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From design hotels and slick boutique hostels to eccentric budget stalwarts and funky serviced apartments, Bangkok's eclectic accommodation offers plenty of bang for your baht
Loy La Long
Hidden at the back of one of Chinatown's Buddhist temples, this one-of-a-kind B&B is a winsome example of a growing trend: hotelier-driven conservation. An old two-storey teak hut that juts over the Chao Praya river has been converted into a bohemian retreat with seven rooms, all done out in recycled woods and bold colour. As lovely as they are, the cushion-strewn common area with terrace is Loy La Long's real trump card. Here guests sit transfixed by the widescreen river views each evening, only tearing themselves away to grab another beer from the fridge or chat with the friendly owners.
• +66 2 639 1390, loylalong.com, doubles from £60; dorm beds from £23pp (sleeps four) AS
Me Style Place
Since Bangkok opened up its metro/MRT line following Ratchadapisek Road, north of the tourist-hub of Sukhumvit Road, accommodation has begun to spring up along this new transport corridor. Huai Khwang, with its busy night market and thriving Sino-Thai community, was always one of the liveliest spots here and deep in a Huai Khwang soi (backstreet), a five-minute taxi ride from Huai Khwang MRT station you'll find Me Style Place. The colourful retro lobby is decked out with artworks, antique motorbikes and old street signs, and the reception desk in housed in a cut-down Mini Cooper. On the ground floor you'll also find an excellent restaurant while the pool and gym are a short walk away. The standard rooms carry on the arty-retro feel of the lobby and are huge, brightly decorated affairs with balconies, cooling tiled floors, TVs and free Wi-Fi.
• +66 26905884, mestyleplace.com, doubles from 2,300 baht (around £48) a night; monthly rentals from £157. AS
Amanta Ratchada
Bangkok's "serviced apartment" sector has long been a great option for those looking for bargain accommodation. A perfect example is Amanta, on the same MRT Ratchada corridor as Me Style Place but more conveniently located – a two-minute walk from the nearest MRT station at Thailand Cultural Centre. But the real draw is the massive, stylish two-room mini-apartments, with giant bathtub, kitchenette, washing machine, TV, lounge area and balcony. There's a very nice pool, gym and sauna plus they throw in breakfast and Wi-Fi. The best deals are often found by emailing, and there is no minimum stay.
• +66 26606300, visitamanta.com, one-bedroom suite from £60, two-bedroom from £120; monthly rentals also available AS
Atlanta
The first hotel in Bangkok with its own pool, the Atlanta is one of the city's most renowned small hotels. Its modernist-themed lobby, which remains unmodified since it was built in the 1950s, has been used by film maker Wong Kar-wai, and the King of Thailand once played trumpet in its jazz bar. It proclaims on its website that it is "run on conservative principles and imperiously heedless of fashions and trend … untouched by pop culture and post-modern primitivism", which has also gained it a deserved reputation for eccentricity. The cheaper rooms can look a bit tired and are very simple, with fans, some period modernist furniture and en suites. The pricier "suites" come with a separate living room. Excellent location just off Sukhumvit Road, a "no sex tourist" door policy, fantastic Thai restaurant, library and a policy of only taking bookings by fax add to the enigma.
• +66 22526069/fax +66 26568123, theatlantahotelbangkok.com, doubles from £20 AS
Cape House
Cape House, in the heart of one of Bangkok's most salubrious districts, close to the Chitlom Skytrain BTS station on Soi Lang Suan, is one of the Thai capital's best-run small serviced-apartment blocks. Like with most "rooms" in this sector of the market, what you actually get is a mini-apartment, with separate bedroom, kitchen, washing machine and dining area. Service is excellent, and the rooms are pleasantly decorated, with huge sofas, TVs, large bathtubs and Wi-Fi. There's also a rooftop pool, a gym and sauna plus a decent Italian restaurant, and they throw in a hearty breakfast. No minimum stay; book in advance during high season.
•+66 26587444, capehouse.com, from £60 for double apartment. AS
Phranakorn Nornlen
This small, family-run guesthouse is a gem of a place noted for its attention to detail. It's also a highly sought-after spot and can get booked months ahead in high season (November to February). The airy, arty wooden-shuttered rooms are as homely as a quirkily crafted doll's house while the beautiful rooftop views and garden cafe add to the relaxed atmosphere. There's a small team of amicable staff on hand including an informative "city guide" who can help with bookings, and they also put on daily cookery classes and other creative pursuits.
• +66-26288188, phranakorn-nornlen.com, doubles/twins from £46 for AS
Baan Dinso
If you want to stay in the old city – and sample only the best local chow – this hostel in a restored antique wooden house is for you. Duck out of the alley it sits on and you're on Dinso Road, home to a string of esteemed, no-frills shophouse eateries. The Giant Swing is also close by, as are many other fabled sights. As for this golden teak house, it's a King Rama V-era (late-19th-century) charmer with a beige paint job, most of its original details intact, and nine snug, spotless rooms. All include a TV, fridge and breakfast for two; the cheaper twins and singles have shared bathrooms.
• +66 2 622 0560, baandinso.com, twin/double rooms from £42MCJ
Mystic Place
This kitsch art experiment of a B&B is within walking distance of the skytrain and the weekend market in a northern suburb. Each of the 36 rooms has been decorated by a local interior designer. When booking via the website you pick one that appeals to your taste – or lack of it. One room is inspired by the bird's nest (eclectic found furniture), another by old Thai movie houses (cinema seats, B-movie posters). Thankfully, the TV, DVD player and free Wi-Fi in each mean you have more to gawp at than lurid walls.
• +66 2 270 3344, mysticbangkokhotel.com, between £25-£38MCJ
Lub D Siam Square
The second branch of Lub D, (the first is in Silom, Bangkok's business district) proves the success of the first was no fluke, taking the same hip-hostel blueprint – raw concrete, cheeky stencil art, youthful vibe – and transplanting it to an arguably much better location. Mega-mall MBK is just across the road, a skytrain station even closer, and Siam Square is a stroll away. While you might be miffed to find there's no breakfast, the sparklingly clean rooms, dorms and shared bathrooms, concessions to the safety-conscious (keycard access, ladies-only section, safety deposit boxes), free Wi-Fi and funky common areas make up for it.
• +66 2 612 4999, siamsquare.lubd.com, dorm beds from £11, en suite doubles from £20MCJ
Malaysia Hotel
Built for GIs on R'n'R during the Vietnam War, the Malaysia, like the Atlanta, is one of Bangkok's budget stalwarts. With its relative proximity to the gay nightlife areas off of Silom Road it has recently transformed itself into one of the hotels of choice for the burgeoning gay traveller market. Rooms in the old wing are clean and basic with tiled floors, though a little tired. The pricier (£31) accommodation in the new building has a more upbeat contemporary Thai-designer feel with dark woods and some silk bed-throws. There's also a nice pool and it's near Lumphini Park and the MRT.
• +66 26797127, malaysiahotelbkk.com, doubles from £17. AS
Andrew Spooner and Max Crosbie-Jones are co-authors of Footprint Books' Focus Guide to Bangkok, available for £6.96 from Amazon