Where to stay · Bangkok · Thailand
Where to stay in Bangkok
9 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Chainwit., CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Rattanakosin (Old Town). The royal island of palaces, temples and museums on the Chao Phraya. Best alternatives — families: Siam and Pathum Wan; budget: Banglamphu and Khao San; nightlife: Banglamphu and Khao San.
Key facts
- First visit
- Rattanakosin (Old Town)
- Families
- Siam and Pathum Wan
- Budget
- Banglamphu and Khao San
- Nightlife
- Banglamphu and Khao San
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Rattanakosin (Old Town) | The royal island of palaces, temples and museums on the Chao Phraya |
| Families | Siam and Pathum Wan | Malls, the skytrain interchange and the city's shopping centre |
| Couples | Rattanakosin (Old Town) | The royal island of palaces, temples and museums on the Chao Phraya |
| Budget | Banglamphu and Khao San | Backpacker street, guesthouses and old-Bangkok lanes near the river |
| Luxury | Riverside (Charoen Krung and Bang Rak) | Grand river hotels, galleries and old trading-port streets |
| Nightlife | Banglamphu and Khao San | Backpacker street, guesthouses and old-Bangkok lanes near the river |
| Food lovers | Chinatown (Yaowarat) and Talat Noi | Neon signs, gold shops and the city's best night-time street food |
| Solo travellers | Banglamphu and Khao San | Backpacker street, guesthouses and old-Bangkok lanes near the river |
| Shopping | Siam and Pathum Wan | Malls, the skytrain interchange and the city's shopping centre |
| Quiet stays | Ari | Leafy residential lanes of independent cafés north of the centre |
Bangkok neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for culture, first-timers and couples
Rattanakosin (Old Town)
The historic royal quarter, ringed by canals, holds the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, the National Museum and the open field of Sanam Luang, with Wat Arun just across the river. Boutique hotels in converted shophouses along the river and around Tha Tien pier put you next to the main temples, but the area is quiet after dark and has no skytrain.
- Good
- Walk to the main temples; River views and boat piers; MRT Sanam Chai station by Wat Pho
- Watch out
- No skytrain; taxis needed for much of the city; Quiet at night with fewer restaurants
- Nearby
- Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Bangkok National Museum
$ · Best for budget, nightlife and solo travellers
Banglamphu and Khao San
Khao San Road is the city's famous backpacker strip of guesthouses, bars and street food, loud until late at night. The surrounding Banglamphu district is calmer, with Phra Sumen Fort and its riverside park, the lanes of Soi Rambuttri, old shophouses and river piers, all within walking distance of the Grand Palace.
- Good
- Inexpensive rooms and food; Easy to meet other travellers; Walkable to the old town
- Watch out
- Very noisy around Khao San; No skytrain or metro station
- Nearby
- Khao San Road, Phra Sumen Fort, Wat Saket, Democracy Monument
$$ · Best for food lovers, culture, budget and nightlife
Chinatown (Yaowarat) and Talat Noi
Yaowarat Road's neon signs, gold shops and pavement food stalls come alive after dark, while narrow Sampeng Lane sells everything wholesale by day. Talat Noi, beside the river, has old Chinese shophouses, mechanics' workshops, street art and cafés in converted warehouses. MRT Wat Mangkon puts the area on the Blue Line.
- Good
- Outstanding street food; Characterful old streets; MRT and river boats nearby
- Watch out
- Crowded, hot and chaotic; Few quiet green spaces
- Nearby
- Yaowarat Road, Wat Traimit, Talat Noi, Sampeng Lane
$$$$ · Best for luxury, couples, culture and food lovers
Riverside (Charoen Krung and Bang Rak)
The east bank of the Chao Phraya around Charoen Krung Road, the city's first paved road, is home to historic luxury hotels, Assumption Cathedral, warehouse galleries and some of Bangkok's best restaurants. Hotel shuttle boats and Sathorn pier link it with the BTS at Saphan Taksin, and ICONSIAM glitters across the water.
- Good
- River views and hotel boats; Strong food and gallery scene; BTS at Saphan Taksin
- Watch out
- Heavy traffic on Charoen Krung; Some stretches feel run-down between the hotels
- Nearby
- ICONSIAM, Asiatique The Riverfront, State Tower, Assumption Cathedral
$$$ · Best for shopping, families and first-timers
Siam and Pathum Wan
Around Siam station, where the two BTS lines meet, Siam Paragon, Siam Center, MBK and CentralWorld form a chain of malls linked by skywalks, with the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Jim Thompson House and the Erawan Shrine close by. Hotels here are central and well connected, though the area is dominated by traffic and shopping.
