Hotels

Hotels that I am happy to recommend

This page is dedicated to hotels I have stayed at in Thailand or know somebody who has stayed at them and also recommends them.

Throughout my time living and visiting Thailand over the past 25 years, I have stayed at a lot of good and bad Hotels. 

BANGKOK

Grand China Hotel - click the picture for more details

Now everybody has a different wish list for the type of hotel they are looking for. Personally, it depends on the trip I am taking. When I am away for a break I tend to go for 4 or 5-star hotels, but when I am on a quick trip say to Bangkok I pick a hotel with the location first and then usually a breakfast included and that tends to be 3-star hotels.

The next thing when looking for hotels, is how much are they and what is the best way to book them? I always use Agoda in Thailand as I find it the cheapest site most of the time and the booking process is a breeze.

Throughout this page and across this site any hotel picture I put up can be clicked on and you will be taken directly to the Agoda site at which point you can check out the latest prices and availability plus lots more information about the hotel. I am an affiliate of Agoda and if you choose to book through my links, I will receive a small commission which helps with the costs of running this website. The commission does not come out of your pocket but from Agoda's.

The picture shows a beautiful swimming pool, the hotel is in Bangkok and is called the  Grand China Hotel on Yawarat Road right in the middle of Chinatown. This is my go-to hotel whenever I am buying goods in Chinatown or Sampeng my favourite place to buy watches. The hotel is a modern and clean 4-star with everything I need at a great price and seems to always have a room. Also a free car park and pool. I have stayed there more than 10 times and highly recommend it if you like the hustle and bustle of Chinatown. It is also the best location for all the famous street food including shark fin soup.

Prince Palace Hotel - click the picture for more details

Whenever I am looking to buy large amounts of clothes at wholesale prices, I always stay above Bobae Market at the Prince Palace Hotel. This hotel is a 5-star but at 3-star prices. Again it has a free car park and pool with a stunning romantic bar area with a view in the evenings. The bar and pool area are amazing and a great place to chill in the evening.

Bangkok the Capital of Thailand is one of the most sought-after areas for shopping and Nightlife so let's try and break the areas up as well.

The best 5 Star Hotels for anybody seeking luxury in Bangkok

The 2 best hotels in my opinion in Bangkok are the Mandarin Oriental and the Intercontinental Bangkok. The second is where nearly all heads of state stay and of course the Hollywood A-listers. The Mandarin is where those in the know stay renowned for its food and riverside location.

Mandarin Oriental - click the picture for more details

Located in the Sathon district right next to the Chao Phraya River and two minutes away from the BTS. Easily get to most places in Bangkok and has some lovely riverside bars and restaurants including plenty of Thai street food vendors close by.

 Bangkok Intercontinental - click the picture for more details

 This hotel screams Luxury at its best, I would even go as far as to say it is a 6-star hotel.

 Right in the centre of all the designer brand shops and malls. If you have a lady who wants to fly into Bangkok and do nothing but shop, then this is the hotel for you. 100 metres from the famous Prada boutique and a short hop to Siam Square which what can I say, are the best shops and restaurants in Bangkok for all pockets.

Whenever I go to Bangkok for a meetup or just wish to be near the main nightlife areas I always stay along the Sukhumvit Road near Asoke or Nana BTS stations. Just in case you want to get somewhere else in Bangkok this allows you the option of the BTS which is brilliant and my second preferred method of getting around the city. My first choice is using the speedboats on the Klongs (canals) which is very cheap and so quick on some journeys.

10 Baht to go from Pratunam to Bobae so cheap

The Sukhumvit Road is very long but the nightlife areas that most people know are between Soi (street) 23 and Soi 1. I also prefer to stay on the one side of the road for some strange reason, I am not sure why. Maybe it's because most of the street vendors are on the odd-number side, especially around Soi 5 and Soi 9.

I have been lucky enough to stay twice at the Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit which has everything you could ever want for an enjoyable stay, quite expensive but within five minutes of the two best English breakfasts in town. Remind me to share those with you as I am sure I will forget, drop me a comment lol.

Hyatt Regency Click the picture to visit the hotel for the latest deals

My favourite hotel to stay in the area by far for luxury at a more affordable price is situated in Soi 23 right next to the famous Soi Cowboy. The Jasmine City Hotel Bangkok. Now some of you might remember a story I have told on my YouTube channel about a bad experience I had with a bar girl that I took back to this hotel. The story is in one of the episodes in a playlist I will link below, but I cannot remember which episode sadly. It is a great series of videos from when I lived in Bangkok and is very educational, to say the least. Solimons tales playlist

The Jasmine City Hotel has changed its name a few times over the years, it was called the Jasmine Suites when I stayed there. The junior suites are an incredible value and are just in the perfect location for anybody wishing to enjoy the nightlife with a bit of luxury at the end of a long day. I highly recommend it as one of my all-time favourites in the city.

Jasmine City Hotel Click the picture to visit the hotel for the latest deals

For those on a budget or really just want to use a hotel to sleep and spend more money on other things then you are spoilt for choice still in the same area. I found myself staying many times in Soi 4 famous for Nana Plaza a very busy bar area just inside Soi 4. Nana Hotel opposite is let's say a 3-star with a famous nightclub on the ground floor, I have stayed here maybe 5 times but I used it as just a cheap room for a certain purpose.

