[skywards]

Thank you FlyingChinaman, I knew it was more than 2 hours to Hua Hin. 😉

[skywards]

If you have money to burn Roadking?

http://www.majesticgrande.com/room_grandsuite.asp

It even has a 3 hole putting green 😉 please take a look.

You can get room rates cheaper on asiarooms..

[BKK-man]

Just to clarify guys, I live near Central Rama 3 which is just before the big bridge crossing the river, in conjunction with road improvements to the road to Hua Hin and leaving at a time of day that a local would unless he was going to or from work, it does take 2 hours plus maybe 5-10 mins so sorry for any confusion, where I rely on locals for local knowledge..

If however you are a tourist staying in Silom, Sukhumvit, leave at rush hour on a Friday evening or worse Thai long weekend, yes it can take upto double that time.

As far as a deranged driver during the night, again as an expat of 10 years you will either be driving yourself or have a list of good taxi drivers, who speak some English, with new cars and not a bottle of local red bull for company !

11 hours to Hua Hin at Songkran, yes and only an idiot or a tourist, without local knowledge would be on the roads at Songkran due to the road accident carnage that take place every year. Again expats have usually left Thailand to get away from this carnage and I usually go to the Sunshine Coast in Australia.

Just before anyone gets angry, you are not an idot if you dont iknow about these things and all I was trying to impart was some suggestions that may help someone.

This year, local knowledge netted me a suite at the Peninsula, usually $800 for $95, my point is if you are on home ground you know about deals, suggestions and travel advice at certain times of year.

BTW Majestic Grande !! that is really funny, not bad if you want to be near the dross and prices are cheap but I would rather stay at a hotel managed by Peninsula, Sheraton, Marriott, Accor rather than Syd Singh the Indian Tailor.

A very romantic place to take your wife, especially as right next to one of the biggest red light areas of Bangkok !!! I am sure she will be impressed.

LOL

If I want to find out about a place I will always look for local knowledge rather than ask a tourist who went once or twice and does not really know a place.

Sorry to go on but I do know about Thailand as I have had a company here for over 5 years and happy to have a private discussion with anyone who knows more than me as I am always happy to learn from people who know more.

I help people in Thai Airaways Forum but have learnt much from the BMI Forum for which I am grateful.

So please dont flame me without giving me an opportunity to explain.

No more Trolls please.

[RoadKing]

Fantastic feedback all. Now the challenge is to make the decisions. Thanks so much for the input, it is highly appreciated!

[nevereconomy]

Does anyone know anything about Trisara (hope I have that right) just south pf Phuket ?

[thebigseats]

Yes, Trisara is one of the finest resorts on Phuket. The location is between the airport & Laguna. The very area I recommended in an earlier post – North West.. You will find exceptional accommodation & service including some lovely villa accommodation. One of the very best.

[theworldtraveller]

get a (inexpensive) taxi north for 45mins to Khao lak and stay at Le meridien

fantastic hotel, nice beach, easy to get into the town and some great things to do during the day (eg cycling, thai boxing, yoga …), all free and organised by the hotel

[donkeyasia]

Trisara is beautiful. only 25 mins fro m the airport but i recommend a hotel car to take you, windy and bumpy roads approaching man taxi drivers do not like going there.Anthony Lack is the GM and a major shareholder. not cheap, but good value. right on the beach. look on their website for offers but forget April and may. Thai New Year and the end of the dry season. June is great as not too hot and little rain.

Majestic grande is no more than a 3-star hotel in quite the seediest and area in the Sukhumvit area. For location Sukhothai is much better value than the Peninsula, although the boat across the river can be convenient. One final tip. change your sterling in Thailand on arrival at any bank or find a money changer for 5% better rates; and never use Travelex or Thomas Cook before you leave. on the way back change your Thai baht at the airport. all banks and good rates. .

[donkeyasia]

Trisara is beautiful. only 25 mins fro m the airport but i recommend a hotel car to take you, windy and bumpy roads approaching man taxi drivers do not like going there.Anthony Lack is the GM and a major shareholder. not cheap, but good value. right on the beach. look on their website for offers but forget April and may. Thai New Year and the end of the dry season. June is great as not too hot and little rain.

