A guide to the best areas to stay in Bangkok
Do a search for hotels in Bangkok and you will be presented with hundreds of options to choose from (over 1400 when I last checked). If you’ve never been to Bangkok, then picking which area to stay in will also add to the challenge.
To narrow down your options of where to stay in Bangkok I’ve put together a list of neighbourhoods that are the best areas for a short-term visitor. Bangkok is famous for bad traffic, so staying in an area that is near the rail transit system and amenities will make your trip better.
Where to stay in Bangkok guide
Map of Bangkok hotels
Best areas to stay in Bangkok
Khao San Road (Famous backpacker area with cheap hotels)
National Stadium (Budget hotels in central location)
Siam / Chitlom / Phloen Chit (The middle of modern Bangkok)
Lower Sukhumvit (The start of the main road of Bangkok)
Mid-Sukhumvit (Big malls and popular expat area)
Silom/Sathorn (Original business district near Lumphini Park)
Riverside (Hotels with a view)
Other areas to stay in Bangkok
Hua Lamphong (Old Bangkok Railway Station)
Chinatown (Must-visit area for markets and street food)
Ari (Cool area for longer stays)
Soi Ngam Dupli (The original backpacker street of Bangkok)
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth staying near the new train station?
Map of Bangkok hotels
Hotels mentioned in this article are pinned on this map, along with metro stations in each area.
[View map of Bangkok hotels.]
Best areas to stay in Bangkok
The point of these Where To Stay guides is to narrow down which area to stay.
If you are on a budget or just want to see the historic old city, then stay on Khao San Road.
For staying in the city, the West-East route of the BTS Skytrain from National Stadium to Thanglor along Sukhumvit Road.
Khao San Road
Khao San Road is a famous backpacker street in the Banglamphu area of the old city of Bangkok.
Khao San Road was my first stop in Thailand, as it is for most budget backpackers. If you are looking for the cheapest accommodation in Bangkok then this is where to go. Here you will find everything from hostels, flophouses, and cheap guesthouses, as well as flashpacker resort-style hotels.
The first time I stayed here I just walked along the street until I found a vacant room. Back then, the cheapest places weren’t bookable online and finding a place without a reservation was possible.
These days it’s becoming harder to just walk up and take a room, so it’s advisable to book a room in advance.
KSR is great for backpackers as you can arrange transport and activities at backpacker prices from the numerous travel agents in the area. It’s also near the historic must-sees of Bangkok (Grand Palace, Wat Pho).
Staying in the Khao San Road area includes Khao San Road itself, and Rambuttri Road, which runs parallel to KSR and then across Chakrabongse Rd next to Wat Chana Songkram. I prefer Rambuttri as it’s much quieter and greener, especially the section along the Buddhist temple, and the touts aren’t as aggressive here. Khao San Road gets extremely noisy at night, so stay on Khao San Road if you are here to party.
The disadvantage of KSR is that it’s disconnected from the rest of the city, with no metro lines reaching here. Expats who live in Bangkok tend to rubbish Khao San Road as if they are too cool for it. I don’t stay there any more, but I still marvel at what a spectacle Khao San Road is. It is not something you see anywhere else.
Search hotels near Khao San Road.
Budget
The Khao San Road area is overflowing with budget hotel options. If you are just looking for the cheapest room then the best option is to sort by price and see what is available.
Lamphuhouse Bangkok on Soi Rambruttri is one of the stalwart backpacker hotels. Here you will find basic rooms with a fan (no air conditioning) and shared bathrooms. That is typical of the cheapest private rooms in Thailand.
Villa Cha Cha Banglumphu is like a backpacker resort, with a swimming pool and rooms with private bathrooms.
Mid-range (3-4 Stars)
Rambuttri Village Hotel is a budget hotel on a large property on Rambruttri Road.
ibis Styles Bangkok Khaosan Viengtai is one of the few brand-name hotels in this area.
Chillax Heritage Hotel Khaosan is in a modern building with a rooftop pool.
National Stadium
One stop from Siam station is National Stadium BTS Station. This is next to the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre and the MBK shopping mall. This area includes Soi Kasem San 1, which is a street with some budget hotel options. This area is usually counted as Siam in travel guides. This area though has a different feel from the luxury hotels of Siam, so I have made a separate section.
