I have never been to Bangkok, and would like to be at the most convenient location in the hub of things.
I know the city is spread out, but would like to be able to walk out of the hotel, and be there.
What is the best location?
I am not worried about price, nor am I impressed with "glitz".
Thanks
Bev

You are a bit too general- need more info about your interests so that feedback can be helpful.

I agree with Bill. In the middle of WHAT? Shopping? Temples? Markets? Give us a little more information.

Can't be too specific as I have never been to Bangkok, but we are senior citizens, still working for the love of it, and very frequent flyers for business.
I like the sight and sounds of cities, and would like to be in a crowded busy shopping, strolling, restaurant area.We would like to easily return to the comfort of a hotel pool.
I would love a "great Hotel",
But, one with low key attitude.
I do often travel in the Orient, and am aware that most hotels luxury hotels there fit my description as opposed to the grand hotels of Europe, which I strongly dislike.
e.g. in India I love the Oberoi Hotels.
Thanks for your suggestions
Bev

My suggestion for you would probably be the 4 Seasons. I haven't stayed there but many others have. Location is excellent based on what you say you want (personally I prefer staying on the river)and it is a "great" hotel in the Oberoi tradition.

I vote for the Shangri-La. Great location right by a sky train stop, on the river, so you can get a riverboat to any riverside location, great Exec level, nice pools, excellent service (except in their Italian restaurant). Any of the five star hotels by the river would be a good choice.

there are 3 or 4 locations which might work for you:

1. sukhumvit area: westin grande hotel, sheraton grande hotel, jw marriott hotel

2. american embassy area: hyatt hotel, conrad hotel (newest of the lux hotels), 4 seasons, intercontinental, new holiday inn on plenochit

3. silom road: metropolitan hotel, banyon tree, sukhuthai (spelled incorrectly but a good choice)

4. riverside: peninsula, oriental, shangri-la or sheraton orchid (old)

walking around bangkok is not too easy...its hot as hell and there are lots of people and traffic...the taxis and sky train and the new subway system are the best way to move around, so it really does not matter where you stay really....LIKE OTHERS I PREFER THE RIVER

come on.!.. the river is NOT what the poster has stated he wants .. he/she like crowded bussy parts of the city's

sukunvit. silom and right where phlonchit and siam join ( where central wold plazaa is located) are the best areas

hotels
suk
shereton grand
westin
jw marriot

plonchit..

intercontinental
grand hyatt

silom
dussit hotel

there are hundreds more..

The Intercontinental is right on the Skytrain - and is in the middle of all the shopping stores so that might be a good choice. Remember these are seniors so walking around a lot is probably not a good option.

I do not think that BKK is a place where is easy and funny to walk. The weather is hot and humid, so you will preffer to take a taxi ( is very cheap). I like BKK for the temples, palaces, good restaurants, cabaret, but I do not like to walk between a place and another.
BKK is not Paris!

However, if you are speaking about India, and you liked to walk there, maybe you like another things than me, and you will love to walk in BKK.

Valtor is right BKK is not Paris. In BKK the people are all warm and friendly, the cost of everything is very reasonable and/or cheap. You won't get an attitude in BKK!

I would say go with the Four Seasons. Location is city center, service is great, decor and ambience is elegant. I like the Conrad too but it is a lot more modern and trendy and between the two I prefer the Four Seasons. The Intercontinental really is not the same league. IMO if you like the Oberoi hotels you'll like the Bkk Four Seasons!

Check into the Four Seasons...It's been my home-away-from-home hotel in Bangkok. I've stayed at several hotels in Bangkok, but that's definitly my favorite and it's in the middle of the shopping and city life and the skytrain station is across the street so you can zip around town easily. As for price, I usually get it for between $138-$158 for a standard room although this coming summer the price has gone up a bit. I always book through AmExp Platinum Travel and have them just give the hotel my credit card number. I don't prepay hotels usually. Then if the price is high,at the initial booking, I just keep calling AmExp to see if it's dropped and then have them re-do the reservation. I did this last summer,too. The price started at $175.I booked it in order to have a reservation and to freeze that price in in case it would go higher, but I kept calling back over a few months and then they found my usual $138. bed/breakfast special and just redid my reservation for the new rate. Happy Travels!

