Where to stay in Bangkok?

[connieboo]

Just that really! Friend and I leave in ten days and need to get on with booking a hotel. We shall be in Bangkok for seven days before moving on. We are both early/mid 20s, not particularly into drinking / clubbing and plan to spend the time sight seeing (as well as a bit of lazing by a pool ). We have found hundreds of hotels and are trying to narrow them down by location but are completely unfamiliar with the city. We would ideally like to be somewhere central with good transport links and in an area that we can explore a bit on foot. Any location recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Bangkok is divided into numerous little areas. Public transport is actually quite good, and tuk tuks for short hops.
If you're not into clubbing and drinking then don't stay anywhere near the Kho San Road!
Last time I was in Bangkok I stayed at the Banyan tree. Lovely hotel, rooftop bar and I think it had a pool.
Close to the sky train which is clean, fast and very efficient.

I stayed at the Davis hotel. Gorgeous rooms and really good food. Had a cocktail bar and a roof top pool.

we stayed at the orchid sheraton by the river last year. Lovely hotel and great pool with a swim up bar.
The location was ok , we got taxi's everywhere as there were four of us so it was really cheap but i wish we were closer to the shopping centres because we spent quite a bit of time at the cinema, aquarium etc.

I cant imagine what you do for 7 days in Bangkok?
I wish we had gone to Singapore instead of Bangkok on our way back from Koh Samui.
I don't think i would ever go there again. It was all a bit Meh..

I'd advise around the Sukhumvit area. Lots of nice hotels and bars. Close to the sky train so you can reach MBK, Siam Paragon, Gaysorn, Chit Lom etc.

It's also easy to get taxis and close to the wireless road if you want to go the markets etc. Nice spas in the hotels as well.

Agree with other posters that 7 days in BKK may be a stretch. You'll be able to shop a lot but in terms of "sight seeing" without being a miserable cow. Once you've seen one watt you've seen them all to a degree.

Check out the Sivatel Bangkok - really nice rooms and a lovely rooftop bar. Walking distance to shopping Centre, bars and restaurants, massage parlours etc. it's near the British embassy.

Thanks everyone, some great suggestions here we went with the Davis - thank you pugwall! We are aware that 7 days is quite long but had two sets of friends we wanted to cross over with so that was the shortest we could do - we are sure we will find things to fill the time Thanks again everyone!

@connieboo if you're a foodie though there are amazingggggg restaurants though. That would definitely keep me amused for 7 days. Best Italian food I have ever eaten in BKK. Also MBK takes days to cover if you like a shop. Check out the Royal park and see if you can spot the (slightly terrifying) Komodo dragons.

Agree that you can easily fill seven days. Over the time we went to asia we found ourselves going back again and again and we still have so many more things we could have done. We stayed at a range of places - would recommend really researching as our first hotel in the Phra Phrom area was surrounded by brothels and we were constantly invited inside. Hotel indigo in Bangkok, in the Siam area was lovely, well connected, close to shopping malls (and Lumphini park) but on the pricier side.

Splitting the days between seeing temples, somewhere like chinatown, a day trip to ayutthaya, another day trip somewhere else, ambling round Lumphini Park, big shopping malls and then spending a day on the weekend in Chatuchak Market will fill your time easily. I love Bangkok!

I stayed in the Davis several years ago when it first opened, we were 2 couples who'd been backpacking on the islands for a couple of weeks. When we got there they asked us to take a seat and we started thinking there was a problem with the booking as they seemed to be faffing about a bit...then they came over and asked if we'd mind swapping rooms....to the presidential suite!!!!! It was amazing! Two double rooms with an mahooosive lounge in the middle, spa baths, grand piano...much more I can't remember too! Xx

Have an amazing time! I'm so jealous!

Jim Thompson's house close to MBK is worth a visit.