6 NIGHTS IN BANGKOK:

Having a week to spend in Bangkok you'll have time to see many things, but not get too exhausted doing it. Bangkok is a huge city .... it can be exciting, dirty, smoggy, fascinating, wildly interesting, and quite tiring all at the same time. In May it will be hot.

My main suggestion is not to do too much in one day or you'll get really really tired, mainly from the heat. Go out and see things in the morning, and use the hot afternoon to enjoy your Marriot Spa.

If you are going out at night, then make sure you take a good nap in the afternoon. Not trying to sound too school-marmish here, but I can't emphasise the way the Bangkok heat can drain you. Carry a package of those little wet towelettes (baby wipes are great!) in your bag or backpack at all times. Carry lots of water as well ... cheap sealed bottles of H2O can be found anywhere on the street.

Use taxis!! ('meter' only). Taxis are really cheap in Bangkok and are the best way to get around. I looked at the map on the Marriot website and see that it's on the Thonburi side of the river (i.e. west bank of the Chao Praya) which is really not that close to the main spots in Bangkok ... most are on the east bank. But no problem if you use taxis . . . you can get anywhere in Bangkok by taxi from the Marriot for not more than 200 baht (about $5 US), and most rides will be cheaper than that.

You can get a river ferry and sail down the Chao Praya from your hotel (I think it's on the bank, but may be wrong) to 3 of the biggest temples in Bangkok: Wat Phra Keow (in the Grand Palace), Wat Pho (where the Reclining Buddha reclines) and ~ just across the River ~ Wat Arun. (Just FYI: men must wear long pants, and women no halter tops or shorts for these temples. If you go there in shorts, they'll give you a sarong to wear :-) )
These 3 (I guess) are a must, but they are all clustered together which makes them easy to get to on the same day. If you don't feel like going there by riverboat (it can be a little complicated finding the correct ferry), then just take a taxi from the hotel.

You definitely should visit the Vinamnek Palace (see: http://www.bangkok.com/attraction-palace/index.html ). It's a gorgeous teak palace built for one of the early 20th century Thai Kings. It's not uncrowded, but go early in the morning and it may be less so. There are guided tours only (different languages) through the building, but the groups are kept rather small and I thought it was one of the most interesting & worthwhile "tours" in Bangkok.

Also, for a different and less ornate visit, go and see the Jim Thompson House ( http://www.jimthompsonhouse.com/). It's not far away from MBK and Siam Square, so if you decide to do the mall thing, you could go there in the morning first. The tour is very quiet and laid back, rarely crowded, and the house itself is a tranquil & green oasis in the middle of Bangkok. ( http://www.photodump.com/direct/sawatdee/siamsquare.jpg )

MBK Mall is a neat place to visit. Good bargains and quite the madhouse. In the afternoon it's chock-a-block full of school kids milling around ... all quite nuts really. The food court at MBK is a great deal for all sorts of different types of Thai food.

A more upscale mall is just down the street (walking distance) and is called Siam Paragon. The food court there is even better, but more expensive (compared to American prices, this description is rather meaningless!). Lots of designer labels and wide open spaces (RICH school kids only!) ... kind of fun to browse around in, but over my budget anyway.

Further out on Sukhumvit Rd you'll also find The Emporium which was ~ before the Paragon opened ~ the most upscale Bangkok mall. Perhaps it still is, but I rather enjoy walking around it just for the air conditioning benefit! Right beside The Emporium is a really sweet liitle oasis of a green space called Benjasiri Park. Grab some take out lunch from the 5th floor foodcourt of the Emporium and go downstairs and eat it under the trees. A nice little buddhist-style retreat.

Talking about the Sukhumvit Stroll, if you'd like to take in the nicest little Italian restaurant this side of Naples, try La Buca ( http://www.thailandroad.com/joe/italian-2.html ). A tiny little place about a 7 or 8 minute walk from Sukhumvit Rd down Soi 1, it's a charming little place run by it's Italian chef and owner and a nice get-a-way from Thai food once in awhile. The fish dishes there are to die for (received the blessing from my Thai friend, much to my surprise) . . . and the pizza is terrific.

