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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.
On the riverbank close to Wat Pho, Chakrabongse Villas offers four Thai-themed luxury suites in reconstructed traditional Thai homes, along with three Moroccan-inspired rooms, on the grounds of Chakrabongse House, which was built in 1908 for Prince Chakrabongse. Run by his granddaughter, the urban resort is one of the city's most coveted addresses, so book well in advance.
Ideal for travelers seeking an artsy, off-the-beaten-track experience, this cute boutique guesthouse is in the old Phra Nakhon district. The owner is an artist and it shows in the colorful hall spaces and the retro-casual rooms' individually painted murals and soap-carving, cooking, and sewing classes held for guests. If you stay here, it's a good idea to print out the website's Thai directions for taxi drivers, as many of them have difficulty finding the place.
This hotel with four restaurants of its own is situated for exploring Dusit, the Old City, and Chinatown, and it's a short taxi ride from riverside eateries. Gardens flank the tranquil lobby. The rooms are tastefully decorated in subdued colors setting off the dark-wood furnishings, but the bathrooms are on the small side. The main downsides are that the restaurants are merely okay, the hotel is far from Skytrain and subway stations, and come evening the neighborhood is virtually deserted.
This century-old shophouse in the historic Samphraeng neighborhood has been lovingly restored by an artistic Thai couple and has three guest rooms. It’s an easy walk to the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and other prime Bangkok sights.
Old Hollywood meets art deco at this family-owned property on the Chao Phraya, where ultraluxurious design pays homage to the postcolonial, early-1900s era of King Rama V, with black-and-white striped chairs and a library lined with limited-edition tomes. The suites are sheer elegance, and the pool villas include private plunge pools, rooftop terraces, and quirky artifacts, from straw fedoras to vintage clocks. There is a cooking school, a conservatory, a spa, and—the hotel's most coveted accommodation—a century-old teak villa.
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