A Guide to Finding the Best Serviced Apartment in Bangkok

Have you ever heard of serviced apartments? They are fully furnished apartments that include everything you need to live comfortably in Bangkok. And unlike condos, you don’t have to buy furniture, kitchen appliances, or set up utilities.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know what types of serviced apartments are available in Bangkok, what locations to look in, and how much they cost. You’ll also find links to a few options to get you started.

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What is a Serviced Apartment?

Serviced apartments come with the same services you get when staying at a hotel.

Serviced apartments have fully-furnished living rooms and bedrooms and fully-equipped kitchens.

And along with standard bathrooms, serviced apartments usually have laundry rooms as well.

As for utilities, serviced apartments have electric, water, and internet already setup—no setting up accounts.

Some serviced apartments also have shared pools, gyms, and free shuttle bus services to nearby train and bus stations or shopping centers.

Serviced apartments usually have maids on hand to clean your room, and some may even offer laundry or concierge services.

Similar to hotels, serviced apartments also have check in and check out times, usually 2:00 PM for check in and 12:00 PM for checkout.

Why Rent a Serviced Apartment

There are many reasons why you should consider staying in a serviced apartment in Bangkok, including:

• Cost: While offering similar benefits, serviced apartments are usually cheaper than hotels. 
• Convenience: It’s very convenient to stay at a serviced apartment. They are normally fully furnished and come with regular cleaning services. Some may offer free shuttle services to nearby BTS or MRT stations, and concierge services. 
• Flexibility: There’s usually no minimum contract requirement. You can stay at a serviced apartment for a month or two while looking for a condo to rent in Bangkok. 
• Security: Serviced apartments in Bangkok come with good security systems, 24-hour security guards, CCTV, and keycards. 

To put it simply, if you’re a tourist, serviced apartments with kitchens can be cheaper than hotels if you rent one for more than a week and cook your own food. 

If you’re an expat, serviced apartments are better than condos in terms of flexibility. 

Contract Duration

You have many different options when it comes to how long you can rent a Bangkok Serviced Apartment. 

Short-Term Stays

Short-term serviced apartments in Bangkok are considered daily, weekly, or monthly rentals. Leases range from one day to a few months.

These apartments are great for people coming on a short vacation or business trip, or others who might want to spend a few months training Muay Thai in Bangkok or learning Thai language.

Read more: Learn Thai With ExpatDen

Long-Term Stays

Long-term serviced apartments are for anyone who wants to stay in Thailand for at least six months or one year.

These apartments are great for retired expats who want to get a feel for a neighborhood in Bangkok before they commit to retiring there. These are also a good choice for expats who want to work in Bangkok or study in Thailand long-term.  

Read more: The 5 Best Places to Retire in Thailand

Type of Bangkok Serviced Apartments

Bangkok offers serviced apartments for all different budgets and all lengths of stays, from THB6,000-a-month studios to hundred-thousand-baht penthouses and from daily rentals to yearly live-ins. Let’s look at a few examples. 

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Standard Services Apartments

Standard grade is your average serviced apartment. They are offered by local serviced apartment developers.

While the facilities, amenities, and services can’t be compared to luxury grade, they’re still sufficient for living in Bangkok.

You still get regular maid service, fully furnished kitchens, a swimming pool, and a gym.

Locations are also convenient. Even standard grade serviced apartments are within walking distance of either the BTS or MRT.

It’s a great option if you’re on a budget. Prices start at THB18,000 a month, which is comparable to renting a condo.

Luxury Serviced Apartments

Luxury serviced apartments are offered by top brand hotels or premium service apartment providers.

Facilities, amenities, and services are similar to five-star hotels, where you get access to Jacuzzis, limos, private lounges, and even private gyms.

Luxury serviced apartments in Bangkok are usually in very good locations. The one from Marriott Hotel, for example, is just three minutes away from BTS Thong Lor.

Some hotels don’t use the word “serviced apartment” when offering these setups, however. St. Regis, for example, calls it a “residence.”

If you stay in a luxury service apartment, you’ll pay a few thousand baht per night, or around a hundred thousand baht per month.

Pet Friendly Serviced Apartments

There are certain serviced apartments in Bangkok that allow pets. To find one, you can usually select the pet option on most apartment rental website portals. 

I won’t go into too much detail here, because we have plenty of guides on pets and Thailand. Check out some of them below.

