hello all. enjoying the forums. first-time traveler to thailand in just a few weeks.

question: my sister and I will be arriving in bangkok via thai air (from LAX) at 630am or so in a few weeks. we will have been in transit for nearly two days by that point.

we will have about 7 or 8 hours in the airport before we catch our train.

are there any hotels (or spas, or health clubs, etc.) where we can rent a room for a few hours to freshen up and take showers? I've checked out the novotel at the airport, and it looks to be a little pricey.

we'd like to pay under 700B. is this reasonable?

there is a short stay facility right within the airport

BUT - no advance reservations.

Several people have recently reported on staying at a rather basic place not far from the airport. It's called the Queen's Garden resort. I have no idea what their day room rates might be, but I'm guessing that including transport, you'd be hard pressed to do it for 700 baht.

The train station is a fair distance from the airport. I would give myself two hours just to make the trip - although it might well take as little as 30 minutes.

The Princess Srinakarin, close to the airport, had a day rate, but I think it was more than 700 Baht.

My suggestion: get a massage. There's a Thai massage shop on the third level of the public area of the airport (one level up from arrivals). If I'm not mistaken, they have showers. Get a foot massage for like 300 Baht, then pay another 100 for a shower.

Another option would be to use one of the paid-access business lounges at the airport. There's a couple that have pay-per-visit privileges, and some have showers. Have a look at PriorityPass.com or LoungeAccess.com. Check that the lounge you're paying for has a shower first. Access usually runs $15 to $20.

Do you know which railway station your train is departing from in Bangkok? There is the Hua Lamphong Railway Station and also the Bang Sue Railway station. There is also a train station in Thonburi. I am going to assume you are going out of Hua Lamphong, which is the main train station.

The Hua Lamphong station is on Rama IV Road in downtown Bangkok near Chinatown, this would be very near the Shanghai Inn, a newish boutique hotel. I have not stayed there but have had tea in their little tea house and found the public areas to be nice. They also have a spa with massage facilities. The rooms do not seem expensive (website is showing standard double rooms at about US$90). You might be able to negotiate a half day rate, you also might just be able to book a massage which may give you a locker and a shower and you don't have to check in as a guest. See http://www.shanghai-inn.com/. Staying here would mean that you would be in downtown Bangkok already and would not be nervously sitting in a taxi in traffic worriying that you may miss your train. You also might get a chance to sleep and/or poke around Chinatown.

There are lots of much cheaper hotels in Chinatown which may also work for a short sleep (may not be as nice or as clean), try the Lonely Planet guide or website, tripadvisor.com, frommers.com or click "hotels" above and see what fodors has.

The newspaper here in Hong Kong just printed a piece on Sunday about Bangkok airport hotels other than the Novotel. They recommended the Thang Ta Resort http://www.siamairportmotel.com/. It's allegedly a 5-minute drive and they have double rooms for 1,000 Baht (US$32 per night, including taxes and breakfast. They also have airport transfers for Baht 150. The piece also mentioned Queen's Garden Resort at http://www.queensgardenresort.net/ but said it was more expensive. I don't know that either rent just for a half day, but of course it is worth asking.

Other thoughts: does the Novotel have a spa where you could just book a treatment? You usually then also get the use of a locker room, showers, etc. I would book a massage and then use the showers.

There is a spa connected to the first and business class lounges for Thai, but unless you are in first class you can't make a booking, so it's first come first served. (And if you aren't in business class, you can't use it at all.)

As noted above, there are day rooms at the airport where you can pay a fee to get a shower.

Not that it's not a long flight, but while on the CALENDAR it appears to be two days that you are traveling, in reality the non-stop flight from LAX is 17 hours. If you had to fly from someplace else to reach LAX then of course that is a bit more time. But really overall it's usally 24 hours or less that you are travelling. This is something my father always likes to remind me of to make me feel better after a flight. (It does seem longer though, why is it that sitting on your butt in a plane is so tiring? And I don't mean the jet lag.)

On the plus side, when you go back, you gain a day.

One more thought is to go to the Face spa in downtown Bangkok, which is very popular on this board. It's not in Chinatown, but not a bad trip to the train station by taxi, I would say 20 minutes without bad traffic. (You could even take the Skytrain and then the MRT to the train station if you did not mind sclepping luggage). See http://www.facebars.com/bg/main.htm,There is also a restaurant at Face.

you guys are awesome!!! thank you everyone for all of your advice. think we'll do the chinatown option... sounds like the most interesting as well as most convenient.

thank you!

On kayak.com I saw Delta (operated by Korean Air) for 1388 all in. We flew Korean Air to BKK in 2006 and it was great.

This problem comes up pretty often when tourists decide to NOT visit Bangkok and head off to Chiang Mai or Phuket or some other city.

Another problem that comes up when tourists are worrying if a couple hours is enough time to go between the international airport and Don Muang where many of the local flights originate. Some tourists don't even know that there are two airports servicing the Bangkok area.

Bangkok is worth a couple days visit, if only to freshen up and get used to the time changes and heat. Spending a few days in Bangkok will allow you to check out the shopping, besides some of the normal tourists attractions. Some hotels will store winter items for you so you don't have to carry winter coats and boots all over "warm and sunny" Thailand. They do expect you to return and book another night with them.

The same thing may apply on the return trip to Bangkok for your departure flight home. Spending the last night in Bangkok will take some of the worry out of making last minute connections prior to your international flight home. A last night in Bangkok will also allow for some last minute shopping.

Just an opinion.

Good luck.