IC BKK or HI BKK for award stay?

[IainF]

Hi all,
I am meeting my wife in BKK in early July after she attends a conference in coughet. I have enough Priority points to stay at either hotel, but I am a PC Plat and an IC nothing....
I was wondering if I would be better treated at the HI than at the IC ?
The HI gets great reviews but for 5000 points a night difference (over 5 nights) would I be better off in the IC?
I cant see us getting any upgrade at the IC but from some research Plats seem to get an occasional upgrade when on award stays at the HI.

Can any of the PC guru's help me out here??????????

Cheers
IainF

 

[IainF]

Bump.....Anyone ?

 

[Keith009]

I hope you're referring to the HI Ploenchit, not HI Silom. The HI Silom is feral.

The HI Ploenchit and IC are on the same compound and even share some facilities. So location is not an issue here.

Having stayed at both (1 stay at HI P, multiple stays at IC), I think they're both very nice. HI Ploenchit has had a rejuvenation in recent years and is now of rather good quality - luxurious for a HI. So style and comfort wise they're both comparable.

The staff at IC BKK seems better to me and were of a very high standard which you'd expect from a luxury hotel. The HI Ploenchit staff were openly and unashamedly soliciting tips and weren't very efficient either during my last stay there in July 2006. However my friend who recently completed a stay at the HI P sang praises of the staff. So inconsistency could be a problem at the HI P. Still I felt the IC had a better 'air' to it. I was a PC Gold and IC nothing during my occassional stays with ICHG, if that helps you in any way with ur comparison.

Some say PC PLTs ranked below IC RAs and AMBs for upgrades at ICs (i personally cant verify so take this with a grain of salt) - so your status would be more effective at the HI P for upgrades. I haven't done much elite stays at PC places though - am basing my post on experiences traveling with Dad who's PC PLT and we've gotten upgrades on award stays.

Another thing you might want to consider is that the hotels would in all likelihood be chokers in July. So you might not get the upgrade after all.

I don't know how much 5000 PC points are worth but if the difference is deemed negligible or close to it - I'd go for the IC. But I also maintain that the difference between the 2 isn't that much, even though the IC is the recipient of rave reviews from most accounts.

 

[IainF]

That is what I thought...I have got an award booking at both sitting there ... so I may just cancel the HI and go with the IC.

I was just sorta hoping having Plat may see me upgraded at the HI.. but for an extra 5000 points per night...why not try the IC...

 

[markis10]

That is what I thought...I have got an award booking at both sitting there ... so I may just cancel the HI and go with the IC.

I was just sorta hoping having Plat may see me upgraded at the HI.. but for an extra 5000 points per night...why not try the IC...

Depending on your stay length and likely future IC stays, it might be worth paying for the Ambasador status upgrade.

 

[IainF]

Do you still get an upgrade with AMB + award stay ?

I had searched but had resigned myself to no upgrade at IC even with AMB...

 

[BlacKnox]

I was just sorta hoping having Plat may see me upgraded at the HI...

I too am platinum and was upgraded to a great room on my last visit to HI BKK last April. I booked one of the cheaper rooms and was upgraded to a junior suite. But its the luck of the draw, and as QF009 mentioned, the HI can seem a bit amateurish sometimes. I found the breakfast at the HI fantastic, but presumedly the IC brekkie would be great too.

 

[IainF]

I was going to pay for a room and hope for the upgrade...but I have 220K IC points to use...
I am going to get AMB and see what that can bring me.... Nothing ventured.. nothing gained !

 

[JohnK]

I hope you're referring to the HI Ploenchit, not HI Silom. The HI Silom is feral.

Hmmm....

Not sure about award stays or upgrades but I stayed at HI Silom in April and I was given this huge room, on the cheapest possible rate and status plebian, one floor below the executive floor. I think it is a nice hotel and very good value for the price paid.

Silom is not a bad area. I will be staying there again in July. HI Ploenchit is way overpriced in my opinion. Too each their own I guess.

 

[Keith009]

Hmmm....

Not sure about award stays or upgrades but I stayed at HI Silom in April and I was given this huge room, on the cheapest possible rate and status plebian, one floor below the executive floor. I think it is a nice hotel and very good value for the price paid.

Silom is not a bad area. I will be staying there again in July. HI Ploenchit is way overpriced in my opinion. Too each their own I guess.

Oh Silom is a great area don't get me wrong.

But I thought the HI Silom was pretty shabby and dated. Service wasn't that great either. The Ploenchit didn't cost that much more anyway.

But my last few visits in BKK have been spent either at the Westin or Sheraton Grande Sukumvhit. Fave so far in BKK balancing both cost and comfort is the Westin, which is also in a nice location (near Soy Cowboy). Has a very hip and modern design too.

Going to check out the Le Meridien for the first time in July. Their suite deals are good value.

 

[markis10]

Do you still get an upgrade with AMB + award stay ?

I had searched but had resigned myself to no upgrade at IC even with AMB...

Accordong to the T7C's you dont: When staying on Reward Nights, all Ambassador and Royal Ambassador privileges apply with the exception of upgrades, free Pay TV film per stay, 24 hour guaranteed room availability, 8:00am early check-in and complimentary mini bar beverages.

Having said that, I believe hotels often ignore this, and you could simply book a room ofr one night then points for the rest, and stay in your upgraded room, or even use the BOGO cert to bring the cost down!

 

[JohnK]

But I thought the HI Silom was pretty shabby and dated. Service wasn't that great either. The Ploenchit didn't cost that much more anyway.

In July advance booking rate for non smoking King room in HI Silom is US$76 and HI Ploenchit is US$130 and best flexible rate at HI Silom is US$92 and HI Ploenchit is US$153. Easy choice for me which one to choose.

