Bangkok’s best places to stay for all budgets

Booming Bangkok, where the city centre seems to be both everywhere and nowhere, has an estimated 80,300 hotel rooms. You can check-in here at any level from a backpacker bunkroom to presidential suite but, somehow, whether it’s for a day or a month, your stay never seems long enough.

Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort

Bells, whistles and wellness – Anantara Riverside.

Perfect for: River romantics, families and escapists.
The Anantara Riverside starts with a huge, front-row domain of Chao Phraya shoreline and then adds bells, whistles and wellness. Its 4.5 hectares of grounds make this a classic old-school hideaway. Upriver, a short shuttle ride to the north, the insomniac city rumbles on while the Anantara remains supremely undisturbed. With river view suites, a kids club, multiple bars and restaurants, a svelte spa and dinner cruises along the River of Kings aboard a vintage Manohra boat, you might ask, “Who needs the city?“
From $283 a night. 257/1-3 Charoennakorn Road, Thonburi. Phone: [phone]. See anantara.com

Madi Paidi Bangkok, Autograph Collection

Stylish modern Thai design, with no Orientalist cliches – Madi Paidi, Bangkok.

Perfect for: City trippers, design fans, adventurous diners.
The name, Madi Paidi comes from a fun Thai greeting that links “welcome” (ma dee) and “bon voyage” (pai dee) together. This stylish, new, 56-room member of Marriott’s Autograph Collection sits just minutes’ walk from Sukhumvit Road and the upmarket Thong Lor district — think dining, clubs, spa treatments. It’s a creative hotel, with intriguing wall graphics, ever-changing textures and an innovative restaurant, EKKALUCK done in late-deco design. The vibe is modern Thai, with artistic tradition woven into the walls but no Orientalist cliches.
From $328 a night. 22 Soi Sukhumvit 53 Phone: [phone]. See madipaidibangkok.com

The Yard Hostel

A private room with shared bathroom at The Yard, Bangkok.

Perfect for: Women, couples and sustainability travellers.
The Yard – which means “relative” in Thai – is an oasis of trees and smartly converted shipping containers. Sleep in the latter (much modified and very creature-comfortable) and then laze in the garden with a family of fellow travellers and random kittens. The accommodation ranges from dorms to private rooms, plus top-floor lofts with private bathrooms and a tree canopy outlook (with squirrels). The in-house cafe serves all-day brunch from a healthy menu. The Yard is in the relatively quiet Ari district, conveniently close to the local SkyTrain station.
From $62 a night. 51 Phahon Yothin 5, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai. Phone: [phone]. See theyardhostel.com

The COMO Metropolitan Bangkok

Resort-style pool at family-friendly COMO Metropolitan Bangkok.

Perfect for: Urban discovers, shoppers, families and business travellers.
This spacious city haven of 169 guestrooms and suites is tucked quietly away, back from busy South Sathorn Road. The Metropolitan embodies the COMO portfolio’s signature elements of design flair and refined taste, while its Michelin-starred Nahm restaurant remains a Bangkok stand-out for classic Thai cuisine. The resort’s connecting rooms are a plus for travelling families; then add the Shambhala wellness centre, morning yoga sessions and a large pool. It’s all a short walk from the Silom Road shopping zone and Sala Daeng SkyTrain station.
From $200 a night. 27 South Sathorn Road, Tungmahamek, Sathorn. Phone: [phone]. See comohotels.com

Four Seasons Bangkok Hotel at Chao Phraya River

An urban resort on the riverbank – Four Seasons Bangkok.

Perfect for: Gourmands, art buffs and river romantics.
“Nothing is ever still on this great water highway,” wrote British author Gavin Young of the Chao Phraya River. The high-end Four Seasons “urban resort” on its banks is a pleasure dome of smart art and good service, plus a prime location – 3.6 hectares of absolute riverfront. Tiered terraces and pools lead you from the foyer towards a banyan-shaded riverside promenade. Meanwhile, multiple dining options are tempting you back indoors again. Italian, French or Michelin-starred Cantonese? And a Buenos Aires-themed bar that slings PhD-complex cocktails. The floor-to-ceiling river view from the 299 rooms and suites could hold you captive for hours, but don’t forget to roam the waterside nooks and galleries of the nearby Creative District.
From $772 a night. 300/1 Charoen Krung Road, Sathon. Phone: [phone]. See fourseasons.com

Ibis Bangkok Sukhumvit 4

Budget accommodation in the heart of hyperactive Sukhumvit.

Perfect for: Nightlife lovers, bar-hoppers and budgeters.
Sukhumvit Soi Four, aka Soi Nana Tai, is home to scores of bars and eateries, and hectic, “one-night-in-Bangkok” street life. It’s fun and eye-opening, even if not to all tastes. Rooms at the Ibis Bangkok Sukhumvit 4 (not to be mistaken for its sibling, the nearby Ibis Styles Sukhumvit 4) are configured in generic “Ibis International” format, with ensuite bathroom and queen or twin single beds. There’s a foyer bar, restaurant and business centre. While the hotel lacks a pool, it is pet-friendly, fully non-smoking and wheelchair accessible. Here you’re in the heart of hyperactive Sukhumvit, close to several big malls like Terminal 21 and the Nana SkyTrain station.
From $72 a night. 41 Sukhumvit Road Soi 4, Klongtoey. Phone: [phone]. See all.accor.com

Buddy Lodge

Rooftop pool at youth-geared Buddy’s.

