Where to Stay in Bangkok

The flagship of the Thai Lub d chain sits next to National Stadium BTS, across from MBK and a short walk from the Jim Thompson House, so it is the most connected cheap bed in the city. It reopened after a full renovation with pod-style dorms, female-only rooms, private doubles, a co-working space, laundry and regular social events. For solo travellers and anyone on a budget who wants the Skytrain rather than Khao San.

Getting there: BTS National Stadium, about 1-2 min walk.

What reviewers say: Guests praise the location, cleanliness and staff. Complaints are that it can feel less social than party hostels, some dorm noise, bunks without curtains in some rooms and occasional air-conditioning problems.

One of Banglamphu’s best-known hostels, on quieter Tani Road two streets from Khao San and a walk from the National Museum and Grand Palace. Dorm beds are semi-private NapSpace pods with lockers, linen and towels included, and there is a 24-hour reception, common room and daily activities. For solo backpackers who want to meet people without sleeping on Khao San itself.

Getting there: Phra Athit pier (Chao Phraya Express), about 10 min walk.

What reviewers say: Reviewers praise the staff, the social common areas and the location. Complaints are cramped dorms, limited shower privacy and the odd report of bed bugs.

Here Hostel occupies a roughly 100-year-old building off Ratchadamnoen Road, with curtained dorm pods, female-only rooms, privates, a small pool and a slide between floors. Close enough to walk to Khao San and the temples, far enough to sleep; suits solo travellers and couples on a budget.

Getting there: Khao San about 10 min walk; Phan Fa Lilat canal boat pier nearby.

What reviewers say: Guests praise the atmosphere, the pool, the cafe and the staff. Complaints are firm mattresses, creaky floors and loud doors, and occasional reports that cards were not accepted.

A large budget hotel on Soi Rambuttri, the quieter lane behind Khao San, with two pools including one on the roof, a rooftop terrace and a buffet breakfast at some rates. The Grand Palace and Wat Pho are a short walk or boat ride away. For budget travellers who want a private air-con room and a pool rather than a dorm, without sleeping on Khao San itself.

Getting there: Phra Athit pier, about 5-10 min walk; Khao San about 5 min.

What reviewers say: Guests consistently praise the location, pools and price, and describe rooms as basic but clean. Complaints are noisy air conditioners, worn rooms, inconsistent handling of complaints, cash deposits at check-in and some rooms with no lift access.

Part of the Mad Monkey chain of Southeast Asian party hostels, on Phra Sumen Road by the canal and Phra Sumen Fort, a few minutes’ walk from Khao San. It has a pool, a bar and restaurant, and nightly games and pub crawls that make it easy for solo travellers to meet people. For those who want a social, party atmosphere; light sleepers should look elsewhere.

Getting there: Phra Athit pier (Chao Phraya Express), about 5-10 min walk; Khao San about 4 min.

What reviewers say: Guests praise the social events, pool and staff. Complaints are late-night noise that carries to the top floor, dirty or sticky dorms on some stays, air-conditioning problems, thin mattresses, no lift and pricey food and drinks.

Opened in 2011 and renovated in 2021, it is one of the few Bangkok hotels with its own walkway into a BTS station, so Saphan Taksin pier for the river boats is one stop away and Siam is about 15 minutes. The 14th-floor infinity pool and rooftop bar look over the Sathorn towers, and the 390 rooms are large for the price. A safe default for first-timers, couples and business travellers who want five-star polish at four-star rates.

Getting there: BTS Surasak, connected by the hotel’s own sky bridge (1-2 min).

What reviewers say: Reviewers praise the BTS link, the pool, the breakfast spread and friendly staff. Complaints are slow lifts at peak times, some rooms starting to look dated, heavy traffic on South Sathorn Road and pricey food and drink in the hotel.

Opened in 2016 by Minor Hotels, it puts all 250 rooms on the river side of a tower beside Anantara Riverside, with the 26th-floor infinity pool and SEEN rooftop bar looking straight at the skyline. You get the river-hotel experience, sunsets and the boat to the temples for roughly a quarter of the Mandarin Oriental’s price. Suits couples and families who want a resort feel and do not mind a boat ride to the BTS.

Getting there: Free shuttle boat to Sathorn pier (BTS Saphan Taksin) and ICONSIAM, about 10-15 min.

What reviewers say: Guests rave about the pool, the river views from every room and the rooftop bar. The recurring complaints are the location (you depend on the shuttle boat, which some find infrequent in the evening), standard rooms on the small side, and breakfast at about 820 baht if not included.

