briguy

Here's an article explaining why things are up in the air. Essentially one company acquired a majority stake in the company developing the tower and now the buyer has to decide whether to keep going on the tower project or use the land for something else.

https://www.nationthailand.com/Real_Estate/30355982

On both my trips, I've stayed at the Hotel Icon on the same soi as the Marriott. My go-to pickup place has been Hillary 2 on Soi 4 (Soi Nana), just a block away with an easy short cut through the Rajah Hotel parking lot. No need for taxi trips back to the hotel. So I would go for the Marriott.

Aw, you guys are making me nostalgic for all the idiots on various boards who thought an LOS opening was just around the corner, complete with no quarantine or visa hoops to jump through!

I've stayed twice at Hotel Icon on Soi 2. Usually around $ 50 US a night (although right now rooms for the fall are $ 37 on Agoda). Quiet, modern place with a decent infinity pool on the roof. Best of all, a short walk through the Rajah parking lot and you're on Soi Nana!

3 minutes ago, kosa said:

 guest friendly?

Hey Kosa, the answer to your question is just two entries above your question. Try reading a little first...

I enjoyed Somboon Seafood. I went to the one in Central Embassy Mall, although there are quite a few branches around Bangkok. I love the fried curry crab, although it could be a bit messy.

Another recommendation would be Prai Raya on Soi 8. Housed in a lovely villa, it's famous for Phuket dishes like crab in yellow curry with noodles.

The first two photos are of Somboon, the next two from Prai Raya.

I'm sure I'm a broken record on this topic, but you asked so... I love Hillary 2 on Soi 4. Gets going around midnight. Good bands and always lots of FL's. Slightly less fancy than the discos, but sure to have more girls on a Sunday night!

OP mentioned doing laundry. There's plenty of places that do laundry for you, some even charging by weight. Most will have your stuff ready by 5:00 PM the next day. I drop my stuff off at a beauty salon down aways on the right side of Soi 4

10 hours ago, smeghead76 said:

@briguy so was it suitably spicy for you?

Actually it wasn't spicy at all. Which is okay with me, as I'm not a fan of having things too spicy. As always, there were sauces/chilis available to spice it up if you wanted.

Based on this thread, I took the Sky Train out to try Prachak for lunch. Got the roast duck and red pork on rice combo. Won't say it was life changing, but was still pretty good (and as noted, cheap). Note that if it's crowded on the first floor, there's more seating upstairs. Also I stirred my meal before I remembered to take a photo of it, so it may have looked better when they placed it on the table!

Just got back from Chinatown. At night, Yarowat Road is lined with food carts on both sides of the road, and more carts are set up on the side streets, in addition to the regular restaurants. Truly a culinary adventure.

I'm not a street food guy. My favorite meal was curry crab at Somboon Seafood, which I discovered when I went out to Huay Kwang to check out the soapys. They also have restaurants at a few malls around town. While not a Thai thing, I really enjoyed the chicken rice at the food court in Amarin Plaza on Sukhumvit. Excellent sauce. Otherwise I mostly ate whatever caught my eye at the mall food courts. For dessert, I was a fan of the coconut ice cream at the stand at the Terminal 21 food court.

On my first trip, I started in BKK and then headed out to Pattaya and Phuket. The whole fish I ate on the beach at Koh Larn opened my eyes to Thai seafood, so I'm sure I'll be eating more of that on my upcoming trip. I might even try the crab omelette at Raan Jay Fai! They say Thaisamai, next to Jay Fai, has the best pad thai in Bangkok, so you might want to try that.

Probably the reason no one has answered is we're all too busy eating more interesting dishes than pad thai when we're in Bangkok! But I just did a little research and you're right, the most famous pad thai shops and stands use a tamarind sauce...

Yeah that's same sorta price as comparable hotels.

Not so sure about that. While the Doubletree is a little fancier, on the same soi, you can get the Hotel Solo for $ 44 a night and the Hotel Icon for $ 59 (via hotels.com).

ok, train for daytime and taxi if its not in high traffic time. 

The airport link train stops service at 24:00/12 midnight. But the skytrain you need to connect with stops a little earlier. So if you can get on the Airport Link by 23:00, you should be fine. But any later, take a taxi. I don't think the traffic that late from the airport is that bad.

Don't know how the changeover in name of Majestic Grande will affect things, but previously Majestic Suites and Majestic Grande had the same owner. In fact, you were welcome to use the pool at the Grande if you were staying at Majestic Suites, which has no pool.

Majestic Suites is not too impressive. The room was okay, but I thought the bathtub was kind of high to get in and out of and the view from my window was a wall. However, the price is pretty low.

All these hotels have entrances through the lobby. You walk in, have the girl check in at the front desk, then take the elevator to your room.

Whether you bar fine out of one of the go-go's in Nana Plaza or meet a freelancer on the street or in one of the Soi 4 bars, I don't think discreet is the word I'd use to describe it. More like a carnival...

On Soi 2, Majestic Grande is very nice. I stayed in Hotel Icon, a little less expensive but had a nice room with safe and refrigerator. There's an infinity pool on the roof.

thanks for the great information. I was looking for a Jacuzzi suite online near Walking Street and that is what came up.

 

I have never been to Thailand (first trip in Nov) so I am starting from scratch and reading these great forums.

 

Looking for advice as well .

My first advice is that Walking Street is in Pattaya, while Nana is in Bangkok...

I thought Majestic Suites was nice enough, low priced and just around the corner from Nana. Had a bathtub/shower combo which it was hard to get in and out of. They let me stay until six at night on my last day for half price, which was very helpful as I had a night flight. No pool though.

I also stayed at Hotel Icon on Soi 2. Nice rooms. Infinity pool on top of the building. You can easily cut across the Rajah Hotel parking lot to Soi 4 where Nana is located. Usually find the price for a room to be around $ 50 a night.

JW Marriott would be a big step up, although more expensive, as would the Majestic Grande, both on Soi 2.

Seriously, just be aware there is a Buddhist Holiday on 18th so bars will be closed or not sell alcohol that day.

You guys gotta get some better calendars! Visakha Bucha Day is Monday, May 20.

I'm probably going to want to spend a few hours when I get back to Bangkok as I really want to try Dr BJ.

Dr. BJ is no more. It's now called Wood Bar...

So would you guys conclude this is the best Bang for the Buck near Nana Plaza?

Not really. I guess it is if you want a fancy lobby to walk through, but I had a perfectly fine room at Hotel Icon a little further up the soi for $ 50 US, complete with Infinity pool and a shortcut to Nana through the Rajah Hotel parking lot. Also stayed a few nights at Majestic Suites for even less money and was satisfied with that, especially since they charged me very little for a late checkout at 6 PM.

If you want to save money, take a shared van from the airport. They stop midway to Patong at a tour office to find out the name of your hotel and try to sell you a tour but it only takes a few minutes. Then they drop you right at your hotel.

On the way back to the airport, I had my hotel arrange a driver. Didn't cost much.

The election was scheduled for February 24th and while that date has not changed, election officials have been quoted as saying they will postpone the election until March.

There is a Thai holiday in February, Makha Bucha Day, which is celebrated on Feb. 19. Bars close on this day from midnight to midnight.

Here's a write-up with instructions on how to get there. Seems it's 45 minutes south of Hua Hin, so if you really want to go, you're better off spending a night in Hua Hin rather than making it a day trip. You might be better off taking the train to Ayuttaya and exploring the temples there...

http://www.bangkok.com/huahin/hua-hin/phraya-nakhon.htm