Majestic grande is no more than a 3-star hotel in quite the seediest and area in the Sukhumvit area. For location Sukhothai is much better value than the Peninsula, although the boat across the river can be convenient. One final tip. change your sterling in Thailand on arrival at any bank or find a money changer for 5% better rates; and never use Travelex or Thomas Cook before you leave. on the way back change your Thai baht at the airport. all banks and good rates. .

[donkeyasia]

Trisara is beautiful. only 25 mins fro m the airport but i recommend a hotel car to take you, windy and bumpy roads approaching man taxi drivers do not like going there.Anthony Lack is the GM and a major shareholder. not cheap, but good value. right on the beach. look on their website for offers but forget April and may. Thai New Year and the end of the dry season. June is great as not too hot and little rain.

Majestic grande is no more than a 3-star hotel in quite the seediest and area in the Sukhumvit area. For location Sukhothai is much better value than the Peninsula, although the boat across the river can be convenient. One final tip. change your sterling in Thailand on arrival at any bank or find a money changer for 5% better rates; and never use Travelex or Thomas Cook before you leave. on the way back change your Thai baht at the airport. all banks and good rates. .

[donkeyasia]

Trisara is beautiful. only 25 mins fro m the airport but i recommend a hotel car to take you, windy and bumpy roads approaching man taxi drivers do not like going there.Anthony Lack is the GM and a major shareholder. not cheap, but good value. right on the beach. look on their website for offers but forget April and may. Thai New Year and the end of the dry season. June is great as not too hot and little rain.

Majestic grande is no more than a 3-star hotel in quite the seediest and area in the Sukhumvit area. For location Sukhothai is much better value than the Peninsula, although the boat across the river can be convenient. One final tip. change your sterling in Thailand on arrival at any bank or find a money changer for 5% better rates; and never use Travelex or Thomas Cook before you leave. on the way back change your Thai baht at the airport. all banks and good rates. .

[skywards]

What is this pick on Skywards week?

BKK-man, The Majestic Grande was only an option and you know the J.W.Marriott is on the same Soi as the Majestic Grande..I bought a town house next to a rough council estate….but i don’t need to go through that rough council estate to get to my house and you should know fine well you don’t need to go past NEP to get to the Majestic Grande…you turn left on Sukhumvit Rd go past the J.W.Marriott and Shazzam on the right is The Majestic Grande….

Hua Hin, You may also know that all the non stop flights from LHR land either early in the morning (Thai) or mid afternoon (Thai, B.A. Qantas and Eva) when the traffic is a little more busy…from the airport to Hau Hin takes 3 hours beleive me.

11 hour taxi ride to Hua Hin during Songkran, I was left with little choice…my wife had got to Hua Hin two days earlier than me from the UK as i was working in Dubai..at the time getting to Hua Hin was not a problem until i found out SGA had pulled the plug on the flight from BKK to Hua Hin…then it become a problem…i knew it was going to be busy…but true love got me there in the end (Wife is English not Thai)

Kind respectful regards,

Skywards.

[nevereconomy]

Thanks to all for the Trisara info. i hope to try it soon.

[BKK-man]

Hi Skywards, no problem I was just trying to help others but took exception to being flamed for something I have actually done, 2hrs to Hua Hin.

Marriott and Landmark are both far enough out of the way of Nana, they decent hotels far better managed than any of the Indian Tailor hotels and that is really my only point.

To be fair they have achieved the classic Thai scenario and created hotels that on the surface look quite good but when you stay there you see the owners business ethics show through. Their rates are lower but then they skin you somewhere when you least expect it.

They do operate though in the 2,000 – 3,000 baht rate area and by doing so offer something between the Thai fleapits and higher class franchised hotel chains, which are mostly locally owned but managed by Marriott, Accor group etc.

Good that you warned others about the 11hr hell trip and so others can avoid.

keep up the good suggestions and glad true love got you through !!!

For me my intial suggestions were based on a romantic couple, if it had been 2 lads on a jolly then my suggestions would have reflected these travellers.

[MartynSinclair]

I tend to use the Westin which is opposite the Sheraton, Sukhumvit soi 19. Extremely good facilities, perfectly located and very reasonable.

[Author]

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