5 Best Hotels in Around Bangkok, Thailand

This hotel's contemporary fittings are in contrast to Ayutthaya’s ancient vibes, but the rooms are clean and comfortable with firm beds and nice bathrooms. The Tower Wing has the best rooms, so ask for one there. The suites are really just higher-end versions of the double rooms in the tower. The hotel is not far from Wat Yai Chaimongkhon.

This cozy boutique hotel is filled with character—rooms and suites feature four-poster beds, upcycled furniture, and wood floors, with some duplexes also available. A corridor packed with antiques leads to an outdoor pool with a colorful cabana and an airy alfresco restaurant where a breakfast buffet is served daily. 

It's all about nature at this splendid floating resort, near Sai Yok National Park. The buildings are made of teakwood and bamboo, with wooden furniture, though there are modern amenities like fluffy bathrobes and wide-screen televisions. Direct access to the river means that guests can swim, raft, or kayak or just kick back with a book on a private sundeck. 

Just a 5-minute walk from the famous floating market, this classy resort feels removed from the mercantile frenzy farther down the canal. A range of room options include private villas with balconies, sundecks, and gardens, as well as more functional deluxe rooms with trimmings such as minibars and flat-screen TVs. Other highlights include two saltwater swimming pools, complimentary push-bikes, and an on-site spa. The resort has its own pier on the canal. Longtail boats can be hired for B800 per hour; longer boat tour packages that include sightseeing canal-side temples and fruit orchards are available.

Most of the simple rooms in this jungle hideaway in the River Kwai Valley are in single-story log cabins, but more adventurous types can opt for "raftels"—rooms on rafts floating in the river. The cafeteria-style restaurant serves Thai and Western dishes, but it's more fun to eat at the raft restaurant. Package tours come with transport to and from the hotel, which is 72 km (45 miles) from Kanchanaburi.