Soi Kasem San 1 is a small street that runs between National Stadium BTS and the Saen Saep Canal. At the end of the street is an alley that leads to the Jim Thompson House Museum. The street used to be known for its budget hotels, but it now has a varied mix of accommodation types. It is still good value considering it is such a central location.
Muangphol Mansion is an old-school budget hotel at the start of Soi Kasem San 1.
A-One Inn is a 3-star hotel that has traveller guesthouse vibes.
Reno Hotel Bangkok is a mid-range hotel with a swimming pool.
LiT BANGKOK Hotel is a modern boutique ‘Art’ hotel, and its modern design stands out from the rest of the street.
Near the Naational Stadium BTS is Lub d Bangkok Siam Hostel.
Also next to the BTS station is the Ibis Bangkok Siam.
Siam @ Siam Design Hotel Bangkok is a boutique luxury hotel honours the neighbourhood’s industrial history.
Siam / Chitlom / Phloen Chit
Bangkok is a spread-out city with no real central monument where you can say “This is the middle of Bangkok”. If you had to nominate such a spot it would be Siam Square, where the two BTS lines interchange. There isn’t much of a square at Siam Square though; it is a jumble of mega shopping malls connected by walkways.
Siam, Chitlom, and Phloen Chit are three BTS Stations on the Sukhumvit Line, west of Sukhumvit Road.
Siam is a good area if you want to spend your time shopping or if you plan to travel everywhere by BTS.
Chitlom and Phloen Chit has a high proportion of international luxury hotels. The area around Ratchadamri Station on the Silom line is almost exclusively 5-star hotels.
Search hotels near Siam Square
Mid-range (3-4 Stars)
Novotel Bangkok On Siam Square Hotel is in the midst of the Siam Square area.
Luxury (5 Stars)
Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok is remarkable for its resort-style swimming pool in the middle of the city.
[Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok.]
Centara Grand at Central World Hotel is connected to the Central World Mall, and there are skywalks to Siam and Chitlom BTS stations.
Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok is in front of one the most popular shrines in the city (the Erawan Shrine).
Lower Sukhumvit
Sukhumvit Road serves as the main street of Bangkok. It’s a long road that goes all the way to the Cambodian border, making it (reputedly) the longest street in the world. For visitors to Bangkok, when people say they are staying in the Sukhumvit area, this usually refers to the area between the BTS Skytrain stations from Nana to Thong Lo. There is no district called Sukhumvit.
Information about the Sukhumvit Road numbering system
The roads in Thailand are numbered by their Soi (a lane or side street that branches off a major street). So Sukhumvit 11 means Sukhumvit Rd at Soi 11.When choosing a hotel on Sukhumvit be aware of just how “on” it is. I once booked a hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 40. I knew that Thong Lo BTS station is at Soi 38 so I figured the hotel was one street over from the station. The thing with the sois of Sukhumvit is that they are ridiculously long. The hotel I booked was at the far end of the soi, meaning a 25-minute walk just to get back to Sukhumvit. At the start of every soi you will see motorbike taxis (wearing orange vests) who will ride you the rest of the way down your soi, but I prefer to be no more than a ten-minute walk from a BTS station.
[Motorbike taxi drivers at the entrance to a soi.]
Lower Sukhumvit generally refers to the area between Nana and Asok BTS station. This is Sukhumvit Road at its most touristic peak.
Nana (Sukhumvit 4) marks the start of Sukhumvit Rd and is best known for the Nana Entertainment Plaza (a 3-storey building filled with girlie bars). Sukhumvit 4 and 8 have red-light district vibes, so avoid that area if that is not your thing.
Opposite Soi 4 is Soi 3, also known as Soi Arab for its Middle Eastern restaurants and shisha bars. At night the footpaths along Sukhumvit are transformed into a night market, making walking along the street difficult, so I try to avoid this area as much as possible.
Asok (also written as Asoke) is where the Asok BTS and Sukhumvit MRT interchange, making it one of the prime public transport hubs of Bangkok. At the corner of Asoke Rd (Soi 21) and Sukhumvit is the Terminal 21 shopping mall. Tucked away between Soi 21 and 23 is Soi Cowboy, the famous red-light street, wall-to-wall with go-go bars.
