This is a true 5 star hotel. Absolutely outstanding in my opinion. Conviently located only a block from Nana Plaza. I thought everything about the place was awesome right down to the last detail. I can't think of anything more I would want. I have never stayed at any other 5 star hotel so I have no basis for comparison but the level of service and attention to detail blew me away. They pretty much had everything you could want other than the ladies which you must provide yourself. There is high speed ethernet hookup for a laptop and a very nice work desk. I encountered no hassles bringing in guest although out of courtesy to the other guests who are much more respectable than myself I used the side entrance which is closer to Nana anyway. This was my choice though and not any hotel policy. Staff I encountered along the way treated my guests with the same high level of respect they treated me with. I observed several others bring home "guests" as well so I am sure it is not a problem here. Just show a little discretion.

Heres the best part. I was able to book it online for only $55 a night on priceline.com. That's a true 5 star hotel for $55 a night. Just go to http://www.priceline.com , check the hotels box, then city Bangkok, and the dates. Then you are ask to chose neighborhood, chose Sukhumvit and then on the next page choose quality level, 5-Star Luxury, Sukhumvit Area. I bid $55 a night and got my room at the JW Marriot.

Thanks for the review, I_am_sancho. JW does not put his initials on one of these Marriotts for nothing.

I've looked at Grand President (Royal Suites), President Solitaire (Platinum & Solitaire Suites), Zenith (Hemingway Suites), and found JW (Executive) to my liking. 5 star hotel with an exceptional service and a great location. You can see NEP from the Concierge level. Gold member lounge and Vacation Club is located on the 4th floor. JW has a Mercedes transportation to airport for $29 USD, which was comfortable. Absolutely guest(s) friendly hotel.

I had the best steak of my life from the New York Steak house on the 2nd floor. Ordered 8-oz of filet mignon, a glass of wine, evian water, and a side order of spinach, all for B2,500! Expensive. Even the Japanese couple from the other table looked suprised at their menu. Next day, I went to Pleonchit? center (next building) food court and couldn't even spend the B100 coupon. TIT.

I couldn't find the JT Marriot that you have discribed. I looked on the Marriott homepage. Are you sure about that address?

There is one at # 231 Moo 3, Mai Khao
# Phuket 83110, but it isn't in the area we are interested in.

Search using "JW Marriott".

http://marriott.com/jwmarriott/default.mi?ppc=ecmkt-modem_yahoo_core&vpckey=jw-marriott&vpccat=jw-branded

Then select "Worldwide Locations"

Very nice property, I did not stay there but had a friend who did.
CG

(Message edited by cortogringo on August 26, 2006)

Or you can just use the link at the top of this page (http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/BKKDT). That works pretty well too.

I'm trying to reach Marriott Gold status this year and have a question for those of you who have stayed at the JW Marriott using priceline or some other discount website. Generally, hotels such as Marriott do not credit priceline stays towards your elite qualification. However, the last time I stayed at the Marriott they gave me credit (not points, but stay credit) for the number of days I was there even though I used priceline to make the reservation. From what I understand this goes against the official Marriott policy, but I am wondering whether the JW Marriott Sukhumvit makes this "mistake" regularly, or whether I was just lucky that one time.

TIA for any info on this.

I see that there is no problem bringing in a guest (one at a time).

Can anyone tell me if they had problems bringing two girls up at a time?

Thanks!

As long as your not causing a commotion, they will give you no problems.

If you try to bring up two drunk pooying that are dressed like obvious whores any hotel will hassle you. If you have two young ladies who are respectable and dressed appropriately you will have " no prompen" as DM correctly points out.

Did that a couple years ago when I stayed there (take 2 girls) and had no problem. In fact, never had security even say a word, ask for a girls ID, or anything. As I said, that was a couple years ago, but I have been the hotel late at night recently and it didn't look like the security setup was much different.

JW doesnt check IDs typically. They just go through the metal detector and security pass that we all go thru. This has been in place as long as I've been going there.

Beyond that, your not required to stop at the front desk, so unless your making a complete ass outa yourself, no one is going to raise a finger.

Laguy-
On my last stay at the JW in Bangkok, which I arranged through Priceline, I did not get any credit.

Smirker,
I have brought in two girls without a problem, but always come through the door that takes me past the bar rather than the reception area.

