mardhi
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Posts posted by mardhi
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hotel have a website?
I doubt it - its not that kind of set-up. For now, no problem with just walking up. Aside from few short times, I doubt they have ever had 3 rooms occupied thus far.
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This is the newly refurbished hotel that sits on top of the new Check-in Bar. It is a no bells and whistles joint for sure. It is though, a) Cheap b) Central c) Clean.
There are 24 rooms spread over 2 floors. All the fittings are new such as beds, linen, pillows, aircon, shower heaters etc. The floor is painted with the stuff you see in car dealerships - it actually works surprisingly enough.
The prices seem to vary from 800b to 1100b. I have stayed twice now and paid 900b first time, then 800b second time. No idea why that was. The hotel is currently NOT BUSY - you could just walk up and get a room.
There are no other facilities and I do not remember seeing an in room safe. I will ask him about that when I next go to the bar, as for many it will be important. You do get noise from Country Road which is below some rooms (that is the live music bar next to Check in). If important, ask for a room over Check in bar. Last time I stayed, the room was over Country road and I had no problem - but then I was not trying to get some sleep at midnight.
Smokin Aces and Boomerang reacted to this -
Just for your info i reserved again for the first 2 days (then i will go to Patong for 6 days) and for he last 10 days i have just reserved at Grand President suk soi 11 as i have heard nothing but good about the place. A bit more expensive but bigger rooms and with a rooftop pool. only 4-5 min walk to Nana BTS (and the Check Inn bar...
Completely different standards of hotel. GP is much much better than Nana City
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If you dislike musty smelling carpet, then cancel now. Like many older hotels, they seem to love this carpet that just oozes 20 years without a clean or refit. The hotel is OK and what it offers is about right for the price (about 1000b). But plenty of newer options out there.
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I have been looking around for flights ex BKK to go to London. Aside from the fact prices have gone up a lot, it really does appear that the Internet age has not hit Thailand, at least as far as flight bookings go. From what i can see, the best fares are on the airlines own websites.
I will check out some real travel agencies as well over the coming weeks. seems like 32,000b is about the best economy fare and 82,000b the best Business class fare (South Asian/Indian carriers excluded - I have done the Mumbai transfers before for business and vowed never again).
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I have stayed there but probably even before OTS. i do remember a tiny old fashioned lift with doors you closed yourself and duvets on the beds (not common in those days). other than that, not much else to recall about it but it had a quite nice garden and pool at the front of the hotel and very scandinavian menu. I assume it was most likely owned by a Danish guy but would stand to be corrected.
If it has not been upgraded, as OTS suggested much better options now exist.
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It's too bad they can't send you a ticket electronically (to your email address) though. The alternative is snail mail or "at the venue". Not sure what that means (at the bus station, at the website's service locations around town?) Well, it's a good beginning.
A few glitches: I ride the Bangkok->Bang Saphan route often, but when I entered Bang Saphan as the destination all I got was "nothing found". Oh well.
At least it solves the problem of having to go into the bus station the day you have to leave and hoping there's a bus seat available at the time you want to leave.
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I prefer trains over buses though, at least for long haul. Those 2nd class sleepers are a thing of beauty. Plenty of room for your gear, walk around whenever you want, food and beer delivered to your table, restaurant car you can loll around in. Sure, they're slower, but if you're sleeping all night, who cares. I can never sleep on a bus. (I'm not Thai.)
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I traveled on a lot of buses leaving from Khao San before I got smart. They're private buses run on a shoestring and dangerous. Breakdowns, air con failure, and things like only one driver for a 12 hour night drive up to Chiang Mai (you have to keep the guy from falling asleep). One night I was on one of these buses coming back from Chiang Mai as it collided with a motorbike. The bus driver stopped the bus, opened the door and looked back in the rear view mirror at the wreckage, made sure no one was moving, put the bus back in gear and drove on. No phone call, nothing.
You can pick tickets up at any Thai major ticket office but I just pick them up at their office at Morchit bus station. The ttm office just pull up the booking and print them there and then.
