Since I will be stopping in Bangkok for a couple of days and have never been there before, I have a few questions for more seasoned travelers to the city.

First I am wondering if anyone could recommend a hotel. So far all I've heard is to look on Khaosan road, but I'd like to hear from those who have personally tried different hotels in the area. I'm not looking for anything fancy. Prefer inexpensive. But I have a feeling I will want a room with air conditioning, since it seems I am arriving just when it starts to get extremely hot.

My flight arrives in Bangkok in the early afternoon. Should I be able to go by airport train to skytrain right to Khaosan road?

Since I will only be in Bangkok a couple of days, I am thinking about either looking for a guide or joining a tour group, instead of wasting time and energy wandering lost in an unknown big city, as I have done once too often before! Does anyone have any suggestions for how to find a good guide or tour group?

Last but not least, when I return home I will be going through Bangkok again and since my plane leaves in the late afternoon, I was wondering if anyone knew of a hotel near the airport where I would be able to get a late checkout?

Those are the only questions I can think of at the moment, but I welcome any tips or suggestions about anything which anyone would like to give.

Thanks.

For hotels always say how much you want to spend on a room.

No Skytrain stops for Khao San Road area. If you are into shopping there are hotels not far from the Ratchaprorop Rail Link stop located in Pratunam. Walk to malls, mini garment district, etc.

You can use the Airport Rail Link to the Pratunam area and switch to the Skytrain. Use the Skytrain to get to hotels not far from that service. Many hotels in all price ranges in the Sukhumvit Road area not far from Nana Skytrain and Asoke. Also good restaurants, nightlife, travel agencies for tours, malls, street vendors, etc.

Any travel agency can set you up with a tour. They have a selection of popular places to visit you can choose from. Usually find a tour one day and leave the following day. Some evening tours can be booked the same day if you are early enough. Some hotels do the same thing. Most of the tours are on vans with 9 or 10 other tourists. They pick up at your hotel and return you there at the end. Works the same for Pattaya, Phuket and Chiang Mai.

How late does your plane leave? The rail service also goes to the airport too! You could spend the last night in the city and just use rail or taxi to the airport. Millions of tourists leave for the airport from their city hotels. A hotel near the airport is a hotel not close to the city.

UrbanRail.Net > Asia > Thailand > Bangkok Metro

So, do you want a hotel closer to 700 baht or 7000 baht? Some hotels around 600 baht per night have air, private toilet, TV but no fancy website! Those are the places you check out in person and then email them for bookings.

thanks for all the information, koonel. very helpful.

Not too interested in shopping, more interested in experiencing Thai culture and visiting some temples.

closer to 700 baht would be great. I don't think I will be able to check out different hotels in person upon arriving though, as I expect I will be totally exhausted after my flight. So my plan is to book a hotel before leaving, so that that is taken care of and I have some place to go on arriving.

My return flight leaves Bangkok at 4:30pm. But I will be arriving in Bangkok a day before my departure flight, so I will be booking a hotel again.

We just got back from our trip and stayed here Nouvo City Hotel - Bangkok Luxury Old City Hotel

It is 5 mins walk from khao San road. We visited the road and later talked to a couple who'd stayed there. No way would we stay on khao San, nor would the couple again. Way too noisy.

We stayed in Sukumvit last year and enjoyed it but wanted to try a new area this year. The above hotel is much closer to the palace and main temples than any in Sukumvit and we enjoyed the vibe more. Sukumvit has better street side shopping (I still use my "Thai bans" I picked up for a few pounds in a cafe last year) but once away from Khao San, we found the street life to be more 'local' than Sukumvit.

"My return flight leaves Bangkok at 4:30pm. But I will be arriving in Bangkok a day before my departure flight, so I will be booking a hotel again."

Remember you should be at the airport 2 hours before your flight and you must allow some time for travel.

*

It is only the first night you need a booked room. After you are in the city you can book a cheaper place for your return hotel in person.

Maxim's Inn.
Maxim's Inn Home Page

These "Orchid" hotels are small places in the Nana area of Sukhumvit. Plain looking fronts. Rooms okay for the price. Other hotels nearby (like the Happy Inn on Sukhumvit Soi 4) can be had at 600 baht.
http://www.staywithorchid.com/

Remember no rail service in the Khao San Road area. On this Sawasdee link there are some cheap rooms in the KSR area.
Sawasdee Hotels Group-The Best budget hotels in Bangkok,Pattaya Thailand, find your cheap accommodations& lodgings in Khaosan road,Sukhumvit ,Pattaya Thailand with special discount

If you want a hostel with private room here is the Lub D places.
Bangkok, Thailand Hostel – Cool, Discount, Boutique Bangkok Hostel – Lub d

Great. I'm glad to have both of your suggestions. I'm going to do more research using your links and will post again if I have more questions.

By the way, on the first leg of my journey, I'll be in Bangkok more than one night. A total of three nights. I'm planning to set aside the first day for rest. Then two days to explore the city. Then flying off the next morning.

As soon as you get your body on Thai time the easier it will be to adjust to the time changes. I wouldn't sleep too late the first day.

The best way to get to Khao San from the Skytrain is to travel as far west as possible on it (to National Stadium) and then flag down a meter taxi. Do NOT get in without confirming that the meter will go on (I say "Meter OK?" as I'm getting in). It should cost no more than 80 Baht.

Getting a taxi back from Khao San requires a bit of thought - on the road, any taxis that come by at either end will be savvy and looking for fixed prices from wet-behind-the-ears backpackers. They won't want to know about your desire for a trip on the meter. It pays to walk south to the main road (the one on which the Democracy Monument lies) and flag down a taxi from there (again, confirming a journey on the meter beforehand). This may be difficult at peak times/in heavy traffic; recently I had to walk some distance along the road as it was all backed up and I couldn't find a taxi. Eventually I found one in the queue that had its light on and he took me to the BTS (about 70 Baht).

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Hey I have been to Bangkok around 5 or 6 times and have stayed around at a few different places but Bangkok City Suite has been a favourite of mine. Very close to both patpong and kohsan road and nice and cheap at 1200 baht per night... Me and my mates love the joint... Hope you have a great time and remember one night in bangkok and the worlds your oyster... the bars are temples but the pearls aint free ;)

After investigating various hotels, I decided to go for one above my original budget, the boutique house hotel on Sam Sen Sam, on the basis of the good customer reviews. The one drawback here will be lack of public transportation; on the other hand, it seems to be fairly close to many things I'd like to see while there. My new plan is to just pursue what I imagine will be the most convenient option and take a taxi directly from the airport to the hotel.

Steve, speaking of taxis, everything I have read about taxis in Bangkok seems a little worrying. In threads on the subject I have seen many people saying things like: "Demand the driver use the meter!" It almost makes it sound like you have to exert force. Even then, people report taxis driving them around in circles instead of straight to their destination. Is it really that bad? I must say that your approach of "meter, ok?" sounds a lot better to me than making a forceful demand the moment I encounter the driver, but I have no familiarity with Bangkok taxi drivers and it sounds like at least some drivers strongly resist the idea of using the meter.

I know this much so far: look for the taxis that have the meter sign on top and ask the driver to use the meter before getting into the car. Is it also a good idea to run your destination by the driver before getting into the car and have him confirm he knows it? And are tips expected by taxi drivers in Bangkok?

One other question: the one thing of any real material value I will have with me during my travels is a tablet computer. It is portable enough that I could take it with me in my bag when I am out and about. In terms of avoiding theft, would you say it is safer to keep it with me, or to leave it at the hotel?

Thanks again to everyone who has added to the discussion.