Where to Stay in Bangkok: Sukhumvit, Riverside, or the Old City

Bangkok is enormous, traffic is genuinely bad, and the BTS Skytrain and MRT only cover part of the city — so the area you pick matters more here than almost anywhere else in Thailand. The four bases that make sense for most visitors are Sukhumvit, Riverside, the Old City (Rattanakosin), and Silom — plus Khao San for committed backpackers. We have stayed in all of them; here is how they compare.

Sukhumvit: the practical favourite

Sukhumvit Road and its numbered side-streets (sois) form modern Bangkok’s spine, strung along the BTS line from Nana to Ekkamai. Stay between Asok and Thong Lo and you have the MRT interchange, hundreds of restaurants, Terminal 21 and EmQuartier malls, and easy Skytrain access to almost everything. The trade-off: it is a 30–45 minute journey to the Grand Palace and the old town temples.

Where to stay in Sukhumvit:

• Budget: The Yard Hostel near Phra Khanong BTS has dorm beds from approximately ฿450–600 per night as of 2026. ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 4 runs around ฿1,100–1,500 for a private double.
• Mid-range: Adelphi Forty-Nine on Soi 49 offers serviced-apartment rooms with kitchenettes for approximately ฿1,800–2,600. Hyatt Place Bangkok Sukhumvit near Thong Lo BTS is typically ฿2,500–3,500.
• Upper: The Sukhothai-style 137 Pillars Suites & Residences and Hyatt Regency Sukhumvit run approximately ฿5,500–9,000 per night, with rooftop pools and Asok/Nana BTS access.

Lower Sukhumvit (Nana, Soi 4, Soi 11) is the nightlife end — lively, but choose your soi carefully if you want quiet.

Riverside: the classic Bangkok

The west bank of lower Sukhumvit’s opposite — the Chao Phraya Riverside between Saphan Taksin and the Grand Palace — is where Bangkok’s grand hotels sit, with longtail boats, temple views, and the free hotel shuttle boats that make the river feel like your private transport network. Saphan Taksin BTS connects you to the Skytrain system, and the Chao Phraya Express Boat (approximately ฿16–33 per ride as of 2026) runs straight up to the Grand Palace and Wat Arun.

Where to stay on the Riverside:

• Budget: Theatre Residence near Saphan Taksin has doubles from approximately ฿1,200–1,600 — remarkable value for the location.
• Mid-range: Riva Arun, directly opposite Wat Arun, runs approximately ฿2,800–4,200 and has one of the best rooftop breakfast views in the city. Chatrium Hotel Riverside is typically ฿2,500–3,800.
• Luxury: The Mandarin Oriental (from approximately ฿18,000), The Peninsula (from ฿12,000), and the Four Seasons at Chao Phraya (from ฿14,000 as of 2026) are the city’s flagship addresses. Even if you do not stay, the riverside bars are worth a sunset visit.

The Old City (Rattanakosin): temples on your doorstep

Staying in Rattanakosin or neighbouring Banglamphu puts the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and the amulet markets within walking distance — ideal for a short, temple-focused visit. The catch is transport: no BTS or MRT nearby, so you rely on river boats, taxis, and the MRT’s Sanam Chai station on the southern edge.

• Budget: Old Capital Bike Inn, a teak shophouse conversion on Phra Sumen Road, has rooms from approximately ฿1,400–1,900.
• Mid-range: Sala Rattanakosin faces Wat Arun across the river — riverside rooms run approximately ฿3,500–5,000 as of 2026 and the rooftop bar is one of the old town’s best.
• Backpacker: Khao San Road and quieter Soi Rambuttri next door still hold the cheapest beds in central Bangkok — dorms from approximately ฿250–400, simple doubles ฿600–900. Rambuttri Village Inn is the reliable mid-point at around ฿900–1,200.

Silom and Sathorn: business district value

Silom is the financial district, which means weekend hotel discounts, the convergence of BTS and MRT at Sala Daeng/Silom, Lumpini Park for morning runs, and one of Bangkok’s best street-food scenes after dark on Convent Road and Soi 20. Patpong night market is here too.

• Budget: Lub d Bangkok Silom is the area’s flagship hostel — dorms approximately ฿500–650, privates from ฿1,400.
• Mid-range: Mode Sathorn by Siam@Siam runs approximately ฿2,200–3,200 with a rooftop pool.
• Upper: The Standard Bangkok Mahanakhon, inside the pixelated skyscraper, runs approximately ฿6,500–10,000 per night as of 2026.

Our verdict

First visit with a temple focus: Riverside. Longer stay, food and nightlife: Sukhumvit between Asok and Thong Lo. Tight budget with decent transport: Silom. Backpacker scene: Soi Rambuttri over Khao San itself. Whatever you choose, book somewhere within 10 minutes’ walk of a BTS or MRT station or a river pier — Bangkok traffic will eat your trip otherwise. For what to do once you have checked in, see our Bangkok city guide and the Yaowarat Chinatown food guide. To book tours — temple visits, floating market day trips, cooking classes, Muay Thai — browse Bangkok activities before you arrive.