A 192-room design hotel from IHG whose 24th-floor glass-edged infinity pool juts out over Wireless Road, with views to Lumphini Park and the embassy gardens. It sits between Ratchaprasong’s malls and the Silom side, a few minutes from Phloen Chit BTS. Good for couples and repeat visitors who want something with more personality than a chain tower without paying Kimpton prices.

Getting there: BTS Phloen Chit, about 3-5 min walk.

What reviewers say: Reviewers single out the rooftop pool and bar views, clean and spacious rooms, the breakfast and attentive staff. The main complaint is traffic noise in lower-floor rooms facing Wireless Road, so ask for a high floor.

Opened in 2008 and renovated in 2020, the 509-room tower rises out of CentralWorld mall, so every room is on the 28th floor or higher with floor-to-ceiling city views. The 26th-floor pool deck, Red Sky rooftop bar on the 55th floor and covered walkways to the BTS make it easy with children in the heat and rain. Best for families and shoppers who want the most central address in the city.

Getting there: BTS Chit Lom or Siam via the skywalk, about 7-10 min.

What reviewers say: Guests praise the location, the views, the club lounge and the breakfast. Complaints are a lobby and some rooms that feel dated, occasional slow maintenance, inconsistent service at busy times and expensive drinks at Red Sky.

Opened in 2016 with 244 rooms on quiet Soi 20, between Asok and Phrom Phong, with Terminal 21, Emporium and EmQuartier all walkable. It has a 9th-floor outdoor pool and Sky on 20, one of the better-value rooftop bars in Sukhumvit. A safe mid-range base for first-timers and families who want a known brand without paying five-star rates.

Getting there: BTS Asok and MRT Sukhumvit, a few minutes’ walk (about 5-8 min).

What reviewers say: Guests praise the location, the rooftop bar and friendly staff. Complaints include noisy air conditioning, occasional Wi-Fi problems and a modest pool.

The 95-room Park Plaza Sukhumvit Bangkok left Radisson and reopened as NH Bangkok Asoke under Minor Hotels on 1 March 2025, so the Park Plaza name no longer applies. It sits on Ratchadaphisek Road by the Asok interchange, with a rooftop pool and bar, and Benjakitti Park about five minutes away. A budget-conscious choice for travellers who want the BTS and MRT on the doorstep. Not to be confused with Park Plaza Bangkok Soi 18, a separate hotel that still carries the Park Plaza name.

Getting there: BTS Asok and MRT Sukhumvit, about 5-10 min walk.

What reviewers say: Reviewers praise the location, staff and cleanliness. Complaints are noise and maintenance issues in an older building, and small rooms.

Thailand’s first luxury hotel, open on the river since 1876, with 331 rooms including 60 suites, many with river views. The colonial-era Authors’ Wing, the Bamboo Bar’s live jazz, Le Normandie and the Oriental Spa across the river make it a destination in itself, and the River Wing has recently been renovated. For honeymoons and once-in-a-lifetime stays where history and service matter more than a modern pool deck.

Getting there: Oriental pier (Chao Phraya Express) at the hotel; BTS Saphan Taksin about 10 min by hotel boat or on foot.

What reviewers say: Guests consistently praise the service, the staff’s memory for names and the river setting. Criticisms are prices well above other river hotels, occasional service lapses when the hotel is full, rooms in the older wings that feel traditional rather than new, and a less walkable location.

Opened in 1998, the 370-room tower is built in a wave shape so every room gets a view of the Chao Phraya, and the three-tiered pool in the riverside garden is one of the best hotel pools in Bangkok. It holds Forbes Five-Star and MICHELIN Two Keys, and its boats run to the BTS in five minutes. Classic big-hotel luxury for couples and families, usually well below Mandarin Oriental and Capella rates.

Getting there: Free hotel boat to Sathorn pier (BTS Saphan Taksin) and ICONSIAM, about 5 min.

What reviewers say: Guests praise the service, the river views from every room, the pool and the boat shuttle. The recurring criticism is that rooms look dated compared with the newer river hotels, plus steep prices for food and drink.

Opened in 2020, Capella has just 101 rooms, suites and villas, every one facing the river, in a low-rise building with a riverside infinity pool. It was named No. 1 on The World’s 50 Best Hotels list in 2024 and its restaurant Cote by Mauro Colagreco holds two Michelin stars. This is the price ceiling in Bangkok, for travellers who want privacy, space and food as the reason for the stay.

