Where to stay in Bangkok for the first time?

Video #19 | January 18, 2018

In this video I’m going to look at a question that pretty much all first-time visitors to Bangkok ask themselves; Where to stay in Bangkok for the first time?

I’m going to break my answer down into the following demographics:

1. Where to stay in Bangkok for backpackers?
2. Where to stay in Bangkok for shopping?
3. Where to stay in Bangkok for a couple?
4. Where to stay in Bangkok for culture?
5. Where to stay in Bangkok for single men?

Click on the following link to check out more Fun Things To Do in Bangkok.

#VIDEO TRANSCRIPT#

Alrighty then! Welcome to the nineteenth video of Bangkok Unmasked! The YouTube channel that helps you get the most out of your visit to Bangkok city! If you’re new here, please consider subscribing! In this video I’m going to look at a question that pretty much all first-time visitors to Bangkok ask themselves; Where to stay in Bangkok for the first time? This was certainly the main thing on my mind before I boarded a plane from Heathrow to Don Muang airport nearly 19 years ago!

Let’s get started!

The best answer to the question; ‘Where to stay in Bangkok for the first time?’ really depends on your demographic. I’m going to break my answer down into the following demographics:

1. Where to stay in Bangkok for backpackers?
2. Where to stay in Bangkok for shopping?
3. Where to stay in Bangkok for a couple?
4. Where to stay in Bangkok for culture?
5. Where to stay in Bangkok for single men?

Onwards…

Where to stay in Bangkok for backpackers?

So, where to say in Bangkok for backpackers? This one is easy. I’d advise that you head to the infamous Khao San Road! Khoa San Road has been on the backpacker trail for literally ever, and it’s an easy way for people on a budget to ease themselves into the city. This is where I stayed for my first week in Bangkok.

An alternative to Khoa San Road is Soi Rambuttri which is just around the corner from Khoa San Road. Like Khoa San Road it’s filled with cafes, bars, street stalls and hotels and it has a great atmosphere both during the day, and in the evening, but it’s not as noisy at Khaosan so you can still get a good night’s sleep! One note. Khoan San Road is not really in Bangkok city proper. It doesn’t have a Skytrain or Underground station nearly which makes travelling around the city much more difficult.

If for whatever reason the Banglamphu [which is the area Khoa San Road is located in] isn’t what you’re looking for, there are plenty of hostels [many of which where you share a large dormitory style room] available in Bangkok. Just Google “Bangkok Hostel” and you’ll find plenty of results.

Where to stay in Bangkok for shopping?

Next, where to stay in Bangkok for shopping? Again, this one is pretty easy. You want to stay somewhere where you can easily reach the BTS, or Skytrain. I’d advise that you stay anywhere between ‘Siam’ and ‘Phrom Pong’ BTS stations. Bangkok has horrific traffic, and the Skytrain [or underground] is really the only way to travel if you want to get where you’re going without wasting hours in traffic. The reason why I advise anywhere between ‘Siam’ and ‘Phrom Pong’ BTS stations is that this is where the prime shopping centers are located for example; MBK, Siam Discovery Center, Siam Center, Siam Paragon, Siam Square, Central World, Central Chidlom, Terminal 21, Emquartier, Emporium etc. Ultimately, if you can’t find what you’re looking for in these shopping centers, it probably can’t be found. [Do check out a video that I did on MBK through the link above!] In terms of exactly which hotel you’ll want to stay in, this really depends on your budget. What I’d do is Google hotels near your chosen Skytrain station, and then pick accordingly. As you’ll see, there’s a massive selection and the price varies accordingly.

Where to stay in Bangkok for a couple?

Next, where to stay in Bangkok for a couple? If you want a romantic place to stay, I’d suggest that you look somewhere near the Chao Phraya river. It really is beautiful at night, and it’s much more tranquil [depending on where you are] during the day time too. Assuming that money is not a key consideration, I recommend The Peninsula, The Mandarin Oriental and The Shangri-La. All 3 hotels are pretty close to each other, and they have everything that you’d expect in luxury romantic hotels. My personal favorite is The Mandarin Oriental. It has a fantastic spa, and their riverside restaurant is one of my favorite spots in the city to unwind and relax. It’s a perfect lunch/dinner spot, and the prices when compared with the other restaurants in the hotel are remarkably reasonable. [As a side-note, the prices in the Mandarin Oriental spa are not at all reasonable, but the service is world-class].

Where to stay in Bangkok for culture?

Next, where to stay in Bangkok for culture? Most of Bangkok’s culture is located over the river in the ‘old city’ near the Khoa San Road area, which I mentioned earlier. Here you’ll find all of the famous temples like Wat Phra Kaew or The Grand Palace, Wat Arun or The Temple of Dawn and Wat Po which is home to the reclining Buddha. You’ll also be within a short distance to the National Museum, which is a must-visit attraction. [I’m going to cover all these places in future videos]. If Khao San Road isn’t your thing, Google ‘Hotels near the Grand Palace’. Alternatively, simply stay near the Chao Phraya river as this is the easiest way to travel, via express river boat, to the old city.

Where to stay in Bangkok for single men?

Finally, where to stay in Bangkok for single men? If you’re looking for hotels near to the key red-light districts, you need to be in the Nana or Asok area. Nana is home to Nana Plaza, and Asok is home to Soi Cowboy. From both the Nana or Asok area you can pretty much head anywhere via either the Skytrain or underground. [For example, Patpong in Silom, or the Ratchada area if soapy massage is your thing]. If you’re on a budget, you can’t do much better than the Majestic Suites in Nana. [Which is right around the corner from Nana Plaza, and walking distance to Soi Cowboy]. If you need a little bit of luxury, either The Landmark or The JW Marriot will work – both hotels are close to the Majestic Suites. From what I’ve been told by friends and acquaintances, all these hotels are ‘girl-friendly’!

Anyway…That’s it for this video. I hope that helps answer the question; Where to stay in Bangkok for the first time? Expect a new video shortly. It should be posted in about a week, or so.

For all you techies out there, this video was shot on a Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, and edited using HitFilm Express.

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Thank you very much for watching. I’ll see you next week. Goodbye.