Silom or Sukhumvit? Where to Stay in Bangkok
Silom runs out at Bang Rak's old food stalls; Sukhumvit has the Asok transit hub and big nightlife strips. 8 hotels across both, picked by traveler type.
The short answer
Pick Silom if you want a business-district base that mostly goes quiet at night, with Bang Rak’s old street-food stalls at its river end. Pick Sukhumvit if you want the skytrain at your door, malls, big nightlife strips, and good food spread along the skytrain out toward Phrom Phong and Ekkamai. In both, violent crime rarely involves tourists, while petty theft and scams are common. The places to be careful at night are the red-light strips: Patpong in Silom, and Soi Nana and Soi Cowboy in Sukhumvit.
How the two areas feel, day and night
Silom is Bangkok’s central business and financial district. Silom Road itself runs between Charoen Krung and Rama IV roads, with banks and office towers along most of it, and by day it’s busy in an office-hours way. After dark most of it stays buttoned-up. The one exception is Patpong, between Silom and Surawong Roads, which turns into Bangkok’s best-known red-light and night-market strip in the evening. Our full Silom guide covers that split street by street.
Sukhumvit is a roughly 15km strip along Sukhumvit Road and the BTS Sukhumvit Line, and it changes block by block. Near Nana (Soi 3 to 11) it’s a well-lit, late-night entertainment and red-light district. Asok, around the Sukhumvit-Asoke intersection, is a dense hub of offices, malls and transit. Further out, Phrom Phong, Thong Lo and Ekkamai turn upscale and residential, with leafier side sois that are popular with long-term expats and families. The full Sukhumvit guide goes through each stretch.
Getting around
Both areas sit on the BTS Skytrain, and each has a spot where the BTS meets the underground MRT Blue Line, which matters if you’d rather not spend your trip changing trains.
In Silom, that spot is the Rama IV end of Silom Road: Sala Daeng station on the BTS Silom Line has a skywalk to Si Lom station on the MRT. In Sukhumvit, it’s Asok, where the BTS connects to MRT Sukhumvit station, and one of the exits leads straight into the Terminal 21 mall. A hotel built into the Asok complex lets you go from the lobby to the platform without walking along the street at all.
Sukhumvit’s catch is length. Some hotels out in Thong Lo are a 10-minute walk or more from the nearest station, which is why some of them run their own shuttles.
At Silom’s river end, Saphan Taksin BTS sits right above Sathorn Pier. It was the first rail station in Bangkok with a ferry interchange, and from the pier the Chao Phraya Express Boat runs up and down the river.
For everything the trains don’t reach, there are three options, and each works differently.
Metered taxis have a TAXI-METER sign on the roof, and a lit red sign in the front window means the cab is free. Ask for the meter before you set off. Wikivoyage’s Bangkok guide says to simply get out if the driver still refuses after a couple of tries, and to skip the cabs waiting outside hotels and big sights. If the driver takes the expressway, you pay the toll yourself at the booth. Grab, the main ride-hailing app, works the same way on tolls, and its fares go up at busy times.
Tuk-tuks, the open-sided three-wheelers, are worth one ride for the experience. There’s no meter, so agree on a price before you get in. Wikivoyage’s view is that beyond a 5 to 10 minute hop they aren’t worth the price, and a driver offering a very cheap or free ride usually expects you to stop at clothing or jewellery shops along the way.
Motorbike taxis are the drivers in bright orange or yellow vests waiting at busy corners. They shuttle up and down long side streets that nothing else serves, which makes them handy for those Thong Lo hotels. Agree the fare first and wear the helmet: the law requires one for the passenger as well as the driver.
Food
At its western end, Silom Road runs out at Charoen Krung Road in Bang Rak, the old riverside district that the MICHELIN Guide calls a neighbourhood “filled with irresistible inexpensive meals”. The same guide points you to Jok Prince’s long-running congee on Charoen Krung Road, Charoen Saeng Silom’s braised pork leg on Soi Charoen Krung 49, and Sanyod, a small noodle shop in a Bang Rak alley that has kept a loyal following for more than five decades. Each is known for a single dish. For a sit-down seafood dinner, Somboon Seafood on Surawong Road, which is in the MICHELIN Guide, is known for its fried crab curry. Back toward the Rama IV end, Sala Daeng and Convent roads are home to restaurants and cafés.
