planningtravel

My travel plans are to fly to Bangkok (stay 5 days), take the train to Nong Khai and travel to Laos overland. I will fly from Luang Prabang to Bangkok (BKK airport) and need an overnight stay in Bangkok before I depart Thailand the following day. My flight arrives at 4.00 pm on the first day and departs at 2 pm the second day.

I'm thinking of staying at an airport hotel for the night instead of heading to the city. If I care to head to the city I will, if not, I'll need to reply on the facilities at the airport or the hotel where I stay. Are there shops/restaurants, etc at the airport where I can grab a bite and wonder around? Which hotel(s) are conveniently located for the train to main station?

Any suggestions on how to organize my last night in Thailand will be appreciated. Thanks.

rhkkmk

there are plenty of shops and restaurants at BKK, not much is left at don ____, the old airport.

This year I am going to try the new le meridian golf and hotel, 15+ minutes from
BKK.

I usually head into town because there are so many options

planningtravel

Initially I was going to head to town for the stay. If I do, I guess I should travel by the airport rail link and look for a hotel near the train station.

Kathie

IMO, the area around the airport is a vast wasteland. There are some strip malls and such, but it's a short journey into the city where you have all sorts of options. Also, consider that the hotels out by the airport are pricy for what they offer - their are better deals in the city. The only times I've stayed out at the airport have been when I'm flying in late (usually midnight) and have an early morning flight out - 8 am or earlier. Otherwise, I always go into Bangkok.

I await Bob's review of Le Meridien. We usually stay at the Novotel which is connected to the airport. I figure if an airport hotel is 15-20 minutes from the airport, there isn't much advantage over going into the city. I've often gotten to my hotel by the river in 20 minutes at that hour (midnight).

rhkkmk

taxi is the only way to go... rail involves some stairs which would not be pleasant with suitcases.. taxi fare is less than $15.

CaliforniaLady

Twenty-two hours is a long time to spend in an airport hotel. The taxis drivers in Bangkok seem nice and mellow. At the airport, you go to a little desk, tell them where you want to go, get in line, and the helpers put you in the taxi. No muss, no fuss, and very cheap.

It would be fun to stay in a different area than your first stay in Bangkok at the beginning of your trip. I would choose an area that gets lively at night, with maybe some street food, and some good people watching. In the morning, I would get up whenever, and take a nice walk before heading to the airport.

Kathie would be better than I to suggest an area for your second stay. Is the Chinatown area safe and interesting at night? I'm not sure, just an idea.

planningtravel

Thank you all for the replies.

I'll scrap the idea of staying at an airport hotel and I'll head to the city for an overnight stay.

khunwilko

If you need to do some last minute shopping, see a movie or do some ice-skating, there is the enormous Mega Bang Na shopping centre very near to the airport. You can always Google hotels in that area.
It is quite feasible to overnight in town but you'll need to allow for check-in times and traffic which can eat away at your time........

most of the Hotels for Suvarnabhumi are around the Lat Krabang area....you might find enough to do walking about and trying some local restaurants....I've never stayed there but a friend stayed at Queen's Garden recently without complaint. prices include airport transfer

http://www.queensgardenresort.net

It's is on the river bank at Lat Krabang...
plenty of traditional Thai eateries on the main road.