Where to Stay in Bangkok – Ultimate Bangkok Neighborhood Guide

Deciding where to stay in Bangkok, more than in many other cities, can really make or break your trip. Thailand’s capital city Bangkok is home to more than 9.5 million people. If you look at a map of Bangkok, you’ll be more than overwhelmed trying to figure out where to stay.

If this is your first time in Bangkok, you want to pick a location that is central and suits your travel style. Bangkok is a city that never sleeps and is full of lights, sounds, smells, and great food. Bangkok is one of our favorite cities in the world, and we’ve stayed in hotels all over the city. We know a thing or two about where to stay in Bangkok.

We’re going to go through each area of Bangkok, describe the area, and tell you the Pros & Cons. In each area of the city, we will show you what there is to do and list a few suggested hotels.

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Best Hotel Booking Site

In Asia, we found the best selection of hotels on Agoda.com. Many hotels in Southeast Asia are only on Agoda and not on your usual USA online booking platform.

If you’re from the United States, you may not have heard about Agoda.com or booked with them, but they have the best inventory when traveling in Asia. Agoda has been around since 2005 and is part of Priceline since 2007 and they have always had great service.

Sukhumvit Road Bangkok Hotels

Our favorite area of Bangkok to stay in is Sukhumvit. Our first time in Bangkok was on our Thailand honeymoon where we stayed right on Sukhumvit Road. Sukhumvit is one of the main roads in Bangkok and it’s very long.

We like to stay in the Sukhumvit Road area as the BTS (Bangkok Transit System) runs right down the road making it easy to get around. There are tons of hotels for every budget, tasty street food all around, and great shopping malls. Also, at night local vendors set up shop along the street at night, and much more.

You’ll find the best selection of hotels in the Sukhumvit area, it’s the best stay between Sukhumvit between Soi 1-39. We like the area around Sukhumvit & Soi 21 area the best. Soi is the name for the small side roads that run 90 degrees from the main roads in Thailand.

The Soi’s are related to the road, in this case, Sukhumvit road. The BTS connects to the Bangkok Airport Rail Link to the BKK airport, making it a great option during rush hour in Bangkok.

Pros: Close to public transport, central location, great hotel selection, and good local & western food options.

Cons: The only con is you’re not really by any of the main tourist attractions in Bangkok. However, the ease of getting to them with the BTS or cheap taxis makes up for it.

Things To Do in Bangkok Sukhumvit Area

1. Try local street food
2. Get a massage
3. Get a suit or dress made, this is where the best tailors in Bangkok are
4. Catch up on jetlag in a comfortable hotel bed
5. Walk through Soi Cowboy off of Soi 23  (not for everyone, red light district)

Suggested Hotels We’ve Personally Stayed In

• Westin Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok Affordable Luxury on Sukhumvit Check Prices On Agoda
• Maduzi Boutique Hotel just off of Sukhumvit – Check Prices On Agoda

Suggest BTS stops to stay by Nana or Asoke

Siam Area Bangkok Hotels

The Siam area of Bangkok is also on Sukhumvit Road but just further down the road heading towards the river. The Siam Skytrain station is one of the busiest BTS stops as there are several huge shopping malls here like: Siam Paragon, Siam Center, Siam Discovery, Central World Mall, and MBK Center.

You will more than likely find yourself here on more than one occasion. Bangkok is known for its Skybars thanks to the movie “Hangover 2”. One of the best skybars in Bangkok is located in the Siam Area on the 55th floor of the Centra Grand Hotel. It has an amazing view and happy hour with buy one get one drinks daily.

The Siam Area has more restaurants in the malls and hotels than it does street food vendors, but you can easily jump on the BTS in search of local street food. There are plenty of hotel choices, from 5-star luxury to modern and affordable hostels like Lub’d. The biggest thing to do in the area is go shopping, rooftop bars, eat, or

Pros: Right on the BTS line, close to high-end shopping, dining, and accommodation

Cons: You don’t always feel like you’re in Bangkok. It’s very glitzy & glamorous.

