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Bangkok offers a staggering range of lodging choices, and even some of the best rooms are affordable to travelers on a budget. The city has nearly 500 hotels and guesthouses, and the number is growing. In fact, competition has brought the prices down at many hotels; unfortunately, the service has suffered at some as a result of cutting corners to lower prices. Still, you'll feel more pampered here than in many other cities.
For first-class lodging, few cities in the world rival Bangkok. In recent years the Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula, Shangri-La, and a handful of others have been repeatedly rated among the best in the world, with newer players like the Sofitel So and St. Regis receiving major accolades. If there were a similar comparison of the world's boutique hotels, Bangkok's would be near the top, too. These high-end hotels are surprisingly affordable, with rates comparable to standard hotels in New York or London. Business hotels also have fine service, excellent restaurants, and amenities like health clubs and spas.
Wherever you stay, remember that prices fluctuate enormously, and that huge discounts are the order of the day. Internet discounts are widely available, and booking online can often save you up to several thousand baht. Always ask for a better price, even when you are checking in. Deals may be more difficult to come by during the high season from November through February, but during low season they're plentiful.
Hotels are concentrated in four areas: in Silom and Bang Rak (home to many of riverfront hotels); around Siam Square and along Phetchaburi Road in Pathumwan; along Sukhumvit Road, which has the greatest number of hotels and an abundance of restaurants and nightlife; and in the Chinatown and the Old City neighborhoods, which have a smaller number of properties, most of which are affordable. Backpackers often head to Khao San Road, also home to some newer, more upmarket guesthouses.
Strategically located at the corner of Khao San and Tanao roads, this faux-colonial-style hotel contributed greatly to the upgrading of Khao San Road and continues to uphold standards. The superior rooms are comfortable, but the deluxe ones are worth the extra expense for the added space and bigger balconies. The decor is bright and cheery, with lots of natural wood. You'll appreciate the rooftop pool after a day of trekking around the Old City.
The Davis has a main building and another one two doors down with a separate lobby and reception area, but no matter where you end up, the rooms are comfortable and classy. Decorative styles throughout represent locales from Bali to Bombay and even Florida. The property's showpiece is a pair of villas—separate houses built in traditional Thai style. These top-of-the-line accommodations have ample amenities, their own pool, and an astronomical price tag (there are big discounts for monthly stays).
Tucked behind the Pratunam Market, this bright and cheery lodging in the bustling garment district is an excellent value. The guest rooms are compact but nicely furnished. In the small lobby you can catch up on the headlines with the complimentary newspapers, and there's a 24-hour coffee shop that serves Thai dishes. Nearby Pratunam Market offers good street food options.
This Chinatown hotel occupies the top two-thirds of a 25-story tower, and while the rooms are somewhat plain, they do have panoramic city views. The lobby has a bar, lounge, and coffee shop. Siang Ping Loh, which serves Cantonese and Szechuan fare, is well worth a visit. There's also a rooftop restaurant with 360-degree views.
You'd expect to find this charming little hotel on Paris's Left Bank—the rooms are small but comfortable, and each is individually decorated with an unerring eye for detail. It's one of the few low-key lodgings in an area dominated by office towers. Families should consider one of the suites, which are big and with kitchenettes. A ground-floor restaurant serves Thai food and doubles as a sitting room. The hotel entrance is just down Soi Anuman Rojdhon off Surawong.
The family that runs the Siam Heritage has created a classy boutique hotel with a purpose—to preserve and promote Thai heritage. Each room is individually furnished, mostly with pieces from northern Thailand. The bedrooms have teakwood floors, and the bathrooms have stonework in place of tiling. The attention to detail is seen in the painted elevator doors, colorful woven bedspreads, and other touches.
Most of the guests at this hotel on Surawong Road are from Japan, perhaps because of the many Japanese businesses in the immediate area, but its location near Lumphini Park, Patpong's night market, and Silom Road makes it an appealing option for anyone. Standard rooms are small and windowless, so make sure to ask for one of the deluxe rooms. There's not much of a view, however. The hotel offers traditional Thai massage, and there is also a row of traditional massage centers on the street. Sarika Cafe, at the mouth of the soi, is a good little restaurant if the hotel's coffee shop doesn't do it for you.
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