Best area to stay in Bangkok?

[SSLK]

Hi all, I have 2 trips planned to Bangkok next year, where do you recomend staying, not a particular hotel but an area. (I can find a place to stay once I know a good area).

 

I am looking for close to nightlife, restaurants, bars etc.

Great shopping (for the wife)

Central to attractions

Close to public transport

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited September 3, 2012 by Alleycat

[Kassanova]

We stayed in a hotel in Ratchada (I think its called). Great hotel.

 

5 minute taxi ride to metro/subways, which take you where you wanna go.

Close to some shopping malls (Terminal 21, MBK Center, Siam Paragon, Esplanade).

Not far with taxi to Soi Cowboy, and some nightclubs.

When trafic is bad, it could feel really bad to get around in that area, so maybe another hotel in the area would suit you better.

 

Overall, I was satisfied with the area, and the hotel was of amazing standards.

 

 

http://www.agoda.com/asia/thailand/bangkok/mestyle_place.html

[Zauberfee]

Try the area around BTS station Siam. Lot's of small shops and restaurants, next to MBK and Siam Parangon und BTS access as well.

 

If you want to stay close to some main attractions like Wat Phra Cheo, Wat Pho or Wat Arun then you might be better off at Riverside area

[kansuwan]

Sukhumvit Soi 11 meets your specification in every respect. Plenty of wife-friendly stuff around there and easy access via Nana BTS to the riverside tourist stuff and malls to the west (MBK, Paragon) and east (S21, Emporium). Mid-way between Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy for you.

[missinginaction]

Soi 4 is always a great place to stay. And very close to BTS

[SSLK]

Thanks, we are thinking of staying in Sukhumvit or Siam area. Sounds like we are on the right track, once again thanks for the advice.

[Skyreal]

Hey,

I would like to recommend to stay in vacation rentals in Pattaya.It's a great place to visit and there are many fabulous attractions to see and nice vacation rentals to stay.You could enjoy each and every moment of your staying.

 

Have fun!!!

 

Brickell rental

 

Brickell condos

[LRanger]

Soi 8 its a pretty civilised soi to stay in, right at Nana BTS. Some quite nice newish hotels too. Good little pub and even a Tapas bar there now.

[Gone with the wind]

Any of the Soi's along Sukhumvit will be fine. As long as you are within walking distance to the BTS.

Personally I'd recommend Soi 4,6,8 and 11.

[Piece Corp]

I usually stay on Soi 19. It's at the intersection of MRT & BTS, near Terminal 21 for shopping, and near Soi Cowboy for fun.

[chang_03]

I recommend the Centara Grand at Central World. Depending on your budet, around B5'000. 10 minutes walk to BTS. Shopping Centre "in the house". Good roof top restaurant and bar with fantastic views.

[Prostrike8]

Landmark hotel I can highly recommend next to nana plaza, not to far from soi cowboy.

[billy68]

I stay at one of two soi`s eighter soi 8 (Adelphi Suite) or Soi 15, 8 is very nice, very close to Nana and the beer garden at soi 7 and you enter the BTS at the corner with Sukhumvit Road. About 15 min walk or 2 minute on the BTS to Soi Cowboy, on Soi 15(Dream or Royal President) you are in the middle of Nana and Asoke BTS and easy walking distance to both.

[Taeng Mo]

Try the area around BTS station Siam. Lot's of small shops and restaurants, next to MBK and Siam Parangon und BTS access as well.

 

If you want to stay close to some main attractions like Wat Phra Cheo, Wat Pho or Wat Arun then you might be better off at Riverside area

 

+1

If you have the Missus.

For all the reasons above, Siam is an interchange MRT station, so can get on trains to wherever you want easily. Can catch one to Sala Daeng for Patpong night market. Lots of good restaurants here, plus the seedy side, or catch one the other way (Bearing Line) for Sukhumvit Nana (Plaza) or Asoke (Soi cowboy). You'll see, the maps are right there at the station. Also might want to take the Missus to Sky Bar, for panoramic views of BKK, easy taxi ride. Impressive at sunset but be prepared to drop some cash on drinks (whisky coke Bt270). Take your camera. Take a train the other way (Mor Chit line) and get off at Saphan Kwai for a short walk to Chatuchak Market. Check your guide book.