Sukhumvit’s good food is spread out along the skytrain. Near Phrom Phong, Rung Rueang, a pork noodle shop on Soi Sukhumvit 26, is on MICHELIN’s list of places to eat along the BTS Sukhumvit Line as a Bib Gourmand. Further out, Shirokane Tori-Tama, a yakitori bar on Soi Sukhumvit 63 near Ekkamai, is in the MICHELIN Guide for chicken grilled over hot coals, and its chicken liver pâté with warm baguette is the dish it singles out.
What to watch for
The overall picture is the same in both. Lonely Planet’s Bangkok guide says “Thailand has a low crime rate and is generally considered a safe country”, and the UK Foreign Office’s advice for Thailand notes that violent crime rarely involves tourists. The same advice warns that drink spiking happens in tourist areas and that attacks are most common near bars late at night, which is worth keeping in mind in both areas’ nightlife strips.
Scams are the more common problem. In Silom the one to know is Patpong’s bar-bill trick: touts promise a cheap show with no cover charge, unordered drinks get added, and the bill at the end comes back hugely inflated (the full Silom guide has the sources). Across Bangkok, Lonely Planet also warns about taxi drivers who won’t use the meter and friendly strangers who steer you to overpriced gem shops or tailors. Its advice for the nightlife areas is to stay clear of the main red-light strips at night, and it names Patpong in Silom and Soi Nana and Soi Cowboy in Sukhumvit. If something does go wrong, the Tourist Police run a 24-hour hotline on 1155 with service in eight languages.
Which one suits you
First time in Bangkok, and you don’t want to spend it on transit. Stay at one of the two interchanges. In Sukhumvit, Grande Centre Point Terminal 21 shares a building with the Terminal 21 mall at Asok, with indoor access to the BTS and, through it, the MRT. In Silom, Dusit Thani sits at the corner of Rama IV and Silom Road, about five minutes’ walk from the Sala Daeng and Si Lom stations, and across the road from Lumpini Park.
You travel to eat. In Silom, lebua at State Tower is at the river end of Silom Road, the closest of these hotels to Charoen Krung and Bang Rak’s stalls. Saphan Taksin BTS is about 7 to 10 minutes’ walk away, and the river boats are close by. In Sukhumvit, MUU Bangkok is on Soi 55 in Thong Lo, inside the area’s dining and bar district. It’s about 11 minutes from the BTS, and the hotel runs a shuttle.
You want to be near the nightlife, but not in it. Le Méridien Bangkok is across Surawong Road from Patpong, and one guest review says the rooms stay quiet despite the address. The catch is that the walk to Sala Daeng BTS goes straight through Patpong’s night-market stalls.
You want a quiet base. Ariyasom Villa is a converted 1942 teak house at the dead end of Sukhumvit Soi 1, a residential lane just west of the Nana sois.
You’re on a budget. Le Siam Hotel Silom is on Convent Road, a quieter side street a few minutes from both Sala Daeng BTS and Si Lom MRT. In Sukhumvit, Boss Suites Nana is the cheapest option here, on Soi 4 opposite the Nana Plaza cluster. Pick it only if a busy nightlife soi doesn’t bother you: several guests found the walk in from Sukhumvit Road darker and longer than they expected.
For all ten hotels in each area, see the Silom guide and the Sukhumvit guide.
Hotel locations in this guide
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The 8 hotels, street by street
Hotel 1 of 8. Dusit Thani Bangkok
Silom, Bangkok
$$$$Top tier
Best for: Travelers wanting a luxury base away from Silom's nightlife strip, next to Lumpini Park
Daytime
At the corner of Rama IV and Silom Road, directly across from Lumpini Park inside the newly built Dusit Central Park development. This is the quiet, corporate edge of Silom, flanked by embassies, the park, and high-rise offices rather than nightlife.