Getting there: Free hotel boat to BTS Saphan Taksin (Sathorn pier) and ICONSIAM, about 10 min.

What reviewers say: Reviewers describe near-flawless, personal service, very large rooms and the river views. The complaints are about value at these rates and construction on neighbouring plots affecting some views; it shares a driveway with the Four Seasons.

An 802-room classic riverfront hotel in two towers beside Saphan Taksin BTS and Sathorn pier, the only grand river hotel you can walk to from the Skytrain. River-view rooms are spacious, there are two pools in riverside gardens, the Chi spa and Salathip Thai restaurant, and a free ferry to ICONSIAM. Good for families and first-timers who want the river without depending on a shuttle boat.

Getting there: BTS Saphan Taksin and Sathorn pier, next to the hotel (2-3 min).

What reviewers say: Reviewers praise the river-view rooms, location, pools and the breakfast buffet. Complaints are dated decor in parts of the hotel, high prices for food and drink and limited seats on the ICONSIAM ferry. Maintenance work affects selected Shangri-La Wing rooms from 25 October to 11 November 2026.

Opened in December 2018 at the mouth of Sukhumvit Soi 13, it links directly to Nana BTS, so you skip the Sukhumvit Road traffic and the street-level bustle of the area. Rooms start at 35 square metres and the upper-floor Spectrum Lounge and Bar is one of the better rooftop views on Sukhumvit. A reliable choice for first-timers who want Sukhumvit’s restaurants and nightlife within walking distance but a quiet, polished hotel to come back to.

Getting there: BTS Nana, connected by sky bridge (1-2 min); Asok BTS/MRT about 10 min.

What reviewers say: Reviewers like the BTS connection, the breakfast, the rooftop bar and helpful staff. Some find rates and drinks expensive for the room size, and a few note that the surrounding Nana area is loud and seedy at night.

A 498-room tower built on top of Terminal 21 mall at the Asok interchange, so the BTS, MRT and the mall’s cheap food court are reached without going outside. Rooms are large (32 to 70 square metres) and the outdoor deck has an infinity pool, lap pool, jogging track and tennis court, plus a kids’ club. Popular with families and first-timers who want maximum convenience on Sukhumvit.

Getting there: BTS Asok, direct access through Terminal 21 (1-2 min); MRT Sukhumvit linked.

What reviewers say: Guests praise the location, room size and staff. Complaints are breakfast quality, extra charges and occasional cleanliness lapses.

A 345-room five-star on Sukhumvit Road between Soi 13 and 15, linked by sky bridge to the Asok BTS and Sukhumvit MRT interchange, with Terminal 21 and EmSphere close by. It has a 23-metre rooftop infinity pool, a L’Occitane spa and Belga rooftop brasserie. For travellers who want polished five-star service at the transport heart of Sukhumvit.

Getting there: Sky bridge to BTS Asok and MRT Sukhumvit (2-3 min).

What reviewers say: Guests praise the location, cleanliness and staff. The main complaints are minor maintenance issues.

About 180 rooms on floors 22 to 34 of the Ari Hills building, so every room has a high-floor city view, with a rooftop lap pool, the Hilltops sky bar and a good gym. Ari’s cafes and street food are on the doorstep and Chatuchak is two BTS stops away. Suits digital nomads, repeat visitors and anyone who wants a local neighbourhood rather than Sukhumvit.

Getting there: BTS Ari, about 10 min walk.

What reviewers say: Guests praise the rooms, views, rooftop pool, gym and warm service. Complaints are occasional bathroom cleanliness issues, slow reception at busy times, air-conditioning noise and the 10-minute walk to the BTS.

Serviced apartments from one to three bedrooms, all with kitchenettes, in the quiet Suan Phlu lanes off South Sathorn Road. Facilities include a pool, gym, tennis court, Cubbies kids’ club and playground, which makes it a long-stay favourite with families. The trade-off is the location away from the BTS, covered by a free shuttle to Sala Daeng.

Getting there: Free shuttle to BTS Sala Daeng, about 10 min; MRT Lumphini also nearby.

What reviewers say: Guests praise the space, the staff and the family facilities. Complaints are run-down, tired rooms in some units, an unreliable shuttle and breakfast charged separately (380 baht).

Opened in 2010 behind Siam Paragon, its 397 rooms wrap around a landscaped garden of pools, with 22 rooms opening directly onto the water and seven animal-themed family suites. Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin holds a Michelin star, and a covered walkway leads into Paragon and the BTS. The top family pick in central Bangkok and a calm luxury base for shoppers.

