Bangkok (Lonely Planet) - Andrew Burke [161]
LAMPHU HOUSE
Map Guesthouse $
0 2629 5861; www.lamphuhouse.com; 75-77 Soi Rambutri, Th Chakraphong; d 400-740B; Tha Phra Athit (Banglamphu, N13);
A refreshing oasis, Lamphu House creates a mellow mood with its hidden, relatively quiet location and service that is more personal than some of its neighbours. Rooms are clean and some have balconies overlooking the green courtyard; cheaper fan rooms with shared bathrooms are also available. All up, great value – book ahead.
SHAMBARA
Map Guesthouse $
0 2282 7968; www.shambarabangkok.com; 138 Th Khao San; r 300-600B; Tha Phra Athit (Banglamphu, N13);
Just 50m from the noise and neon of Khao San, Shambara feels a world away. The century-old traditional wooden home has nine tiny but appealing rooms that share two clean showers and toilets. You can certainly find more luxurious rooms, but you’re buying into the chilled, convivial atmosphere. Price includes coffee and toast; wi-fi is 1B per minute.
PRASURI GUEST HOUSE
Map Guesthouse $
0 2280 1428; prasuri_gh_bkk@hotmail.com; Soi Phrasuli; s 220-380B, d 280-420B; air-con 511 & 516, ordinary 2 & 82; Tha Phra Athit (Banglamphu, N13);
It doesn’t get much more everyday Thai than this simple old guesthouse in a leafy soi northeast of Th Khao San. Appropriately in a neighbourhood of family-run shophouses, the Prasuri doubles as a 30B restaurant, A shop for random grocery items and an internet cafe that sees crowds of uniformed Thai schoolchildren battling it out on video games. The rooms are tired but quiet and clean, and all have bathrooms. Wi-fi is 50B a day.
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THEWET & DUSIT
Thewet, the district abutting the river north of Banglamphu, has a small backpacker zone that is almost as old as the Khao San scene but remains largely off the radar. The guesthouses on and just off Th Sri Ayuthaya draw budgeters who are generally a little older than their counterparts on Th Khao San, and the vibe is more chilled and convivial and less catwalk. Thewet is a leafy area with a real neighbourhood sensibility, a morning market, a busy temple and easy access to the river ferry. The only drawbacks are that downtown Bangkok is many traffic jams away and the street is prone to flooding at the height of the rainy season (usually September or October).
PHRANAKORN NORNLEN
Map Boutique Hotel $$
0 2628 8188-90; www.phranakorn-nornlen.com; 46 Soi Thewet 1, Th Krung Kasem, Thewet; s/d 1800/2200B; Tha Thewet (N15);
Everyone seems to love this small, arty boutique hotel where smiles come readily to faces. And there are many parts of it worth loving. The reconditioned wooden building stands in a lush garden, while the 25 rooms possess a rustic charm, have tall showers (with homemade organic soap) and come iPod ready; the wi-fi is free, too. The owners bring their sense of social and environmental responsibility to the hotel, with an organic garden on the roof (and plans for a cafe there, too) and breakfasts that will have the health-conscious drooling with anticipation. Staff also encourage guests to patronise local businesses, and run tours by bicycle and foot to make sure you find the right ones. All up, Phranakorn Nornlen has a real community ambience, fostered by the wonderfully engaging staff. Highly recommended.
SHANTI LODGE
Map Hostel $
0 2281 2497; www.shantilodge.com; 37 Th Si Ayuthaya, Thewet; dm 350B, s 400-850B, d 500-950B; ordinary 53 & 30; Tha Thewet (N15);
Shanti Lodge is the sort of place where you might find barefooted backpackers engaging in long, languid conversations about the philosophy of travel and their dislike of Banglamphu, while a fellow backpacker strums a guitar as he waits for fresh coffee. That is, it’s a pretty chilled place. Set in a rambling wooden house with a mix of artfully decorated rooms upstairs, it’s the blissed-out garden cafe downstairs where you’ll spend most of your time. The staff are,