stay.

When we first arrived in Thailand from England, we knew we were only going to be in Bangkok for an evening. We had a very early morning flight out to Chiang Mai the next day. We're talking crack of dawn early. So we decided to get a cheap hotel near the airport. The Convenient Resort fit the bill nicely. At around £15 for a double room for the evening (including breakfast), we weren't expecting anything astounding. We got a plain room that was clean and sufficient. I don't think it was the "three star" quality promised by the resort... but it was £15! I didn't expect anything fabulous.

What was the room like? Very basic. Safe. Clean. Air-conditioned. Functional. Better than hostels because the rooms had private bathrooms. We had a television that received a couple of English channels. The beds weren't exactly soft... but they were certainly okay for the rate we paid. The bathroom was our first introduction to a space in which the shower isn't separated from the toilet. (Notice I said first.) I can't say I loved this arrangement, but it seems to be a common one in Thailand. You simply deal with the fact that water is going to go everywhere and hope the floor is clean. It wasn't great that we had a slow drain in our bathroom because we created a small lake on the floor that remained for longer than I'd've liked, but the lake did drain... eventually. I had to laugh at the little kid decals that were pasted all around the bathroom as well. It seemed strange decor for a hotel. But it was all fine. They'd even put out extra towels and soap.

Any pluses? The selling point for this hotel is the location. There is a free shuttle bus that runs at regular intervals to pick up guests at the airport. It is literally five minutes from the terminals. This was excellent. There is also a computer in the lobby that you can use for 30 baht per 15 minutes to check e-mail. I think they also have wireless, but I didn't have my laptop with me to see. The receptionist who checked us into our rooms spoke decent English. Breakfast is pretty simple, but it was warm and included in the rate. While I stuck with toast, my son ate the sausages and eggs as well. Our early morning wake-up call came when we requested it, and our ride to the airport was stress-free with no traffic.

Any negatives? They charged my group more than 1200 baht to arrange a ride into Bangkok for the afternoon. This was way too much, I think, even though it was a van. I got a cab back to the hotel from the city for 400. If you're unsure, you can always take the free shuttle to the airport and get a metered cab from there. Don't expect any frills.

Bottom line? I wouldn't stay at this hotel unless I was looking for budget lodging near the airport. With that said, it served its purpose for us, and it was certainly fine for the money we paid. You can find more information on their website: www.convenientresort.com

Squeezed between New Road and the river, we found Chinatown. Full of narrow streets crowded with smells, colours, sounds, and goods for sale, this is a wonderful area to simply take a wander around with your eyes open. We were dropped off in this district to do just that, and we found a thriving district perfect for window shopping. It was fun to simply weave through the people, look at the fresh fish and assorted Asian foods for sale, dodge the tuk tuks loaded down with goods, and manage not to get separated from each other. After a while though, I got "crowd overload", so I wanted a focus for our walk. Checking our map, we headed west of the Hualamphong station to seek out the Golden Buddha in the Traimitwitthayaram Temple. Along the way, we stumbled across the first charity hospital erected in Thailand and basically just enjoyed the atmosphere.

What is the Golden Buddha? Fifteen feet high, the Golden Buddha is considered a major treasure for Thailand. Over seven hundred years old, it was once covered in plaster to hide it from invading enemies. At some point, the plaster was broken and the Buddhists in whose charge it was put discovered it to be solid gold.

To view it, we walked to Wat Traimit (well sign-posted) and found a large temple to see as well as the smaller temple in which the Buddha is kept.

To walk up the stairs to see the Buddha, you must pay a very nominal fee (less than $1). We did this and then went up to take a look.

While we could enter the small temple itself, we didn't because we could easily see the Buddha from right outside the open doors. (There were people praying, and it seemed disrespectful to me to disturb them by traipsing into the temple and snapping pictures.)

Indeed, the statue is stunning. I might have thought there was a security risk as it is so easily accessed, but it is seen as a holy image by Buddhists themselves... and would-be thieves of no faith would have a very difficult time--I'd think--moving a statue that weighs 5 tons!

After seeing all that we wanted to see, we walked out of Wat Traimit and made our way a couple of blocks over to hire a tuk tuk. I think this is a must-do while in Bangkok. I associate the Hollywood image I had of the city before visiting with these small taxis, so the ride itself was an attraction. Make sure you agree on a price before you start your ride. The drivers are certainly open to reasonable negotiation. Three people could have fit in our tuk tuk... maybe four if squeezed tight.