Perfect for: Budget travellers and, in the Lodge’s own words, “dreadlocked travelling dudes and wide-eyed newbies.”
Buddy Lodge surveys exuberant Khao San Road, Thailand’s default portal for trippers, from gap-yearlings to postgrad nomads. With 76 sufficiently spacious rooms, a rooftop pool, bar, gym and even a sightseeing “tram”, Buddy’s covers plenty of bases at a reasonable rate. By day, the famed KSR thoroughfare out front is a whirling derby of tuk-tuks and knock-off market stalls. By night, traffic-free, it’s an all-eating-all-drinking, and then do-it-again, party zone, followed by an easy wobble back to Buddy’s.
From $49 a night. 265 Khao San Road, Taladyod Pranakorn. Phone: [phone]. See buddylodge.com

Cape House Langsuan Hotel

Perfect for self-catering and long-stay guests – Cape House Langsuan Hotel.

Perfect for: Short- and long-term stayers on leisure, business or medical travel.
This well-appointed pied-à-terre not far from Chit Lom SkyTrain station has an outdoor pool, gym and children’s playroom. Its accommodation ranges from studios to one- and two-bedroom apartments, the latter featuring kitchenette, washing machine and dining area. Perfect for self-catering and long-stay guests. After a day of jousting with Bangkok, make it to the 15th floor Executive Lounge for a casual meeting or a drink, with complimentary coffee and snacks. The in-house No.43 Italian Bistro specialises in fine Thai dining as well as its namesake cuisine.
From $159 a night. 43 Soi Langsuan, Ploenchit Road, Lumpini. Phone: [phone]. See capehouse.com

Grand China Bangkok

Grand China, home to a little-known, 23rd floor sky bar with views across Bangkok.

Perfect for: Food trippers and cultural adventurers.
The Grand China Bangkok looms above Yaowarat road like an art deco cruise liner that’s come to rest at the busiest intersection in the middle of probably the world’s biggest Chinatown. Like everything on Yaowarat’s main dragon boulevard this landmark hotel is about full-on cultural immersion. Take your choice from rooms and suites in a dozen configurations, and from six restaurants including the premium Siang Poh Loh. There’s a gym, pool and shopping arcade, plus a little-known, 23rd-floor sky bar with views across the Bangkok sunset. Meanwhile, outside, the endless progressive Chinese feast that is Yaowarat Road awaits you.
From $99 a night. 215 Yaowarat Road, Samphanthawong. Phone: [phone]. See grandchina.com

Millennium Hilton

The serene high-rise infinity pool at Millennium Hilton.

Perfect for: Romantics, shoppers and history lovers.
The Millennium Hilton, on the Chao Phraya river’s historic western, or Thonburi, shore allows you to draw breath. Bangkok’s CBD on the opposite bank seems a world away. The guestroom views of the restless river and its working vessels are mesmerising, as are those from the high-rise infinity pool. Step next door to IconSiam mall for shopping, or take the shuttle ferry across to town. Or go no further than the Flow restaurant with all-day dining across multinational cuisines. Wrap-up your day at the ThreeSixty Rooftop Bar where the late-night cocktails are enhanced by sultry jazz and torch songs.
From $255 a night. 123 Charoennakorn Road, Klongsan. Phone: [phone]. See hilton.com

Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

Simply an outstanding airport hotel. Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Perfect for: Transit travellers, families and business travellers.
Despite the cumbersome title, all else in this new, four-star hotel is functional, serene and user-friendly — just what you need after a long flight. Located a 10-minute ride from the airport in suburban Lat Krabang, its halls are silent and the carpets deep. After a good night’s sleep, you can draw the room’s blackout curtains to find a lush garden outside with a klong canal running through it. There’s a spa, huge pool, 24-hour gym and a heroic breakfast buffet, plus a gleaming, free Mercedes shuttle bus to the airport.
From $265 a night. 599/9 Lat Krabang Road, Lat Krabang. Phone: [phone]. See marriott.com

Banyan Tree Bangkok

Knock-out views from Vertigo Grill and Moon Bar on the 61st floor.

Perfect for: Business travellers, shoppers, high-rise diners.
The landmark Banyan Tree levitates above South Sathon Road, earning its tag of “vertical urban resort”. There are knock-out views from its 327 guestrooms, and increasingly more dramatic ones as you ascend to the Saffron Sky Garden and, finally, the 61st floor Vertigo Grill and Moon Bar. The one- and two-bedroom suites are configured for corporate and leisure travellers alike, with work desk and good natural lighting, plus a generous bathtub. Go for a Club Floor suite with complimentary extras and access to the expansive Club Lounge. Back on ground, you’re just a short walk from Silom Road’s shops and Sala Daeng SkyTrain station.
From $300 a night. 21/100 South Sathon Road, Sathon. Phone: [phone]. See banyantree.com

The writer was a guest of several of the above hotels.