Bangkok hotel districts...
 

Please help....I will be in Bangkok for only 2 nights (one at the beginning of a trip, and one at the end). I am confused about the different hotel districts. I am not looking for nightlife, rather culture and easy access to tourist destinations. Budget is around $50usd/room. Can someone recommend an area, maybe even a hotel? Thanks

Fortunately for you, taxis are very cheap in Bangkok. We've used the Royal River Hotel a couple of times and found it to be a great value. The rooms are very nice, the breakfast buffet totally rocks and it's cheap to cab it to some of the main sites because it's on the River and close to a bridge.

The only knock on the place would be that the surrounding neighborhood is not all that attractive or interesting -- but again, you can grab a taxi and be wherever you want to be without much difficulty.

You shouldn't have any trouble finding various websites where you can book and I'll get you started with one (that I haven't used) -- but as you can see, you should be able to make your budget and it really is a decent place to stay:

http://www.asiatravel.com/royalriver/

Happy Contrails!

i have been at the RR and will be there again in june....it is decent, but not at all lux....it is a good buy for a river location however...

with 2 partial days you are not going to be able to see much...the river location affords you easy access to the grand palace, which is sight #1...

a good web site is: www.huahin.20m.com
scroll down to other thailand locations

choose very carefully at that price range as dogs are common...

jamesA may chime in with good suggestions, if so check out his suggestions as he is nearly native....

a ride on the river is a good sightseeing event as well...

jim thompson house is a good take as is wat arun also on the river...

for shopping go to MBK near siam square for one stop shopping....if not there then one of the adajacent malls will suit you...

Thanks, that hotel seems great-about 50cdn/night. I know you mentioned that taxis were cheap and quick, however is the area that the hotel is in safe? What is that district called?

taxis start at 35B for quite a distance....a one hour trip takes less than $5..

the area is safe...its working class basically...not much of interest...

i think the area is thornburi, but not sure...

the address has two area names: bangplad and bangkoknoi

i think i would use the airport limo (aac limo) for my initial trip there...cost about 800B...describing to a taxi might be difficult the first time and if you do not know where you are going...

I stayed at a very basic apartment hotel my first couple of times to BKK. It is within easy walking distance to MBK (Bob mentioned this one for shopping!!! I agree) and also the Siam shopping area. The "hotel" is located along the canal that passes Jim Thompson house, and only about 50 meters from there.

I paid right around 1100 baht ($30) for a room. The place is very clean, and it is very popular with budget travelers. There is no pool, but the place has a charm all its own. It is located at the end of a narrow alley (soi) and you must walk down the soi, past small hotels (that I would not recommend.. Toooooo basisc for me) and food vendors, to get to the skytrain and MBK mall.

The name is Patumwan House on soi Kasemsan one. (difficult for taxi to find for a first-timer though).

Carol

(BOB... I am maybe looking at a buying trip in mid to late May...)

carol---late may...that would be great...we will be there from may 19 to june 20---in and out of bkk...

WE WOULD DEFINATELY HAVE TO GET TOGETHER!!!!

keep me posted...we will be mostly at the marriott, of course

Bob,
(sorry to cut in on your thread, tanya0070)

I will let you know if I can make a May trip. Yes, we should meet!! I will be "away" from fodors for the next couple of weeks if I can't get on line, starting Thursday afternoon, as I'm off to Zurich and near Rome (Orvieto). I shall post, if at all possible! I will know my BKK travel plans by about the first of May. It would be from about the 15th to 25th (that's a guess). Gotta be a SHORT TRIP because I'm doing a big flea market with son on Memorial Day. That's why I may need the buying trip beforehand.
Carol

budinsky---we arrive on the 19th and will be at the marriott until the 25th...then off to laos...
i hope it works out...will you buy the chili at brunswick or will i???

another option is too stay in the china town/ royal palice area.. your serounded by all the tourist sites.. hotels are much cheaper.. but transportation can be a pain in the butt..

I prefer to stay in Sukimvit Rd district..closed to sky train and lots of restaurants, especially around ThongLor (spelling?) stop on the sky train. Look into Embassador or Novotel Lotus.