Agreed the Four Seasons is a cut above the Intercontinental!

RHK...listed both the Sukothai and the Metropolitan on his list. The Metropolitan I love...it's young/hip/ultra modern...but the location is not in the heart of the types of things that you are referring to.I stayed there for one night...to try it out... in August 2004.It hadn't been open a year yet when I stayed there. The Four Seasons wins out over the Metropolitan and the Sukothai. The Sukothai is right next door to the Metropolitan. I've eaten at the Sukothai, but have never stayed there. However, I contacted the marketing director there.. while in Bangkok during the 2003 vacation. I made an appointment to see some rooms. The reason for making the appointment was so that I would have a lot of time with the person and not be rushed through and shown a room or two. I was shown a lot of rooms...at all price ranges... and the facilities. The rooms were beautiful, but one feature I didn't like was that I wouldn't be able to watch TV from the bed as the TV was placed in the livingroom area. I personally like to watch the news. Plus both hotels are not all that convenient to the skytrain as opposed to the FS being across the street from the skytrain. But, I would definitely stay at the Metropolitan again.I met the marketing director there and was taken around to a lot of different rooms and the split-level suites are gorgeous...about $325. a night..She and I really hit it off and have been in contact ever since. The hotel has a very apartment feel to it which I liked.Plus there was a brand new, free-to-use Mac computer in the lobby. Happy Travels!

Guen - you are in BKK, on vacation, and you want to watch TV???? I have to bust your chops on this one!

Thanks everyone.
This is a great site.
Four Seasons it is!
I do like the Peninsula and their related hotels, so I was tempted.
We stayed at the Shangri-la a couple of times(because my daughter came with us and loves the hotel) in Hong Kong,and were very pleasantly surprised by the excellent service despite being such a mammoth hotel.I don't know how they do it, but we were very impressed.
I longed to be back in Kowloon at the Peninsula or Hong Kong only because you can actually walk on the ground or I would have returned there.
Since you like stories, I will tell you why I stay mainly at small hotels in Paris.
We were staying at "one" of the five stars in Paris.
It was pouring rain, and rush hour, and we needed to be at an appointment 25 min. by cab.
We knew like anyone who attempts to get a cab when it is raining in Paris, that it just wouldn't happen.
We stayed near Concorde, so we approached the conceriege, and asked how to get to our destination by Metro.
He replied
" I don't really know.Wouldn't you rather take a cab".
On one of our trips to Hong Kong staying at the Shangri-La we had the opposite experience. We couldn't get a cab in the rain, from the Convention Centre, so my daughter after 45 minutes of frustration (she is smarter than me obviously) called the Shangri-La, and they sent their car to pick us up!
Now that is service.
What a difference.
Thanks again all.

erly- thats a great story and really demonstrates the level of service one gets in Asia as opposed to what you get in France! (expect now to get a bunch of e-mails pontificating on the great service they got while in Paris- yes I'm sure it happens but you just as easily can get the "attitude" as well)

erly-- I never stay at the large hotels in Europe. Always stay in the small hotels and have had wonderful experiences. However, asia hotels do have a whole other level of service and,in my opinion, the service in Bangkok is the best in Asia -- because it's the warmest.

I think you'll be happy at the 4 Seasons. It has the old world elegance that the Oberoi hotels have, and is in the middle of the city. I've never stayed there (I always stay at the Oriental on the river) but have been there often and if I ever decided not to stay on the river it would be my choice.

Have a great time. But don't be surprised if you find you don't walk nearly as much as you do in other cities.

Service in the Manila hotels are on a par with BKK. The Philippinos are among the warmest I have met.