Bangkok Hotels – Cheap Hotels under $30
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Cheap hotel options in the best locations in Bangkok are few and far between. Having said that there are options if you are short on cash. These choices will almost always involve a compromise of some sort, such as location, cleanliness, room size and if it’s guest friendly or not. I would only recommend most of these places to seasoned budget travellers only.
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Choosing your hotel in Bangkok can make or break your stay, I always recommend to any friends to stay near Nana Plaza, Sukhumvit Soi 11 or Soi Cowboy. All are near the Skytrain and are centrally located for the restaurants, bars and night clubs.
Bangkok is a massive city with over 8 million people living here, transport can be a big issue so you don’t want to book a hotel in the wrong place.
Do not stay near the Chao Phraya River or Khaosan road if you are going to be frequenting the bar areas of Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza. Getting taxis all the time will waste both time and money.
Here is my solid list of the best budget options to stay near the Sukhumvit area. I have recommended these places to many friends over the years who come and stay in the area. Prices are from low to high and are quoted in $ Dollars for clarity.
At a glance:
Nasa Vegas from $20
Suk 11 Hostel from $20 [Wild card]
Pinnacle Sukhumvit Inn from $21
Unico Express @ Sukhumvit from $23
Studio Sukhumivt 18 from $24
Sam’s Lodge from $25 [Travel All Asia recommendation]
Solo Express Bangkok Hotel from $26
MHC Guest House from $29
Hotels locations under $30 relative to Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza
A 3-star, guest friendly large hotel.
Room rates start from around $20.
The location is directly on the Airport rail link from Suvarnabhumi airport, and you can connect to the MRT Underground at Makkasan Station and this is just one stop away from the Sukhumvit MRT station (for Soi Cowboy and Terminal 21). Also, you can connect to the BTS Skytrain sukhumvit line at Phaya Thai station further along.
Restaurant downstairs, WIFI is not available in some rooms but is in the public areas. The rooms are reported to be tired and dated, but at this price point you can’t expect the Ritz.
Overall: This is a popular cheap hotel. You can instantly save an airport taxi fare by taking the 32 baht airport rail link (operates 6:00 – 0:00am daily) , getting off at Ramkhamhaeng station and crossing over the modern skywalk. Many English teachers stay here temporarily, as there are some nice local street food options and inexpensive restaurants nearby. Only book here again if you are a seasoned budget traveller.
Tip: For the best room prices book direct through this agoda link for the insider deals (I was quoted 695 baht in August 2016 which is decent value)
[Wild Card – this is a hostel and not a girl friendly hotel]
NOT GUEST FRIENDLY!!! – I am including it as it’s in a great location and I used to stay here sometimes. If you bring a prostitute back here you will be evicted with no refund! haha 🙂
Room rates start from around $20.
Free WIFI in the lobby area, nice wooden interior, rooftop garden terrace, communal games and TV room. Some room options have private bathrooms but most are shared. 4 floors with no lift and the stairs are a bit of death trap.
Overall: This place has an amazing location on Soi 11. I used to like staying here when I knew I wasn’t having company, it would force me to have to go short time and not bring a girl back. It’s a hostel so mainly backpackers stay there. The service is not with a smile, and the rooms are average, but its a good option for those on a budget.
Tip: The single 15 sq. m. room with private bathroom is the one you can get for 695 baht through this booking . com link.
A 2-star, guest friendly hotel with 42 rooms.
Room rates start around $21.
Free WIFI in the rooms, good location for the Skytrain and bars. Be aware this hotel is in the Arab area of Sukhumvit.
Overall: Only book this hotel if you are a seasoned budget traveller, as the rooms are reported to be not the cleanest and the hotel in general is a bit shabby. But for the price point it is better than a lot of the 2-star places in the area.
Tip: Book through this agoda link for the best insider deals (I was quoted 736 baht for a room in August 2016 which is good value for the location).
At the Pinnacle you are only a 2-3 minute walk from all the bars on Soi 4 Nana.
A 3-Star, guest friendly hotel with 135 rooms.
Room rates start from around $23.
Swimming pool and restaurant / coffee shop downstairs. WIFI issues are reported for some rooms, but it connects in public areas.
Overall: I’ve actually stayed here before a few years ago and brought girls back with no problems. It’s a very average hotel. The location is all the way down Soi 3 which is a 10 minute walk to Soi 4 Nana. I would recommend the cheap rooms for seasoned budget travellers only.
Tip: Book direct through this Booking.com link to get the lowest rate (I was quoted 804 baht for a room in August 2016 which is decent value). Also book at least a couple of weeks before you travel or the prices increase.
