Originally Posted by
StckFigure
I tried to map to things like the Grand Palace and nearby temples, to Chinatown, to Chatuchak, and to the Jim Thompson house. Only the last one seemed "close", at least by transit... but it also seems like Google maps doesn't take the river options into account, nor does it seem inclined to connect BTS and MTR routes (but that could also just be my lack or orientation to the city). All of them have significantly shorter times listed for car, but I do assume those guesses are not taking into account traffic.
I suppose one good question for the Bangkok-familiar, without intending to get off-topic, is... which line is more useful for a standard first-time tourist, Sukhumvit or Silom? And anyway a difference of 2-3 minutes really isn't a big deal either way, so it may be a moot question.
If you take a look at reviews of the StR BKK, hotel website etc, you can get a sense of its design aesthetic and overall feel - if you like that vs other properties, I’d say go for it. You will not have things like lounge access perks or overly fawning management, but I’ve mostly found StR to be a solid option in terms of room comfort / cleanliness (go for sports club view if you can) - I wouldn’t particularly recommend nearby Marriott options, because they either don’t appeal to me, or are targeting a slightly different market.
In terms of distance to BTS … 2-3 minutes additional walking in the heat is noticeable vs a direct connection via bridge at StR. Unfortunately, StR is situated on one of the busiest streets because of busy interactions at each end - traffic time is unpredictable, but shouldn’t be too bad off peak hours.
Staying at any of the river locations mentioned (FS, Capella, MO, Siam) will be a significant step up from StR (likely in terms of price too), and would be a different, more personalised / truly luxury experience. Of those, MO is in my opinion the best and more “Grande Dame / old world luxury” (and indeed best of Bangkok), whereas FS and Capella are more contemporary luxury options.
Hope that helps somewhat.