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Buttman 007
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Recently stayed at S15 for 10 days and was able to get a "pre-opening" promotional rate of 3700bht+++ per night, including full breakfast buffet for their Junior Suite. After all taxes and surcharges (+++) was added, the final price was 4270bht per night. This was purchased directly through their website, and compares to 5700bht+++ for the basic room (not suite) at JW Marriott during the same 10 days.
This was suppose to be the rate for a junior suite, but since a simple error was made on my internet reservation, the hotel manager upgraded me to their regular, full suite when I checked in. It was a very simple, easy error which, quite frankly, I was more than willing to ignore. They were so committed to making sure I was happy that she offered the upgrade before I even got a chance to respond. So I got the full suite for the price of the junior. And I must add, their customer service was flawless during my entire stay. Always smiling and acknowledging me when I entered the lobby and calling me by my name as I passed by.
The hotel decor is ultra modern and contemporary, exactly as you see at the website. If anyone is familar with B+B Italia (an Italian furniture designer), you'll find nearly all the furnishings to be of that general look and design. Marble floors, lots of wenge wood and modern light fixtures are everywhere.
The shower in my suite had huge, floor-to-ceiling glass walls and a rain-shower nozzel. Very spacious and relaxing and spa-like. I'm not sure if all the rooms have this.
The bed was extremely comfortable with huge over-stuffed pillows and soft linens. S15 definitley gets a grade A in the bed category.
Every room from the most basic to the suites has a flat screen television on the wall. There are no clocks in the rooms, which I think is an over-sight. This was very annoying, and prompted me to call the receptionist several times in the middle of the night the first few nights, when my jet-lagged brain was waking me up. I had no idea if it was midnight or 6am. But, in a nod to their good customer service, they apparently bought a clock on my third day and put it next to my bed. Problem solved. Again, great customer service.
I got a chance to peek in one of the regular rooms when the maid-service was cleaning it, and found the rooms to be quite a bit smaller than what you'd find at the Westin or JW Marriott. My suite was roughly the same size as a regular room at the Peninsula. There are no rooms with views, as the hotel is only seven stories tall. Nearly every room looks directly at the BTS or the dirty buildings along Soi 15. There is an additional glass facade about 1 meter from the building--imagine an entire building inside a glass box--which insulates the hotel from most of the noise outside. Even though my room was directly on Sukhumvit, spitting distance from the BTS, I never heard a thing. Very quiet.
Somehow, breakfast has always been very important to me while staying in Bangkok. I think it's because I never get the chance to slow down and enjoy it here in the rat race of America, or perhaps it's because I'm always awake early in the morning due to jet lag.
In any case, the breakfast buffet was the killer for me. Do not expect the same sort of buffet you find at JW, Westin, Peninsula or others. There's some scrambled eggs, a few bread products, some fruit....just the basics. If you're used to the buffets at JW, you'll be really disappointed. I was. So every day, I would take the 10 minute walk to the Marriott and just pay the 770bht for their buffet. I know that's a lot to pay for breakfast, but relaxing, reading the newspaper, and enjoying a nice leisurely breakfast is a requirement for me when I'm away from work.
The breakfast sort of mirrors other offerings by the hotel. Early one morning, I walked to the gym and the spa to check it out, and they seemed really subpar, as well. Very small and sort of an after-thought. I never used them.
So my feelings are mixed. Beautiful decor and furnishings with a trendy, contemporary, hip look and feel compared to the big mega-hotels along the Sukhumvit. It looks like they attempted to market themselves to the affluent traveler who wants a more "boutique" feel, or simply something different than the big hotels that everyone has already stayed at multiple times. But the hotel lacks many ammenities that add up after a while....no big pool, spa or gym. No cocktail lounge with hot waitresses. And, obviously, no real buffet that competes with JW and others. Individually, these don't mean much. Added together, and it seems like they've missed it.