 

Plus staying around there means you are handy but in a "normal" area.

[MartyBKK]

Sukhumvit Soi 11 meets your specification in every respect. Plenty of wife-friendly stuff around there and easy access via Nana BTS to the riverside tourist stuff and malls to the west (MBK, Paragon) and east (S21, Emporium). Mid-way between Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy for you.

 

This post wins....

 

I live in Sukhumvit. Anyone still recommending Soi 4 or similar is either out of date, cheap or of Arab origin....

 

Soi 11 has great (non P4P) nightlife and restaurants (plenty of FL in places like Climax and Q and even Bed if required) and has pretty easy access to shopping via BTS.

 

Try the new Aloft hotel.....

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[wackyjacky]

Hey,

I would like to recommend to stay in vacation rentals in Pattaya.It's a great place to visit and there are many fabulous attractions to see and nice vacation rentals to stay.You could enjoy each and every moment of your staying.

 

Have fun!!!

 

Brickell rental

 

Brickell condos

MODS: Can we ban Spamboy ? BTW, I 2nd Soi 11. The only problem is that alot of the hotels (like Aloft) are way way deep in the soi .Since SSLK has the old lady with him, I suggest staying down by the river once. Lotsa stuff to do and see down there. Don't rule out Ploenchit - Lumpini either. The best hotels in town are there or by the river. If you don't wanna throw alot of $$ at it - stay between Nana & Emporium. Bangkok is one of the few major cities in the world where $50 can nab you a good hotel. wj

[petersiemek]

This post wins....

 

I live in Sukhumvit. Anyone still recommending Soi 4 or similar is either out of date, cheap or of Arab origin....

 

Soi 11 has great (non P4P) nightlife and restaurants (plenty of FL in places like Climax and Q and even Bed if required) and has pretty easy access to shopping via BTS.

 

Try the new Aloft Hotel.....

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

What about Soi 8 ? Is it OK ? I am cheap a little bit , but I'm not of Arab origin ? If I remember it's on the opposite side of the main road ?

[angsta]

Agreed.

 

The Soi 11 hotels are all pretty far down the Soi so unless they have a usually unreliable Tuk Tuk service its a warm walk.

[brutox]

... you are absolutely correct to first cite an area, but keep this location thing all in perspective, my man ... the transit between BTS and MRT stations (BKK's main public transit systems) is about 2 minutes ... average platform wait time is maybe 2 minutes during morning to mid-morning, and late-afternoon to mid-evening hours ... you really needn't locate yourself right on top of a freakin' shopping mall (you probably have plenty of those at home), just accessible to public transit ... get out of the hotel and get about town ... make the selection of where you stay for the right reason, not the wrong one ... (I read about some truely intrepid travellers who actually stay at the friggin' Suvarnabhumi Airport Novotel so they will not be late for their flight!).

 

... same thing for being a little too proximate to the adult entertainment venues ... if you stay on Soi 4, it is in your face the minute you walk out of the hotel, all day, and all night (and listen up here, some of that stanky shit will stick to the bottom of your wife's new sling-back CFM pumps) ... if you plan to tour Nana, Cowboy, Patpong, Soi 33, these places are all very easily accessible from their local BTS and MRT stations ... don't let mere access to them dictate where you choose to stay.

 

... the key to enjoying BKK is to avoid having to climb into a car (and never, ever, ever, ever, getting into a tuk-tuk ... ever! ... am I getting through to you here?)... BKK's public transit system is not Tokyo or Singapore, but it is pretty convenient for tourist travelers.

