Your favorite luxury hotel wants to give you free stuff and discounts of up to 50%.

Dusit Wine & Dine

The Dusit Thani, 946 Rama 1 Rd., 02-200-9999, 02-200-9912/3, www.dusitwinedine@dusit.com

Membership fee: B5,900

Dining Discounts

Twenty percent discount on food for singles, 35% when you bring one or two friends, 30% for a group of four and 25% discount for four to 12 people. You’ll also get 20% discount on beverages at restaurants and bars, except during happy hours. Lots of choices here—more than a dozen food and drink outlets—but note that you’ll get only a 10% discount at showpiece restaurant D’Sens.

Dining Vouchers

There are some 30 vouchers, but the selection is pretty disappointing. Most are worth B500 for use at various Dusit resorts or something free when you spend a certain amount in one of their outlets. Three of the vouchers are transferrable (gifts!), offering similar deals and discounts to what cardholders receive.

Room and Other Benefits

Room discounts are a bit vague (“up to” 50% discount off rack rates) but these apply at Dusit properties throughout Thailand. Early birds (9am-noon) get a 15% discount on a la carte treatments at the Deverana Spa. Vouchers: 2, for complimentary room upgrades.

The Verdict

If you were hoping for a deal at D’Sens, forget it. Despite its moniker, the Dusit Wine & Dine card is more of a potential money-saver for travelers than gourmets. Dusit properties outlets across the country include Chiang Mai’s D2hotel, Dusit Resort in Hua Hin and Phuket’s Dusit Laguna Resort.

The Sheraton Grande Club

Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, 250 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-649-8560,  www.sheratongrandesukhumvit.com

Membership fee: B7,900

Dining Discounts

By far the most democratic, this card offers a single 30% discount on food and beverages at its six outlets (including Basil, Orchid Café, Rossini’s, The Living Room, the Sala and BarSu) no matter if it’s just you or your whole gang. Special events, such as wine dinners or their Christmas buffet, are discounted 20%. Another great feature is that you can loan your card to someone else five separate times.

Dining Vouchers

Quality over quantity: dinner buffet for two at Orchid Café; Saturday afternoon tea for two at The Living Room; a bottle of wine with dinner at Rossini’s or Basil.

Room and Other Benefits

Vouchers: a two-night stay in a deluxe room on a weekend; five-day fitness trial; 30% discount on spa treatments; fixed room rate of B3,500 (only on Fri, Sat and Sun).

The Verdict

Generous and by far the easiest to understand, this card is worth the price of membership for the two nights’ accommodation alone. There is also a point system redeemable for goods and services.

Club at the Hyatt

Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, 494 Ratchadamri Rd.,02-254-6295 www.bangkok.grand.hyatt.com

Membership fee: B6,500

Dining Discounts

Dining by yourself is a pointless 10% “discount,” but 50% discount for two, 33% for three, 25% for four and 15% for six or more. Unforunately, if you use the card at the Erawan Tea Room, You & Mee or Erawan Bakery, it’s a fixed 15% discount. Beverages: 10% off during meals and 20% off bottles (spirits) at Bar 54 and Spasso after 10pm. Can also be used at 86 other “participating”Hyatts around the world for varying discounts.

Dining Vouchers

Six B500-vouchers, which can be used in the hotel’s restaurants.

Room and Other Benefits

Twenty percent discount on a la carte spa treatments at the dazzling I.Sawan Residential Spa & Club, free entry for two at Spasso on Fri and Sat after 10pm, and a free cake and waived corkage charge on your birthday. Vouchers: one-day pass for two in the fitness center.

The Verdict

Hardly worth the money if you usually dine alone (poor you!), plus no free rooms. Good for Spasso fans and, perhaps, traveling businessmen (same thing?) who can use it overseas for unspecified discounts on dining and accommodation.

Marriott Gold

JW Marriott Bangkok, 4 Sukhumvit Soi 2, 02-656-9737, 02-656-7700, www.marriottgoldcard.com/th
 
Membership fee: B6,500

Dining Discounts

Solo diners receive a 35% discount on food and non-alcoholic beverages, 50% for two, 33% for three and 25% for four at all of the hotel’s restaurants except for The New York Steakhouse, where the card can be used eight times, and Tsu, where the card is valid only with a minimum of three diners. You’ll also get 20% off pastries in the bakery. Cardholders also pay half the normal corkage charge when they BYOB (except The New York Steakhouse).

