
Where to stay in Thailand
We started our trail in Thailand and have since met many travellers who have done the same. In this post we review each of the places we stayed. We are budget travellers but we try to get the best we can for our money, we haven’t yet shared a dorm since they don’t offer good value for couples. We find we can usually get a private room for the same price as paying for individual beds in a dorm.
Tara bed and breakfast – Kanchanaburi
99-101 Mae Num Kwai Road, Kanchanaburi 71000, Thailand
We stayed at Tara Bed and Breakfast for six days. Originally we booked two nights to test the water and we were so impressed we booked four more days almost instantly.
The location of the guest house is perfect. It is right in the centre of the tourist area of Kanchanaburi so it is minutes away from the cafés, bars and supermarkets. You can walk from the train station to Tara in around 10 minutes or pay around 30bt for a “taxi”.
You can walk to the bridge on the river Kwai in around 30 minutes. To reach the bridge come out the hotel and turn left and just walk down that road. The war cemetery and Thailand-Burma railway centre museum are a 10 minute walk. To find these turn right when you leave the hotel.
Our room was amazing. We paid 700bt for the first two nights and 650bt for the next four. We had a room with AC and private bathroom. The bed was so comfortable! The mattress was great, the cover was a duvet not just a sheet and the sheets were cleaned every two days. The rest of the room was also very good. The AC was powerful and we had a fridge and a safe. The wifi was great in the room, the fastest we had in Thailand.
We fell in love with the lady who does the cleaning. She was so friendly. All the staff were lovely especially this lady and a young girl who checked us in.
We did eat at the restaurant down stairs a few times and it’s good. It’s clean and has a big menu. We loved the 15bt ice cream and the 35bt pad Thai.
We would definitely stay here again and recommend it to anyone spending time in Kanchanaburi!
In Touch Resort – Koh Tao
South Sairee Beach, Ko Tao, Thailand
We stayed at In Touch while visiting Koh Tao. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great either. We paid around £19pn for a beach bungalow with fan.
There were some positives about our stay. The location was great, it is at the south side of Sairee beach so you can get to the centre of Mae Head and Sairee in about 10-15 minutes. Our bungalow was a 30 second walk from the beach. We were allowed to check in early and all the staff were lovely during our stay especially the singing waiter in the restaurant. The room was spacious and we had a little porch with a table and chairs. The room had a safe.
The not so good… The room was very hot but that’s our fault for not getting AC. The room was only cleaned when we asked and even then the bathroom wasn’t cleaned. The sliding doors didn’t feel very safe, even when locked they still moved about. We were given twin beds when we booked a double and the mosquito nets that were supplied had large holes in them. The sink in the bathroom drained into a hole in the ground covered by a faux bathroom cabinet. Sometimes the hole overflowed and your feet would get wet.
There is a restaurant attached to the resort and we ate there a lot. It’s clean, comfortable and the food is good. We loved their breakfast porridge and cheap shakes. Drop in for lunch or breakfast if you’re on a budget!
While we loved staying on Koh Tao next time we would stay somewhere else, at the very least we’d upgrade to a room with AC.
Sam Sen Sam Place – Bangkok
48 Samsen Rd, Soi Samsen 3, Bangkok, Thailand
We stayed at Sam Sen Sam place for two nights during our first week in Bangkok. We choose this hostel for its location and traditional feel. We were not disappointed.
When we arrived we were welcomed by the owner who speaks great English and is very friendly. She used my name a lot and offered help with where to go and things to see. She also let us check in early.
While checking in we upgraded to a deluxe double room for 200baht more per night. This gave us our own bathroom and a bigger room. Our room was the strawberry room upstairs. It was clean and comfortable. The room had a double bed, fridge (really useful for storing melted sunscreen and water), a TV, shower and AC. It cost about £20 a night.
The hotel has a cute communal area and tables to eat your breakfast. The breakfast was basic but fine.
The location of the hotel is about 15 minutes from Kao San Road and 30 minutes from the Grand Palace. The hotel itself is off a side road so it’s quiet and feels safe. We really liked the location.
The owner booked a train and ferry to Koh Tao for us and this was very competitively priced and stress free.
Siamaze Hostel – Bangkok
90 Soi Ratchada 17 Ratchada Pisek Road, Dindaeng, Bangkok, Thailand
We arrived in Bangkok from the UK and spent two nights at Siamaze. The hotel was perfect for breaking us into Bangkok life and giving us a place to recover from jet lag.
We booked a private double and it cost around £20pn. The room was spacious, clean and felt safe. It had a safe, coat hangers, balcony, shower and double bed. There was also ample shower gel, shampoo and hand wash.
The staff at the hotel were lovely. They allowed us to check in early and gave us a map of the area. They also helped us get a taxi when we were leaving.
The wifi was very good and the communal area was modern and comfortable. The breakfast was fine. It included toast, cornflakes, bananas and jam. There was basic tea and coffee.
The only draw back to the hotel was the location. It’s quite far from anything interesting or major. It is a 5-10 minute walk from a subway that will take you into the action.
I’d recommend Siamaze to anyone looking for somewhere to gently introduce them to Bangkok, the only downside is the location.
Final Thoughts
We were mostly happy with the accommodation we chose for Thailand. The only one we’d probably not go back to is In Touch and even that was fine, we just felt we could get a bit more for our money if we looked around. Our favourite was definitely Tara Bed and Breakfast in Kancanaburi, we couldn’t fault it and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone visiting Kanchanburi. Siamaze and Sam Sen Sam Place were both very good places to stay for a couple of nights in Bangkok. We’d sway slightly more towards Sam Sen Sam Place for the location if we returned though.
Take care,
Jake
Where have you stayed in Thailand? We’d love to hear your recommendations (or horror stories!) in the comments below.