First time B'kok. Apartment rental advice sought

[durian]

Older couple, together 20 years. Heading to Bangkok for the first time, in Jan '26 for around 5 weeks.

Mainly to fullfill a border hop out of Malaysia so we can be back to Penang for Chinese New year.

As we're going to be staying for around a month we want to rent an apartment rather than a hotel stay.

I see the main district of interest is Silom Soi4 so we may as well throw ourselves in to the thick of it.

 

If you have any suggestions for a good apartment rental I would be pleased to know of it.

Equally if you know of an apartment rental to avoid like the plague, I would very much like to hear of it.

 

If you have any tips suggestions or 'what ever you do don't do that'  I'd also be appreciative.

We're looking to 'stay' rather than going any distance out of the city during our stay, we are 'stay at home' types but want to be in the heart of the gay district.

We don't really want to stay in a hotel for 5 weeks, an apartment would suit us better.

 

I will head off and read some posts about your adventures here in the meantime and have a browse in booking.com and airb+b

We are gwm/gcm in our 50's and 60's  we're not very active but do enjoy a swimming pool if that is something you can point us towards.

My husband is malaysia native and we've been in Thailand twice before recently, Patong and Hat Yai

In his twink days hubby was a regular Thailand tourist but equally, he never made it up to BK

We're sorted with TnG and Bolt etc. We're internet and phone savvy. 

Cheers for now, Mike. 

[jason1975]

Airbnb is your best option. There are many options on nearby soi 3. Walking distance to gay areas in Silom.

[durian]

33 minutes ago, jason1975 said:

Airbnb is your best option. There are many options on nearby soi 3. Walking distance to gay areas in Silom.

Thank You.  I do use booking dot com but if Air b+b is better for BK then thank you for the tip. soi 3 sounds good too.  

 

EDIT: 20 minutes later, signed up and verified at air bnb.  There appear to be some perfect choices. 

[durian]

UPDATE. ALL SORTED 

I have had a good look around the apps and now booked for a month in a deluxe suite/apt on Sala Daeng 1/1 at 'The Quarter'

I had to compromise a little on distance from sio 3 and room size/facilites/pool, but it looks close enough for comfort.

Walking is something we enjoy, 8000 steps a day is a ballpark. 

I am very much looking forward to my first trip to BK.

 

I've been in Penang for around 9 months, a quick hop to Hat Yai for a month and last christmas in patong.

Now for some proper Homosexual lifestyle in BK.  Looking forward to some handsome chap giving me a foot massage.......

 

Flying up from penang first week of Jan. 

[vinapu]

7 hours ago, durian said:

UPDATE. ALL SORTED 

I have had a good look around the apps and now booked for a month in a deluxe suite/apt on Sala Daeng 1/1 at 'The Quarter'

I had to compromise a little on distance from sio 3 and room size/facilites/pool, but it looks close enough for comfort.

 

if you don't want to walk, they have shuttle to Silom Road, Also for 20 baht motorsai taxis from the corner will take you there  in 3 minutes. 

You will like Quarter, breakfast is good deal there. Keep in mind , if you will be walking you will be passing by Senso massage so feel free to check their offerings.

[Kiwi306]

I have stayed at Quarter Saladaeng a few times and have been upgraded twice. The first time I had a separate bedroom, a fully equipped kitchen and a lounge area. It was a bit of an anticlimax to be in a regular room on the next visit.

I enjoy their breakfasts, even though some of the board members here are not quite as enthusiastic. I like the ambience of QS too. It's nice to be able to take your breakfast outside and sit by the swimming pool if you want to.

 

[Shax]

Quarter Saladaeng is sort of my go-to place to stay when I'm in BKK. The have a cafe (Lapin) in the hotel and across the road there is the Commons, a space with different cafes and restaurants you can chill at. Along the same road, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants, pharmacy, 7eleven etc.

Yes, they also have the shuttle to either BTS Saladaeng or MRT Silom.

[ichigo]

This thread inspired me to book some nights at Quarter Saladaeng for my upcoming trip. I haven't stayed here before and it's a little further away than I usually stay, but it's not that far and I like trying out different areas (and I got it for a decent rate too). One of my favourite Thai restaurants, Northeast, is also just up the road.