Nana Plaza is a 10 minute stroll from the Unico Express hotel.
Studio Sukhumivt 18 by iCheck Inn
A 2-Star, guest friendly hotel with 24 rooms.
Room rates start from around $24.
Free WIFI, small clean rooms. 4 floor hotel but no lift, free tea and coffee available in the lobby. This hotel is located at the end of a cul-de-sac so is quiet.
Overall: A good, cheap place to stay. The location is ok as it’s a 10 minute walk to the Soi Cowboy / Terminal 21 / Asok Station area.
Tip: Book direct through this agoda link for the best insider deals prices (I was quoted 847 baht a night in August 2016 which represents great value for the area). Also this hotel often drops the room prices close to the dates to stay so it can be a good last minute place to book.
Sam’s Lodge [My recommendation from this list]
2-Star guest friendly hotel with 18 rooms.
Room rates start from around $25 per night.
Free WIFI, roof terrace, small but functional rooms.
Overall: The best value 2-star hotel in the area. Amazing location, guest friendly and consistently good reviews. I would advise booking here only if you are seasoned traveller as some of the rooms are small.
Tip: Book direct through this agoda link to get the best insider room rates (853 baht per night I was quoted for a room in August 2016 which was unbelievable value for the Asok area!).
A 3-star guest friendly hotel with 42 rooms.
Room rates start from around $26.
Free WIFI in the rooms, shuttle service to the Skytrain, restaurant on site. Located in the ‘On Nut’ area of Bangkok.
Overall: Nice clean rooms and very good reviews. This place is 20 minutes skytrain journey from Asok and Nana. Many expat teachers live near here so there are many inexpensive bars and restaurant options a short walk away. If drinking late at Nana, Soi 11, or Soi Cowboy then you will have to catch a taxi back here after midnight as the skytrain stops then.
Tip: Book direct through this agoda link to get the best insider room rates (I was quoted 903 baht per night in August 2016 which is good value)
A 2-star, guest friendly place with 15 rooms.
Room rates start from around $29.
Free WIFI in the rooms, coffee shop downstairs. This place is located 5 minutes walk from Phrom Phong Skytrain station, 1 stop down from Asok and 2 from Nana.
Overall: This place is small and is frequently fully booked. Reviews consistently stated it’s a good, clean guesthouse and decent value for money. It’s slightly let down by the location, having to use the skytrain to get to Soi Cowboy, Soi 11 and Nana Plaza. I was quoted 999 baht a night here in August 2016 and couldn’t find it cheaper than this link on booking.com.
Also consider if your chosen hotel is booked:
63 Bangkok Boutique Bed and Breakfast – A boutique B&B at Ekkamai with 42 rooms. 10 mins skytrain journey from Asok and Nana. Coffee shop and co-working space onsite. Nice cinema and shopping malls nearby. Room rates from $23.50. Very small rooms so if you are claustrophobic then don’t even consider this place. (I was quoted 821 baht through this agoda link on the insider deals in August 2016)
Asok Montri hostel – The best hostel in the Asok area. Private room rates from $18. Only stay here if you are ok with backpackers. (I was quoted 634 baht for a private room with a shared bathroom through this agoda insider deals link) This place is probably not guest friendly so don’t go long time with a girl if you are staying here 😉
Wealth 30th Apartments 2-Star serviced apartments. Room rates start from around $20.
Coffee shop, WIFI in public areas. Clean, bright, comfortable rooms. Location is far from On Nut Skytrain station so a bus / taxi will be needed. It is approximately 35 minute walk to the On Nut Skytrain, an 8 baht bus and 10 minute walk, or a 50 baht taxi fare.
Overall: This place is in the middle of nowhere, but will suit some people. It has very nice, clean rooms for a good price. This would suit people who don’t mind staying out of the central areas of the city and travelling around a bit each day.
Tip: Book direct through this agoda link for insider deals (I was quoted just 708 baht in August 2016 which is good value for the area).
[NB: the above 3 places are not confirmed to be guest friendly]
Thank you for reading this article. I would appreciate your comments or feedback and I plan to revise and improve this list to keep it as up to date as possible. Coming soon is a guide on Pattaya and Patong hotels.
Once again if you are considering booking a hotel anywhere in the world through booking.com or agoda then consider using the links above (at no extra cost to yourself) as it would really help the YouTube channel and the running of this website. Thanks once again.
(Prices in $ Dollars were taken in July 2016. If you book a hotel very close to the date you stay then the prices might be higher than those listed here)
Minh Huong – Blogger Travel Thailand
