Marriot Experience?

[Yeshe]

Say Yeshe, how come they gave you 150K MRPs? Did you also get 30K club points since you signed up for 30K? (i.e. free 1 years points but must be used within the 1st year and cannot convert to MRP?)

 

Errr.... what can I get for 450K MRP?

 

they give me the 150K MRP out of goodwill becos i sign lah. There is no restriction to convert the club points to MRP. i can convert all 30K club points to 150K MRP every yr if i wish to.

 

450K MRP? alot, easily Cat7 hotel 1 week stay in Europe + Airfare for 2.

[Yeshe]

Have lah, there are 2 tables, the top one for europe/US, bottom one for asia pacific if i m not wrong. worse come to worst, call the MVCI agent and ask

 

no need any frequent flyer plan to be eligible.

Edited April 8, 2008 by Yeshe

[Dwoon]

Oh..... so I guess they converted the 30K club points for you to MRPs (30x5=150 MRPs) Yah? Or did you get both (30K free club points + 150K MRP).

[Genie47]

Traffic jams are not a concern for me. Will encounter them most likely on the first day coming from the airport. Will be moving around by the BTS since Sala Daeng is near. Just have to check with concierge on a driver that can get me to Ayutthaya for an afternoon and then night walk around.

[Genie47]

Wah! Mrs really pampered herself and neglected you.

 

For Mai Khao, the spa is expensive. For us guys, I think can settle for the beach massage on the resort beach front. A lot cheaper. No need to change to whatever robes or something. Just wear swim trunks and have the auntie massage you.

 

If Mrs wants cheap but good, the day spa at Body and Mind is pretty highly recommended. It is however located at Karon. Their shuttle bus only picks up customers from Kata and Patong hotels.

 

Anyway for a comprehensive review of the spas found in Phuket for the Mrs to peruse and examine:

 

http://www.distinctivespas-phuket.com/

 

Lots of written reviews.

Edited April 8, 2008 by Genie47

[Dwoon]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

Say, if you should need a local guide in Bangkok that speaks english, do let me know and I can recommend you the lady whom I engaged to guide both me & my friend's family about 2 years ago.

 

She'll do translations, pick up ticket's while you're at some attractions & meet you later, bring you to see/buy whateevr you request, advise & bargain for you, arrange taxi, etc.

 

Charges 500 bahts / day. No need to pay for her meals but we asked her to join us whenever we had ours.

[Genie47]

Thanks but would like the idea of wandering around and getting lost.

 

BTW, if better get some camera with some manual controls. At night the water feature in front of the bakery will be lit with fires. You heard me. Fires. A great photo spectacle that should be captured if you have a good camera to capture it with. Make sure to turn off auto.

[Yeshe]

i get the 30K club points which i bought as well as 150K MRP free.

[Genie47]

BTW, Marriott absorbed 3 hotels on Patong Beach and combined them into one humongous resort area. Branded as Marriott Courtyard to be less expensive. There are renos going on with the three resorts. I can't recall which. Will be ready by the peak season this year (Nov onwards).

 

Forgot. I got the info from Phuket Delight.

Edited April 9, 2008 by Genie47

[Yeshe]

hehe.. the more the merrier for us

 

by the way, was thinking of using the MRP and go Moscow someday. The accomodation in Moscow is crazily expensive if u go book yourself, easily 300-400USD per night

[Fondue]

Hi Genie, where would you recommend for car rental in Phuket ?

 

I'll be going over to their Mai Khao Beach resort this weekend so wondering if it make sense to rent a car or just call for a cab to go Patong.

 

Appreciate your input.

Edited June 4, 2008 by Fondue

[Genie47]

Unlike Bangkok, Phuket better rent car.

 

Any rental is OK so far.

[Genie47]

Actually pick those near to the airport. Nearer to Mai Khao. David is one of them.

Edited June 4, 2008 by Genie47

[Dwoon]

I use AP car rent. So far the most flexible and cheapest after my checking out the others. If you take 3 days or more, the rates are better. I'm already booked with them for a week in mid July.

 

Costs about 900 to 1000 bahts a day for the Honda Jazz or City or Soluna. If lesser days, it'll go up to maybe 1200 baths/day.

 

They are very trusting. Last i used them a year ago, there was a break of 2 days in between rental days (because of fully guided/provided ground tour). Instead of picking the car up and delivering 2 days later, the car was never picked up and left in the car park of the hotel. So I actually got free use of the car during the 2 nights (for driving out for dinner). I paid a deposit for 2 days and the remainder at the last day.... which the person retrieving the car at the airport didn't even bother to collect, till we reminded him that there was a balance for him to collect.

[Ender]

I went to AP website, the publish rate for Jazz is 1300 baht/day and 1200 baht/day if rent for more than a week. Did you get your deal from the website, or is there's a different deal when dealing on the spot? Was hoping to the cheaper deal.

I'll be going phuket next week and still undecided to reserve 1st or get from the airport.

[Dwoon]

Best if you give them a call. Negotiate verbally and then follow up with email for confirmation on the rates & booking.

 

No deposit required for the booking.

[Fondue]

Considering that I'll be there for 5 days, and only arriving at 6pm, does it make sense to rent for the whole duration or just a couple of days to drive around ?

 

Do you know if there is any super market or mall near to Mai Khao ? We'll prob. spend day 1 and 2 in the resort so the car rental will be mainly to get to town for meals and browse around. There will be 6 of us, so will need 2 cabs if we don't rent a car. Any idea what is the cab fare to Patong ?? The Marriott website quoted cabfare to airport is around 300bt on way, Patong seems much further that the airport

 

Did you go PhangNa Bay for the boat tours ? Self-drive or package ?

[Fondue]

Thanks for the recommendation. Just got a quote vai email from AP for Honda City at discounted rate of 950/day for 4-day rental. Inclusive of tax and Insurance.

 

Ender, I think they give discount to everyone who inquire directly

 

I've also check Hertz's webby and they car giving 55% discount

But that comes out to around 1300bts/day. A certain level of quality and cleanliness is expected from Hertz, so just wondering if it justify the premium ove AP. BUt then again, I ever rented a corolla from Hertz in Ireland, the car looks worn and seems capable of falling apart everytime I negotiate the bends in the countryside. Returned the car the next day and downgraded to a small VW Polo and immediately felt so much safer and in-control

 

Dwoon, were you satisfied with the general condition of the car ? I just need it to be clean, brake working and free of extra frictional forces and sound.