Thailand - Virgins
Hi AllFirst post after a lot of reading, so please be kind :o)
The wife and I are hoping to take our first trip to Thailand this November. We haven't booked anything yet but have an idea of what we would like to do.
So we were wondering if any of you helpful well travelled forumites would like to offer suggestions.
We are both in our mid 40s and prefer a nice meal to bars, clubs and night-life. Holidays in Asia usually consist of renting a moped for the duration and spending alternate days relaxing or exploring.
The main two week accommodation will be in a timeshare resort, plus a night or two in Bangkok.
We will be flying from the UK to Bangkok midweek, then on to the timeshare resort after a few days Saturday or Sunday check-in.
Questions -
1. Any recommendations where to stay in BK mid range hotel. Easy access for the sights and sounds of BK
2. Travelling from BK to resort. Where is it best to book internal flights (or possibly train) in the UK or when we get to BK.
3. Where would you stay for the two weeks. Need to explore as sitting by a pool day after day does not appeal.
Anyone who has stayed in a timeshare resort that they would recommend please share your thoughts.
Sorry if its a little vague. Looked at Koh Samui due to the Samui International Airport....
Thanking you all in anticipation :o) Hurry up November
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1. Any recommendations where to stay in BK mid range hotel. Easy access for the sights and sounds of BK
There's hundred. If you like shopping then the Pathumwan Princess is attached to the MBK Center mall whic, in turn, is attached to National Stadium skytrain station so it's easy to go to other shopping malls like Siam Paragon (Central station), Terminal 21, Emporium etc what are on the skytrain routes.Another hotel is the Asia Hotel - cheaper than PPrincess and good value. Basically look for any hotels that's close to the skytrain stops.
If you like to see Royal Palace, Temple of Emerald Bhudda, Wat Po, Wat Arun, Chinatown, Indian Pahurat district you will have to stay around Banglamphu (no convenience of skytrain but if you get a hotel near the river that can also be handy to reach these places via the river boats)
I'm sure others will chime in soon enough.
Good luck and happy travels.
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@PhiMeow - thank you for your reply and the good advice... Not too sure how much we will get to see in a day or two, but I will make a note f those hotels.@mozziebite - Sorry had a time share for many years. We normally save up a couple of weeks and swap them for a really nice holiday every other year.
There are quite a few timeshare resorts in Thailand as you would expect, but few reviews.
As we found out in India not all timeshares are the same hence recommendations more than welcome please.
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" Any recommendations where to stay in BK mid range hotel. Easy access for the sights and sounds of BK"How much do you want to pay for a mid range hotel? Given that mid range doesn't mean the same to everyone.
In Bangkok you can get a hotel room starting at 600 baht, including TV, A/C private bathroom. Also you can find a rooms over 6000 baht a night too. Is your mid range hotel around 3000 baht a night?
Maybe get a hotel near the Skytrain route.
http://www.urbanrail.net/as/bang/bangkok.htm
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"So I can ask for a week in any timeshare resort in Thailand. The exchange company will book it for me like a travel agent."*
When you can get a hotel in some places in Thailand (with A/C, private toilet and TV) starting around $20 with little or no fuss - is a timeshare just an additional unnecessary expense? Of course you can also book pricier hotels and resorts too if that is what you prefer.
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OK, that makes some sense. So what you do is put any unwanted weeks at your own timeshare into a "pool" with some 3rd party company and then dip into it to get stays at other resorts elsewhere?Unfortunately I don't imagine that the Thorn Tree is frequented by many timeshare owners so it's maybe not the best place to ask for recommendations.
Samui isn't really a good base for "exploring", and it's also the height of the wet season in November. So maybe the Andaman side would be better. Places like Phuket, which is very developed resort-wise, probably has the highest concentration of timeshare places and is a good base for exploring the surrounding area.
In Bangkok, around Silom Road is a good area to base yourself. There are plenty of restaurants and entertainment around and it's on the Silom line of the skytrain (BTS) so it's only 10 minutes from all the shopping areas around Siam Square.
Have a look here for 3 and 4 star places under £100 within a mile of the Silom Line.
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@mozziebiteJust the information I was looking for thank you....
Samui appealed with the international airport, but I will investigate Phuket see what is available.
Didn't want to say for fear of sounding like a snob, but the "good" timeshare resorts are exclusive and to an extreemly high standard, which you don't often find through a normal travel agent. But as always in life there are is the other side of the coin with resorts that are more like Butlins.
@CrazyAl
Yep timeshares are not for everyone, but if you make use of the very cheap bonus weeks and find the exclusive 5* plus resorts they are worth every penny. We have both grown out of the backpack and hostel adventures, but not to the extent of relying on a tour operator to book everything for us..
Thank you all for your replies.
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Why don't you check with your timeshare exchange company to see what resorts are available in Phuket, then do a search on those places on the second link of my sig line to get user reviews and recommendations?