Getting there: BTS Siam, about 5 min via the covered walkway through Siam Paragon.

What reviewers say: Guests rave about the pool garden, cleanliness and service. Complaints are traffic getting in and out of the driveway, a crowded breakfast and extra charges.

A low-rise resort of 281 rooms and 95 suites set in 11 acres of tropical gardens next to Avani+, with a large pool, an Anantara Spa, a kids’ club and dinner cruises on a restored rice barge. It feels like a beach resort inside the city, and the free boat reaches the BTS. Best for families and anyone who wants space and greenery more than a central address.

Getting there: Free shuttle boat to Sathorn pier (BTS Saphan Taksin), about 15 min.

What reviewers say: Reviewers praise the staff, the gardens and pool, and the breakfast. Complaints are dated decor in some rooms, noise from construction and river traffic, the occasional damp room and the distance from central Bangkok.

A riverside tower of 396 large rooms and suites, many with balconies and kitchenettes, plus an infinity pool and six restaurants and bars; it was fully renovated by December 2019. It gets you the river views and boats at mid-range prices and is one of the city’s best options for families who need space. The trade-off is a location south of the main hotel strip, reliant on the shuttle boat.

Getting there: Free shuttle boat to Sathorn pier (BTS Saphan Taksin) and ICONSIAM, about 10-15 min.

What reviewers say: Reviewers praise the room size, the breakfast buffet, the staff and the river views. Complaints are dated fittings in some rooms, pool closures for maintenance, long lift waits and a crowded breakfast at peak times, and the distance from central Bangkok.

Rebuilt from the old Imperial Queen’s Park and reopened in 2016, this is Bangkok’s biggest hotel at about 1,388 rooms, with large outdoor pools, a full spa and a long list of restaurants including Akira Back on the 37th floor. Phrom Phong’s malls, Benjasiri Park and the Japanese restaurants of Soi 24 to 39 are on the doorstep. Works well for families who want pools and space, and for anyone who likes a big full-service hotel with frequent Marriott deals.

Getting there: BTS Phrom Phong, about 400 m (5-7 min) through Benjasiri Park.

What reviewers say: Reviewers praise the pools, the generous breakfast, room size and the Phrom Phong location. The size cuts both ways: complaints include long lift and check-in queues, a corporate feel, some dated public areas and the walk through the park to the BTS in the heat.

A Marriott lifestyle hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 11, the street of bars and clubs between Nana and Asok, with loft-style rooms with high ceilings, a rooftop pool, the W XYZ bar with live music and a 24-hour grab-and-go pantry. A free tuk-tuk runs to Nana BTS and Sukhumvit MRT. Suits younger travellers and groups who want nightlife on the doorstep.

Getting there: BTS Nana, about 7 min walk; free tuk-tuk shuttle to Nana BTS and MRT Sukhumvit.

What reviewers say: Guests praise the location, the staff and the rooftop pool. Complaints are noise from the soi’s nightclubs, inconsistent housekeeping and a busy street outside.

A 31-storey glass tower of 403 rooms paired with The House on Sathorn, an 1889 mansion that holds Bar Sathorn (No. 17 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2026) and the Thai seafood restaurant Paii. It has a 6th-floor pool for hotel guests, a busy lobby lounge and WET Deck rooftop bar. For couples and groups who want nightlife and design in the Silom area; Conde Nast Traveler readers ranked it No. 2 in Bangkok for 2026.

Getting there: BTS Chong Nonsi, about 3-5 min walk.

What reviewers say: Guests praise the location near Chong Nonsi BTS, the design, the bars and friendly staff. Few consistent complaints come up.

A 399-room five-star on Sukhumvit Road directly beside Nana BTS, with a rooftop pool, a spa, a fitness centre and nine dining outlets; the hotel says a major renovation has been completed. It is one of the most convenient Skytrain addresses on lower Sukhumvit at four-star prices. Note that Nana Plaza is a short walk away, so the street is lively late at night.

Getting there: BTS Nana, exit 2, next to the hotel (1-2 min).

What reviewers say: Guests praise the BTS access, friendly staff and clean rooms. Complaints are street noise, slow Wi-Fi, a dated gym, uncomfortable beds in some rooms and steps at the entrance.

