It’s been a while since I’ve done an in-depth article covering the best places to stay at in Bangkok. Accommodation in regards to hotels, condo rentals, and AirBNB.
Actually, it’s been a few years – so, I thought an update is long overdue. In this video, I will not tell you where to stay but instead give you the tools and strategies to easily narrow down your options, so even a newbie can find a place that is superb and fits his needs.
Now, not a lot has changed since over the last few years for the simple reason that nightlife areas are still the same, so the best areas to stay are still the same also. Yes, bars close, and new ones open up all the time, but my recommendations from a few years ago still hold true for the most part.
That is also the reason why I don’t do these sort of update videos more often. If not much has changed over the last few years, you can imagine how pointless a weekly, or monthly walk-around, or update video would be.
Before I cover the best locations to stay at, and some of the mistakes I’ve made when I first moved to Bangkok, I think it is important to give you some basic orientation in regards to navigating Bangkok.
The phrase “central Bangkok” is thrown around a lot. I very frequently talk about “central Bangkok” but really, that could mean a lot. So, let me be more specific …
When I – and most people I know – say “central Bangkok” we mean the intersection of the Asok BTS and Sukhumvit MRT line. Most people refer to it as the Asok intersection, and it is perhaps the most well-known landmark/area in Bangkok. If you ever meet up with a Thai girl, or someone from the Telegram group, this is the place even a Bangkok newbie will easily find.
Asok intersection, Sukhumvit intersection, Terminal21, Soi Cowboy – you can pretty much use these location spots interchangeably when it comes to giving directions to a taxi driver, or meeting up with someone.
This intersection is also within walking distance of all the nightlife mongering action, the major Red Light Districts in Bangkok. Soi Cowboy right there, Soi 11 about a 5 minute walk, and Soi 4 – also called Soi Nana – about 10 minutes walking distance. You are allowed to walk with an open container meaning drink in public, and especially if you are with someone the walk from one area to the other while having a drink, and chatting is quite enjoyable.
Just one word of warning: if you don’t want to be stopped by girls, ladyboys staying on the sidewalk, you might wanna head to the other side of the street which is usually less crowded, and almost completely void of aggressive working girls/ladyboys.
Soi Cowboy is the hardcore Red Light District everyone knows. Soi 11 isn’t a Red Light District per se, it’s more of a mix of hotels, restaurants, after hour clubs, and there’s also Havana Social Bangkok – a popular after hour club – located in an alley at the end of Soi 11.
Nana Plaza is that massive building with dozens of bars inside that you’ve probably seen in pictures. That building, and the street it is located at has lots of freelancer girls standing around, bars, etc. It’s also a street with hotel options if you don’t mind being harassed any time you walk outside …
The street is actually called Soi 4, but the name of the building – Nana Plaza – is often used interchangeably for the street, or Red Light District.
Personally, I never stay in the heart of the nightlife area for the reason I’ve just mentioned. Given that most massage and working girls run their game on autopilot, you could walk in and out of your hotel 10 times per day, and any get offered services 11 times. Any time you walk past, it’s like a clean slate, as if they’ve never seen you before.
But I get it, these girls waste time thinking, or probably don’t remember who walks past, so they just shout, or pull in any guy that walks past regardless of how often that guy has walked past in the last 60 seconds.
Anyway, if you want to be left alone, avoid staying directly in the heart of those nightlife areas, Red Light Districts.
Now … the other great thing about the Asok intersection location spot is that it can easily be used as a starting point for finding your ideal accommodation. Via Google Maps, on Agoda, Booking, AirBNB, any condo site you used, etc.
My personal recommendation to people in general, and those who use my Thailand Guide, is to stay 4-5 stops maximum from the Asok intersection. If you look at Google Maps – even if you use the map on Agoda – you can see both the blue MRT, as well as the yellow BTS line.
The blue MRT line is the underground metro, the yellow BTS line is the skytrain line. Now, you can simply go any direction when scouting for a place to stay – and ideally not go further than 5 stops.