If they keep the rates substantially lower than the Westin or JW, I'd stay there again, and do as I did before---walk to JW for breakfast and have cocktails at all the Sukhumvit regular spots. But if the rates suddenly become similar to the others, I'd have to pass. The rates at both the Westin and JW for my period of travel were B5700+++, so it was worth saving nearly 2000bht, especially since I got a suite out of the deal. And I got the impression that the rates will eventually be similar after this initial promotion is over.
If the rates were similar, I'd probably go elsewhere. Especially since the hotel is not the primary reason I visit Bangkok. 
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:37 pm on Nov. 1, 2007
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ThaidUp
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Great report.
"Always smiling and acknowledging me when I entered the lobby and calling me by my name as I passed by. "
I would smiling too in greeting you. "Good morning Mr. Buttman"
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 9:22 pm on Nov. 1, 2007
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Buttman 007
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Please. Please. Give respect where respect is due.
It's more like, "Good morning, His Excellency, Friar Buttman. Our ass doth wiggle for the pleasure of your honorable loins."
"Silence! Bring me a goblin of grape juice and the head of a pig. Forthwith!!"
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 11:04 pm on Nov. 1, 2007
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retiredintahoe
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I did not stay at S15 as I had a serviced apartment at the Jasmine on Soi 23. However, while doing some research on hotels for Prabal, I visited the S15 in September along with my TGF.
I agree with buttman, the service staff was excellent and very helpful. They allowed us to go into each type of room that they had. My TGF noted, as did buttman, that the rooms are smaller and more cramped than had been expected - even though nicely furnished.
I asked the 3 staff on reservations about their GF policy. 2 were young women and 1 a young man. They smiled broadly and said that, as long as you booked for 2 people there was no problem bringing a lady to stay the night. I asked, how about a different lady every night. They smiled even more broadly and said - no problem.
Also, just as a side note, several FLs use to frequent the area right next to S15 on Sukhumvit. S15 chased them away.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 1:30 am on Nov. 2, 2007
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Evil Penivel
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Has it been confirmed by someone staying at S15 that it is guest friendly in practice as well as theory?
Since I cancelled my reservations at the Key, I'm thinking of trying S15 as an alternative.
Evil
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 12:02 pm on Nov. 2, 2007
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jetlowe
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Yes - it is guest friendly. I stayed there recently and had many "guests" - no problem. They just have to leave their ID at the Desk (typical). However, no charge and no hassle.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 1:54 pm on Nov. 2, 2007
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Buttman 007
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Yes, they are guest friendly.
However, I will tell you that the lobby is very small and the front desk will see everyone that goes in and out. In addition, there is always someone standing at the lobby elevator who monitors who comes and goes, and presses the "up" botton for you. I have 10 fully functional fingers, and he still managed to press the button for me every day, several times a day, for 10 straight days.
If you have any desire to just quietly sneak in with a girl or two, without anyone noticing, it won't happen.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:00 pm on Nov. 2, 2007
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Buttman 007
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I stayed at S15 again this past week, and really enjoyed it. I wrote a detailed review about it a few posts back after a prior trip, so I won't do another. All opinions are the same.
I do want to add, though, a bit about their guest policy for those who are interested. One evening, as I was waiting in the lobby for the elevator, I noticed another gentleman walking through the lobby with a "guest." As they approached me (to wait for the elevator as well), a front desk clerk sort-of rushed over to them and asked the girl for her ID, and asked the gentleman for his room number. He gave the number, she gave the ID, and no further questions were asked.
It was all very easy, and professional. So yes, they are definitely guest friendly, and that's the sort of scenario one can expect if you want to bring some company to your room.
Lastly, both JW Marriott and Sheraton had rates near $200--$250 USD for the 10 days that I was there, while S15 had a junior suite for about $115 USD for the same time period. I'm not sure why the hell JW and Sheraton have jacked their rates up so high over the past 2 years, but for the the huge difference, S15 will continue to be my choice.
Great location, as well.
Cheers!
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 4:13 pm on Feb. 12, 2008
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ThaidUp
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It is all those Arabs in the JW now. First they drive up oil prices then they use there new found wealth to drive up room rates at the JW. The JW is now becoming PNG with me.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 6:02 pm on Feb. 12, 2008
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