TRAVEL GUIDE
Hotels in Bangkok for Every Traveler
Bangkok is a major tourist hub in Southeast Asia. It became a tourist destination in the 1960s during the Vietnam War.
Since then, Thailand’s tourism industry expanded and the number of visitors to the country has reached the tens of millions every year. With an amazingly well-preserved culture, beautiful tropical climate, and some of the most hospitable people in the world, visiting Thailand has been on the top of many bucket lists.
Today, there are quite a number of Bangkok hotels for guests from all walks of life to stay in when they visit the city.
Now, how does one choose among all the hotels in Bangkok? What sort of factors does one look for when picking a hotel in the city?
Are you looking for a place where you can be pampered or do you just want a place to sleep at night while you spend the day out and about in the city?
No matter where you are coming from or what you are looking for, there’s a hotel just for you.
Budget Hotels
If you aren’t picky about amenities and just want a clean, safe bed at night, then budget hotels are your best bet. These hotels aren’t spartan accommodations by any means, but they won’t have the same amenities as the 4-star hotels in Bangkok. But the beds will be soft, the rooms will be air-conditioned and regularly cleaned by the staff, and there may even be a small breakfast buffet.
Most importantly, they won’t cost an arm and a leg.
Keep in mind that the prices of hotel rooms are subject to change depending on when a room is booked and which app or website is used to book. With that said, what kind of budget hotels does Bangkok have to offer?
- Furama Silom Hotel — This hotel will give you serious bang for your buck. Rooms start at US$75 a night and the hotel will give you a lot more than many hotels at a similar price point. Located near the MBK shopping center, the hotel boasts a swimming pool, a fitness center, and a generous breakfast buffet.
There’s also the Sky Garden Rooftop Restaurant and the Maple Leaf Restaurant where you’ll be able to enjoy a variety of dishes. Basically, if you’re looking to take a dip in a typical Bangkok hotel rooftop pool without needing to break the bank, then this hotel is perfect.
- Ibis Bangkok Sathorn — If you’re looking for a hotel in a major commercial district, then this hotel is for you. But more than just being located in a major business area, this hotel also offers a lot of value for money. Rooms start at US$34 a night, or US$37 if you want breakfast included.
The hotel also has free shuttle service to MRT Lumpini and BTS Saladaeng, and a business center, so business travelers will find a lot of value in both the services and the location.
- Madison Hotel Bangkok — Do you want a 4-star hotel in Bangkok without typical 4-star hotel prices? Look no further. Rooms start as low as US$42 per night, or US$52 if you want breakfast included, and come with city views, soundproofing, and a balcony.
- Mövenpick Hotel Sukhumvit 15 Bangkok — If you want to stay somewhere that is in the heart of everything, then this hotel is what you’re looking for. Located within easy reach of shopping malls like Terminal 21, which is notable for resembling an airport terminal, and EmQuartier Shopping Mall.
The rooms are equipped with desks, minibars, and safes for added security. All of it for as low as US$86 a night.
- Cacha Bed — If you’re searching for hotels in Siam square and the idea of spending a lot of money doesn’t appeal to you, then you’ve got to check out Cacha Bed Heritage Hotel. Built in Chinatown, the four-storey Victorian building has become a local landmark. Rooms start as low as US$39 a night.
Boutique Hotels
Boutique hotels are, by definition, stylish and unique. They start out with a story or a concept and are then designed around that original concept. If the original concept is birds, then the hotel and the rooms will be bird-themed. Their goal is to offer guests a place to stay while also being a unique and memorable experience. In effect, they become an attraction unto themselves. Now, if you’re looking for a boutique hotel, Bangkok has you covered.
Boutique hotels are also smaller, with many offering only a handful of rooms which means that they’re in high demand and booking them can be quite difficult.
John Thomas on Unsplash
- Bangkok Publishing Residence — As the name would suggest, the Bangkok Publishing Residence is housed in a former printing press. This hotel caters to adults, but children over the age of 15 are allowed. Home-style breakfast is included with the rooms, with eggs and sausages cooked to order.
The hotel is also proud of its publishing heritage and doubles as a museum, prices start at US$257 a night, though availability may be limited.
