Bangkok

[davgar]

Looking at Bangkok for a Stopover on wayback from Oz in August.

Only going to be for maybe 4 nights ( 2 adults, 2kids (9&11)

Are there any beach resorts within 1 hour drive from the airport
If not any hotels with nice swimming pools that are family friendly.
Any other tips much appreciated

cheers

[smifffymoto]

Don't know about resorts but the Sivatel on Wireless rd has a good pool overlooking the British embassy.

[HotJambalaya]

your two options really would be Pattaya, about an hour and a half, or Hua hin about 3 hours away.

Pattaya is pretty seedy, especially at night, but I havent been in years.

Personally I'd stay in Bangkok, fantastic city, with lots to do. But then again I hate the beach.

[XJSJohn]

Beach resort one hour from Bangers ....

Stay in Bangers, lots to do and a great fun city for a break.

Hotels are pretty affordable in BKK, can do Marriott for about $150 for example, but $40 will get you a very nice 3 / 4 * jobbie also.

As mentioned, Wireless Road is not a bad location, easy to BTS Stations (BKK metro) at either end, also Chinatown / Riversie

[davgar]

thanks - only looking at Bangkok as flights seem cheapest.
Just want a few days chilling

[nyt]

davgar said:

thanks - only looking at Bangkok as flights seem cheapest.
Just want a few days chilling

Some of the riverside hotels are very chilled Shangri-la (about £130 a night) and Mandarin Oriental (£Lots) are 2 that spring to mind but there are many others.
The only stress will be the taxi to and from the airport (and the traffic)

If you want beach then - as above - Hua hin is your best bet. 3 Hours drive.
Taxi from BKK airport is about £50 - http://www.thaiairporttaxi.com/index.aspx?pid=eee0...

[schmalex]

I wouldn't stay more than 2 nights in Bangkok to be honest. It's a stinking, seedy sthole. I've been there 5 times this year on business and I just can't stand the place. However, the Shangri La hotel is quite nice, as is the Hyatt Royal Orchid. Jack's Bar, between Shangri La and Mandarin Oriental is a decent place to eat some great food, drink some cheap beer and watch the sun go down over the river.

As a beach resort, Hua Hin is OK. It's about a 3 hour drive from Bangers. It's not particularly spectacular - the beach is just a long strip of sand with warning signs every 50m for jellyfish. The Marriott Beach Club there is quite nice (we stayed there in July while doing an exercise with the Thai Military). There are some decent restaurants and bars, but it's still pretty seedy.

[davgar]

thanks - with fussy eating kids - not sure where to stop on way back home from Oz

[schmalex]

Singapore.

Stay at Hotel Jen, Tanglin on Cuscaden Road. It's an easy 5 minute walk up to Orchard Road and then you have choices of Asian food, Hard Rock Cafe, Jamie's Italian etc, etc, etc.

You have to budget at least an hour from Suvarnabhumi to downtown Bangkok and it really isn't very nice.

ETA. Or Dubai / Abu Dhabi. Emirates and Etihad are doing some half decent prices for returns to Aus at the moment. Then, you've got the long, 14 hour, bit out of the way and just have a quick 7 hour hop home.

Edited by schmalex on Thursday 7th December 11:55

[Shay HTFC]

According to Google Maps, Koh Samet (or rather the closest town) is a 2 hour drive from the airport and the kids will love it.

Its a tiny little island, but has some great beaches and you have to get a cool little boat across (which the kids will love). Plus once you're on the island its transport just by sort of 4x4 safari jeeps (which again, the kids will love) or quad bikes and dirt-bike tyred scooters (which, right again, the kids will love).

Was there a few years back and it was great!

[Nobby Diesel]

+1 for Koh Samet; it's the only sensible option, if you must have a beach.
However, if you do stay in Bangkok, just get a hotel on the river, as previously mentioned. Most of the good ones have lovely pool areas, free taxi boats to Thaksin Pier, activities for the children, if they want and distance from the noise, heat, smell of the city.

Phuket is an hour away by plane, so achievable. Samui is similar, but way more expensive to fly to and the weather isn't as good as the Indian Ocean side, at that time of year. Khao Lak is lovely and reached from Phuket.