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On the numerous times using both these company's I have always sat wherever possible on the lower deck. Lower deck has only 6 seats and has less 'roll' than upstairs. On all occasions the driving has been excellent and ast moderate speed. These are the minibus drivers you so often see.you choose seats via an online seat map, so its easy to tell lower and upper deck when booking.
All the buses have toilets on board and stop about every 3 hours for toilet breaks. The VIP buses I have seen from these two companies have also been in very good condition. I have also seen other buses that look crap, hence the comment that there is not one standard across all the operators. One other that I have heard excellent reviews on is NCA however they seem to be Chiang Mai centric and do not go between bkk and mukdahan.
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So back to the services, product and price.
Between bkk and Mukdahan as an example, 999 company charge about 890b one way. Sahanapan charge 633b. The. VIP service is virtually identical.
First class on Sahanapan is 533b. For a 100b difference, its a no brainer which service to take. 1st class, while good, is just like a regular coach seat with slightly better legroom and recline than normal on a 52 seat coach.
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Until you see Morchit bus terminal in Bkk, you would never comprehend just how huge the business is of moving people around this country.
Sat last night in Mukdahan, a border city with Lao. OK we got there early due to uncertainty about delays at the border (there were none, hence being so early). I saw in the space of 90 minutes 6 double decked coaches Leaving for Rayong via Pattaya. Also saw 15 Double deckers, including ours, leaving for Bangkok.
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I have used VIP services on Two companies. 999 transport company and Sahaphan company. Both have similar products but very different pricing.
Booking bus travel had often been a pain in the arse until Thai Ticket Major came to the rescue. From their website you can now book both of the above companies bus services. Even better is the website is dual language with both Thai and English options.
I cannot put a link as typing this on my tablet but just Google them, find the site, switch to English and see the bus travel box on the right hand side.
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This is often an emotive subject with many complaining about huge amount of Fatality's on bus travel. This is just what I have observed over the last year of using some of the bus services.
The first thing to take into account is the question of all the accidents. From what I have seen, these accidents seem to be a mix of local charter buses and regional bus services. The services I am talking about are the intercity services that link the main points. There are like Qantas with a South American crop dusting plane. Basically chalk and cheese.
For a start, I cannot recall reading about a serious crash involving these coaches in the 13 years I have lived here.
There are however different levels of service/seat even within the same company/route. VIP services are considered as the best. Typically 24 or 32 seats per bus, depending upon single or double decker bus. Different brands all have different but similar offerings. Seating is normally 3 abreast in single and double seat plan. Seats are big with lot of legroom and a serious recline. Basically comparable to an airline business class long haul seat before they switched to lie flat beds.
hughjass85 reacted to this -
Hi All
Has anyone done the Bangkok to Kanchanburi train journey? If so was it any good or would i be better getting a bus or taxi.
The reason i am asking is i want to go and do some proper sight seeing, bridge of the river Kwai etc, i am going to use Bangkok as my base but grab a couple of cheeky nights in Kanchanburi.
I have seen the youtube vids and the trains look good to travel on, just wanna know if anyone has experienced the journey
With Thanks
Pat
Have a read of this link about the train. There is regular every day service plus special weekend train which goes from the main station (hualumpong) which is easier for being in central BKK (its quite near Patpong just of Rama 4.
http://www.seat61.com/Bridge-on-the-River-Kwai.htm#.UzLlaM73OV4
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This is good info and I have been planning a trip around that International express train down to Malaysia. Feel free to add some simple trip reports even if you do not have any photo's. Many of the members are interested in side trips and this one to Malaysia is often overlooked. I read recently of a guy who did a Vientiane run and flew up. Lot of queues at the border points etc etc. He clearly should have taken the overnight express by train and switched onto the little train that goes over the bridge. Apparently, nobody uses it who needs a visa on arrival into lao and the whole thing takes less than 5 minutes as its not the same immigration point. I intend doing that overnight soon as part of a bigger trip up to Chiang Mai and over into Lao and Luang Prabang. Although I may fly the Luang prabang to Vientianne bit, everything else will be by rail or boat.
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hahaha.. i just noticed the towels on the bed. The hotel surely didn't do that...........................
I can guarantee that OTS would not have done it LOL.