 

... what another poster wrote was a 5-minute taxi ride to the nearest BTS station could commonly be dead stopped in traffic for 10-20 minutes and a 30 minute ride just to get to the BTS station at the wrong time of day, on most every day ... locate yourself near to a BTS or MRT station wherever you stay ... and (this is important), be sure to verify yourself the distance a hotel says it is from a BTS or MRT station ... look at it yourself on a map, or ask a friend who knows the area ... you simply cannot trust what many hotels (especially non-branded) here will tell you to get your reservation.

 

... some river properties are very nice with some fabulous values, but make sure you are on the river frontage, in a hotel with it's own courtesy river taxi, which will deposit you at the Saphan Taksin BTS station ... staying on the river, you will know the traditional heartbeat of this old river city (I recommend it) ... a 20-30 minute trip from a river property to BKK's main shopping and entertainment venues is entertaining in itself ... and, there are plenty of great dining venues about the river, and enough shopping venues to keep you local for a couple of days (Asiatique, River City Mall, Surawong/Charoen Krung shopping districts) ... you can sometimes catch phenominal deals at the Peninsula (best deal in BKK grade deals) ... and river taxis can transport you easily and cheaply up and down the river to the more popular tourists attractions (several wats, Grand Palace, etc.).

 

... personally, I steer most friends with family (especially kids) away from lower Sukhumvit (Sois 1-11, and Sois 2-10), because of the clearly adult-oriented content of that trade area ... go-go's, bars, massage parlors, and all of those nasssty custom tailor shops ... great if you are here for most any mix of whoring, drinking, dining, light shopping for cheap crap ... but, it can all become a bit over-powering if you are not into 24/7 whoring, drinking, dining, light shopping for cheap crap.

 

... if not on the river, most find the balance in mid-Sukhumvit properties (Sois 12-24, and Sois 19-39) ... plenty from which to choose, across all price points and ratings ... you probably know where to go for intel ... even as a local here, I generally trust the tourist reviews of Thai hotels and farang restaurants on www.traveladvisor.com ... I do not, however, trust their reviews of Thai restaurants and shopping venues ... for that, you will have far better intel from the locals on forums as this.

 

... a footnote, if you've not aleady caught it elsewhere ... shopping ... Jatujak Market ... open weekends only ... end of the BTS line ... do not miss.

Edited September 6, 2012 by brutox

[wackyjacky]

Great advice Brutox !

[voodoo31]

You didnt mention budget but I like The Federal hotel in Sukhumvit Soi11. It is across the road from Bed night club and short walk to Q bar. It is right bewteen Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy so can easliy get to either. For transport Nana station on the SKytrain is right at the start of Soi 11.

 

So 11 is very interesrting with plenty of good restaurants, shopping stalls and food vendors operating all night.

 

Federal is an older style hotel and is low cot average room around 1300 baht/night (better rooms up to 2400/night). It has a swimming pool and staff are friendly, also guest friendly.

[Nestorvaps]

I would Highly recommend the Dynasty Inn on Soi 4 just of Sukhumvit main road. The Location is fantastic, walking distance to the Nana BTS station, great shopping all round, fantastic restaurants and the night life is pretty awesome.

 

The hotel it self is also great, very modern and has great feel to it. Service is also very good. the price is also very reasonable. .

[geezerrb]

Hi all, I have 2 trips planned to Bangkok next year, where do you recomend staying, not a particular hotel but an area. (I can find a place to stay once I know a good area).

 

I am looking for close to nightlife, restaurants, bars etc.

Great shopping (for the wife)

Central to attractions

Close to public transport

 

Thanks in advance.

I think a lot of of posts assume you will have the wife with you so give great info about shopping is this the " shopping channel" What a a load of crap.

[eksildanskeren]

Hi all, I have 2 trips planned to Bangkok next year, where do you recomend staying, not a particular hotel but an area. (I can find a place to stay once I know a good area).

 

I am looking for close to nightlife, restaurants, bars etc.

Great shopping (for the wife)

Central to attractions

Close to public transport

 

Thanks in advance.