Related Pet Guides:

• How to Find Accommodations that Allow Pets in Thailand
• Moving to Thailand With a Dog or Cat: A Quick Guide
• How to Buy or Adopt Exotic Dogs, Cats, or Pets in Thailand

Bangkok Serviced Apartment Rental Prices

Serviced apartments in Bangkok come with either daily or monthly rates. The longer you stay, the better the deal you’ll get per night.

For example, at Nice Residence Hotel near Ekamai, the daily rate for a deluxe studio is THB1,790, but it costs THB600 a day or THB18,000 a month if you stay for at least six months. However, daily rates tend to include the cost of water and electricity.

Serviced apartments in Bangkok range from THB18,000 a month to over THB200,000 a month. The price difference comes from many factors including:

• the size of the apartment
• the number of rooms in the apartment
• the location and accessibility to transportation
• the quality of facilities
• extra services like breakfast, cleaning, limo service, and so on

Let’s take a closer look at each factor.

What to Consider When Renting a Serviced Apartment

When it comes to choosing a serviced apartment, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Is it within your budget?
• Does it have enough furniture and facilities to meet your needs?
• Is it close to the BTS, MRT, or your workplace?
• Is it near supermarkets or convenience stores?
• Does the apartment offer cleaning services?
• Is the apartment clean?
• Does it have a reliable security system?

A good way to choose a serviced apartment is to read online reviews and see what other people have said about the serviced apartment.

One thing to remember, though, is that online reviews can be manipulated. So you should focus on all the reviews, not just the single best review.

If any serviced apartment has hundreds of positive reviews there’s a good chance that it’s a reputable place.

That said, here are some things to consider before renting a serviced apartment in Bangkok.

Size

The smallest size available for a Bangkok serviced apartment is normally a 35-square-meter studio.

Despite the small size, these rooms usually come with a bed, sofa, TV, kitchen appliances, air conditioner, and washing machine. Two people can live comfortably in these rooms.

The bigger the size, the higher the rates and the better the facilities, services, and amenities.

Types

There are more than three kinds of serviced apartments available in Bangkok, starting from a studio and going up to a family suite that can sleep seven people.

For example, for a studio, everything including the bed, furniture, and kitchen is packed inside one room. But you get separate bedrooms and living rooms with family suites. And family suites sometimes offer more than one bedroom and bathroom.

Room type always goes together with the room size and price. I’ve dedicated an entire section to the types of Bangkok serviced apartments available to you.

Location

The closer a Bangkok serviced apartment is to the BTS, MRT, or malls, the more expensive it will be. However, service apartments in the same area can vary by price. Room type, services, facilities, and amenities also play a big part when it comes to prices.

Because location is so important when it comes to serviced apartments, I’ve dedicated an entire section to it later in this guide.

Facilities

All serviced apartments usually offer similar facilities and come fully furnished. But what makes the difference is the quality of the facilities and furniture.

For example, one serviced apartment may come with a kitchen. But that might mean an electric kettle, a microwave, and a fridge.

But another serviced apartment may have a kitchen with a stove, oven, appliances, and even a dishwasher.

Luxury serviced apartments come with five-star hotel pillows, beds, and blankets, whereas standard serviced apartments in Bangkok only come with standard bedding.

Services

Services are anything that’s added on to the normal room.

Some serviced apartments offer daily housekeeping, whereas cheaper serviced apartments come with only weekly cleaning services. And yet others come with laundry and dry cleaning.

High-end serviced apartments may give you access to a lounge with free food and drinks throughout the day.

Bangkok Serviced Apartments for Rent by Location

Serviced apartments are usually located in the central parts and business districts of Bangkok including Silom, Sukhumvit, and along the BTS or MRT lines.

These areas are also popular areas for the working class since they’re full of offices, condos, houses for rent, and malls.

These serviced apartments are fully furnished and come with a lot of facilities and decorations.

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You can get to many nearby places by bus, MRT, BTS, taxi, and motorcycle taxis.

However, being in a business district with a lot of facilities, prices are also higher, starting at 38,000 baht a month to over 300,000 a month.

Let’s take a look at the serviced apartment options in each area.

These areas are also popular areas for the working class because they’re full of offices, condos, houses for rent, and malls.

These Bangkok serviced apartments are fully furnished and come with a lot of facilities and decorations.

