Am looking for a good mid-range hotel (about 2000 bt give or take)preferrably with a pool which is reasonably close to the river and with close accessability to the skytrain. In other words, am wanting easy access to the river and the main temples, and close-by transportation to the main shopping areas. Will be there in late January/04.
Thanks in advance!

have you thought of using priceline...?? read biddingfortravel.com first..

Yes, rhkkmk, I tried to use priceline before, but on a previous post of mine I stated that as a Canadian, I was denied the right to bid because I couldn't provide a U.S. address as it appears on a credit card statement. So instead, I just want to book through the internet and I need the name of a hotel which matches the above particulars.

Anyone? Thanks

Try the Royal Hotel Bangkok, 2 Rajdamnern Avenue. Reasonable prices, pool, fantastic location, decent buffet breakfast in the morning. Short walking distance to river, national museum and to Royal Palace.

A friend of mine highly recommends the Swiss Lodge in Silom for its cleanliness and location. It's approximately the price you want, maybe a little higher. Their website is www.swisslodge.com.

I stayed at the Swiss Lodge in early 2000. I thought it was very good for the price, the folks that worked there were very friendly and helpful, the location was good (about two blocks from the train and a similar distance from Patpong area, lots of street stalls and street food carts). In addition there is a small outdoor pool although I did not use it. The only real downside was that the architecture and the layouts of the room were very basic. This didnt bother me much as I was there only for three days and didnt spend much time in my room.

Actually Simmer, you can use priceline with a non US address. I use it and I have a UK address, you just need to make it look like a US one! I think you would find a good 4* hotel that meets your specification for about $47 in the riverside/silom area on priceline!

just a note on priceline...i sent an e-mail to priceline HK and they told me that i could bid as an american, so maybe you could bid as a canadian?? this is even though others have said that they were prohibited from bidding as us residents?????

why don't you contact both if you are interested via e-mail and see???

in that price range there are tons of places but where do you want to stay by the river, by temple or city center..

I am partial too Siam and Ploechit. area it is the closest thing too bkk's downtown.. the skytrain is near and there is a kloung. (canal) that links too the "temple area" and river. .

All your malls.. nightclubs/red light disticts are either in walking distance or 2 skytrain stopps down too silom or sukunvit..

I stay at the Regency Park in this price range. It's a quaint boutique hotel with decent sized rooms, and a nice atrium for eating breakfast. It's not luxurious, but clean, modern and worhtthe money. It's a 4 minute walk to the Phrom Pong skytrain station, right at the Galleria mall. It's on a nice little side street off Sukhumvit that has alot of convenience stores, internet cafes and pubs in the area. It's a few stops by skytrain to Siam Square. And since it's off SUkhumvit, catching a taxi to the temples is easy.