 

[SF&]

Hi all,
I am meeting my wife in BKK in early July after she attends a conference in coughet. I have enough Priority points to stay at either hotel, but I am a PC Plat and an IC nothing....
I was wondering if I would be better treated at the HI than at the IC ?
The HI gets great reviews but for 5000 points a night difference (over 5 nights) would I be better off in the IC?
I cant see us getting any upgrade at the IC but from some research Plats seem to get an occasional upgrade when on award stays at the HI.

Can any of the PC guru's help me out here??????????

Cheers
IainF

I stayed in the HI on points and paid small amt to be uprgraded to exec floor.
The one next to the IC is by far the best HI in BKK
but if you are a hilton member i like the hilton BKK better than both.

 

[serfty]

... but if you are a hilton member i like the hilton BKK better than both.

Which one? I have had three stays at the Millenium in the last 6 months as an HH Gold and have been treated very well each time. (Upgrade to exec lounge etc every time) However, aside from a 25K award stay, the cheapest rate I paid was USD119.

 

[BlacKnox]

I stayed in the HI on points and paid small amt to be uprgraded to exec floor.
The one next to the IC is by far the best HI in BKK
but if you are a hilton member i like the hilton BKK better than both.

Or the Conrad is great too.

Another point I forgot to mention about HI/IC. IIRC, "guests" aren't allowed at the HI so no strange surprises at the pool e.g. but they are allowed at the IC; notwithstanding there's apparently a large surcharge for this privilege :shock: .

 

[CO BNE]

Do you still get an upgrade with AMB + award stay ?

I had searched but had resigned myself to no upgrade at IC even with AMB...

Yes you do receive an upgrade with award stay at the IC BKK.

My wife and I had our first trip to BKK this past March and agonised over the HI or IC.

1 night x Award (Deluxe Room)
3 nights x Paid (Club Intercontinental Suite)

Award night was upgraded to Grand Deluxe. The nice lady who escorted us apologised profusely that they would have liked to have put us into the room we will be staying at for the rest of our stay but it was occupied and please accept their apologies.

We left out the following morning to wander about town and they advised us that they would move our bags to our room by the time we got back in the afternoon. On arrival we were escorted up to our room and the entire elevator ride, we were apologised to and we were advised that neither of the two Ambassador suites were available for our upgrade and neither was the Diplomatic Suite. However they have put us into the Royal Suite for the 3 nights we have left.

We were not disappointed with the room or the service at this hotel. On the day of check-out I asked what the cost to check out late would be as our flight QF1 to LHR was leaving past midnight. They came back and advised us that we were welcome to check out as late as we would like and no charge.

Needless to say, I will not be thinking twice about where I will be staying next time we're in BKK. We won't be expecting the same room (would be nice), however the staff and service was absolutely impeccable and we could not fault anything.

 

[IainF]

Thanks very much for that info. I will get AMB and hope... what the h3ll.. it is an award stay anyway.. got to be grateful as it aint gonna cost me much at all for the whole trip.

Cheers
IainF

 

[Keith009]

In July advance booking rate for non smoking King room in HI Silom is US$76 and HI Ploenchit is US$130 and best flexible rate at HI Silom is US$92 and HI Ploenchit is US$153. Easy choice for me which one to choose.

That's what I meant by 'didn't cost that much more', considering the difference in quality.

However topping the Ploenchit figure up by about US$40 I got a suite at the Le Meridien with breakfast and free internet included.

 

[JohnK]

That's what I meant by 'didn't cost that much more', considering the difference in quality.

Actually to me US$60 is quite a lot. Do you spend a whole day in a room? I don't! I actually liked HI Silom and would not pay the extra money just to stay in HI Ploenchit. Not speaking of HI Ploenchit directly but there are plenty of A$200+/night dumps in Bangkok. Just because a hotel is expensive does not make it a good hotel. The Hilton on the Park is a classic example.

I will just stick to my US$37/night hotel when visiting the Land of Smiles and occassionally stay at the HI Silom when I have a night in Bangkok.

However topping the Ploenchit figure up by about US$40 I got a suite at the Le Meridien with breakfast and free internet included.

Why? I can get a great full English breakfast for around 140 baht or half that price to eat some local food.

Internet costs around 1 baht/minute but I actually found a place recently which was charging only 40 baht/hour.

I think you are being ripped off paying US$40 extra just for a room to sleep with free breakfast and free internet. I bet you can't even bring friends to visit during the day....

 

[Keith009]

Actually to me US$60 is quite a lot. Do you spend a whole day in a room? I don't! I actually liked HI Silom and would not pay the extra money just to stay in HI Ploenchit. Not speaking of HI Ploenchit directly but there are plenty of A$200+/night dumps in Bangkok. Just because a hotel is expensive does not make it a good hotel. The Hilton on the Park is a classic example.

I will just stick to my US$37/night hotel when visiting the Land of Smiles and occassionally stay at the HI Silom when I have a night in Bangkok.


Why? I can get a great full English breakfast for around 140 baht or half that price to eat some local food.

Internet costs around 1 baht/minute but I actually found a place recently which was charging only 40 baht/hour.

I think you are being ripped off paying US$40 extra just for a room to sleep with free breakfast and free internet. I bet you can't even bring friends to visit during the day....

I do not consider costs in relative to the average cost of living in a given destination. The price I'm paying is chips compared to many other cities. And that to me is the beauty of visiting cities like KUL and BKK - peanuts for 5 star accomodation.

I did enjoy my THB1/night room in HI coughet last July though... Even got points for it.