Where to stay: hotel guides by town and star rating

Choosing where to stay around Cox's Bazar comes down to what you want from the coast. Kolatoli and Laboni sit closest to the busiest stretch of beach, while Sugandha and Cox's Bazar Town have their own clusters of places to sleep. South of the main resort strip, Himchari and Inani trade the crowds for a quieter shoreline, and Inani holds 4 of the region's 5-star hotels. Teknaf anchors the far southern tip.

Beyond the beach district, the same logic applies to the rest of Bangladesh. Dhaka has by far the largest choice, with 351 places to stay, and 30 of them are 5-star. Chittagong and Sylhet are the other big cities in the mix, Sylhet with 101 places and 6 of them 5-star. Bandarban, in the hills, is the smallest here with 9 places to stay. Match the area to your trip: beach, city or hills.

Popular places

Kolatoli

The main resort strip in Cox's Bazar, with the largest choice of hotels and the densest run of 3- and 4-star places to sleep.

Photo: Rushow Khan / Pexels

Inani

A quieter southern beach where 4 of the area's 5-star hotels sit, far from the busy central strip.

Photo: Saied Shohag / Pexels

Teknaf

The southernmost tip of the Cox's Bazar district, reached past Inani, with a small set of hotels and little parking.

Photo: Saied Shohag / Pexels

Laboni

Central Cox's Bazar close to the beach, with a wide spread of 3- and 4-star hotels and good parking.

Photo: Kabiur Rahman Riyad / Pexels

Sugandha

A Cox's Bazar beach area with a large stock of hotels, including 2 five-star properties and plenty of parking.

Photo: Najmul Hasan Mahedi / Pexels

Dhaka

The capital and the country's biggest hotel market, with the widest choice of classes and 30 five-star hotels.

Photo: Tahmid Sami / Pexels

Chittagong

Bangladesh's port city, with a compact hotel scene that includes 2 five-star places and solid parking.

Photo: Musaddek Sayek / Pexels

Cox's Bazar Town

The town behind the beach, with a small, tidy set of hotels and parking at every one of them.

Photo: Robiul Islam Pailot / Pexels

3-star or 4- and 5-star: which to choose

Across this region the numbers split cleanly. Three-star hotels fill most of the list: Kolatoli alone has 68 places to sleep, Laboni 48, Sugandha 64 and Dhaka 351. Pick 3-star when you want the widest choice and the pick of the beach districts. Four- and 5-star hotels are concentrated in a few places: Inani has 4 five-star properties, Dhaka 30, Sylhet 6, and Chittagong 2, while Kolatoli, Laboni, Teknaf and Cox's Bazar Town have none. Choose those places when a higher class matters more than choice.

Hotel guides by place

Questions, answered

Where should a first-time visitor stay in Cox's Bazar?

Kolatoli is the main resort strip and has 68 places to sleep, the largest choice in the area. Laboni, with 48 hotels, and Sugandha, with 64, are close by. None of the three has a 5-star hotel.

Which area has the most 5-star hotels?

Dhaka, with 30 five-star hotels among its 351 places to sleep. Sylhet has 6, Inani has 4, and Sugandha and Chittagong have 2 each.

Where can families find hotels?

Dhaka has 129 places that suit families, Sylhet 44 and Kolatoli 30. In the beach districts, Laboni has 16, Sugandha 14 and Himchari 10. Teknaf has none.

Which places have plenty of parking?

Dhaka has 288 hotels with parking, Sylhet 88, Kolatoli 60 and Sugandha 60. In Cox's Bazar Town all 17 hotels offer parking. Teknaf has just 5.

Is there a quiet alternative to the main Cox's Bazar strip?

Yes. Inani, south of the resort strip, has 20 places to sleep including 4 five-star hotels. Himchari has 19 hotels and Bandarban, in the hills, has 9.

How many places to stay are there in Bangladesh?

The selection covers 607 reviewed places to sleep across 12 communities and cities, from the Cox's Bazar beach districts to Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet.

Area guides and ideas

Hotels near landmarks

The nearest hotels to airports, stations, venues and sights