Where in Bangkok should I stay?

I want to be in the middle of these things:

shopping
Pratunam
Chatuchak
the big nice malls
Khaosan Road
Chinatown

Thanks.

Without knowing your hotel budget per night. It's hard to pinpoint a hotel

You could stay along Rama I or Sukhumvit Road or in the Pratunam Area.

There are a number of malls in the Pratunam Area but, the variety in hotels are limited.

Along Sukhumvit Road there are many hotels from bargain 3 stars to high-end 5 star hotels. And of course there are the bottom of the barrel 1 and 2 star hotels. Also the BTS skytrain runs along Sukhumvit and makes access to Pratunam and many malls very accessible. So, my suggestion would be to find a hotel within 5-10 minutes walking distance of a BTS station.

Chatuchak is only on Sunday so you can take the BTS skytrain to Asok station and then the subway to the Chatuchak station at the other end of the subway.

Khaosan Road and Chinatown is more easily accessible by taking the Skytrain to MBK and then taking a taxi to Khaosan or Chinatown.

Personally I would avoid taking a taxi from 8 am to 8 pm every day. Traffic in Bangkok is bad especially along Sukhumvit and in and out of the area.

Any hotel along Sukhumvit Soi 1 to Soi 23 on the north side or from Soi 2 to 14 on the south side, they don't quite line up evenly.

Check www.asiarooms.com or www.sawadee.com or www.res24.com for reservations. The sites have reviews, maps where the hotels are, and how far from things the hotels are from the skytrain and airport, etc.

I don't normally stay along sukhumvit so, I cannot suggest any hotels from experience. I usually stay along Ratchadapisek Road maybe 10-15 minutes subway ride away from the Sukhumvit station.

Check out www.bangkok.com for shopping malls, entertainment, etc.
Check out www.bangkoktonight.com for maps and other night time entertainment and tips about being in Bangkok.

Good luck

First Hotel just accross Pratunam.

Choose any hotel of your budget within Chitlom. You will be only train stations away from all the shopping you list here. Taxi is cheap if you insist on meter.
Pratunam to Chinatown via taxi is less than 100baht (USD$3) per trip.
Train from Chitlom to Chatuchak is less than 40baht (USD$1) per person.

If you hail from Europe, you will have no problem walking the distance from pratunam to all the nice big malls:)

Tuktuks tried to rip tourists. It can be a hassle to bargain. But try it for the fun anyway:) Avoid them during rainy days. Too dangerous. I saw a tuktuk turnover on the road. Wheels are too small and they go way too fast. Openair without seatbelts.

Food courts in the shopping mall is nice. I like the foodmalls in Maboonkrong (MBK) and the Siam Paragon. You need to purchase a prepaid value card. Unused value is refundable on same day of purchase. Good value food with acceptable hygiene factor.

I like to stay in the Sukhumvit area, perhaps around Soi 15 to Soi 19.

Advantages :
Skytrain station Asok is very close.
Underground in beneath the Asok station and also close.
Many restaurants and also bars there where you can eat Western food but also Asian food. A good place for everything.

sc parkway