Overnight in BKK -- tips and advice?

[Human]

I'll be taking some last-minute unexpected Long Service Leave later this month and will be transiting through BKK overnight.

I have never been to Bangkok/Thailand before and I don't know what I don't know.

I'll be arriving at 4:40pm on QF295 and departing at 7:05am the next morning on AY142 to Helsinki.

I'm after a convenient and inexpensive place to stay overnight, with easy access to/from the airport. If I'm feeling OK I'll probably feel like venturing out for an hour or two after check-in, so if there's a nearby place, preferably within walking distance, with (for example) great Thai food I'd love to know about it.

I have various hotel statuses that come with the AmEx Platinum card (ALL Gold etc).

Advice? @drron you seem to have a pretty good knowledge of Bangkok!? Is anyone able to fill me in with some insider information?

Thanks in advance!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well, the most obvious is that there’s a hotel attached to the airport, used to be Novotel but now Marriott or something.

Arrival 440… if on time… will get you into the city by 6 to 630. Would recommend getting AOT car from the arrivals hall (baggage carousel). Easy, quick, a little more than grab but all tolls paid for etc.

You’ll need to leave again around 4am from the city for your 705.

Worth going to the city for a meal? Close call for that time. If it was an afternoon or evening departure the next day I’d go in, but otherwise probably stay at the airport, or a hotel close to it. Lots of hotels nearby from budget upwards, almost all will shuttle you from and back to the airport.

 

[Daver6]

It depends what type of person you are. IF you want hassle free and a relax, just check-in at the airport hotel and be done with it. It's a great hotel and the pool area is quite good, if that's your thing. A bunch of restaurants.



Bangkok traffic is insane. Having said that, heading back to the airport for your morning flight will be fine. IF you're a go go go kinda person, then head to the city and make a night of it. Maybe a dinner river cruise? Good way to see some sights. I'd be booking a hotel that's close to where you want to be. Nothing is quick getting around that city unless your start and end point are along the train line.

I'd also agree by using a AOT car to get into the city. Just prebook a Grab for your ride back into the airport the next morning. Will save you some money and we found it to be a good reliable option.

 

[drron]

We stay for days or even weeks so have no experience in this situation but in other places we have long transits it is to stay in a hotel in or near the airport. The former Novotel at the airport usually has good reviews.

Arriving between 4-5pm is often the busiest time for BKK. long Immigration lines and a slow trip into the city. That makes the airport train reasonable alternative but hve no experience of hotels, restaurants etc near the city terminus of the airport line.

 

[RB]

Quite a while ago but this was a budget option we used for a short layover & it did the job
At Residence Suvarnabhumi Hotel, Lat Krabang (updated prices 2025)

 

[Human]

Thanks for all your help and advice everyone -- very much appreciated.

I'll be starting the day before 4am in Melbourne, and starting the next day at about the same time in Bangkok, so the near-the-airport options sound most attractive, especially given what has been said about the traffic into the city.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for all your help and advice everyone -- very much appreciated.

I'll be starting the day before 4am in Melbourne, and starting the next day at about the same time in Bangkok, so the near-the-airport options sound most attractive, especially given what has been said about the traffic into the city.

It’s now the Hyatt Regency… attached to the airport.

Haven’t eaten there myself but there’s a food court landside at the airport. Some pretty good reviews of several places serving traditional thai food for THB100 or less (Magic Food Point as an example.)

 

[markis10]

Plenty of off airport locales offering shuttles and reasonable accomodation for well under $100 a night

 

[RooFlyer]

I was in the former Novotel earlier this year - very good (esp. service) and really convenient. As noted above, now Hyatt. I intend to stay there again next year.

Post in thread 'How does Accor treat you as an Elite guest?'

Dec 12, 2024

Property: Novotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
Status: Accor+ Platinum
Room booked: Deluxe, 1king bed
Room upgraded/type: Junior suite
Rate: $350, members flex
Free internet: Yes
Free Breakfast: Yes, but unused
Early check in/late out: Yes, but unused
Welcome drink: Yes x 1 but unused due to the spread in the lounge
Welcome gift: Nice plate of confectionary and fruit, +3 decent size packets of mixed nuts
Recommended: Yes

A great stay. As platinum got a meeting at the luggage carousel and the bags taken care of...

• RooFlyer

• 

 

[Human]

I was in the former Novotel earlier this year - very good (esp. service) and really convenient. As noted above, now Hyatt. I intend to stay there again next year.

Post in thread 'How does Accor treat you as an Elite guest?'

Dec 12, 2024

Property: Novotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
Status: Accor+ Platinum
Room booked: Deluxe, 1king bed
Room upgraded/type: Junior suite
Rate: $350, members flex
Free internet: Yes
Free Breakfast: Yes, but unused
Early check in/late out: Yes, but unused
Welcome drink: Yes x 1 but unused due to the spread in the lounge
Welcome gift: Nice plate of confectionary and fruit, +3 decent size packets of mixed nuts
Recommended: Yes

A great stay. As platinum got a meeting at the luggage carousel and the bags taken care of...

• RooFlyer

• 

Thanks for your reply. It does look great, and very convenient. Extremely tempting ... but...

... I'm trying to keep costs down, though: this is an unplanned last-minute trip and I'm on a Victorian teacher's salary (ie. not much!). The Airport Hyatt is over A$200/night and there are other hotels in the vicinity which look perfectly good for about $60.

The At Residence Hotel which @RB recommended has excellent reviews, has an Airport shuttle service and I can book it for A$62/night, refundable if I cancel beforehand ... I'm leaning towards that.

If I venture out, for dinner, will I need some cash or do most places take credit card?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

.

If I venture out, for dinner, will I need some cash or do most places take credit card?

Depends… smaller ‘holes in the wall’ take cash. Mainstream or tourist places will take card.

On the basement level of the airport… after you’ve come out of the arrivals hall go down a couple of floors via escalator, you’ll find a hallway and then an internal sort of bridge/path/corridor thing to the train station… you’ll find two or three currency exchange places. They offer excellent rates, far better than ATMs.

You need to go the ones near the train station (over the bridge thingy) because they are officially ‘off airport’ and can offer better rates. The other currency exchanges aren’t nearly as good.

Avoid ATMs as there’s a hefty $10 charge imposed on all foreign cards per withdrawal.