In addition, your place – condo, hotel, AirBNB – should be walking distance to the train station. So, that’s the first way of narrowing down your options … more about that in a moment when I’ll show you how I actually use Agoda – as well as the MOST IMPORTANT FILTER that nobody ever talks about.
But first … why should you only stay 4-5 stops from the Asok intersection? Doesn’t it make sense to stay further away to get much better deals?
Well, luckily I’ve made that mistake years ago … so you don’t have to. I’ve stayed close to the Punnawithi BTS station which isn’t even that crazy far away – yet even that turned out to be an issue.
First of all, the more – let’s call it – rural you go, the more you’ll have to deal with stray dogs. The place I’ve stayed at was located in a side alley with lots of stray dogs. It’s a terrifying experience – especially at night.
Then, any of the money you save on accommodation, you’ll spend on additional taxi costs when going out at night. Plus, if girls know you are staying that far from central, they are more hesitant to go with you.
Overall, totally not worth it. Any time you go out, it turns into this big deal because travel time can easily be 30+ minutes in the evening.
You don’t want to waste your holiday time being stuck in traffic. And traffic can be pretty horrendous during peak hours.
Compare this to staying within walking distance to Soi Cowboy. You can easily head to a bar, go back to your place alone or with a girl, then head out again at a later time to see what’s going on. It can all be done spontaneously – and you’re never stuck in traffic.
However, there is one caveat to all of this: staying close to central Bangkok, to the Asok intersection is meant for guys who go out regularly – even if that just means for a beer to Soi Cowboy.
Obviously, if you have other places, have girls come to your place, or never go to bars, then you can stay further outside of central Bangkok to get better deals.
For example, the Si Lom area is great as well. You have some bars and lesser known Red Light Districts – Patong/Soi Thaniya – there. Overall, definitely not party central but still good place to stay. The best hotel I’ve ever stayed at was also located there – The Quarter at Silom. Brand new and OMG check out their gym – it’s like an actually proper gym inside the hotel.
It has also been the only hotel, the only place I’ve ever stay at that was so well insulated that for the entirety of my stay I have never had to turn on the A/C – it was always cool in that room. Pretty much perfect.
Tour of that hotel as well as the gym as a review video is in the Thailand Guide. If you’re a member already, specifically those 2 videos:
[59_Amazing Value Felt Like A Thief]
[60_ Bangkok Best Hotel Gym]
Let’s hop over to Agoda to show you the exact filters I use to find an exceptional place to stay at. Well, the first filter, I’ve already mentioned, it’s using the map and train lines as guidance – specifically the train stops to make sure you are staying close to the Asok intersection.
The second filter you’ve probably been using already, is your budget as in price per night.
Now for the most important one. It’s not the star rating of the hotel. Not the price. Not the Agoda recommended badge. It’s guest-rating. Yes, that’s right – guest-rating.
Specifically, I only go for 9+ exceptional guest rating. That filter option has never failed me. Didn’t matter if the hotel was 3 instead of 5 stars – if it had the 9+ guest-rating, had was always been a great experience.
So, now you have 3 filters and on top of that, you can filter by amenities. I always make sure there’s a gym plus pool as well. When it comes to the gym, you must absolutely look at the pictures because there is no telling if gym means actually proper gym or just a fitness room aka treadmill and 2 pink 5 pound dumbbells.
Finally, if you are new to Bangkok, I don’t recommend you book your entire stay of several weeks at one place. Book a week, or two and stay flexible. You might change places, meet a girl, or simply not like the location.
There are so many options and it’s not like hotels and condos are fully booked … in 99/100 cases, you can book half an hour before check in and won’t even pay more than booking days in advance.
So, there you have my little strategy video on how to find your ideal accommodation in Bangkok. I’ve thought about doing something similar for Phuket & Pattaya, but let’s first see how this video is received.