After dinner hop down to Tokyo Joes Blues Bar (if you like jazz & blues ~ Sivaporn Plaza, Sukhumvit Soi 24) ... especially on Sunday evenings as they have a big jam there. ( http://www.tokyojoesbkk.com/ ). The music is great there and you'd be surprised how many young and old Thai hipsters join in playing there stuff there. Once we were witness to some of the greatest guitar pickin' i"ve ever had the pleasure to hear ... from the flying fingers of a 12 year old Thai boy!
Fair warning: Tokyo Joes is quite a small place, and their smoke-eaters suck big time. Too smoky for me (or my clothes!) to last more than an hour or so, but the music almost makes up for it.

A Bangkok institution you might not want to miss (if you are there on a weekend) is the Chatachuk Market ( http://www.asiatraveltips.com/Pictur...akMarket.shtml ). Another taxi ride, or take the skytrain from any station on Sukhumvit Rd and find your way to Mo Chit Station ( http://www.photodump.com/direct/sawa...kytrainmap.jpg ). Surely only wear the lighest of clothing in this sweat pit (once again, go as early as possible), but the reward is that you'll be wandering amongst the stalls of the largest market of it's type in Bangkok (or perhaps anywhere). Remember that old Arlo Guthrie song: " ... you can get anything you want in Alice's Chatachuk Market ... " Personally I get rather claustraphobic at Chatachuk, but it really shouldn't be missed.
But there is an antidote!! After the crowds of Chatachuk, grab some food and take a walk back towards the Mo Chit Station ... but keep on going. Soon you'll come to Chatachuk Park, and beyond that, Queen Sirikit Park, the latter being the most pleasant. Heavily tree'd, lots of ponds, streams, and formal gardens, Thai soccer players doing their thing. Find a bench under the shade of a great tree and chill out. ( http://www.discoverythailand.com/Ban...rikit_Park.asp )

Avoid the big hotel river ferry dinners ... there are lots of these monsters around and they are a tourist trap.
For a real Thai style dinner with music while you cruise along the Chao Praya at night (for a tenth the price), grab a taxi to the Yok Yor Restaurant, which is on the same Thonburi side of the river as the Marriot. There are two Yok Yor outlets located on the river fairly close together, but only one docks the floating resataurant,(http://www.yokyor.co.th/english/cruise/location.html ), so make sure you get there in plenty of time in case you choose the wrong one.
There is only one sailing a night for this boat (8PM) but it's really worth it. Not too many foreigners take this cruise, it's mostly Thai people, but what a little romantic bargain it is. Fancy it's not, but you can eat dinner while the boat slides along, and be serenaded by gentle Thai and Isaan live music. If you decide to go on this, then get there at 7:45 or so and go immediately to the top of the boat in the front area ... the best for seeing the night sights of Bangkok. I love this little ride and go back back time after time. Best of all, it's a nice relaxing time to wind down after a sweaty day in Bangkok. Reservations not needed, it's rarely full.

For a drink in the evening (and for quite the experience, vertically-wise!) you might try the to rooftop bar/restaurant at the Lebua State Tower Hotel. . It's only a short taxi ride from the Marriot, but worth it just for a couple of drinks and ~ shall we say ~ the invigorating view! I've never been for dinner, but for a couple of over-priced Singha's or martinis (or whatever) it's quite the ride. Looking over the side of the bar (straight down!), my testicles ran for cover ... upwards!.
The Lebua hotel by the way is fairly close to the Silom/Patpong Whorehouse & Merry-go-round, so you could easily combine a dinner/drink up there in the rarified air of fancy-dancy Bangkok society and then head up the road a bit and take in the crazy sex dens (and denizens) in the back sois of Silom/Surawong/Patpong. A nice juxtaposition & lotsa fun!

Don't know anything about the floating market ... never been. I've heard differing things about it, the worst being that it's simply become another Thai tourist trap. But I wouldn't believe that until trying it, so go anyway and make up your own minds. It's actually outside Bangkok about 100 kilometers, but your hotel will be able to tell you the best way to get there. I checked the internet and the price for guided tours seems fairly expensive. This one would be classed as "up to you".

None of these items are particularly original, but I think they are all quite a part of seeing Bangkok in a short period of time.

Frankly, I would also advise you to take a day and just go get lost in the crowds. Bangkok is above all a big throbbing vibrant Thai city, and if you get off the tourist track by just a few streets you will find the Bangkok I enjoy the most . . . the back streets, alleys and delicious street stall Thai foods and sights which can be found there.