Arrival time blues

[Curator]

I booked a flight Jan 8th 2024, arriving BKK Jan 10th at 00:20 on Korean Air.  Difference was over $400 cheaper than one arriving at 06:00.  But still...what the hell was I thinking?  Jan is still high season, but not peak season.  Check in time is 14:00 at the Night hotel Bangkok.  What are the chances I screwed myself with a one night hotel reservation that has no rooms available for early check-in.  I could be sitting in the lobby for fucking hours.  Might as well cancel reservation and get a taxi to Pattaya when I land.   What would you do with an early arrival time of O dark thirty at BKK?

[David2268]

If you are only going into BKK for 1 night then on to Pattaya, personally I would cancel the hotel in BKK and use Nams taxis direct from the airport into Pattaya. It takes max 2 hours. Book your hotel in Pattaya for an extra night or find another one near by. 

[momo5]

I’d have booked for that night and sent a quick message notifying them of my late arrival.

[momo5]

49 minutes ago, David2268 said:

If you are only going into BKK for 1 night then on to Pattaya, personally I would cancel the hotel in BKK and use Nams taxis direct from the airport into Pattaya. It takes max 2 hours. Book your hotel in Pattaya for an extra night or find another one near by. 

Sure, but it still puts him in Pattaya at around 3am.  I’d still book the room for that night and let them know I’m arriving late so the room is held.  

[ZRHuser]

1 hour ago, momo5 said:

Sure, but it still puts him in Pattaya at around 3am.  I’d still book the room for that night and let them know I’m arriving late so the room is held.  

Just make sure your hotel has a 24 hour Reception. If you stay at a cheaper Place that may be not the case.

[pax36]

The good thing is that you are thinking about this early enough to find a room for that extra night. Not sure what hotel you are planning to stay at in Pattaya, but unless you plan to do some late night partying in BKK, going directly to Pat's from the airport seems like a good idea. If your current Pattaya hotel doesn't have a 24 hr front desk, you could probably find one close by that does. 

There are some who just want to rest up after their long flight and choose to stay at a hotel near the airport for the night and head into Pat's the next day. This often depends on how long their vacation is. If short, many want to take advantage of every hour and either go directly to BKK or Pat's.

[littlefella24]

Like it's mentioned above I would cancel BKK hotel and put an extra night on your Pattaya accommodation I'm guessing you've got free cancellation for your room.

And again mentioned above check for 24hr check in 

[jaynewcastle]

Why would you not book a hotel room for the night you arrive & tell the hotel what time you plan to arrive ?

[Addlepated]

I have a similar issue with arrival time. Flights, airports, layovers blah blah. I leave 6am my time, travel for a full day and arrive 10am my time the following morning. Adjusting for time zone it should be around midnight local.

I have chosen the taxi to Pattaya/24hr reception route. Should put me in Pattaya roughly 2-3 am.

I spring outta the cab, tip the driver and say something like "The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves."

Mere seconds later everyone flips the window signs from open to closed...

 

[LeoTex]

44 minutes ago, jaynewcastle said:

Why would you not book a hotel room for the night you arrive & tell the hotel what time you plan to arrive ?

Thats what I do.

My flights arrive at night at 11:30 PM. 

Book my hotel for that night and arrive at my Pattaya hotel about 2:00 AM.

Check in do a mini unpacking, take a shower and get some sleep ant hit it early in the morning. 

[Curator]

1 hour ago, jaynewcastle said:

Why would you not book a hotel room for the night you arrive & tell the hotel what time you plan to arrive ?

23 minutes ago, LeoTex said:

Thats what I do.

My flights arrive at night at 11:30 PM. 

Book my hotel for that night and arrive at my Pattaya hotel about 2:00 AM.

Check in do a mini unpacking, take a shower and get some sleep ant hit it early in the morning. 

I arrive at 00:20 on the 10th.  I did just that... told them my arrival time and I wish for an early check-in.  They said they would "try to do our best to accommodate you", and "subject to room availability" but this does not give me a warm fuzzy.

Their policy is "check in time is after 14.00 Hrs"... like most hotels.

 

 

[Luv2Phuket]

23 minutes ago, Curator said:

I arrive at 00:20 on the 10th.  I did just that... told them my arrival time and I wish for an early check-in.  They said they would "try to do our best to accommodate you", and "subject to room availability" but this does not give me a warm fuzzy.

Their policy is "check in time is after 14.00 Hrs"... like most hotels.

 

I think you're missing the pint -- people are not suggesting you check in early; they are suggesting that you check in late, i.e., the night before aorund 2 a.m. when you arrive.