- The Mustang Nero Hotel — This hotel is an oddity even amongst boutique hotels. Set inside a former commercial building, the hotel is filled with taxidermy and other oddities that set it apart from others.
Guests get a guidebook curated by the owner upon arrival that features a number of hidden gems that most tourists wouldn’t know about. Rooms start at US$73 a night.
- Old Capital Bike Inn — This hotel only has 10 rooms. The theme of the place is bicycles and an eclectic collection of vintage bikes in various states of disassembly is on display and used as decor in the common areas and in the rooms.
Guests can also rent bikes and there are also complementary bike tours on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at night. The tours are limited to 8 per group, so guests should book ahead by email to secure their spot. Guests can also get discounts for other bike tours throughout the city. Rooms start at around US$76 a night.
Luxury Hotels
The cream of the crop when it comes to hotels is the luxury hotel. These can range from being (relatively) simple 5-star hotels to being fully integrated resorts that have everything from shopping, restaurants, and even gambling in places where casinos are legal. But the main throughline of luxury hotels is that they are, well, luxurious. They pamper their guests to the highest degree and hold themselves to standards so high that something as little as a hair out of place is an unacceptable faux pas.
So, if you’re looking for the best Bangkok hotels — not the best for their price or the best by any other qualifier, but the best period — then these are for you;
- Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok — Do you want to stay at a 5-star hotel near Central World because you want to take advantage of the Thai government’s incentives for foreign shoppers? Then this hotel with multiple pools, a world-class spa, and being less than a kilometer away from Central World as well as direct access to Siam Paragon, is just what you’re looking for. Oh, and don’t worry about the minibar. The sodas and beers are free.
And if you get hungry, don’t fret. The hotel has three restaurants that serve a breakfast buffet, Thai food, and all-day dining. Rooms start at US$378 a night, US$415 if you want breakfast included.
- Park Hyatt Bangkok — A sun terrace, a spa, a restaurant, a bar, and enviable views of the city. For US$1623, or US$1666 if you want breakfast, it can all be yours at the Park Hyatt Bangkok.
It’s also about a kilometer away from Siam Paragon and just a hundred meters away from Central Embassy, so you can spend some of the money that’s likely burning a hole in your pocket.
- Waldorf Astoria Bangkok — The name may sound familiar to you, because this hotel is part of a well-known chain of luxury hotels. Because of how well-known it is, you’ll know you’re going to get and you’re going to get what you paid for. And with rates starting at US$533 a night (not including breakfast), you’ll be getting quite a lot.
Your room will have floor-to-ceiling windows and a walk-in closet, plus a safe to store your laptop. You’ll also have a bar with an espresso machine in case you’re the kind of person who needs caffeine to wake up in the morning. Outside the room, there’s Bull & Bear, a steakhouse, a spa, and a temperature-controlled infinity pool, and it’s right in Bangkok’s downtown area.
- Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel — As a child, you were likely delighted when you were presented with milk and cookies because that’s a quintessential childhood snack. Well, kids get milk and cookies at bedtime at this hotel. Adults will have to settle for the 9 restaurants and lounges if they want a snack. If you want to sweat out that snack, then the fitness center offers classes.
Now, food isn’t all the hotel provides. There’s also a spa and an outdoor pool. Inside the room, the decor is made with teak and Thai silk. The hotel is also a short, 10-minute walk away from Central World Plaza and Lumpini Park.
- Avani Plus Riverside Bangkok — As the name would suggest, this hotel is right on the Chao Phraya River and guests will be able to get a view of it from their rooms. And if you want, you can take a dip, not in the river because it’s not exactly sanitary, but in the infinity pool on the rooftop — from where you can see the river. The hotel also features a multitude of dining options, including a buffet breakfast.
The hotel is connected to Riverside Plaza, which has more dining options and some shopping. Rooms start at US$185 per night, breakfast not included. It’s US$212 if you want breakfast.
Hotels come in a variety of price points and with varying amenities. Some can be bare bones. Some can be quirky. And some can take it upon themselves to be better than excellent. Bangkok hotels are no different. But one thing is for sure, they’re as memorable as the city itself.