I love the experiences we've had in foreign movie theatres over the years, so when a friend told us that we had to experience a Bangkok cinema, my son and I were enthusiastic. Call us lazy but Batman had just been released, and we were happy to have something to do in the evening that didn't require a lot of walking. There are lots of cinemas around Bangkok, but we chose to go to the one with an IMAX on the 5th floor of Siam Paragon, Rama I, phathumwan. This is a giant mall you'll find right next to the Siam Square Sky Train station, which makes getting there extra convenient. We considered going to an IMAX production because it was 3-D, but we really wanted to experience "luxury seating." Granted, this pushed a 100 baht (less than £2 or $4) ticket up to 500 baht (around £8 or $16), but it was worth it.

So, what was so special about "luxury seating" at the cinema? Well, you get your ticket and then you enter a lounge area where you can order a bottle of wine to go with your popcorn. As part of your ticket, we got a plate of cookies and a drink to enjoy in this lounge, but you have to pay additional if you want to take anything into the cinema itself for the movie viewing. (A waitress will deliver your ordered treats.) The cost of alcohol here is astronomical for Thailand, but popcorn was still cheap when compared to Western theatres. The dim lighting and ornate chandelier lent a night-club feel to the place until we were escorted to our seats in the cinema. Now here's the big deal. The seats are plush in every sense of the word. They are cushy, big recliners that are built in such a way that you have a sense of privacy from everyone but the person sitting next to you. We took off our shoes, pushed the button that lifted our feet, and settled under blankets to enjoy the show. It was lovely. My son and I loved it so much that we went to another movie the next day... I was so comfortable I fell asleep during that show! All cinemas should be this wonderful.

Should you know anything else? When the king's anthem plays before the film, everyone in the theatre must stand in respectful silence until this clip is finished. The monarchy is a huge deal in Thailand, and this tradition is taken seriously.

You pick your seats when you buy your tickets, and shows do fill up. Drop by the cinema and make your reservations on your way to doing something else.

Tip: We had a couple of hours to burn before the first show, so we left the mall and went to Chang Foot Massage and Spa across the street at Siam Square Soi 6. Cheaper than our cinema tickets, we got hour-long Thai foot massages that made the time fly by for us and left us feeling especially relaxed.

We also walked through some of the very Western stores in the mall to compare the prices of real brands to costs of the same goods in Europe. We learned a Jimmy Choo shoe will require you to sell a kidney if you want to own it in either the UK, the US, or Thailand.... The night markets are full of the cheap fakes.

While we visited the Grand Palace, I have to say I enjoyed the tour we had at the Jim Thompson House more. I think this was because it was a much more intimate site with small tour groups, so it didn't feel overwhelming. Instead, I learned a few things here and felt the time was well spent.

Who was Jim Thompson? He was an American serviceman who worked in Asia as a military intelligence officer during WWII. After the war he returned to Thailand to live and became instrumental in reviving the Thai silk industry. His designs were used for the costumes in The King and I, thus he made his fortune. My son was persuaded to visit Mr. Thompson's house because the gentleman's end is shrouded in intrigue. No one knows what happened to the man, but he disappeared in Malaysia in 1967. His home was opened to the public to raise funds for the James H. W. Thompson Foundation that is focused on preserving Thai heritage.

Where is the house and museum? Near the National Stadium Sky Train station, which is only a stop away from Siam Square, the house is at the end of small and quiet side street, pressed up against the water.

Is there a charge to visit? You can only go through the house on a tour, but the cost of admission is slight. Adults pay 100 baht (less than £2 or $4) and children/students pay half that. You're then given a time for the next tour in your language and allowed to walk around the gardens until the slot comes up.

What was the tour like? As stated, I found the tour fantastic. I do have an interest in architecture, so I loved walking through the traditional Thai buildings that Mr. Thompson had combined to suit both tradition and an American need for space. While he was a Christian, Mr. Thompson adhered to many of the local customs in constructing his house, and we learned about things like why there was a partition over which you had to step in each doorway. According to tradition, this was to keep bad spirits from moving on the floor into new rooms. We also learned that Thai people always remove their shoes when entering buildings because they eat on the floor; therefore, the floor must be kept very clean. Mr. Thompson adhered to Western tradition here though and had a dining room table. Each of the rooms was well thought out and punctuated with the business-man's obvious sense of style. The whole tour took less than an hour, and our guide was pleasant and full of good information.

Is there anything else to do on-site? There is a nice gift shop to visit that sells some Thai silk, of course. I loved some of the patterns used, so I bought my mother-in-law an insanely cute hat for her birthday.

Bottom line? I'd definitely recommend this attraction.