Rattanakosin (the old city)
The Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun across the river. The historic heart, with fewer large hotels and a slower pace in the evening.
Sources and further reading · Rattanakosin (the old city)
Thailand
Hotels in Bangkok
Bangkok is vast and busy, and moving around it is slower by road than by rail or river. Pick the area that suits your days — the temples of the old city, the malls and restaurants of Sukhumvit, or the riverside — then check the nearest station or pier.
This guide helps you choose an area. Hotel prices and availability are checked when you search with dates and guests.
Get to know the area before choosing a hotel
Sukhumvit
A long avenue of hotels, restaurants, malls and nightlife along the Skytrain line. Convenient and lively; the side streets are quieter than the main road.
Sources and further reading · SukhumvitThe riverside
Hotels along the Chao Phraya, linked by river boats to the old city and by the Skytrain to the rest of Bangkok. Views and calm, a boat ride from the sights.
Sources and further reading · The riversideGetting in from the airport
Suvarnabhumi (BKK) and Don Mueang (DMK)
From Suvarnabhumi, the Airport Rail Link runs into the city and connects with the Skytrain. Don Mueang, used by many low-cost airlines, has a railway line into the city and buses. Check which of the two your flight uses — they are far apart.
Before choosing your address
- Road traffic can be very slow at rush hour: a hotel near a Skytrain or metro station, or a river pier, saves a lot of time.
- Temples ask visitors to cover their shoulders and knees. Plan what you wear on temple days.
- Hotel prices in Thailand are in baht. Anything paid at the hotel, such as a deposit, may be in baht.
Worth reading before you book
How to choose a hotel: what to check before you book
The right hotel is not the grandest on the list; it is the one that fits the days you planned. Five checks, in this order.
What you pay at the hotel: taxes, fees and the deposit
The booking closed at one price and the bill shows another. Usually that is not a mistake but a local tax.
How to read a flight before you book: times, stops, duration and the fare rules
Two flights at the same price can be very different trips. Everything that tells them apart is already on the result — it only has to be read in the right order.
