Bangkok places to stay: Six of the best budget options

Situated in arty, untouristy Ari, The Yard ("yard" means "relative" in Thai) is a little oasis of calm made out of repurposed shipping containers.

THE YARD HOSTEL

Situated in arty, untouristy Ari, The Yard ("yard" means "relative" in Thai) is a little oasis of calm made out of repurposed shipping containers set in a large garden complete with big trees and real grass. In keeping with its ethos that guests become part of the family, dorms and private rooms all have names like Pa (aunt), Ta (grandfather) and Pi-Sao (older sister). The Lhani (grandchild) private rooms are the favourites with their high ceilings, loft beds and floor-to-ceiling windows and there is an inclusive, eco-conscious vibe throughout, summed up by a sign outside one dorm: "Please walk softly, your friends are sleeping." Dorms from THB450 ($18), private rooms from THB1100 ($45). See theyardhostel.com

BANGKOK TREEHOUSE

Inspired by Henry David Thoreau's Walden, Bangkok Treehouse is something of a botanical boathouse with its lush vertical gardens and boardwalks: it's built on stilts over a tidal wetland on the "island" of Bang Krachao, a ponytail of land almost completely encircled by the Chao Phraya river and protected by royal decree since 1977. The two-storey Tree Top Nests are delightfully minimalist with open-air showers, loft bedrooms and breezy rooftop decks with 360-degree green views; you're more likely to see a squirrel up there than a skyscraper. From THB2600 ($105). See bangkoktreehouse.com

BEAT HOTEL

At BEAT boutique hotel, guests are part of an ongoing urban art project: all 54 rooms are decorated by young street artists, illustrators and graphic designers. Each room was a blank canvas for a different local artist, but they all share a sense of whimsy and playfulness. Fall asleep looking at friendly one-eyed creatures or human-sized rabbits seemingly escaping from wall-mounted photo frames. Even BEAT's entrance, which is close to Phra Khanong Skytrain station, is, er, offbeat – it's dominated by a coworking/event space that resembles one of the alien "tripods" from War of the Worlds. From THB1225 ($50). See beathotelbangkok.com

NAP HOTEL

NAP, its name a sleep-inducing acronym for "Need A Pillow", is a stylish budget boutique hotel close to the Victory Monument obelisk in Bangkok's Phaya Thai shopping precinct (there are at least three big malls nearby) and two Skytrain stations – there's a free 24-hour shuttle to the main road and shopping area. Outside, it's all glass and vertical garden; inside, the 55 rooms are small but well-designed, with all the amenities you'd expect in a not-so-budget hotel: minibar, cable TV, Wi-Fi, hairdryer and coffee- and tea-making facilities. You don't even need to BYO pillow. From THB990 ($40). See naphotelbangkok.com

THA CITY LOFT

The vibe is urban, hip and industrial as soon as you enter this 64-room hotel, which promises to help you "live like a Bangkokian". Rooms are chic grey with artworks and decor by local designers. The dark-walled lobby with its giant wire cube suspended from the high ceiling, leather lounges, vertical garden and restaurant is a drawcard in itself – although just outside, this neighbourhood is wall-to-wall bars, clubs, restaurants and cafes such as DND (Do Not Disturb, a club) and Kaizen Coffee, a Melbourne-style cafe popular with locals. From THB1100 ($45). See

LAZY SUNDAY HOSTEL

A hostel by name and a capsule hotel by nature, Lazy Sunday has two capsule rooms (one for women, one for men) each with four timber-panelled capsules at ground level and four above, accessible by a ladder. Capsules have double beds (they're roomy enough for two), shelving, lights, fans, lockers and privacy blinds. There's a Thai restaurant on the first floor and a café on the second floor, but Lazy Sunday is really just a jumping off point for exploring Bangkok. Situated in the Siam area, it's close to National Stadium BTS station, Bangkok Art & Culture Centre, the Jim Thompson House museum and malls such as MBK and Siam Paragon. Capsules from THB470 ($19). See lazysundayhostel.com

Louise Southerden was a guest of The Yard and Bangkok Tree House.