AreaStays
Asiatique The Riverfront's 60-metre Ferris wheel beside the Chao Phraya River

Supanut Arunoprayote / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Bangkok

Where to Stay in Riverside, Bangkok

The stretch of the Chao Phraya riverbank around Charoenkrung Road and Saphan Taksin BTS station was Bangkok's first commercial district, where 19th-century foreign trading houses set up along the water. Today it holds most of the city's flagship riverside hotels, the ICONSIAM mall, and Asiatique The Riverfront night market, all linked by a network of hotel shuttle boats and the Chao Phraya Express Boat.

What it's actually like to stay here

Relaxed and scenic compared to the traffic-heavy center — wide river views, breezy waterside promenades, and upscale hotel grounds, with Asiatique's night market bringing crowds and lights after dark.

Stay here if

Best for couples and honeymooners drawn to riverside hotels with sunset views, and for first-time visitors who don't mind trading some central convenience for a scenic, resort-like base with boat access to the Old City and Silom.

Stay elsewhere if

Budget travelers and anyone wanting to walk to nightlife or malls should look elsewhere — hotels here lean upscale, and the area depends on boats or taxis to reach most of the rest of the city.

Walkability
Individual hotel grounds and Asiatique itself are walkable, but the area runs along the riverbank rather than a compact grid, so getting between hotels usually means a boat or short taxi ride rather than a walk.
Noise at night
Quiet and breezy along the river by day; Asiatique's night market brings music and crowds in the evening, but it stays contained to its own grounds.

Best Hotels in Riverside, Bangkok

Shangri-La Bangkok

★★★★★
  • 📍 Best location

Our take A well-established riverside luxury stay — the river frontage and garden grounds give it a resort feel that's rare this close to the BTS network.

Good for

  • Luxury travelers
  • Couples

Couples and travelers wanting a full riverside resort experience — gardens, river-view rooms, multiple restaurants — without leaving central Bangkok.

Why we like it

  • Sits directly on the Chao Phraya River, with landscaped gardens between the towers and the water
  • A private pier with a free shuttle boat to Sathorn/Saphan Taksin, plus access to the Chao Phraya Express Boat
  • Multiple pools and several restaurants on the grounds
  • A short walk from Saphan Taksin BTS station, unusual for a riverside hotel of this size

What to know

  • The hotel complex is large, so rooms in the garden wing can be a longer walk to the lobby and river pier than those in the main tower
Check availability on Booking.com

Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok

★★★★★
  • 👨‍👩‍👧 Best for families

Our take A solid choice for families in particular — the suite sizes and river views give you more space to spread out than a typical city-center hotel room.

Good for

  • Families
  • Couples

Families and groups who want extra room — many suites here run larger than a standard Bangkok hotel room — with river views and a free shuttle boat to Asiatique and Saphan Taksin.

Why we like it

  • Many rooms are large suites with floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies over the river
  • A free shuttle boat to Asiatique The Riverfront and Saphan Taksin BTS station
  • Multiple pools, including a kids' pool, useful for families
  • A quieter, more spread-out riverside setting than hotels closer to central Silom

What to know

  • It sits further from Saphan Taksin BTS than some riverside hotels, so the shuttle boat schedule is worth checking before planning an evening out
Check availability on Booking.com

ibis Bangkok Riverside

★★★
  • 💰 Best value

Our take A rare combination in Bangkok — a genuinely affordable hotel with a river-facing pool and its own boat shuttle, rather than the usual trade-off between price and location.

Good for

  • Budget travelers
  • Families

Budget-conscious travelers who still want a riverside setting and pool, without paying luxury-hotel rates.

Why we like it

  • An outdoor pool overlooking the Chao Phraya, unusual at this price point
  • A free shuttle boat to Krung Thonburi BTS station, keeping the rest of the city within reach
  • Straightforward, reliably clean rooms typical of the ibis brand
  • A quieter riverside setting away from the busiest central streets

What to know

  • It's across the river from ICONSIAM and the Old City, so factor in a shuttle boat or taxi to reach either
Check availability on Booking.com

Transportation & practical information

Saphan Taksin BTS station connects to the Chao Phraya Express Boat, and most riverside hotels run their own free shuttle boats to Saphan Taksin or Sathorn pier.

A car isn't necessary — the Chao Phraya Express Boat and hotel shuttle boats are usually faster than driving given the area's one-way roads and river-crossing traffic — but a taxi is a reasonable option late at night when boat services wind down.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Riverside area convenient to stay in without a car?
Yes — the Chao Phraya Express Boat and free hotel shuttle boats connect it to the Old City, Silom, and Saphan Taksin BTS quickly, though reaching Sukhumvit takes a boat-to-BTS transfer.

Related areas

The 46-metre gold-covered Reclining Buddha statue inside Wat Pho temple in Bangkok's Old City

Dudva / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Old City

Best for: First-time visitors, Architecture lovers, Budget travelers

Terminal 21 Asok, Sukhumvit's airport-themed shopping mall with floors decorated after world cities

Chainwit. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sukhumvit

Best for: First-time visitors, Nightlife, Couples

The ornate South Indian-style gopuram tower of Sri Maha Mariamman Temple on Silom Road

eric molina / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Silom

Best for: First-time visitors, Nightlife, Budget travelers

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