Bangkok hotels

NiftyDigits

I too would go with Riverside. It's quite 'Thai' around there too. Plus the Chao Phraya Express Boat is the best way to travel to the sights. Whilst I wouldn't choose to stay at the Sheraton or Mandarin Oriental. I would still visit the Oriental for breakfast, but stay elsewhere.
I usually stay at the CENTRE POINT HOTEL SILOM
It's not as outrageously expensive the Mandarin Oriental or even the Sheraton. You just get much more for your money. You can get a two bedroom 183 sq. m suite for the kids for perhaps £170.
Alternatively, I've heard good things about the Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok The two bedroom at 120 sq. m. also a decent space. Bank on around £170 for the two bedroom suite at either. One bedroom suite(90 sq. m) at Centrepoint comes in at around £75.
So there is room to impress with some money to take him up to Vertigo at the Banyan Tree or the Sky Bar at Lebua.

agrinnall

The top of the Banyan Tree is amazing, go at sunset. And if you do, let me know if you find my glasses that I left there in 2009!

DUKE

Or you could try 2 totally different hotels (although it could be a bit much with only 2 days to spare), & get the different experiences.

DKLS

agrinnall wrote: »

The top of the Banyan Tree is amazing, go at sunset. And if you do, let me know if you find my glasses that I left there in 2009!

The rooms aren't too bad either, I loved the Banyan tree and the cocktails at the sky bar. Also very handy for the night bazaar, 5 mins walk away.

richardw

Doshwaster wrote: »

I would have thought that the last thing that a lad would want on his 21st birthday in Bangkok is to hang out with a parent and sister in a fancy hotel:D

He's probably got a lads holiday planned already, they just don't know about it yet.

toffee'n'tom

if you must know i'm only going for a week or so. he's off on his own then for the next six weeks 😉

thanks for all the replies

richardw wrote: »

He's probably got a lads holiday planned already, they just don't know about it yet.

crazycamper

I stayed at the Banyan Tree a few months ago for 2 nights, mainly because we wanted to have a meal at the Vertigo. It is amazing but its very pricy . You can just go for a drink in the Moon Bar which is also amazing. Not a bad location but I would choose a riverside location or a hotel very close to BTS Skytrain if I went again. My friends stayed at Centara Watergate pavilion & loved it. We spent our second night at Asiatique on the riverfront, very touristy but lots of shops, bars , restaurants...probably not the place if you want an authentic Thai experience though. There are loads of rooftop bars & restaurants in Bangkok..Vertigo at Banyan Tree and Lebua are probably most well known. Enjoy.

Leanne1812

Just remembered 'The Hangover' was filmed at the Lebua. Cool for your son to tell his friends he visited there

Whatever you decide sign up to quidco & you'll get cashback. I'm in Marrakech just now & booked through Expedia who offered 12% for hotel booking only & I think it was 4% for a package. I went for the package as I made a saving for booking both together. I'll get £58 paid into my bank in a couple of months. It feels like money for nothing.

I'd urge research about scammers in Bangkok. It's rife and so plausible & sophisticated you probably won't be aware until it's too late. I thought I was quite a seasoned traveller but I was taken in by a boat tour sold by a man who claimed to work in my hotel ( he'd saw me having breakfast apparently!) I genuinely thought he was being friendly & helpful. You live & learn....

crazycamper

Only get excursions/trips from your hotel reception or book in advance in UK & be careful with the taxis & tuk tuks. They have a scam going on where a taxi or tuk tuk will offer to show you the sights for a cheap price & then proceed to take you to shops where you will be pestered to buy something. We only used taxis that the hotel booked & the reception will give you a card with the hotels taxi number on to call. Also make sure the taxi puts his meter on or they will charge what they like. To be honest, we were warned of these couple of things but didn't have any problems at all. Same as any other city really, just be aware.

PompeyPete

Scamming tourists in Bangkok has been going on for yonks.
It's easy for the scammers because their intended victims change all the time 24/7, and the scammers know that most tourists will have just been travelling for a long time, be tired and might be off their guard

Here's a selection of a few more scams to be wary of...

http://travelscams.org/asia/common-tourist-scams-thailand/

But it's not as though Bangkok is that much different from anywhere else in the world. It's just that the scams are different.

Doing as much pre-trip planning is important as the saying...

Failing to Plan = Planning to Fail

...is often very true, and can be expensive.

And never ever engage in small-talk with strangers in tourist areas, especially well dressed ones in tourist areas in Bangkok.