You can get to many of these places by bus, MRT and BTS, or taxi and motorcycle taxi.

However, being in a business district with a lot of facilities, prices are also higher. They start at THB38,000 a month and can go up to as much as THB300,000 a month.

Let’s take a look at the serviced apartment options in each popular area of Bangkok.

Silom

Bangkok serviced apartments in Silom are mainly located near BTS Sala Daeng.

This gives you access to Lumpini Park and many tourist attractions including Silom Night Market and Silom Complex.

Name	Location	Monthly Price (Baht)
Bandara Residence	Soi. Saladaeng 1	48,000 to 150,000
At 21 Saladaeng	Soi Yommarat	58,000 to 108,000

Ploen Chit/Chit Lom

You can find a lot of Bangkok serviced apartments in Soi Nai Loet and Soi Langsuan. They are near both BTS Chit Lom and BTS Ploen Chit.

Many embassies, including the U.K., U.S., and Swiss Embassies, are here. There are also a lot of shopping malls, including Central Embassy and Central Chit Lom.

Name	Location	Monthly Price (Baht)
Arcadia	Soi Nai Loet	60,000 to 90,000
Urbana Langsuan	Soi Langsuan	69,700 to 394,000
Cape House	Soi Langsuan	55,000 to 88,000

Nana

Certain serviced apartments are located near BTS Nana, inside Soi Sukhumvit 8.

Name	Price	Monthly Price (Baht)
Phachara Suites	Soi Sukumvit 6	38,000 to 100,000
Citadines Sukhumvit 8	Soi Sukumvit 8	48,000 to 75,000
Adelphi Suites	Soi Sukumvit 8	44,000 to 62,000

Asok

Asok is another popular area for expats, so there are plenty of serviced apartments here. The area has a lot of office buildings and shopping malls as well and offers easy access to BTS Asok and MRT Sukhumvit.

Name	Location	Monthly Price (Baht)
Admiral Premier	Soi Sukumvit 23	48,000 to 70,000
Citadines	Soi Sukumvit 23	60,703 to 75,500
CNC Residence	Soi Sukumvit 23	62,200 to 205,000

Tholong (Soi Sukumbit 55) and Ekamai (Soi Sukumvit 63) are connected to one another. Both of them have their own BTS stations.

Thonglor/Ekamai

These entertainment areas are full of restaurants, clubs, and bars. So, it goes without saying that the area also has a lot of serviced apartments.

Name	Location	Monthly Price (Baht)
Somerset Sukhumvit	Soi Sukumvit 55	120,000 to 170,000
akyra Thonglor	Soi Sukumvit 55	Starting at 130,000
Nice Residence	Soi Ekamai 14	18,000 to 48,500
Movenpick Residences Ekkamai	Soi Ekamai 23	30,000 to 85,000
Park 19 Residence	Soi Ekamai 19	25,000 to 65,000

Other

You can also find many serviced apartments along the BTS or MRT lines.

Name	Location	BTS/MRT
Sabai Sathorn	Soi Sathorn 10	BTS Chong Nonsi
Bangkok Patio	Soi Phaholyothin 3	BTS Sanam Pao
Amanta – Ratchada	Soi. Ratchadapisek 5	MRT Cultural Centre

Looking online is currently the best way to find a serviced apartment.

Finding Bangkok Serviced Apartments Online

Property owners mainly advertise their serviced apartments online.

Searching for serviced apartments in Bangkok online gives you plenty of information and lets you compare them without having to actually go there.

Agoda has a good selection of listings and has a “serviced apartments” page to make searching easier for you.

You can also book through Agoda for a maximum of 90 days. After that, you can go right through the property manager of the serviced apartment to extend your lease.

Booking.com also lists hundreds of serviced apartments in Bangkok. Just use the “serviced apartment” filter. However, you can only book for a maximum of 30 days using this website.

You can also take a look at CBRE. This real estate agency website has over 30 serviced apartments available in Bangkok. However, CBRE still lacks in comparison to Agoda and Booking.com.

Moving into a Serviced Apartment

Once you find the right serviced apartment, it’s time to move in. Luckily, you won’t need to hire a moving company in Bangkok because you won’t need any furniture. That said, there are a few things you have to do before you get the key (or keycard).

Sign the Lease

You still need to sign a lease when renting a serviced apartment.

Leases for serviced apartments are similar to the leases you sign when renting an apartment in Bangkok. The main difference is the duration of the lease.