After dark
Reviews describe the immediate hotel surroundings as quiet and secure; Patpong is roughly 10-15 minutes' walk away, not on the direct route from the hotel to the BTS.
- Transit: Sala Daeng BTS and Silom MRT
- 5 min
- Landmark: Lumpini Park
- Across the street
- Corner of Rama IV, across from Lumpini Park
- Quiet, institutional edge of Silom
Nearby: About a 5-minute walk to Sala Daeng BTS and the Silom MRT junction.
Sources: TripAdvisor listing, Wikipedia, Official site
Hotel 2 of 8. lebua at State Tower
Silom, Bangkok
$$$$Top tier
Best for: Travelers wanting a landmark riverside luxury stay away from the Patpong cluster
Daytime
At the far western end of Silom Road near the Chao Phraya River, a different micro-area from the Sala Daeng/Patpong cluster, closer to Charoenkrung Road and the river. No specific safety complaints found; the area is busy with restaurants and river-boat access.
After dark
Patpong and central Silom's nightlife are a taxi ride or moderate walk away rather than on the doorstep, since the hotel sits at the river end of Silom Road. The hotel is famous for its own rooftop bar, which draws its own late-night crowds and queues.
- Transit: Saphan Taksin BTS
- 7–10 min
- Landmark: Chao Phraya River
- Short walk
- River end of Silom Road
- Nightlife a taxi or walk away, not on the doorstep
Nearby: Saphan Taksin BTS is roughly 7-10 minutes' walk, though estimates vary by source.
Sources: TripAdvisor listing, Booking.com listing, Wikipedia
Hotel 3 of 8. Le Méridien Bangkok
Silom, Bangkok
$$$$Upper mid
Best for: Travelers who want to be steps from Patpong's nightlife without staying inside it
Daytime
On Surawong Road, directly across from Patpong; reviewers describe it as just across the road from the market, about 50 metres diagonally from the entrance. No specific daytime safety concerns raised; a standard business-hotel area.
After dark
A TripAdvisor review headlined "probably the best hotel near Patpong" specifically notes that despite sitting right across from the red-light strip, the hotel interior is surprisingly still very quiet. Reaching the BTS on foot means walking directly through the Patpong night-market stalls, which some guests find lively and convenient and others find crowded, though not unsafe.
- Transit: Sala Daeng BTS
- 7 min
- Landmark: Patpong
- Across the street
- Directly across from Patpong
- Quiet inside despite the location
Nearby: About a 7-minute walk to Sala Daeng BTS; Sam Yan MRT is also cited as accessible.
Sources: TripAdvisor listing, TripAdvisor review: "probably the best hotel near Patpong", Official Marriott listing
Hotel 4 of 8. Le Siam Hotel Silom Bangkok
Silom, Bangkok
$$$$Mid-range
Best for: Budget-conscious travelers wanting a quieter street still close to Silom's transit and nightlife
Daytime
On Convent Road, a quieter side street behind the Park Silom mall, mixed office and residential. Despite the quieter street, it's close enough to Patpong that one reviewer titled their review "walking distance from Patpong markets." No safety complaints found; reviewers focus on value and the convenient mall location.
After dark
No explicit safety complaints found. Reviewers frame the Patpong proximity as a convenience, easy to walk to the market, rather than a concern, and the property itself sits on the quieter Convent Road rather than directly on the strip.
- Transit: Sala Daeng BTS and Silom MRT
- Short walk
- Landmark: Patpong
- Short walk
- Quieter Convent Road, near Patpong
- Proximity framed as convenience, not concern
Nearby: A short walk to both Sala Daeng BTS and Silom MRT, described by reviewers as a few minutes without a single consistent figure.