I think a lot of of posts assume you will have the wife with you so give great info about shopping is this the " shopping channel" What a a load of crap.

 

Guess, if you read the original post, he asked for shopping for the wife...

 

And i definately support staying in soi 11, i stayed at citadines in february, and everything was great.

 

... you are absolutely correct to first cite an area, but keep this location thing all in perspective, my man ... the transit between BTS and MRT stations (BKK's main public transit systems) is about 2 minutes ... average platform wait time is maybe 2 minutes during morning to mid-morning, and late-afternoon to mid-evening hours ... you really needn't locate yourself right on top of a freakin' shopping mall (you probably have plenty of those at home), just accessible to public transit ... get out of the hotel and get about town ... make the selection of where you stay for the right reason, not the wrong one ... (I read about some truely intrepid travellers who actually stay at the friggin' Suvarnabhumi Airport Novotel so they will not be late for their flight!).

 

... same thing for being a little too proximate to the adult entertainment venues ... if you stay on Soi 4, it is in your face the minute you walk out of the hotel, all day, and all night (and listen up here, some of that stanky shit will stick to the bottom of your wife's new sling-back CFM pumps) ... if you plan to tour Nana, Cowboy, Patpong, Soi 33, these places are all very easily accessible from their local BTS and MRT stations ... don't let mere access to them dictate where you choose to stay.

 

... the key to enjoying BKK is to avoid having to climb into a car (and never, ever, ever, ever, getting into a tuk-tuk ... ever! ... am I getting through to you here?)... BKK's public transit system is not Tokyo or Singapore, but it is pretty convenient for tourist travelers.

 

... what another poster wrote was a 5-minute taxi ride to the nearest BTS station could commonly be dead stopped in traffic for 10-20 minutes and a 30 minute ride just to get to the BTS station at the wrong time of day, on most every day ... locate yourself near to a BTS or MRT station wherever you stay ... and (this is important), be sure to verify yourself the distance a hotel says it is from a BTS or MRT station ... look at it yourself on a map, or ask a friend who knows the area ... you simply cannot trust what many hotels (especially non-branded) here will tell you to get your reservation.

 

... some river properties are very nice with some fabulous values, but make sure you are on the river frontage, in a hotel with it's own courtesy river taxi, which will deposit you at the Saphan Taksin BTS station ... staying on the river, you will know the traditional heartbeat of this old river city (I recommend it) ... a 20-30 minute trip from a river property to BKK's main shopping and entertainment venues is entertaining in itself ... and, there are plenty of great dining venues about the river, and enough shopping venues to keep you local for a couple of days (Asiatique, River City Mall, Surawong/Charoen Krung shopping districts) ... you can sometimes catch phenominal deals at the Peninsula (best deal in BKK grade deals) ... and river taxis can transport you easily and cheaply up and down the river to the more popular tourists attractions (several wats, Grand Palace, etc.).

 

... personally, I steer most friends with family (especially kids) away from lower Sukhumvit (Sois 1-11, and Sois 2-10), because of the clearly adult-oriented content of that trade area ... go-go's, bars, massage parlors, and all of those nasssty custom tailor shops ... great if you are here for most any mix of whoring, drinking, dining, light shopping for cheap crap ... but, it can all become a bit over-powering if you are not into 24/7 whoring, drinking, dining, light shopping for cheap crap.

 

... if not on the river, most find the balance in mid-Sukhumvit properties (Sois 12-24, and Sois 19-39) ... plenty from which to choose, across all price points and ratings ... you probably know where to go for intel ... even as a local here, I generally trust the tourist reviews of Thai hotels and farang restaurants on www.traveladvisor.com ... I do not, however, trust their reviews of Thai restaurants and shopping venues ... for that, you will have far better intel from the locals on forums as this.

 

... a footnote, if you've not aleady caught it elsewhere ... shopping ... Jatujak Market ... open weekends only ... end of the BTS line ... do not miss.

 

This post should be pinned...

[1MoreTrip]

I'd stay around soi 4