- Good
- Best transport hub in the city; Air-conditioned malls and food courts; Central for everything
- Watch out
- Heavy traffic; Little traditional character
- Nearby
- Siam Paragon, Jim Thompson House, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Erawan Shrine
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, shopping and families
Sukhumvit (Nana to Phrom Phong)
Sukhumvit Road runs east beneath the BTS with dense side streets (sois) of hotels, international restaurants, rooftop bars and malls such as Terminal 21 and EmQuartier. Nana and Asok are lively and a little seedy at night, while Phrom Phong around Benjasiri and Benjakitti parks is more upmarket and family-friendly.
- Good
- Huge choice of hotels and restaurants; BTS and MRT interchange at Asok; Lively nightlife
- Watch out
- Gridlocked traffic on Sukhumvit Road; Nana's red-light bars are not for everyone
- Nearby
- Terminal 21, EmQuartier, Benjakitti Park, Soi Cowboy
$$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, couples and luxury
Thong Lo and Ekkamai
Further east along Sukhumvit, Thong Lo (Soi 55) and Ekkamai (Soi 63) are where young, well-off Bangkokians go out, with design cafés, speakeasy-style cocktail bars, live-music venues and many Japanese restaurants. Serviced apartments and boutique hotels suit longer stays.
- Good
- Stylish restaurants and bars; Calmer than lower Sukhumvit; BTS access
- Watch out
- Far from the old town; Long sois; you may need motorbike taxis
- Nearby
- Thong Lo BTS, Ekkamai Bus Terminal, Benjakitti Park
$$$ · Best for nightlife, luxury and first-timers
Silom and Sathorn
Silom and Sathorn roads form Bangkok's financial district, with office towers, Lumphini Park on one edge and the King Power Mahanakhon tower at Chong Nonsi. After dark, rooftop bars and the bars of Silom Soi 2 and Soi 4, the centre of the city's LGBTQ+ nightlife, take over.
- Good
- BTS and MRT access; Rooftop bars and good restaurants; Next to Lumphini Park
- Watch out
- Office-district feel by day; Busy, polluted main roads
- Nearby
- Lumphini Park, King Power Mahanakhon, Sri Mariamman Temple, Silom Soi 4
$$ · Best for food lovers, quiet stays and solo travellers
Ari
Around BTS Ari, this residential neighbourhood of tree-lined sois is known for independent coffee shops, small restaurants and street-food stalls aimed at locals and office workers. It has few sights but a relaxed, local pace, and it is a short BTS ride from Siam and close to Chatuchak.
- Good
- Local atmosphere; Excellent cafés and street food; Easy BTS ride to Chatuchak
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Far from the old town
- Nearby
- Chatuchak Weekend Market, Victory Monument, Or Tor Kor Market
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Rattanakosin (Old Town) | $$$ | Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Bangkok National Museum |
| Banglamphu and Khao San | $ | Khao San Road, Phra Sumen Fort, Wat Saket, Democracy Monument |
| Chinatown (Yaowarat) and Talat Noi | $$ | Yaowarat Road, Wat Traimit, Talat Noi, Sampeng Lane |
| Riverside (Charoen Krung and Bang Rak) | $$$$ | ICONSIAM, Asiatique The Riverfront, State Tower, Assumption Cathedral |
| Siam and Pathum Wan | $$$ | Siam Paragon, Jim Thompson House, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Erawan Shrine |
| Sukhumvit (Nana to Phrom Phong) | $$$ | Terminal 21, EmQuartier, Benjakitti Park, Soi Cowboy |
| Thong Lo and Ekkamai | $$$ | Thong Lo BTS, Ekkamai Bus Terminal, Benjakitti Park |
| Silom and Sathorn | $$$ | Lumphini Park, King Power Mahanakhon, Sri Mariamman Temple, Silom Soi 4 |
| Ari | $$ | Chatuchak Weekend Market, Victory Monument, Or Tor Kor Market |
Getting to your hotel
Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) is about 30 km east of the centre; the Airport Rail Link reaches Phaya Thai in about 26 minutes, with a change to the BTS there, and metered taxis from the official rank take 30–60 minutes depending on traffic. Don Mueang (DMK), used by many low-cost airlines, is about 25 km north and linked by the SRT Red Line and the A1 bus to BTS Mo Chit.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Bangkok for first-time visitors?
Rattanakosin (Old Town). The historic royal quarter, ringed by canals, holds the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, the National Museum and the open field of Sanam Luang, with Wat Arun just across the river.
+Where should families stay in Bangkok?
Siam and Pathum Wan: Best transport hub in the city.
+Which area of Bangkok is best for a budget stay?
Banglamphu and Khao San ($): Backpacker street, guesthouses and old-Bangkok lanes near the river.