Things To Do Near In Siam Area

1. Watch the sunset at a rooftop bar
2. Go shopping at one of the many malls in Bangkok
3. Visit the Jim Thompson House
4. Test your bargaining skills at MBK Shopping Mall

Suggested Siam Hotels We’ve Stayed At

• Amari Watergate Hotel Affordable Luxury Siam Hotel Check Prices On Agoda
• Lub’d Hostel Budget Siam Hotel/Luxury Hostel Check Prices On Agoda

If you’re on a budget or traveling solo and looking for other fun travelers, Lub’d is great. We’ve always stayed in private rooms, but they do have affordable dorms. They have a great social area and are organizing activities every day. It’s also the cleanest hostel/guest house we’ve ever stayed in.

Silom Area

Silom is one of the best places to stay in Bangkok. We tend to mix up our hotel stays between Silom hotels and Sukhumvit hotels. Silom is considered the financial district of Bangkok. Here you’ll find skyscrapers, a large ex-pat community, and Bangkok’s largest park Lumphini Park.

If you’re looking for something always going on 24/7 this might not be the right part of Bangkok for you. Some of our favorite restaurants in Bangkok are in the Silom area.

Pros: Nearby BTS & MRT subway lines, great food options, a bit quieter place to stay in Bangkok.

Cons: There isn’t a ton to do in the area, and the nightlife isn’t lively.

Things To Do Near Bangkok’s Silom Area

1. Walkthrough Lumphini Park
2. Have a drink at Lebua State Tower skybar made famous from the Hangover 2. Note there is a dress code and drinks are pricey.
3. Visit one of the world’s most famous red-light districts, Patpong where Thailand’s Go-Go culture began. Note: This is not family-friendly.
4. Have a meal at Baan Somtom which translates to ‘house of the papaya salad’, Somtom is one of Thailand’s best dishes. At Baan Somtom there have several variations, it’s a great place to try local Thai dishes to see what you like.
5. Have a spa day at Dahra Spa, they have crazy specials if booked online in advance.

Recommended Hotels in Silom Bangkok We’ve Stayed In

• Lub’d Hostel Budget Silom Hotel/Luxury Hostel Check Prices On Agoda
• W Bangkok Luxury Silom Hotel Check Prices On Agoda

Riverside Area

We’ve never stayed in the Riverside Area of Bangkok, but many of our friends have and love the area. Here you will find some of the most luxurious hotels in Bangkok, like the Four Seasons Bangkok, The Peninsula Bangkok, and the Mandarin Oriental. The BTS line ends at the south end of the river, which can make this area of Bangkok not the easiest to get transportation.

Pros: Location to some of the best things to do in Bangkok

Cons: Lack of public transportation, the BTS or MRT end at one point along the riverfront. You’ll have to taxi or tuk-tuk everywhere.

Things To Do In Bangkok’s Riverside Area

1. Visit The Grand Palace – Wat Phra Kaeo, make sure to bring pants & something to cover your shoulders.
2. Head to Wat Pho the reclining Buddha at sunset, very few tourists are here this time of day.
3. Ride the river ferry up or down the river as you make your way checking out all the things to do in Bangkok.
4. Take a dinner cruise on the Chao Praya River.
5. Pick up a bouquet of flowers at the Pak Klong Talat flower market.

Recommended Riverside Hotels 

•  Praya Palazzo Hotel Boutique Five-Star hotel with rates on Agoda. We’ve seen rates for less than $100 night Check Rates Now
• Oriental Heritage Residence A unique hotel with great reviews at a bargain price Check Rates Now

Khaosan Road

On every trip to Bangkok, we spend at least one night out on Khaosan Road. It’s hard to describe the madness of the area of Bangkok. Everything and anything goes. It’s a great place to meet other backpackers and travelers. If you’re on a budget, it’s full of budget hostels, but we personally don’t like to stay in the Khaosan area.