[Asok BTS Walkway – Bangkok.]
Search hotels near BTS Asoke station
Budget
There are plenty of budget hotels in Lower Sukhumvit, but you don’t get much for your money compared to Khao San Road. There are some hostels in the area, so this is a good option if you want to experience city life instead of being in the budget tourist area of Khao San Road.
Mid-range (3-4 Stars)
Red Planet Bangkok Asoke is a budget chain hotel with clean and basic rooms. It’s on Soi 14 near Asok BTS.
[Read my review of Red Planet Bangkok Asoke.]
Sukhumvit 11 is a busy hotel street, and it includes the contemporary Aloft Bangkok Sukhumvit 11.
Park Plaza Sukhumvit Bangkok is just off Sukhumvit, close the Asok/Sukhumvit intersection. Here is my review of the Park Plaza Sukhumvit Bangkok.
[Pool at Park Plaza Sukhumvit Bangkok.]
Luxury (5 Stars)
The Westin Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok is between Sukhumvit 17 and 19.
Grande Centre Point Hotel Terminal 21 is part of the popular Terminal 21 mall, right on the Asok/Sukhumvit intersection.
Mid-Sukhumvit
Mid-Sukhumvit is the area around Phrom Phong, Thang Lo, and Ekkamai BTS stations. When looking for places to stay, I prefer to be near Phrom Phong or Thang Lo stations, though if you go further up then make sure your hotel is near a station.
Phrom Phong is near Benjasiri Park (the only park on Sukhumvit), so this makes for a welcome place to walk in greenery. Halfway between Asok and Phrom Phong is Soi 22, which has lots of hotels, massage parlours, and bars. There are residential apartment towers that line the length of Sukhumvit to the end of the Skytrain line.
Search hotels near BTS Phrom Phong
Soi 55 is known as Thong Lo (sometimes spelled as Thonglor), and this area has become a popular area for digital nomads to stay. Thong Lo has become known as “The Beverly Hills of Bangkok” due to its popularity among the HiSo. Along Soi 55 there are other sois that branch off making it an area worth exploring. I like this section of Sukhumvit because it feels more neighbourhoody and less touristy.
Search hotels near BTS Thong Lor
Budget
Baan Sukhumvit Soi 20 is a budget hotel tucked away in a small alley off Soi 20.
There are not many budget hotels to choose from around Thonglor. Sawasdee Sukhumvit Inn Hotel is on Soi 57 if you are just looking for a cheap room in that area.
Mid-range (3-4 Stars)
St. James Hotel is a 3-star hotel that is popular with Japanese business travellers.
[Read my review of the St. James Hotel.]
Holiday Inn Bangkok Sukhumvit is a big hotel on the corner of Soi 22. Convenient for Benchasiri Park and the EmQuartier mall.
Retro 39 Hotel is a budget hotel near Phrom Phong BTS station.
[Read my review of the Retro 39 Hotel.]
Luxury (5 Stars)
Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park is a behemoth of a hotel on Sukhumvit 22 that overlooks Benchasiri Park. This hotel was formerly known as Imperial Queen’s Park.
Hotel Nikko Bangkok is ideally located near the start of Thanglor.
Marriott Executive Apartments Bangkok Sukhumvit Thonglor
[Sukhumvit Rd at Thong Lo. as viewed from the rooftop bar at Marriott Thonglor.]
Silom/Sathorn
[Silom skyline.]
Silom Road was the original business and tourist area before Sukhumvit Road became more popular. Sathorn is a big road with apartments and office towers. Silom has the benefit of being near Lumphini Park.
Silom is a tourist hotspot with a variety of hotels for all budgets. Two transit systems cross here, with Sala Daeng BTS and Si Lom MRT meeting (albeit with a clumsy interchange) so it makes a good base for exploring the city.
Silom Road is a mix of office towers, hotels and malls, and some sections of Silom are overtaken by market stalls in the evening. Even with all the tourist places, there are still plenty of local eating options, such as the street vendors on Convent Rd and the Silom market on Soi 10.