When renting standard apartments, you usually sign a one-year lease. If you break the lease, you won’t get your security deposit back in some cases.

On the other hand, serviced apartments come with flexible rental periods. You can sign a lease for a week, month, six months, or longer. If you stay in a serviced apartment for just a few days, you might not have to sign a lease. 

A signed copy of your passport is the only thing you need when signing a lease.

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Leave a Deposit

You may need to pay a security deposit when booking a serviced apartment in Bangkok. S

ecurity deposits cover the costs if you damage something in the apartment or the apartment itself.

For example, if you break a door, the cost of fixing the door will be deducted from your security deposit. If the damage happens without you being the cause, you won’t need to pay for repairs.

If you stay in a serviced apartment for less than a month, you might have to deposit THB3,000 to THB10,000 or more.

If you sign a one-month to five-month lease, the security deposit is one month’s rent. If your contract is longer than six months, then you pay a two-month deposit.

Moving out of a Serviced Apartment

After you’ve stayed in the service apartment for the set duration of your lease, it’ll be time to move out. Again, because you won’t have many belongings with you aside from your clothes and gadgets, you won’t need to do much.

But you will have to collect your security deposit. In order to get your money back, the property manager usually sends a maintenance worker to your serviced apartment to inspect everything. It’s a good idea to follow that person along, so you can be sure you don’t get charged for something you didn’t damage.

Once the inspection is done, the property manager will usually return your money or transfer it back into your bank account, depending on how you paid your deposit. 

Serviced Apartments vs Other Accommodations

Let’s take a look at the differences between Bangkok serviced apartments and condos, hotels, and Airbnbs.

Serviced Apartments Vs. Condos

Serviced apartments are like an upgraded version of a condo. They include everything condos have, plus additional facilities and services mentioned in the above section.

So, serviced apartments tend to be more expensive than condos. 

What sets them apart from condos is their flexible leases. You’re not restricted by long-term leases. You can rent a serviced apartment by the day, week, month, or year.

If you just move to Thailand, you can opt to stay in a serviced apartment for a month or two to until you find out exactly where you want to live in Bangkok. Once you know, you can find a condo or apartment for rent. 

Serviced Apartments Vs. Hotels

Bangkok serviced apartments and hotels offer similar benefits. And many hotels offer serviced apartments for their long-term customers.

But there are some major differences between serviced apartments and hotels.

First, serviced apartments are more private than hotel rooms. If hotels offer serviced apartments, they normally dedicate an entire floor to them, allowing you to stay with other long-term tenants.

Second, serviced apartments are bigger than hotel rooms but come at the same price. Third, unlike most hotels, serviced apartments have fully-equipped kitchens.

Last, although daily prices between service apartments and hotels aren’t much different, service apartments are cheaper for long-term stays.

Serviced Apartments Vs. Airbnb

Airbnb is a popular choice for those looking for short-term stays in Bangkok.

Although Airbnb offers flexible leases like serviced apartments, there are a few major differences between the two.

First, Airbnb doesn’t offer cleaning or laundry services. The room is cleaned after you leave, and you’re responsible for your own laundry.

Second, a landlord who sublets their property on Airbnb is not a professional manager. Any problem you encounter while staying at an Airbnb might not get resolved.

Third, Airbnb isn’t always the best option for short-term stays. This is because, by law, you have to rent an Airbnb in Thailand for a minimum of 30 days.

Bangkok Serviced Apartments for Sale

If you’re a property investor looking to buy a multi-unit Bangkok serviced apartment, this will be tricky. As a non-Thai, you can only own 49% of the rooms in any condo or apartment. 

So, you’d have to have a Thai partner to go in on the investment with. Alternatively, you can put the property under your Thai spouse’s or half-Thai children’s name. But you’d still have to show that the money came from their account and prove its origins. 

Having said that, there are plenty of Bangkok serviced apartments available for sale throughout the city.

Dot Property has everything from giant 181-unit buildings to small seven-unit structures for sale on its website.  

Now, on to You

If you’re ready to book a serviced apartment for your next stay in Bangkok, head to Booking.com.

You can read reviews of over 200 serviced apartments in Bangkok and check out the facilities they offer.

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• An In-Depth Guide to Renting an Apartment in Bangkok
• Case Study: Steve’s Experience with Buying a Condo on Sukhumvit Road