sorry... should have searched the post before asking...

"Rajawongse on Sukhumvit near Soi 4 and Jack at Monet il Sarto in the Marriott mini-mall on the river."

i'll just keep talking to myself...

I keep going back to World Tailor, also on New Road, just down from the Oriental. I've tried others, but the quality of the cloth and workmanship at World is better than the others.

Of course, any place that can clothe Bob has got to be good.

am sure Bob will be charmed (...)

am now in ridiculous pickle which will irritate most true bkk-fodorites but cannot make my mind up between the Peninsula (275$ standard deluxe room including breakfast) with the service, the river, the charm but the heat/humidity/hassle of crossing the river to the skytrain everytime you want to leave the hotel and the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit ($250 grande deluxe room including breakast and lounge access) with lesser service, less charm but with the Asoke skytrain connection right into the lobby itself...

realise am being somewhat over-traumatised by the idea of heat/humid May Bangkok...

The river crossing to the skytrain is no big deal at all.

The year we met you but didn't meet at Yaang Come Village, we stayed at the Conrad Bangkok free on points, and really, really missed the riverside breakfasts at the Peninsula. Last summer we were back at the Peninsula, happy.

Hi Kim! always good to read you!

but isn't ferry out in the morning, back in the afternoon, out again for dinner and back again at night in May heat all a bit too much? Sitting here in Belgian drizzle, the idea of Bangkok May humidity makes my knees buckle

Well, we don't do that. We do stuff in the morning after breakfast until lunchtime or after lunchtime if we are out somewhere and hungry. Then we go back to the Peninsula, husband and daughter swim, I go to the spa. After the rough afternoon we are content to eat at the hotel most nights. We are there to relax, and relax we do. But I know everyone has their own style.

The boat takes you right to the skytrain, closer than many hotels off river are to a station. Or you could simply take a taxi. Or you could eat in the hotel.

But, in the end, perhaps think about what exactly you will do in Bangkok...how much in and out access to your hotel do you want during a day?

I've stayed multiple times at both the Sheraton GS & the Pen, and I'd take the Peninsula 8 out of 10 trips. (The other 2 I'd forget the Sheraton and stay at the Hyatt or IC.)

The river really is cooler than downtown -- cooler being an extremely relative terms -- and the boat trips across the river are actually refreshing. When you step outside the Peninsula, you're walking into a pleasant, green spot; when you step outside the Sheraton GS, you're on a busy and noisy street filled with auto exhaust and made dark and gray by the Skytrain overhead.

As for clothes, I have not tried World Tailor. I have used Maxcoco on the 2nd floor of Oriental Place, and I have been reasonably pleased with their work. I found the quality of their fabrics and tailoring to be better than Monet il Sarto or Raja's, though not close to the better Hong Kong tailors. Also, Maxcoco has a good selection of casual (washable cotton) slacks material.

I'm another person who loves staying by the river. It is cooler there than in the asphalt jungle along Sukhumvit. The boat ride on the river is refreshing. I'm not a Pen person - wrong side of the river for me - but almost everyone else here except Gloria and Guen love the Pen. If you'd prefer to be on the right side of the river (which means you can walk to interesting restaurants and shops) consider the Oriental or the Shangri-La or the Towers at the Royal Orchid Sheraton.

for me it would only be the penn, unless i had some real reason to stay along sukhumvit....

we absolutely love the boat rides and the small talk with the boatmen....they are quite charming...we go in and out all day and use the boats often....we also use taxis more than the average tourists directly from the hotel...

the sheraton is a very nice "city" style hotel....the train station out front is a real plus too....but the pool area pales in comparison to the penn, but it is nice for a roof top style however....

tailors.... i use jack at monet for a couple of reasons....his work is decent, not fabulous and his price is reasonable....we have been happy with anything he has done for both my wife and myself....i do think if i needed suits (which thankfully is a thing of the past for me) that i would use the best available in bkk which most feel is raj, in order to assure the best tailoring, best materials and best workmanship at a slightly higer price.....but at $300+ one certainly can have no complaints about anything they do given the off the rack prices for something decent in the west these days....

i do not know rizuttos' tailor company, but i have noted a very fancy looking free standing new tailor in back of the oriental next to china house...i suspect their product is quite good....

you can't beat jack's shirts however....he usually has a special....it used to be 6 for about $80 or so....i have been wearing them exclusively for a number of years....they wear very well and launder nicely as well....he has tons of fabric to choose from....his english is more than excellent and he is fun....plus you get to meet the turtles...

The Penn is the place for me based on 3 stays and about 14 nights. I personally like the room level just below the ones with the balcony (forgot names) having stayed in all 3) especially if I am there for 4 or more nights. Beats 2 other approx. equally priced hotels (+/_$30) including the Sheraton.

If you are looking for a higher end suit, you can try Pinky . His suits usually start around 10,000 B.

The website is www.pinkytailor.com

The actual street address

10330 Thailand Mahatun Plaza Arcade 888/40 Ploenchit Road


I first heard about him over on flyertalk, there are alot of business guys that travel to BKK every month or so that always go see him.

pinkytailor.... good name

My family and our friends who travel to BKK like to use Mr Mack at Boss Tailor, which is right at the bottom of the National Stadium skytrain station, in the direction of the Jim Thompson house.

I second Rajawongse. Small and cramped, but good service, nice fabrics, and quality workmanship. I bought 20 shirts and 3 suits in December. It isn't the cheapest, but feels like a good combination of value and quality.

The website is below:

http://www.dress-for-success.com/

Note that, though the website says they do ladies clothing, they don't. They did recommend a good place to my wife, but I can't remember the name.

....was all set on the Peninsula but a delay in my reply and now they're fully booked! That 'll teach me.

now have Sheraton Grande ($250 for a grande deluxe b&b) the ShangriLa ($195 for a balcony deluxe shangrila wing room b&b) or Rizzuto's suggestion the Intercontinental ($170 for a grande deluxe b&b)

tempted to bin the Sheraton and keep the spare cash for an extra tailored suit!

shangri-la would be my choice hands down....and on the river too...

join their club and you get significant bonuses too....

how about the plaza anthanee--in the same locale as the others but underlooked by fodorites or the nei lert is also very nice and in the same area...

If you'll be in Bangkok during the weekend (either Friday and Saturday or Saturday and Sunday), you would do well to stay at the IC and join the Ambassador Club.

It costs $150 to join, and you get a certificate for 1 free weekend night when you pay for 1 weekend night. There are no restrictions -- you can pay any valid rate, and you don't need to reserve the free room specially. Just show up with the free room cert.

Plus, as an Ambassador (platinum-level) member, you'll get an automatic room upgrade, late check-out privs, and various other perks (1 free in-room movie per stay, etc.)

And I'd take the IC over the Sheraton GS any day: better facility, much better location.

IC it is then. Rizzuto, if we don't like it i'll hold you personally responsible

have done the Ambassador thing. Thanks for the tip. Hope it works out on the day!!