No trip to Bangkok is complete without a trip to the Chatuchak weekend market, the largest outdoor market in Thailand (and possibly the world), which sprawls out from Mo Chit BTS station and covers blocks of Bangkok. Staying in the area can be expensive (by Thai standards), and if hotels here fall out of your price range consider staying in the cheaper Khoa San Road area and accessing Mo Chit by taxi (only 100 Bhat ride, or $3 USD).
This five-star hotel is the closest to Mo Chit station and the weekend market, but staying here comes at an obvious cost. Deluxe rooms start at 7800 Bhat ($250 USD) and the Royal Suite rents for 40000 Bhat ($1,300 USD) per night, as of January 2011. But the Grand Bangkok is pure luxury: its 565 rooms are all large and luxuriously furnished, and include flat-screen TVs with international satellite programming, "heavenly rain" showers, robes and slippers and a multimedia connector for cameras and MP3 players.
The Mystic Place boutique hotels is a few steps from Saphan Khwai Station (one stop from Mo Chit Station). This unique hotel features rooms decorated in lavish, perhaps garish, styles and one-of-a-kind decor. It has on-site Thai massage services, a small cafe with free daily breakfast, cable TV and Tuk-Tuk services to the market and nearby metro stops. Its large rooms begin at 2500 Bhat, though seasonal sales bring rates closer to 1600 Bhat (about $50 USD per night). Prices are as of January 2011.
Long-term visitors to Bangkok may wish to seek out a monthly rental, such as the Poonchock Mansion in Chatuchak. A few minutes walk to Mo Chit station, the Poonchock Mansion offers serviced apartments in a secure building. The four types of rooms (studio A and B, deluxe and penthouse) all feature full bathrooms, kitchens with a fridge, stove and microwave and satellite TV. The building has a travel agent and hairdresser, as well as laundry service. Rooms begin at 8,000 Bhat per month ($260 USD) but weekly and daily rates can be arranged. Prices are as of January 2011.
The infamous backpacker haunt in Bangkok is an area known as Khoa San Road, which is a specific (and small) street central to the backpacker area. Most of the accommodation in this area are inexpensive (from $10 USD to $40 USD per night, as of January 2011), and the area is known for its collection of restaurants and bars. The beauty of Bangkok is that most places are cheaply accessed by taxi or Tuk-Tuk. Mo Chit is about a $1 to $3 ride by taxi, which takes about 20 minutes (depending on traffic). There are slews of hotels. Don't be afraid to show up without a reservation and barter with cash in hand.
