Temples, street food and rooftop bars – compare stays from the riverside to Sukhumvit.
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Bangkok offers some of the best hotel value of any major city, with international-standard rooms, rooftop pools and riverside resorts often priced well below their equivalents in Europe or North America. The choice is huge, from simple guesthouses near Khao San Road to landmark hotels on the Chao Phraya River. Comparing hotels in one search helps you see how much more space or comfort your budget buys in each area.
Traffic is the city's biggest daily frustration, so staying close to a BTS Skytrain or MRT station, or to the river boats, makes more difference than almost anything else. Below you will find the areas we'd shortlist, how the cool, hot and rainy seasons affect demand, how to get in from Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, and booking tips for a smoother stay.
Busiest monthsDemand peaks in the cool, dry season from November to February, especially over Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year. Songkran, the Thai New Year water festival from 13 to 15 April, also fills hotels despite the heat of the hot season.
Best valueThe rainy season, roughly June to October, brings the best rates, particularly at upmarket hotels. Downpours are often heavy but short, typically in the afternoon or evening, and September is usually the wettest month.
Based on typical seasonal hotel demand, not live prices. Run a search to see current prices for your dates.
Sukhumvit Road runs east from the centre beneath the BTS Skytrain, with distinct stretches around Nana, Asok, Phrom Phong and Thong Lo. It has the widest choice of hotels in the city, plenty of restaurants and rooftop bars, and malls such as EmQuartier. Asok connects with the MRT at Sukhumvit station. The lower-numbered side streets near Nana are livelier and noisier.
This is Bangkok's main business district, with Lumphini Park on its north-eastern edge, street food along Silom's side roads and rooftop bars on several towers. Both the BTS and MRT run through it, and the BTS reaches Saphan Taksin for the river boats at Sathorn Pier. Streets are busy with office workers on weekdays, and hotel rates can soften at weekends.
The banks of the Chao Phraya River are home to several of the city's landmark luxury hotels, many with their own shuttle boats to Sathorn Pier and the BTS. The Chao Phraya Express boats make it easy to reach the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun without sitting in traffic. Evenings on a river-view terrace are a highlight, but there are fewer street-level shops and cafés.
The old royal island and the neighbouring Banglamphu district put the Grand Palace and Wat Pho within walking distance, with Wat Arun just across the river and Khao San Road's bars and street food nearby. Accommodation leans towards guesthouses, hostels and boutique hotels in restored shophouses. The MRT Blue Line stops at Sanam Chai near Wat Pho, but much of the area relies on taxis, tuk-tuks and boats.
The Airport Rail Link runs from the basement of the terminal to Phaya Thai, where it connects with the BTS Skytrain, in about 25 to 30 minutes, with a stop at Makkasan for the MRT. Metered public taxis leave from the official queue on the ground floor; expect an airport surcharge and expressway tolls on top of the meter, and 30 to 60 minutes or more in traffic.
Don Mueang, north of the city, is Bangkok's main airport for low-cost airlines such as Thai AirAsia and Nok Air. The SRT Red Line runs from the station opposite the terminal to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal for the MRT Blue Line, and airport buses link to the BTS at Mo Chit. Taxis take about 30 to 60 minutes to Sukhumvit or Silom, depending on traffic.
For a first visit, Sukhumvit or Silom give you the best mix of hotels, restaurants and Skytrain links. Choose the Riverside for luxury and easy boat trips to the temples, or Banglamphu near Khao San Road if you want to walk to the Grand Palace and keep costs down.
Three to four nights covers the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, a market or two and some rooftop evenings. Add a night or two for a day trip to Ayutthaya, the old capital about 80 km north, or to the railway market at Maeklong and the floating markets south-west of the city.
Hotels are usually cheapest in the rainy season, roughly June to October, with September often the best value. The cool season from November to February is the most expensive, peaking over Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year, and April is hot and busy around Songkran.
At the time of writing Bangkok has no separate city tourist tax on hotel stays. However, hotel prices are subject to a service charge and VAT, which some hotels quote separately as '++' rates, so check that the total you compare includes them before you book.
The Airport Rail Link reaches Phaya Thai for the BTS Skytrain in about 25 to 30 minutes and is the quickest way to avoid traffic. Metered taxis from the official ground-floor queue are convenient with luggage but add an airport surcharge and expressway tolls. If you land at Don Mueang instead, use the SRT Red Line or the airport buses.
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