Patpong Hotels

Almost everybody who visits Bangkok Thailand checks out Patpong at least once. Love it or hate it, Patpong is one of the best known and night spots in Bangkok.

There are two main activities on offer in Patpong. The first one is the night market that is set up n the street from about 6pm until late at night. Here you can find anything that you would expect to find in a market catering to tourists in Thailand, and not a single thing here is real. Knockoffs of just about anything are available here from cheap(ish) Diesel jeans and shoes, heaps of T-shirts, watches, CDs, DVDs, handbags and belts.

Make sure you bargain because it is expected and you can get everything for a lot cheaper than originally quoted. Of course bargaining doesn’t mean being rude or pushy, as that will most likely get you nowhere.
There are two great ways to get the best price you can while bargaining at a market like Patpong. The easiest way is to bargain as low as you can and when bargaining seems to have reached a standstill and you both won’t budge, ask them one more time for your price, and when they say no, start to walk away. If there was any ever possibility of getting the price that you were asking for then the owner od the stall will come after you and submit to your offer.

The other way to get a great price, most times lower than other tourists will get takes a little work, but can turn out to be a lot more fun and rewarding. If you learn how to count from 1 to 1000 and also a couple of simple bargaining phrases in Thai, people will be so impressed that you have put the effort into learning their language that they are likely to give you a local price. Why not spend the hours on the flight over learning some phrases and numbers and you would be surprised by the reception you get.

The other attraction in Patpong of course is the go-go bars. These are on both sides of the street that the market stalls have been set up in. Which is why it’s probably not a good idea to bring the kids to this market as the will be exposed to sights they have never seen before and could drive your young son (and maybe even husband) to total distraction.

Everyone has heard the stories of Ping Pong shows and all the other sordid stories form Bangkok. Couple are welcome at these shows and indeed many do go, however one important piece of advice you should remember is to stay away from upstairs bars. Anything on the ground floor should be ok, but there are too many stories of people being ripped off in the upstairs bars.

There are plenty of Patpong hotels as it is located in the Silom district, which is a major hub of business and very close to Sathorn. So whether you are in bangkok for business or pleasure, staying in Patpong will position you close to both business areas and nightlife.

 

Map of hotels near Suan Lum night bazaar.

Have you ever relied on the hotel description of a website to tell you how close the hotel is to the center of town, public transportation,  or certain landmarks? Were the estimates ever a little, “optimistic”?

Well I’ve taken the guesswork out of exactly where these hotels near Suan Lum night bazaar in Bangkok are by placing them all on a Google map.

The purple pushpin on the map is the night bazaar, and the blue markers are individual hotels. You can click on the markers and see a photo of the hotel and some other quick info about the hotel. There is also a link where you can go for more information about each hotel and make a reservation if you like.

The map can be moved about by clicking and dragging, so you can see other areas near the hotels like Lumpini Park and Patpong. You can also zoom in and out. If you ‘d prefer to see a larger map, there is a link under the map that will take you to a full sized Google map.

View Larger Map

 

Hotels near Panthip Plaza and Platinum Mall

Petchaburi Road in Bangkok is home to 3 super malls, Panthip Plaza, Platinum Mall and Pratunum Market. Panthip Plaza is mecca for electronics shoppers, Platinum Mall is a huge fashion mall with hugely discounted clothing over several floors and Pratunam Mall is where you can find even cheaper clothing in a more downmarket environment- no airconditioning here.

Hotels near Panthip Plaza and Platinum mall in Bangkok

Considering how much shopping you can do in these places, it might be a good idea to base yourself in the area at least one night so you can have a place to keep unloading your shopping bags, since you probably don’t want to be dragging them around all day with the Bangkok crowds.

Panthip Plaza is  manna from heaven for people looking for anything to do with computers or electronics. It is a multi-story mall with practically every square inch of floor space taken up by every conceivable type of electronics product available, from region-free DVDs, computers and computer parts, printers, game consoles, DVDs, CDs and software, as well as stalls that will do custom work for you including chipping of region locked devices, unlocking and “jailbreaking” iPhones among other things.

Staying in one of the many hotels in this area will not only position yourself near the largest IT mall in Asia, but also near many of the famously cheap wholesale fashion outlets along Pratunam Road including Pratunam Market and it’s air-conditioned and more comfortable Platinum Mall. Being situated close together, he could stroll the hundreds of stores finding everything electronic he ever wanted, as well as some things he never even knew he wanted in Panthip Plaza, while she spent the day browsing and buying up as many fashion items that she can fit into a suitcase at very low prices. With your hotel nearby, you can easily drop everything off and go back for a second and third round.

These hotels are also located not far from some more up-market shopping malls like Gaysorn, Central World Plaza and Siam Paragon. For people who are in Bangkok to do some serious shopping, these hotels near Panthip Plaza, Pratunam Market and Platinum Mall would make excellent choices.

 

Mayfair Marriott Executive Apartments

One of the bedrooms in a Mayfair Marriott Executive Apartment

The Mayfair Marriott Executive Apartments in Bangkok offer one, two, and three bedroom apartments for short or long term stays. The apartments, which range in size between 54 m² and 186 m², are beautifully furnished and appointed with luxurious amenities including a full sized, fully stocked and equipped kitchen.

Located in beautiful Langsuan, the apartments are a leisurely 10 minute stroll from Lumpini park, major departments stores and two Skytrain stations (Ratchadamri and Chidlom). Langsuan is a quiet leafy wide soi with buildings set back from the road, a rarity in Bangkok. The “All Suite” Mayfair is very close to Bangkok’s central business district, the prime tourism and shopping districts and embassies.

All of the luxurious suites are fitted with first class, comfortable furnishings and amenities which make your stay very comfortable. All of the spacious apartments feature floor to ceiling windows and blackout curtains. The fully equipped kitchen comes with full sized refrigerator, microwave oven, stove, oven and dishwasher. Full room service and grocery delivery are available. There is also an upmarket supermarket located right next door with a wide range of groceries from a large number of countries, if you prefer to do your own grocery shopping. Laundry and dry cleaning service is available but you also have the option of using the washing machine/dryer in the room. There is a dedicated home-office area with large desk, voice mail and high-speed internet connection. Other amenities include large flat screen TVs (in the living room and bedroom), DVD/VCD player, stereo, iron and ironing board and tea/coffee maker. The front desk also has a large collection of DVDs for in-room use at no charge.

The rooftop pool is very large and offers plenty of shade. The health club, equipped with modern exercise equipment is open 24 hours a day and also features a spa and kids’ area. After your workout enjoy magnificent panoramic views of the city from the cocktail lounge on the 25th floor.

The Mayfair Marriott Executive Apartments offers truly luxurious, spacious home-style accommodation for less than the price of most cramped one-room 5 star hotels.