Bangkok Hotels – A Surreal Experience－空思想

A visit to Bangkok is often described by many as a surreal experience, especially when one enjoyed a comfortable stay in one of the exuberant hotels in Bangkok. The splendour of the city lies in the fact that this financial hub of south-east Asia, which has also earned the reputation of being one of the best tourist destinations in the world, has hotels which cater to the needs and budgets of everyone.

Whether you are visiting Bangkok on a business trip or have plans to spend your holidays there, this mesmerizing city has plenty of attractions which have the potential of making your trip an unforgettable experience for you. And staying in a good hotel, within your budget, is only going to enrich your experience to the maximum.

If one’s budget is not constrained, and if one is bent upon indulging in one of the most luxurious stays, then it is best to book one’s accommodation in a five star hotel in Bangkok. One can also choose from a wide array of four, three or two star hotels which offer equally comfortable and high-spirited stays. Most of the star hotels in Bangkok like Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok, Conrad Hotel, Grand Hyatt Erewan, Four Seasons and InterContinental Bangkok, match the best hotels in the world, in terms of services or facilities. And if you are one of those who want nothing but the best then, hotels like, The Oriental Bangkok or The Peninsula Bangkok would best suit your needs and style, as they head the list of luxurious hotels in Bangkok.

Most of the luxurious hotels can be found along the banks of River, Chao Phraya. It would not be an exaggeration to call the Riverside area as the time-honoured area of city where the spirit of the city originally lies, and hence the hotels in this area have so much to offer to their visitors in terms of captivating and charming sights. The Riverside, with its clean and serene surroundings, is well connected with other important areas of the city through ‘Saphan Taksin’ which is a key Skytrain terminus. This area is often considered as the traditional spirit of the city and it has lots to offer to the visitors in terms of picture perfect sceneries. Some of the star hotels can also be found in major areas like Silom, Siam Square, Sukhumwit, Surawong, Phloenchit and Ratchadaphisek. One night stay in any of the star luxury hotels costs 2500 baht onwards.

In Bangkok, one can find the mid-class hotels in plenty. Most of the mid-class hotels in Bangkok are very decent and provide all the important facilities and services essential for a comfortable stay. Some of the most well-known mid-range hotels in Bangkok are Chaleena Princess Hotel Bangkok and Citadines Bangkok Sukhumvit. One can also choose to stay in 13 Coins Airport Grand which is a resort with optimum charges. Although these mid range hotels are distributed all over Bangkok, it would not be wrong to say that most of the mid range hotels are concentrated around areas like Silom, Sukhumwit, Surawong and Phloenchit. Most of the mid range hotels are reasonably priced in the range of 750 to 2000 baht per night.

Bangkok is one of the very few capital cities, which has budget hotels distributed profusely over the entire city, and which provide all basic amenities at a very low cost of 50 baht to 750 baht. Travellers looking for budget accommodations can try reasonably priced hotels like Bangkok city Inn Hotel, Diamond City Hotel, Manohra Hotel, Royal Pacific Hotel or Samran Place Hotel. Bangkok also surprises the travellers with the location of these budget hotels, which can be found almost adjacent to the star and luxury hotels. It is in complete contrast with the West where budget hotels cannot be found in the central locations. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Bangkok is one city which allows the budget travellers to enjoy and have fun to the maximum.

If you are one of those fashion conscious people who love to enjoy the nightlife, then it would be best to stay in a hotel at a central location in Bangkok like Silom, Suriwongse Road, Sukhumvit or the Soi Cowboy area. It will not only keep you in close proximity with the hustle and bustle of the city, but will also enrich your nightlife experience. If shopping is your weakness, then you can try staying in Siam Square area which is quite reputed for fun shopping. This area is quite close to Mahboonkrong (MBK) shopping mall. Both these areas can be reached through the Skytrain routes. But if visiting other parts of Thailand is your priority over holidaying in Bangkok, then it is highly recommended that you determine on a hotel near Bangkok Airport.

Any discussion on the hotels in Bangkok would be incomplete without the mention of Khao San Road which is also considered as "the centre of the backpacking universe". This area is the undisputed favourite of the budget backpackers visiting Thailand and South East Asia. Though this area lags behind in providing connectivity to other major areas of the city, but it is still considered as the best area to stay in, if one wants to enjoy the conventional and ascetic charms of the city.

Bangkok, the land of smiles, has something in store for each and every visitor. The only pre-requisite being proper research, before determining on a hotel which best suits one’s taste, mood and budget, to make the experience surreal and unforgettable.