I had to cancel my trip when I was in that situation, but I was going to book a cheaper room (Holiday Inn Express) and just check in and go to sleep.

[manni2011]

11 minutes ago, Luv2Phuket said:

I think you're missing the pint -- people are not suggesting you check in early; they are suggesting that you check in late, i.e., the night before aorund 2 a.m. when you arrive.

I had to cancel my trip when I was in that situation, but I was going to book a cheaper room (Holiday Inn Express) and just check in and go to sleep.

I frequently end up doing this exact thing. It is important though that you specify it will be a late check-in otherwise they could potentially assume you are a no-show and release your room.  

[Pabloypablo]

59 minutes ago, Curator said:

I arrive at 00:20 on the 10th.  I did just that... told them my arrival time and I wish for an early check-in.  They said they would "try to do our best to accommodate you", and "subject to room availability" but this does not give me a warm fuzzy.

Their policy is "check in time is after 14.00 Hrs"... like most hotels.

 

 

Yeah, Curator definitely does not understand.  I fly in from the States too, and always arrive between 11:30 pm and 1:00 am.

It's easy.  You saved $400, that's 14,000 baht!  Just book a room for Jan 9th, and leave a note in the reservation that you will arrive 3:00 am.  They will always hold the room for you, as long as it's a normal hotel, and not someplace like an Airbnb or small place with a few rooms.  The 1400 baht you are "wasting", because you only get half a night, is well worth having a room, a shower, and a place to decompress after a 24 trip, rather than waiting in the lobby, hoping your room is available before 2 pm.

 

 

[Pabloypablo]

6 hours ago, Curator said:

I booked a flight Jan 8th 2024, arriving BKK Jan 10th at 00:20 on Korean Air.  Difference was over $400 cheaper than one arriving at 06:00.  But still...what the hell was I thinking?  Jan is still high season, but not peak season.  Check in time is 14:00 at the Night hotel Bangkok.  What are the chances I screwed myself with a one night hotel reservation that has no rooms available for early check-in.  I could be sitting in the lobby for fucking hours.  Might as well cancel reservation and get a taxi to Pattaya when I land.   What would you do with an early arrival time of O dark thirty at BKK?

And I just realized Curator was/is thinking about spending his first "day" in Bangkok?  Then going to Pattaya?  Umm, Can't really do much in Bangkok for a single afternoon, so either spend 3 or 4 days in Bangkok when you arrive, or just take the taxi , 1.5 hours, to Pattaya as soon as you land.  You'll be shocked at how busy BKK is at 1:00 am in the morning.

Search for Nan's taxi here on the forum and schedule a private taxi, if you are going to go straight from the airport.  A nice lady will await you when you leave the luggage area, take you to her car, and hand deliver you to your hotel for 1000 - 1200 baht depending on car size.

[LeoTex]

3 hours ago, Curator said:

I arrive at 00:20 on the 10th.  I did just that... told them my arrival time and I wish for an early check-in.  They said they would "try to do our best to accommodate you", and "subject to room availability" but this does not give me a warm fuzzy.

Their policy is "check in time is after 14.00 Hrs"... like most hotels.

Like what @Luv2Phuketsaid, you're not understanding what I do.

I make a reservation for that first night and not asking for a early check in. 

IMHO, its  well worth paying for tha firstt short night and worry about having a place to stay as soon as I arrive at the Pattaya hotel. 

[Bonkabit]

To get to bed as soon as possible after landing, book a hotel near BKK airport for one night, telling them of your expected arrival time e.g. Suvarnabhumi Ville Airport Hotel, Sinsuvarn Airport Suite. hotels have shuttle buses.

A couple of large Sangsom Sodas and you will sleep like a baby.

Next day you have until noon to check out; remember your Pattaya hotel check-in is usually 2pm onward.

Two options for getting to Pattaya:

• Nam taxi from airport hotel to Pattaya hotel, 1000 or 1200 bahts plus tip of 100 or 200. Or...
• hotel shuttle to airport. Bell Bus to Pattaya, check timetable. At Pattaya bus station switch from big bus to minibus to the door of your hotel. Check your baggage goes into correct minibus (once mine went AWOL for several hours). ~300 bahts all up; ~ 1000 cheaper than taxi; apply saving to hotel cost.

[jaynewcastle]

8 hours ago, Curator said:

I arrive at 00:20 on the 10th.  I did just that... told them my arrival time and I wish for an early check-in.  They said they would "try to do our best to accommodate you", and "subject to room availability" but this does not give me a warm fuzzy.

Their policy is "check in time is after 14.00 Hrs"... like most hotels.

 

 

You book a night for the 9th (the night you arrive)  & tell them what time you will arrive