Nana Hotel Click the picture to visit the hotel for the latest deals

So many people must have stayed at the Nana Hotel over the years and the stories they could tell would make a great movie I am sure. It has undergone refurbishment recently and is a 3-star hotel. On the opposite side of the soi and about 100 metres down is another hotel I stayed at a few times called The Dynasty Inn.

Dynasty Hotel from Google Maps street view on Soi 4

It is not currently available on Agoda but I would not recommend this hotel as it was not the best but was very cheap in the old days.

One of my favourite little gems is the Grand Swiss Hotel in Soi 11/1, an absolute hidden gem at very reasonable prices right in the middle of all the action and nightlife.

Grand Swiss Hotel Soi 11/1 Click the picture to visit the hotel for the latest deals

Before I move to Pattaya in the Chonburi district a little tip I sometimes use when looking for a last-minute hotel anywhere in Thailand. Most of the time when you just turn up as a walk-in customer to a hotel, the reception will give you a higher price than you can find on Agoda.

However, sometimes you will get offered a promotional price. If I am in a new area especially and I want to scout about the city or resorts, I will just drop into a hotel that looks nice and is in the exact area I fancy staying in, I will then go onto Agoda to check prices before entering the reception and asking their prices. You then just book with whichever is the cheapest, 

Agoda is that fast to book provided you have set up an account first and registered your card details.

 Pattaya My Recommended Hotels

The famous Pattaya sign on Jomtien Hill

Pattaya is a seaside resort on the Eastern side of the Gulf of Thailand about 90 minutes by taxi South of Bangkok. Patt's as it is commonly nicknamed by the expats is mostly famous for its Go Go bars and Beer bars. Although the sex industry is still going strong, it has declined because of COVID and tourism numbers are way down. The local government are making every effort to provide more family-friendly attractions and activities. Recently the area has undergone some major improvements including the beach and promenade. On weekends many Thais flock to the seaside hotels and resorts all year round. The area peaks in visitors between September and April known as the high season ending after Songkran the water festival. Hotel prices are much lower in the low season but temperatures rise from February so bear that in mind. There are thousands of hotels in Pattaya ranging from guesthouses, and hostels to 5-star luxury hotels. Rooms and condos are also available for short and long stays.

Pattaya Central Beach

Because there are so many choices for hotels, it is very easy just to turn up and ask at any hotel reception for prices, remember to use my trick, get a price then step to one side and check Agoda prices on your phone. Below are some hotels that I have stayed at within the last 25 years that are still in business, also I have asked for the best 3 hotels from my subscribers who have visited within the last year for their recommendations.

In 2020 I visited Pattaya three times and this hotel was perfect because it had parking, a pool and a great breakfast plus the location. Just out of the way but only 2 2-minute walk to the nightlife and so many restaurants close by, 10 mins from the beach.

Adelphi Hotel off  3rd road, click picture for latest prices and availability

My second hotel was the P Plus Hotel right next to the famous Soi Pothole and 20 metres from nightlife, not too noisy and had small rooms at a budget price, parking included but no breakfast. No problem 99 baht breakfasts within 100 metres are amazing.

P Plus Hotel click picture for latest prices and availability

The final hotel I stayed in was so bad I don't want to put it on here, luckily it has changed its name now so I guess it has new management or owners. It is now named Monaas Place. Let's hope it has and if they get listed on Agoda I will have a look to see if it has changed.

Dusit Resort Click image for latest prices and availability

My all-time favourite hotel is from my first-ever trip to Pattaya in the 90's. Back then I spotted a last-minute 10-day break in Thailand which included flights, transfers and room only at a 5-star hotel at an amazing price so I grabbed it. I should have realised being a 5-star hotel everything inside was expensive and I got charged for bringing a guest in, always check this with your hotels if you think you will be making lots of friends on your visit lol.

The problem with staying at a 5-star resort or hotel in Pattaya is that if you tell anybody then whatever service you are enquiring about makes the price go up so beware.

LK Empress Click the image for the latest prices and availability

Popular with a lot of people is the LK Hotels which range from budget to 5 Star, LK Empress seems to be very popular and reasonably priced for what you get, location is excellent for everywhere in Pattaya.

Dynasty Inn Click image for the latest prices and availability

Dynasty Inn has been around for ages and it is no surprise, a firm favourite with many who come back every year and always stay at the same hotel.

Flipper House Click the image for the latest prices and availability

Flipper House is one of the highest-voted hotels with regulars and I have also stayed here more than once. Great prices and location.

Another favourite hotel which is a 4/5 star the luxury Pattaya Hilton Hotel, great location and has everything you need, I would recommend eating out as the food prices are very high. 

Hilton Hotel Click the image for the latest prices and availability

The Holiday Inn is a firm favourite for its high-quality rooms and service, also I like the fact that you can wear any type of clothing around the hotel and be left alone if you want that. Brilliant location and good promotions to watch out for.

Holiday Inn Click the image for the latest prices and availability

Now this is one of my favourite hotel groups around the world and the Hard Rock Cafe restaurant is a great experience.

This hotel is perfect if you are a lone traveller looking for a base right on the beach in Pattaya and a great place to take your date too away from the hustle and bustle of the busy nightlife areas. Prices are fair and the hotel has recently had a refurbishment on all rooms, bringing them up to date and giving them a modern feel.

One thing to Google before booking here is the Pattaya Flying Club. 

Hard Rock Hotel Click the image for the latest prices and availability

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