A private, low-rise hotel of about 38 suites and pool villas on three acres of river frontage in the royal Dusit district, designed by Bill Bensley and filled with the owner’s collection of antiques and art. Breakfast is served by the river at Chon, and the hotel boat runs to the temples and the BTS. For couples who want seclusion and design rather than a tower hotel, and do not mind being away from shopping and nightlife.

Getting there: Own pier with hotel boat downriver to Sathorn pier (BTS Saphan Taksin); otherwise taxi.

What reviewers say: Reviewers praise the attentive staff, the calm, museum-like setting and the boat transfers. The main complaints are the location in an administrative district with little nearby, limited shuttle-boat hours and very high prices.

A converted riverside warehouse on Maharat Road with only 15 rooms, a restaurant on the water and a rooftop bar looking straight across at Wat Arun. Wat Pho is behind the hotel and the Grand Palace a 10-minute walk, so you can be at the temples at opening time. Book a river-view room: this is a hotel you choose for the view, for couples on a two or three-night temple stay.

Getting there: Tha Tien pier, about 3 min walk; MRT Sanam Chai about 10 min.

What reviewers say: Guests love the Wat Arun view from river-facing rooms and the rooftop at sunset. Common complaints: standard rooms have no view, there is no lift and the entrance is down a narrow lane, and some rooms feel dated for the price.

The building dates to 1892 and was Bangkok’s first Chinese opera house; since 2005 it has been a 69-room boutique hotel decorated in 1930s Shanghai and Art Deco style, with lanterns, four-poster beds and jewel-coloured silks. It opens directly onto Yaowarat Road, so the night food stalls are steps away, and the Red Rose restaurant has live jazz. The original Chinatown character hotel, for food-led couples on a short stay.

Getting there: MRT Wat Mangkon, about 5 min walk; Ratchawong pier about 10 min.

What reviewers say: Reviewers praise the decor, the location and the staff. The usual complaints are rooms with little or no natural light, noise from Yaowarat, no pool and pricey drinks at the bar.

A pale-yellow palazzo built in the reign of King Rama V and restored into a 15-room hotel with a riverside pool, a library and a garden restaurant. The only way in is the hotel’s free ferry, which crosses from Phra Athit pier near Khao San, so you are minutes from the Grand Palace and Wat Arun but completely away from the noise. For couples on an Old City trip who want character and quiet.

Getting there: Free hotel boat from Phra Athit pier, about 3-5 min.

What reviewers say: Guests praise the service, the riverside atmosphere and breakfast. Some find the rooms old, plain or small for the price, and a few mention slow service at the pool bar.

Opened in 2011 with about 174 rooms, the hotel is styled on the era of King Rama V, mixing European and Thai antiques, dark wood and brass. The rooftop pool and The Speakeasy rooftop bar are its draws, along with the Italian restaurant Medici. Renamed in September 2024: it was Hotel Muse Bangkok Langsuan, MGallery (Accor) and is now Marriott’s Hotel Muse Bangkok, Autograph Collection. For couples who want a boutique feel close to Chit Lom and Lumphini Park.

Getting there: BTS Chit Lom, about 5-8 min walk.

What reviewers say: Guests praise the design, location, rooftop bar and staff. Complaints are dim lighting in rooms, some tired fittings, noise, inconsistent housekeeping and a crowded breakfast.

The family that published Bangkok Weekly spent seven years restoring their old printing house and home into a guesthouse of eight individually designed rooms, opened in 2017, with a small museum of typesetting and printing machines on the ground floor. It sits on Lan Luang Road on the eastern edge of the Old City, near the Golden Mount, so the temples and Khao San Road are walkable. For couples who like a quiet base with a story behind it.

Getting there: Khao San Road about 10 min walk; Phan Fa Lilat canal boat pier nearby. What reviewers say: Guests praise the staff, the character of the building and the location. Complaints are weak shower pressure and no breakfast included.

A small eco-lodge of three-storey treehouse units with rooftop sleeping decks, set in the car-free mangroves and palm groves of Bang Krachao, a river loop opposite Khlong Toei. Bicycles are free for the island’s cycling paths, and reviewers mention breakfast and a boat trip to see fireflies included in some rates. A one or two-night break from the city for repeat visitors and couples, not a base for sightseeing.

Getting there: Cross-river ferry to Bang Krachao, then a 350-400 m walk or bike ride over a wooden bridge; no car access to the door.

What reviewers say: Guests love the setting, the bikes and the quiet. Common complaints are the effort to get there, steep stairs that do not suit young children or older guests, slow or pricey food and rooms not cleaned unless requested.