Riverside / Thonburi

ibis Bangkok Riverside

★★★★★

ibis Bangkok Riverside is proof that you do not need a luxury budget to stay on the Chao Phraya. It sits on the Thonburi bank at Soi Charoen Nakhon 17, a short distance downriver from ICONSIAM, with the river at the bottom of the garden. The headline feature is the riverfront swimming pool, consistently one of the most praised parts of the hotel in guest reviews, where you can swim with boats chugging past and the skyline across the water. Rooms are classic ibis: compact, clean, modern and well designed, with comfortable beds and good showers. There are standard doubles and twins, river-view versions of both, and family rooms that sleep up to four, with city or river views; the river-view rooms cost a little more and are worth it. Food and drink are simple: TASTE, the restaurant, serves an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet with hot and cold dishes and local specialties, and the lobby bar serves drinks, beers and snacks around the clock. The location is quieter than the east bank, and it is not right on top of a Skytrain station, but the hotel runs a free shuttle to BTS Krung Thon Buri, and a cross-river ferry pier is within walking distance for hopping over to Charoen Krung Road and the Bang Rak side, where you can pick up the Chao Phraya boats. ICONSIAM, with its food market and riverside, is close, and so is the Gold Line monorail. Guest scores for the location are high, but the hotel is a budget property, with limited facilities beyond the pool and restaurant, and you will rely on the shuttle, ferries and taxis to get around. For travellers who want to wake up by the river and spend their money on experiences rather than rooms, it is a very good choice.

Choosing a room: pay the small premium for a river-view room; it transforms the stay. Families should book the family room, which sleeps four, and ask for a river view. Breakfast is good value if you plan an early start, but the street food around Charoen Nakhon and Khlong San markets is cheap and excellent too.

Getting around: use the free shuttle to BTS Krung Thon Buri for the Silom line, or walk to the nearby ferry pier to cross the river and connect with the Chao Phraya Express and tourist boats to the old town: Wat Arun, Wat Pho and the Grand Palace are all reachable by boat. ICONSIAM is close for dinner and shopping, and the Gold Line monorail from there links to the BTS. Taxis and ride-hailing apps are easy to find. The riverside was under a high-tide warning from 27 October to 5 November 2026, mostly affecting mornings; the pool terrace and riverside path may be closed briefly at high tide.

Who it suits: budget travellers and young couples who want river views, families looking for affordable family rooms with a pool, and repeat visitors who know the boat system. It is less suited to travellers who want nightlife on the doorstep or who need to be at a Skytrain station for frequent trips across the city. Book through Accor for loyalty points and the best rates.