If you are in Bangkok over a weekend, then Chatachak Market is worth the visit.
Take a long tail boat from Thaksin Pier and get the driver to speed up and down the klongs. The kids will love it.
The sky rail is great for getting around. Cheap, safe, clean and efficient. Tuk tuk rides with the kids are fun too.
4 days in Bangkok is on the limit, with kids that age, but with a good hotel and decent pool, its fine.

The other way of doing it, is a serviced apartment. Somewhere like Park 9. slightly off the beaten track, but great value and loads of space. It feels like your own home.

[TheGuru]

davgar said:

Are there any beach resorts within 1 hour drive from the airport
If not any hotels with nice swimming pools that are family friendly.

Most 5 star places in Bangkok have nice pool areas, the Kempinski would be one of the nicest ones.

1 hour from the airport would get you to Pattaya - it obviously has a reputation for nightlife, but it's a very large area and there are some nice resorts there. Intercontinental and Diamond Cliff are a couple.

As much as I love Bangkok, best food and culture in Asia by a mile - I think stopping in Singapore, or even Hong Kong, would be a better option with kids.

Sentosa has more than a few days of activities, a Universal Studios, Waterparks and loads of other attractions. Then there is the zoo and night safari, park etc. Easily 4 days worth.

Plenty of good hotels but they can be pricey, especially with kids. Can recommend the Park Royal on Beach Rd, very convenient for everything and a good outdoor pool. Other good pools are at the Pan Pacific and Swissotel/Fairmont.

[King Herald]

With kids, a stopover in Singapore would be your best bet, unless they are of an age they might be into third world culture? So many things to do, excellent infrastructure, you might want to book 3 or 4 nights.

[nonsequitur]

King Herald said:

With kids, a stopover in Singapore would be your best bet, unless they are of an age they might be into third world culture? So many things to do, excellent infrastructure, you might want to book 3 or 4 nights.

Know both cities well. With kids, it would be Singapore for me. Clean, safe, great food and lots to do.

[cat with a hat]

HotJambalaya said:

your two options really would be Pattaya, about an hour and a half, or Hua hin about 3 hours away.

Pattaya is pretty seedy, especially at night, but I havent been in years.

Personally I'd stay in Bangkok, fantastic city, with lots to do. But then again I hate the beach.

Don't go to Pattaya. It is the seediest place I've ever seen. I felt sorry for any families that accidentally ended up there.

Singapore on the other hand is very nice and I would certainly recommend. Theres lots to see in the city in 4 days and an artificial beach if you fancy it.

[davgar]

thanks
adding the stopover in Singapore adds another £1k to the flight costs
need to find away of doing this more cheaply

[nyt]

davgar said:

thanks
adding the stopover in Singapore adds another £1k to the flight costs
need to find away of doing this more cheaply

If you travel using Thai Airways they often allow you a couple of free internal flights. You could nip down to a more beachy area.

Have you tried looking for multi-city flights on https://www.google.com/flights

[chip*]

Last time we visited Bangkok, and we stayed at a serviced apartments for the first time.

http://www.adelphi49.com

Pretty good breakfast restaurant + swimming pool that is barely used by other guests during our stay. We won't be staying in a hotel room anymore when we can stay in an apartment for the same price!

[King Herald]

Last time I was in Bangkok was on our honeymoon in 2000. We had a 2 bedroom family suite at Nana hotel, only room left, they said...

While we were in the bedroom on our first night, door open, doing the honeymoon thing, someone came in and put flowers on the table in the main room. No knock, no word, but the flowers were there after we showered and left the bedroom....

Interesting room, the windows faced directly into Nana Plaza bar strip, across the road.

We were living in the Philippines and Bangkok was the first few nights of a tour of Thailand, if anybody was wondering why I took my wife to Bangers.

[schmalex]

davgar said:

thanks
adding the stopover in Singapore adds another £1k to the flight costs
need to find away of doing this more cheaply

Look at KL as an alternative via Malaysia Air.

It’s good for, maybe, 2 days with kids. Stay at Shangri-La in J Sultan Ismael.

Otherwise, do have a look at the UAE with either Emirates or Etihad (there’s an outside with Saudia Air via Rihad but there’s really NOTHING to do there, although Saudia Air are bloody good)

Otherwise, there’s Doha with Qatar Air - they’re cheap as chips since Saudi accused Qatar of funding terrorism! (people in glass houses...), but I doubt there’s a lot to do there for kids (happy to be proven wrong!)

Edited by schmalex on Sunday 10th December 21:29