One of the streets off Silom Road is Patpong Rd (home of the infamous ping pong show girlie bars), and in the evening Patpong Rd is transformed into the Patpong Night Bazaar, where you can find all sorts of knock-off items.
Not far from Silom and Sathorn is the massive One Bangkok project, which is a new business district that overlooks Lumphini Park.
One of the remnants of the old Silom era was the Dusit Thani Hotel. This landmark hotel was demolished in 2019, and in its place will be Dusit Central Park.
One Bangkok and Dusit Central Park will help will move the financial centre of gravity back towards this area.
Budget
Silom SPACE Hostel has a prime location on Silom Road, near the MRT and BTS.
Mid-range (3-4 Stars)
Tawana Bangkok Hotel is one block away from Silom Road, close to transport and the shopping area.
[Read my review of the Tawana Bangkok Hotel.]
Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Sathorn is near Chong Nonsi BTS Station.
Luxury (5 Stars)
The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon is located at the iconic Mahanakhon Tower.
Near the Mahanakhon is the W Bangkok, which is next to the House on Sathorn.
[Check rates for W Bangkok.]
Pullman Bangkok Hotel G is located on Silom Road.
Riverside
Another option is to stay by the Chao Phraya River. There is no area called riverside, so I have just listed some notable hotels that have river views. One of the best riverfront hotels in Bangkok is the Shangri-La Bangkok.
[Shangri-La Hotel pool. Read my review of the Shangri-La Bangkok.]
Nearby is the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. This luxury 5-star hotel is a historic part of the riverfront, as its origins date back to 1876 when it opened as The Oriental. It was the first hotel built in Thailand when the riverfront area opened up to foreign traders.
The riverfront area is not well connected by public transport and there are a lack of general amenities, so it’s not the best option for first-timers.
Other areas to stay in Bangkok
Here are some more areas to stay in Bangkok for consideration. I wouldn’t recommend for first-times, but I put them here for the public record if you are a repeat visitor.
Hua Lamphong
[Hua Lamphong Train Station.]
Hua Lamphong was the main train station of Bangkok, but the main station has moved to Bang Sue Grand Station.
Some train services still operate from here, and there is a shuttle bus to the new station. Around the station, there are some budget guesthouses and hotels.
I previously listed Hua Lamphong as an area to stay if you had a train to catch. This area isn’t convenient for train travel now there is a new station, so this is now demoted to the “other areas” section. The area has the benefit of being near China Town and next to the MRT Blue Line.
Search hotels near Hua Lamphong
Chinatown
Chinatown in the old city is one of the most interesting places to visit in Bangkok. Yaowarat Road is a spectacle at night, and the MRT Blue Line extension at Wat Mangkon has made it more accessible than ever.
As for an area to stay, I don’t recommend it for first-timers, but if you have been to Bangkok a few times then it’s an option to do something different. One place that stood out for me as a Chinatown experience was staying at the Shanghai Mansion Bangkok. Here is my review of this 1930s-era Shanghai theme hotel.
[Bar at Shanghai Mansion Bangkok.]
Ari
Ari has become one of the more fashionable neighbourhoods of Bangkok, where cafes and hipster bars mix with markets and street food stalls. It’s five stops from Siam on the Sukhumvit line so it’s easy to get around from here. Ari is a popular place for expats to live, though it doesn’t have many hotel options. It’s a good area to look for an Airbnb apartment. Here is my review of an Airbnb apartment in Ari.
Soi Ngam Dupli
Before Khao San Road became the backpacker street, the original backpacker street was Soi Ngam Dupli near Lumphini Park. There are a few remnants left from its heyday, but all the backpacker action has moved to Khao San Road. I list this area for those who are curious about the neighbourhoods of Bangkok. I stayed at a few different places here, including the Malaysia Hotel. This hotel is famous for being listed in the first Lonely Planet from 1973 (Across Asia on the Cheap). Here is my review of the Malaysia Hotel, though it has since been refurbished.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth staying near the new train station?
Bang Sue Grand Station is in a redeveloped area in the north of the city. There is nothing around the station yet so it is not worth staying in the area. Bang Sue is connected to the MRT Blue line, so it is easy to get to Sukhumvit Road and Silom.