It’s great to spend a few hours drinking with friends, but we wouldn’t want to base ourselves there while in Bangkok. Make sure to read our street food safety guide before eating everything and anything in Asia.

Pros: Great people watching, cheap massages and street food, close to major tourist attractions in Bangkok.

Cons: IT can be very loud since it is a big party scene, also, it can feel a bit inauthentic with so many tourists in a small area of Bangkok.

Things To Do On Khaosan Road

1. People watching on Khaosan Road is top-notch.
2. Eat a scorpion or anything in the bug cart.
3. Get a 200baht an hour foot massage.
4. Drink one too many beers or fishbowls.
5. Pick up cheap Thailand souvenirs.

Recommended Khaosan Road Hotels

• ibis Styles Bangkok Khaosan Viengtai | Modern new hotel only a block away from Khaosan Road Book Now 
• Chillax Resort Four-star hotel right outside of the Bangkok’s best nightlife Book Now

Chinatown

Full of neon signs and tons of smells coming from some of the best street food in Bangkok. Bangkok’s Chinatown is one of the largest Chinatowns in the world. Make sure to read our What to Eat in Bangkok Guide to discover the best Thai foods to try.

We’ve personally never stayed in Bangkok’s Chinatown as we only find ourselves in the area for a few hours when spending 3 days in Bangkok.

Things To Do In Bangkok’s Chinatown

1. Go on a Chinatown street food tour, it’s the best way to taste it all.
2. Shop for local Chinese spices

Pros: Always busy, great street food, and unique cultural experience

Cons: Lack of public transportation. Not along the MRT or BTS subway lines.

Recommended Hotels in Bangkok Chinatown

• Shanghai Mansion Bangkok | Gorgeous 4-star boutique hotel in the heart of Chinatown for under $75 a night. Check Rates Now
• Miramar Bangkok Hotel | Super affordable and great reviews. Check Rates Now

Bangkok Airport

There are two airports in Bangkok, the main one is Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) and Don Mueang Airport (DMK), which is only used by two airlines: Air Asia and Nok Air. The only reason to stay at a hotel near Bangkok Airport is if you have an early morning flight, and even then, we’d opt to stay in the city.

Getting to the airport is relatively easy and cheap. Uber has fixed rates to the airport of 425 baht ($12 USD), and taxis typically run the meter, but we’ve never paid more than 450 baht. There is also the Bangkok Airport Rail Link which we highly suggest during rush hour. Check Google maps to see current drive times. The Airport Link only operates from 6 am to midnight daily, so if you have a super early morning flight this isn’t an option.

If you have a long layover in BKK, a hotel might be a good option to relax for a few hours. Most airport hotels have free shuttles to and from the airport. A 3-star hotel near the airport can be found for under $20 a night.

Suggested Bangkok Airport Hotels:

• Novotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport |  24-Hour check-in time, no set check-in time allows you to arrive whenever and check out 24 hours later. Book Now
• Ploy Khumthong Boutique Resort | 4-star hotel less than 2 miles from the airport with rates under $30 a night. Book Now

Bangkok Apartment Rentals

We love renting an apartment in cities, but Bangkok isn’t the best place for it. Especially if it is your first time in Bangkok. The city is huge. You really want to make sure you know the area before staying in a Bangkok Vrbo. You don’t want to end up staying an hour away from all the main attractions.

Don’t forget your insurance! You never know when you’ll need it. We suggest getting travel insurance with Safety Wing. Which coverage includes medical, trip interruption, lost luggage, and more. Often rates are as low as $12 a week. 

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Hopefully, we gave you some insight on where to stay in Bangkok with this post. You should have a little better understanding of the city and the area best for you. After your first visit to the city, you’ll figure out your favorite parts so on the next visit, you’ll know right where to stay in Bangkok.

We’d love to hear your favorite part of Bangkok and what’s your go-to Bangkok hotel? We know we’ll be back and we’re always up for trying a new hotel and staying in another area of town.