Suggested Bangkok guest houses for all of Bangkok, plus Khao San road guest houses

Bangkok guest houses

For budget accommodation head for the Khao San Road - Banglamphu area

If you’re in staying in Bangkok on a budget, or you simply prefer the atmosphere of backpackers’ hangouts, then there are a huge number of guest houses in Bangkok to choose from across a wide range of prices and quality. The vast majority of Bangkok guest houses are situated in or around Khao San Road — Bangkok’s famous backpacker area. There are a few dotted around other areas of the city, but for the widest selection head for Khao San.

Although Bangkok guest houses are generally aimed at budget travellers, there are a number of charming and very comfortable places tucked away down quiet lanes for those who don’t want to stay in hotels. Some of these guest houses are as expensive as hotel rooms in Bangkok. At the other end of the scale you can find guest houses in Bangkok with rooms for as little as 100 baht, but these are practically prison cells and only for the truly budget minded.

If you spend 300 Baht or more, you can find some great value guest houses in Bangkok where you can get a private bathroom with hot water, some decent furniture and perhaps even a TV. And if you spend 400 — 600 Baht then amenities such as air-con, a fridge, and a minibar are also included.

There are also many guest houses that will offer twin or triple rooms — if you have friends that you don’t mind sharing a room with this can be a great way to get a much better room for a considerably lower individual cost. Dormitories, the like of which are very common is Australasia and Europe, are rarely found in Bangkok guest houses.

Most guest houses have an attached restaurant and bar offering usually very mediocre food, but cheap drinks. Some of these bars will show DVD movies in the evenings, although expect any movie watching to be constantly interrupted by the noisy Bangkok streets in the background. A lot of guest houses also offer an on-site travel agent and internet café, some even have massage and/or tattoo studio on the premises.

Note! New guest houses open all the time and existing ones close down. Take note of the following recommendations, but it may also be worth wandering around the area looking at a variety of rooms to see which you like best.

Bangkok guest houses in the Khao San road area

Khao San Road has become the magnet in Bangkok for visiting backpackers and for good reason, the area is excellent for arranging further travel and is quite close to some of Bangkok’s most popular tourist attractions. It offers, by far, the widest selection of Bangkok guest houses. There are several guest houses located directly on Khao San Road, as well as a large number located nearby, most notably a fairly large selection on Rambutri Road, known to most as ‘the temple street’, which runs parallel to the large temple directly across from the mouth of Khao San Road.

Sawasdee Krungthep: located off quiet Rambutri Road, behind the temple across from Khao San Road. A wide variety of clean rooms 420 baht for a single with a/c and bath, 470 for double. Friendly helpful staff and laid back restaurant area for watching movies. 30 Soi Rongmai, (02) 629 0072
Shambara Boutique Hostel and Restaurant: hidden down a small side-alley on the eastern end of Khao San, this is becoming an increasingly popular choice for backpackers here with clean, tastefully decorated rooms and a charming terraced restaurant. Single rooms with fan 250 baht, a/c 300 baht, double with fan 400, double with a/c 500. 138 Khao San Road, (02) 282 7968.
Chart guesthouse: located right in the middle of the famous Khao San Road, this is an institution among Bangkok guest houses. The guest house’s restaurant is a popular spot for movie watching and to hang out with travellers. Rooms are clean and there is a wide variety to choose from. Singles 200 baht with shared shower, 500 baht for an air-conditioned room with attached shower. 61 Khao San Road, (02) 280 1481
Bella Bella guesthouse: a small gem of a place popular among locals for its clean reasonably priced rooms with and without air-conditioning along with a friendly staff and a good restaurant. Singles 170 baht with a fan and shared bathroom, 420 baht for a double a/c room with private bathroom. 74 Soi Chana Songkhram (behind temple across from Khao San Road), (02) 629 3090
New Siam II Guest House: slightly more expensive but quiet, modern, tastefully decorated, with a friendly staff and a good swimming pool. This is a good option also located behind the temple that is across the street from the mouth of Khao San Road. Doubles with en-suite 750 baht with a/c, 650 with fan. 50 Soi Rongmai, (02) 629 0303
Four Sons Inn: right on the bend of Rambutri Road is the popular Four Sons Inn which features a decent bar and restaurant and also has the unique feature of offering DVD rentals to its guest for 50 baht. Singles/doubles 450/550 baht with a/c rooms with private bath, discounts are available for stays longer than two nights. Rambutri road.
Chai's House: family-run Chai’s House is a good quiet option with a bamboo-laden outdoor lounging area as well as a good restaurant. It’s also an affordable choice. Singles 150 baht with fan, and 350 for a double room with a/c and private bathroom. 59/4-8 Soi Rongmai (02) 281 4901

Soi Ngam Duplii

This is the street that time forgot for Bangkok guest houses as it was the most popular spot in town in the early 1970s and 1980s before Khao San Road came into its own. It’s still full of guest house and certainly more central; accommodation here is fairly cheap and located close to the bustling Silom district of Bangkok and numerous embassies.

ETC Guest House: clean reasonable rooms, a free breakfast and good travel services make this a good choice on Soi Ngam Duplii. Doubles 140/180 baht for fan rooms with shared/private bathrooms. 5/3 Soi Ngam Duplii, (02) 286 9424.
Madam Guest House: a bit unusual for Soi Ngam Duplii, Madam’s is a fairly small wooden guest house distinctively decorated. It offers a break from the bare basic functional standard of many of the areas area guest houses. Single fan rooms with private bath are 200, double 250 baht. 11 Soi Saphan Khu, Off Soi Sri Bamphen. (02) 286 9289
Sala Thai Daily Mansion: is located at the end of the soi (lane), with large rooms but shared bathrooms. It’s popular with long-term residents and has a roof top terrace and sociable lounge area on the third floor. Rooms are 200 – 350 baht. Soi Ngam Duplii, (02) 287 1436.

Bangkok guest houses in other parts of town

Big John’s: located on Soi Thong Lo (Sukhumvit 55) in an area with trendy upscale bars and eateries, Aussie run Big John’s is new but steadily gaining a reputation as a quality guest house with excellent Western fare, including a mean meat pie. Air conditioned dorm rooms go for 175 baht, and single/double/triple big, brand new rooms with a/c and shared bathroom go for 410/510/610 baht. Sukhumvit 55 (Thong Lo) Soi 9. (02) 712 9712.
White Lodge Guest House: located in the Patumwan district a short distance away from the shopping areas of Siam Square, MBK mall and surrounding area, this is a popular choice for fair-priced rooms and friendly staff. Single/double a/c rooms with private bath are 400/450 baht. 36/8 soi Kasaem 1, Rama 1 Road, (02) 216 8867
Riverview Guest House: near Chinatown and the River City shopping complex, is a bit more comfortable and many of the rooms do have a river view. They are large rooms and the 8th floor restaurant has a great vista. Difficult to find but they pick you up from River City. Doubles 450 baht with fan, 690 baht with a/c. 768 soi Phanurangsi, (02) 234 5429.