Bangkok - hotels and malls / markets.

For hotels here are two that are convenient to skytrain. This time of year rates should meet your needs.

Sheraton Grand Sukhumvit
The Landmark Bangkok

Shopping can be done at following places. All are located very near to skytrain terminal.

Terminal 21
Siam Paragon
Central World
MBK

If you want to experience outdoor shopping and generally cheaper prices then try following. 

Pratunam Market (clothing)
Chatauchak Market (Open Saturday & Sunday only)

Hello Flip!!
I am staying in Sai Gon and planning for a trip to Bangkok in the next 2 weeks. If you have any experience(esp where to stay and shop), please share with me!! I am young and inexperienced!!

Hi 'unei_nguyen'
we - my VN LADY partner and myself are in Phuket for another two days yet.
So far it is still very confusing to find a good / clean / reasonably priced / SAFE hotel.

We are asking advice of the manager of the resort we are at now about a hotel in Bangkok.

If you are like my partner, young, beautiful VN lady - you will have the Thai people always thinking you are one of them and trying to speak to you on Thai language. 
Safest and best for you is be careful where you go if you are by yourself.
DO NOT TRUST EVERYONE !  This country is not like VN !
It is a tourist economy - with a LOT of 'western tourists' here just looking for cheap sex !

We will try to contact you again with some better details after we get back to HCMC.

Take care & stay safe,
Ian W#.  (AKA Flip465)

Thanks a lot for your detailed reply!!
I guess we also cannot trust anyone in Vietnam, so the not-to-trust-anyone is not a big deal!! ) However, those 'western tourists' you have mentioned scares me really. I have been to Singapore and they were always mistaking me for a Thai girl. I am going to Bangkok this time with another 4 ladies, so I don't want those 'western tourists' to mistake us for some sort of service girls!!
About the hotel thing, isn't it better if we just book it online in agoda.com? I am just thinking that your hotel manager is trying to lure you into staying in a hotel that has close relationship with his/her hotel. If your partner loves shopping (well, I guess no young lady hate shopping), then you may want to ask her to read this so that you can choose a hotel that is close to popular shopping centers: webtretho.com/forum/f208/kinh-nghiem-du-lich-bangkok-thai-lan-81524/index77.html
Hope this may help!! ^^