Bangkok
The capital and the biggest base, with 40 hotels in all, from Sukhumvit nightlife to the river and the old city.
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Where to stay
Hand-picked hotel shortlists for 57 places, by hotel class and guest rating, each linking to the hotels' own pages.
57 places115 guides
Thailand gives you a choice of 156 communities and cities with somewhere to sleep. Start with Bangkok, where 40 hotels are spread across districts from Sukhumvit and Siam to Silom, Sathorn, Ari and Thonglor. Sukhumvit is the busiest single area, with 45 hotels, followed by Silom at 42. Thonburi and Bang Rak, both across or beside the river, hold 40 hotels each.
Beyond the capital, beach and island stays dominate. Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Samui and Hua Hin each list 45 hotels, Krabi 40, Patong in Phuket 30, and Ko Lanta 25. Chiang Mai, Ayutthaya, Khao San and Kanchanaburi cover the north and old capitals. Smaller destinations such as Koh Tao, Sukhothai, Udon Thani and Chumphon are for a quieter base. Pick the place first, then a district within it: the counts are given so you can see how much choice each one offers.
Popular places
Sukhumvit
Bangkok's longest street, with 45 hotels and 15 of them 5-star alongside shops, bars and restaurants.
Photo: King Ho / Pexels
Phuket
Thailand's largest island, 45 hotels and 15 five-star, with beaches and a family-friendly spread.
Photo: Kirandeep Singh Walia / Pexels
Krabi
Limestone coast and islands, 40 hotels with 34 offering parking and 23 suited to families.
Photo: Frank van Dijk / PexelsSilom
Bangkok's business and night-market district, 42 hotels and 12 five-star in the heart of downtown.
Photo: King Ho / Pexels
Pattaya
A beach city of 45 hotels and 15 five-star, with 41 hotels geared up for drivers.
Photo: Kirandeep Singh Walia / Pexels
Sathorn
The embassy and office quarter of Bangkok, 45 hotels and 15 five-star along the main road.
Photo: tu nguyen / Pexels
Siam
Bangkok's shopping centre, 45 hotels and 15 five-star right by the big malls and interchange.
Photo: jackie mrs ho / Pexels3-star or 4- and 5-star: which to choose
Across Thailand, 3-star hotels are the broad base in every place listed, so they are the easiest to find in small towns and on quieter coasts. The 5-star count is where destinations differ: Phuket, Pattaya, Sathorn, Siam, Sukhumvit, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Pratunam, Ekkamai and Bang Rak each have 15; Bangkok has 10, Krabi 10, Silom 12 and Thonglor 13. Some places have none at all, among them Koh Tao, Sukhothai, Udon Thani, Ayutthaya's old city area and Rattanakosin. Choose 4- and 5-star where the count is high and you want facilities on site; pick 3-star elsewhere.
Hotel guides by place
Ari
Ayutthaya
Ban Khao Lak
Bang Rak
Bangkok
Banglamphu
Cha-Am
Chanthaburi
Chatuchak
Chiang Mai
Chiang Rai
Chinatown (Yaowarat)
Chon Buri
Chumphon
Dusit
Ekkamai
Hat Yai
Hua Hin
Kanchanaburi
Khao San
Khon Kaen
Ko Chang Tai
Ko Lanta
Ko Pha Ngan
Koh Samui
Koh Tao
Krabi
Nakhon Ratchasima
Nakhon Sawan
Nakhon Si Thammarat
Nonthaburi
Pak Chong
Patong
Pattaya
Phang Nga
Phi Phi Don
Phra Nakhon
Phuket
Pratunam
Ranong
Ratchathewi
Rattanakosin (Old City)
Rayong
Samut Prakan
Sathorn
Sattahip
Satun
Si Racha
Siam
Silom
Sukhothai
Sukhumvit
Surat Thani
Thonburi
Thonglor
Trat
Udon Thani
Questions, answered
Which area is best for first-time visitors to Bangkok?
Sukhumvit has 45 hotels and Siam 45, both with 15 five-star, while Silom follows with 42 hotels and 12 five-star. These three sit in the middle of the city's shopping, dining and nightlife. Ari, with 30 hotels, is calmer and still in Bangkok.
Which places have the most 5-star hotels?
Sukhumvit has 15, and so do Phuket, Pattaya, Sathorn, Siam, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Pratunam, Ekkamai and Bang Rak. Bangkok as a whole has 10 five-star hotels, Krabi 10, Silom 12 and Thonglor 13. Places such as Koh Tao, Sukhothai and Udon Thani have no 5-star hotels at all.
Where should families stay in Thailand?
Phuket lists 29 family-friendly hotels and Hua Hin 32, both among the highest counts. Koh Samui has 26, Chiang Mai and Ko Lanta 24, and Krabi and Pattaya 23 each. In Bangkok, the family counts are lower: 14 in the city as a whole and 3 in Sathorn.
Which places work well if I have a car?
Hua Hin has 45 hotels with parking, Phuket 40, Pattaya 41, Koh Samui 42 and Krabi 34. In Bangkok, parking is scarcer: Sukhumvit has 4, Siam 4, Silom 7 and Sathorn 8, against 17 in the city overall. Sattahip and Si Racha also list parking at every hotel.
How many hotels does Bangkok have compared with the islands?
Bangkok lists 40 hotels, while Phuket, Koh Samui and Hua Hin each list 45, and Krabi 40. Pattaya also has 45. Among the smaller island stops, Patong has 30, Ko Lanta 25, Ko Pha Ngan 29, Ko Chang Tai 8, Phi Phi Don 15 and Koh Tao 15.
Where can I stay outside the main cities?
Smaller places in the list include Sukhothai with 10 hotels, Koh Tao and Udon Thani with 15 each, Nakhon Sawan with 8, Chanthaburi with 8 and Ranong with 8. Many of these have only 3-star hotels, so expect a simpler choice of rooms than in Phuket or Pattaya.
Area guides and ideas
- 48 Hours in Bangkok: A Practical Guide to Siam Square and Beyond
- A Three-Day Itinerary for Phra Nakhon, Bangkok's Old City
- Adults-only hotels in Bangkok, ranked
- Ari area guide: where to stay if you want a Thai neighbourhood on the BTS
- Ari with Kids: A Family Guide to Bangkok's Leafy Neighbourhood
- Ayutthaya with Kids: A Practical Day Trip from Bangkok
- Bangkok accessibility: an honest guide for reduced mobility
- Bangkok accessibility: an honest guide for wheelchair and mobility travellers
- Samut Prakan vs Sukhumvit: Where to Stay for a Bangkok Trip
- Staying on Sukhumvit: A Practical Guide for Families