Dining Vouchers

There are many dining “certificates” to spend at JW Marriott and 10 other participating hotels across the country—most of which entitle you to set dinners for two, buffets for two or 50% discounts on food for groups of four. The vouchers can’t be used at Trader Vic’s, The New York Steakhouse or any of the Japanese restaurants, though.

Room and Benefits

Sorry, no free rooms, but there are two “pass” certificates—one night for B499—for use at one of the Courtyard by Marriott hotels, plus members also get certificates entitling them to “special rates” on deluxe rooms, 50% discount off rack rates and 16 discounted meals abroad.

The Verdict

If you’re a regular at either Tsu or New York (or would like to be), this card makes meals there almost guilt-free. Another selling it point is that you can loan it out to your friends. We don’t understand why the rooms at the Courtyard are B499 instead of complimentary, though.

Starwood Privilege

Contact the Customer Service at 02-261-2555, www.privilege.starwood.com

Membership fee: B6,990

Dining Discounts

Twenty percent for solo, 50% for two, 33% for three 25% for four. Bring up to 25 friends to any restaurant or bar and get 20% off beverages.

Dining Vouchers

One lunch or buffet dinner for two at etc…on the river (Royal Orchid Sheraton) and another at Bird of Paradise (Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket). There are three B2,500 vouchers to be traded for lunch or dinner for two at Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort’s Gecko’s, Sheraton Pattaya Resort’s Elements World Cuisine and The Westin Grande Sukhumvit’s Kisso.

Room and Benefits

Vouchers for complimentary stays in a standard room at one of the participating hotels. Members also get up to 30% discounts off spa treatments at all Thailand properties and 10% off the room rates at any Starwood hotels in Asia Pacific.

The Verdict

Decent discounts but the extras are nothing special. The bright side is, this card can be used at participating hotels across Asia Pacific, including such countries as Guam, Nepal and Vanuatu.

Pan Pacific Privileges

Pan Pacific Bangkok, 952 Rama 4 Rd., 02-632-9585/6

Membership fee: B4,499 (Classic), B5,199 (Gold)

Dining Discounts

Both Classic and Gold can get you discounted meals at Heights Café, Hai Tien Lo and Keyaki. Classic: 20% discount for one, 40% for two, 30% for three and 20% for four to 20. Gold: 25% for one, 50% for two, 33% for three and 25% for four to 20. Also good for 15% off beverages and 20% off at the bakery (though someone should inform the staff there). Only residents of Thailand are eligible to use the Classic card.

Dining Vouchers

Non-transferable vouchers good for a birthday cake, six glasses of house wine and two “Special Occasion” vouchers granting 50% discounts at the aforementioned restaurants. 

Room and Benefits

One-night stay at the hotel; two non-transferable buy-one-get-one-free certificates for rooms on Fri, Satur and Sun; two vouchers for half-price massage treatments and a complimentary health club trial. 

The Verdict

Visit Keyaki at lunch for one of their awesome bento boxes and it might just convince you to sign up, but if you’re not a fan of Japanese food, we can’t recommend either card until they upgrade their rooms. 

Club Landmark

The Landmark Bangkok, 138 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-254-0404,
www.landmarkbangkok.com
 
Membership fee: B4,900

Dining Discounts

Be it the famous Atrium Café or the swanky steakhouse RR&B, the Club Landmark offers a 20% discount when members dine alone, 50% discount for two, 33% discount for three, 25% discount for four upwards. Get 15% discount on beverages in all outlets and 20% discount for baked goods. Bring at least four friends and present the card to get free-flow soft drinks at Japanese Kiku No Hana.

Dining Vouchers

Six dining certificates for complimentary buffet for two at The Atrium Café, a Peking duck when dining with at least five persons at Chinese restaurant Sui Sian and a bottle of wine of the month for a minimum of four dining at RR&B.

Room and Benefits

Vouchers: one-night stay in a deluxe room; 50% off rack rates on rooms at The Landmark Bangkok; 50% off rack rates at The Landmark Bangkok or Royal Lancaster London; and room upgrades (two). There’s also one for 75% off a membership at Fitness First.

The Verdict

A top pick. The all-you-can-eat Atrium Café, yummy sandwiches at The Garden Court, warm congee at Greenhouse and panorama views at RR&B—there are plenty of reasons to get this card, which also happens to be the cheapest, though not by much.