DM,
Metal detector??? There are three entrances into the JW, and I've never seen a metal detector. Since I've never stumbled in drunk, how'd I miss something like a metal detector? Maybe I was too distracted by the pooying.

BTW, the days of $55/night rates on Priceline seem long gone. The typical price is now about $80, but still a bargain for what your getting.

unless they got rid of it in the last 4 months-- you cannot get into the hotel via the main entrance without going thru it. It looks like most-- a door frame with no door and it located right besides the desk you place your stuff on.

I pay a corp rate of 79/night and don't have to deal with the hassles of consolidators. Points, nights, and plat upgrades. I get a suite upgrade around 40% of the time for free.

DM-

They must have added this since January 2006 (my last stay). They had just started doing visiual inspections of the undercarriages of all cars pulling into the driveway, so it was clear that the Marriott was stepping up security. Are you saying that they closed the other two entrances and require everyone entering the hotel to go through the metal detector?

That's an excellent corporate rate. A friend of mine tells me his corporate rate is $120 before taxes. I occasionally get a govt. rate of about $90, but now it seems that they rarely offer that rate.

While I have negotiated corporate rates at other hotels in other locations, I haven't in Bangkok since I'm not there for business and not there regularly. If I'm not working for a corporation that has a pre-negotiated rate with the Marriott in BKK, any ideas how I can get in on this gravy train, keeping in mind I am a professional that can feign a business purpose for my trips? The regular rates on the Marriott website are a bit excessive for Bangkok.

Bwana-- the metal detector has been there since 2001. The car/taxi visuals have been always there at least as long as I recall. The other two entrances are open during earlier hours as always, but not open during the later hours when one is apt to come strolling in after gogos close and some street soup.

The "corp" rate depends on the corp rate you use. Shoot me a PM, and I'll share a little tip (or two).


LAG-- no way in hell would I pay full marriot bkk prices even though I spend around 150 nights in a marriot a year.

Thanks guys!

Can't decide to stay at the marriott for free (with points), or the Majestic Grande. I've stayed at the MG before and I really liked it.

Based on the photos, I think the MG is a step up.

Any thoughts?

I'd take free anytime. Cannot understand what would make you decide otherwise.

Majestic Grande is not up to the standards of JW Marriott by any means.

Thanks KM, but free is not always the best option. That's a whole other topic.

with regards to the room I had the last time I stayed at the MG, compared to the posted photos of the Marriott room here, imho, I would say that the room at the MG was a step up.

I've been in the lobby of the Marriott and that is nicer than the one at the MG, but I'm not going to be sleeping in the lobby.

smirker, I've been in both and much prefer marriot in terms of quality.

While it's not quite up to the standard of, say, The Peninsula, the JW Marriott is a very nice hotel, indeed. And the location is hard to beat. When I stayed there, I had absolutely no complaints, and that's when I was on a Western salary and fairly used to staying in 4-5 star hotels.

Manos.

Smirker -- NEVER rely on hotel website photos to judge the quality of the rooms. Back in the day when I travelled on the cheap I made that mistake several times and got burned badly.

They use camera angles to make the rooms look bigger and you might find the room was photographed over 10 years ago and even then was not likely available as they had it set up.

I wasn't refering to photo's posted on a travel website. I was referring to the photos posted above by I_Am_Sancho.

Thanks for all your advice. I think I am going to cash in and roll with a freebee at the marriott; It's only 65,000 points for three nights.

Priceline.com update

I have a friend that is traveling with me and he's been trying to name his price for a 5* Hotel in Sukuhmvit.

He started at $55 per night and has increased his bids by $5 trying to get a deal at one of three 5* hotels in the Sukuhmvit area, preferably the Marriott. He went all the way up to $100 per night and he still didn't get the rate.

I was surprised because it is supposed to be slow there now due to cancellations, as a result of the recent coup.

I wanted to share this info with the board, so that no one got stuck waiting till the last minute to book a room, thinking they could get one around $55-$75 per night when current rate is starting over $100.

Since there aren't any updates since 2006 here's one:

On multiple girls: A pal brought in 6 girls one night... he had absolutely no hassles... through the main entrance... and they were all given the same level of respect as any other guests!