[jason1975]

56 minutes ago, ichigo said:

This thread inspired me to book some nights at Quarter Saladaeng for my upcoming trip. I haven't stayed here before and it's a little further away than I usually stay, but it's not that far and I like trying out different areas (and I got it for a decent rate too). One of my favourite Thai restaurants, Northeast, is also just up the road.

I stayed at Bandara Suites which is directly facing Quarter Saladeang in June. I didn't walk back to hotel every night. My guy and I took taxi back from Patpong. He was always the one telling the taxi driver to use the meter. Many taxi drivers quote a flat rate of 100 baht. If taxi driver refused to use meter, my guy would get another taxi for us. About 60 to 70 baht if I remember correctly. Actually, I would happily pay 100 baht to save the walking. Because I could not wait to be with my guy in hotel room!

[vinapu]

1 hour ago, jason1975 said:

I stayed at Bandara Suites which is directly facing Quarter Saladeang in June. I didn't walk back to hotel every night. My guy and I took taxi back from Patpong. He was always the one telling the taxi driver to use the meter. Many taxi drivers quote a flat rate of 100 baht. If taxi driver refused to use meter, my guy would get another taxi for us. About 60 to 70 baht if I remember correctly. Actually, I would happily pay 100 baht to save the walking. Because I could not wait to be with my guy in hotel room!

Motorsai taxis from corner of Sala Daeng / Silom will take you there for 20

[khaolakguy]

Bandara Suites closed for a year now for refurbishment.

[Kiwi306]

If you can handle the heat, Quarter Saladaeng is certainly within walking distance of the bars. I have had very good rates there too when booking through Agoda. Quarter Silom has the advantage of being just a hop, skip and a jump away from my preferred bars, but I find the restaurant and pool areas quite sterile there and I much prefer the layout at Quarter Saladaeng. I have found their restaurant staff to be very friendly too.

[durian]

On 10/18/2025 at 11:52 PM, vinapu said:

if you don't want to walk, they have shuttle to Silom Road, Also for 20 baht motorsai taxis from the corner will take you there  in 3 minutes. 

You will like Quarter, breakfast is good deal there. Keep in mind , if you will be walking you will be passing by Senso massage so feel free to check their offerings.

Sounds good. I did read about the shuttle service when I booked but was unsure what areas it served, so thanks for this tip.

6 hours ago, Kiwi306 said:

A: If you can handle the heat .......

B: I have found their restaurant staff to be very friendly too.....

A: I've been sweating my balls off in Penang for the last year so I should be ok

B: That's good to know

 

I chose this place due to the sheer size of the apartment and the pool. There are fewer choices when it comes to a pool.

We are there for a month so having space is a luxury, the month in Hat Yai earlier in the year at Escent was in a 30sqm apartment which wasn't easy.

As mentioned we are 'stay at home' types during the heat of the day and being so close to Lumphini park is a big plus for our evening strolls when we don't want downtown strolls. 

 

I'm very tempted for a happy ending massage once I've convinced my husband that I'll play safe, but it won't be easy as bareback is something I do like but common sense must prevail.  I'm too old for the clap clinic, those twink days are well behind me.

I'll be happy with a good foot massage as long as he's cute and I can stare at him! 

 

I'm most grateful for the extra comments tips and thoughts thus far.  cheers. 

[jimmie50]

32 minutes ago, durian said:

bareback is something I do like

My experience is limited compared to others on the forum, but I have not found a single person open to bareback as an option.  They all come prepared on their tray of supplies with condoms and some type of gel or lubricant.  I cannot think of a single instance so far on this trip where that has even been an option.  Like I said, others may have better info as I am a relatively newcomer here.  

[Keithambrose]

14 minutes ago, jimmie50 said:

My experience is limited compared to others on the forum, but I have not found a single person open to bareback as an option.  They all come prepared on their tray of supplies with condoms and some type of gel or lubricant.  I cannot think of a single instance so far on this trip where that has even been an option.  Like I said, others may have better info as I am a relatively newcomer here.  

I've always found bareback as an option in Bangkok.  This is mainly boys from Grindr, where I ask in advance. A couple  from Goodboys, and Freshboys. Not used massage shops much. My lucky chance fuck in Green Massage was BB, it just came about rather quickly! I have a Vietnamese regular who comes to check my stamp collection,  he is BB. He brought a fellow stamp enthusiast last time, they were BB.

[durian]

2 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

 I have a Vietnamese regular who comes to check my stamp collection

There are insuffient emojis to express how much this phrase made me chuckle.