Thailand: Bangkok’s boutique hotel boom

If you haven’t been to Thailand recently, you may be surprised to learn about the boutique hotel boom in Bangkok. No longer do travelers have to choose between the guesthouse ghetto of Khao San Road, boring business hotels off Sukhumvit Road or hulking international chain hotels near shopping centers.

Deal: The super-mod Dream Bangkok hotel is the leader of the pack. Stylish rooms, which start at $139/night, have plasma TVs and pre-loaded iPod sound systems. Some rooms are even bathed in the hotel’s signature indigo light. Frolic away in the second-floor Flava Lounge, which has a cigar bar, or the Avatar Spa, where a five-hour splurge starts under $215.