Sources: TripAdvisor listing, Official site
Hotel 5 of 8. Grande Centre Point Terminal 21
Sukhumvit, Bangkok
$$$$Upper mid
Best for: Travelers who want to stay inside a mall/transit complex rather than walk the street
Daytime
Shares a building and roof with the Terminal 21 shopping mall at Asok, Soi 19. Same dense, high-foot-traffic hub profile as the other Asok hotels on this list.
After dark
Being inside the mall and transit complex lets guests avoid street-level walking after dark almost entirely, similar to the Sheraton's skywalk setup nearby. A specific night-safety review naming this property wasn't found in research, so treat this as area context rather than a guest quote.
- Transit: BTS Asok and MRT Sukhumvit
- Connected
- Landmark: Terminal 21 mall
- Connected
- Mall-anchored Asok hub
- Indoor access limits street walking
Nearby: Direct in-building access to BTS Asok, which also connects to MRT Sukhumvit, effectively a covered walk from lobby to platform via the mall.
Sources: Official site, Booking.com listing
Hotel 6 of 8. MUU Bangkok Hotel
Sukhumvit, Bangkok
$$$$Top tier
Best for: Travelers prioritizing Thong Lo's dining scene over BTS proximity
Daytime
On Soi 55 (Thong Lo), Bangkok's upscale, design-forward dining and nightlife district, but set within Thong Lo's quieter interior rather than on the main road. Reviewers describe the immediate area as quiet and very nice with some lovely pubs and restaurants, explicitly contrasted with the more touristic central areas.
After dark
Reviewers describe hotel rooms as fairly quiet and the neighborhood walkable to restaurants and bars without raising safety concerns. The BTS-distance gap is a practical-access note more than a safety one.
- Transit: Thong Lo BTS (hotel shuttle too)
- ~11 min
- Thong Lo interior, design-forward
- Quiet rooms, local dining nearby
Nearby: Thong Lo BTS station is roughly an 11-minute walk; the hotel runs its own shuttle about every 30 minutes to bridge the distance.
Sources: SLH official listing, TripAdvisor listing
Hotel 7 of 8. Ariyasom Villa
Sukhumvit, Bangkok
$$$$Upper mid
Best for: Travelers wanting a quiet boutique base close to, but insulated from, Sukhumvit's nightlife
Daytime
A converted 1942 teak family villa at the quiet dead end of Sukhumvit Soi 1, a residential lane just west of the Soi 3-11 nightlife cluster. Reviewers repeatedly call it a quiet little oasis, and note it sits at the quiet end of a busy street.
After dark
TripAdvisor reviewers describe it as clean, quiet and secure down the end of Soi 1, a residential dead-end rather than a through-street, in contrast to Sukhumvit's busier nightlife sois nearby.
- Transit: Phloen Chit or Nana BTS
- 5–10 min
- Quiet dead-end soi, garden villa
- Clean, quiet and secure
Nearby: Phloen Chit or Nana BTS stations are both about a 5-10 minute walk down a residential-feeling alley of local shops.
Sources: Official site, TripAdvisor listing
Hotel 8 of 8. Boss Suites Nana Hotel
Sukhumvit, Bangkok
$$$$Budget
Best for: Budget travelers comfortable navigating a busy nightlife soi after dark
Daytime
The hotel sits about 200m inside Sukhumvit Soi 4 (Nana Tai), across from the Nana Plaza cluster. Reviewers describe it as a small boutique hotel with a peaceful location despite the address, and by day the soi is an ordinary, busy mix of shops and food stalls.
After dark
Soi 4 is Sukhumvit's busiest nightlife and red-light stretch, well-trafficked and policed, but multiple reviewers flag the walk from Sukhumvit Road to the hotel itself as too dark and longer than expected, one describing it as set too deep from the main road.
- Transit: Nana BTS
- 5–7 min
- Landmark: Nana Plaza
- Across the street
- Set back in Soi 4, ordinary by day
- Dark, longer walk from the main road
Nearby: Nana BTS station is roughly a 5-7 minute walk, longer than most hotels on this list since the property sits set back from the main road.
Sources: TripAdvisor listing, Booking.com reviews