Looks nice hotel and good timing as i am planning another adventure up to C/Mai and then into Lao and along and Mekong - just need to be sure there will be enough water for the boat trip.
OneTrueSaxon reacted to this -
All,
I have found a way into the forum that doesn't redirect to the url.info site. I had been having significant problems getting in until this method and it has worked so far.
When I google "Bangkok ladyboy forum", the third main link choice is to www.bangkokladyboys.net
Clicking this link is not to the forum itself but to what I guess I would call a "pre-forum page" - looks like a blog page type set up probably created when the forum was first started.
On this page, there is a left hand menu with the second choice down being "Bangkok LB Forum". Click this link and you will go to the actual forum with no redirect.
This method has so far not redirected ever for me. Please try this way and if it works for others, perhaps the mods can make a flashing headline of this method somewhere in the main forum so folks will know a route in that works (until the problem is fixed...)
I enter this site the same way - for some reason my firefox memory does not pick up the forum is what i always visit and thus keeps bringing me in the same way. have to say though - there is some hideous Western women in that webcam thingy that pops up.
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Tempted by this place in april- only one question was it quiet in the room?
I ask as my recent stay in Soi 7/1 was incredibly noisy from street noise outside...
Tempted by this place in april- only one question was it quiet in the room?
I ask as my recent stay in Soi 7/1 was incredibly noisy from street noise outside...
I never heard anything from outside and I also had street facing room. By the way I booked the cheapest which is superior room. Apparently deluxe are same, just slightly larger. I would book superior sized again.
I had to extend for a 2nd night but to get the 1099b rate, I had to book it online, stood in front of reception. Rate otherwise was 1400 from memory if front desk booked it as a walk in from the street.
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I stayed last week following this review from SM. Aside from it being an excellent new hotel, the current rate is just 1090b all in.
To get the best rate you need to book on the hotel own website. Just Google it.
Also have a hotel in soi 11 and soi 2.
Important note is the rooms are all non smoking. Smoking terrace at the front and a free coffee machine in the lobby. No tea/coffee making in the rooms though.
All in all, excellent value for money. I will certainly stay again.
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Can you still smoke in the doorways between carriages?
The guards carriage they leave a door open for smokers.
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i did Bangkok to Hua Hin 3rd class . never again
:No No Tut Tut:Thought you would have been sat in 1st class mate. Wooden bench seats don't seem your thing. Still what were you expecting for 90b fare?
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Thanks. That actually worked to an extent, but i don't think it pulled up all the posts on her.
I remember putting up pics with her in before anyone knew her name. she is in pics but only in last couple of months - she started not long before the inside cib opened - infact I think I first saw her at june's birthday/halloween party and she was one of maybe 5 new girls - of which I believe only 2/3 eventually started. Do not recall seeing anything else about her, i.e. trip reports etc.
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State railway has a website that is ok, but if you want to do a bit of reading about train travel in Thailand (or even any country, Burma for example), this is the site to read:-
The site is vast and on the left column you can select the region and then country you want to look at.
this guy is a real railway buff and the detail on Thailand is as good as you will get anywhere. he details all the routes, the trains, the interiors by route and even the food they serve.
If you ever wanted info on travelling within Thailand by rail, this is heaps better than the railway's own website.
hughjass85 reacted to this -
Out of interest - what layout were the seats in? I cannot stand 'theatre' style seating for more than 10 minutes so hopefully its chairs around tables style of layout.
I may well give this show a go soon but 300b for a lady drink is just total rip off. .
Noriko reacted to this -
Just out of interest - how did your guests like it? My experience is simple is best for the average girl we are hanging around with and that few care much for the fancy cooking even of their own food - as more often than not, they have never had it done that way.
Now to find somewhere they really like and is half decent for the foreigner would be a great find - hence my question.
Spanish food mbk
in Restaurants, Places to Eat and nightlife
Posted
There is/was a Spanish Tapas set up in around Soi 11 as I recall - maybe off the U bend where the cheap stand up bar is/was. Sounding a bit vague because I have never been there but had always wanted to try it. Will try and do some research to see if it is still there. As I recall, it was owned by a Spanish guy.