Every so often I stay in an absolute gem of a hostel on my travels, and Thailand was no exception.
Having rocked up in Bangkok at stupid o’clock with my buddy Audrey we bundled ourselves into an expectedly over priced taxi and headed to Silom to check into HQ Hostel.
Now HQ were epic from the offset. They allowed us to check in for our reservation at 5am – which was no less than a god send after a 15 hour trip from Koh Tao!
I had decided to go a little more flash packer during my stay in Bangkok so I was greeted by a spacious air conned double room. It had a walk in shower, spongy bed and heaps of character – needless to say I had an epic sleep!
Location wise it’s based about a 20min tuk tuk ride from the infamous Koh San road. But don’t let this put you off. The fact I didn’t have all the party chaos on my doorstep actually meant I went out and explored Bangkok more – used the tube station round the corner, strolled down to the river for a water taxi…it prompted me to see more than I would’ve.
Getting to Koh San is a cheap experience though – either via cab or tuk tuk. As a guide expect to pay around 250baht to get there, although we bartered our way down to as little as 80!
The hostel itself was under slight renovation during my stay – but the core was there, it was simply awaiting the final lick of paint to finish the place off. My Byron buddy Nic (who actually joined me for my stay) subsequently went back a few weeks ago and I’m happy to report the fact he said it looks amazing and lives up to his expectations!
It came complete with a communal area full of bean bags, a massive flat screen, DVD payer and whole host of movies to choose from. Wifi was free of charge but for those travelling without the gadgets they also had a few PC’s complete with obligatory webcams and Skype.
The staff were ever helpful and always up for some banter at all hours. They know the area well and can point you in thee right direction, sort you a taxi and even book up tours for you (I highly recommend the Floating Market one). They even come armed with a mini fridge stocked full of beer!
…you can even sort yourself out with some Thai Fisherman pants there too – seriously the best thing I’ve ever worn!
Right next door is a bakery for some epic morning treats although they are in the process of finishing off the in house cafe, which I’m sure will compliment the hostel perfectly.
Cost wise I’ll admit it’s not the cheapest for Thailand, but at roughly £10 per night for a shared dorm it’s hardly going to break the bank and you get a beautiful, clean and friendly place to stay.
Overall my stay was fun and comfortable, and I can’t really fault it at all. Nic crashed in the shared door rooms which were equally as comfortable, came with individual power sockets and under bed lockers for your stuff – as well as reliable air con, a must in the stifling Bangkok evenings!
A brilliant base for the start of your Thailand adventure!
The guys at HQ have been kind enough to hook you all up with a discount too – simply like the HQ Facebook Page then email them on [email protected] and quote the code BACKPACKERBANTER SLEEP FOR CHEAP and they’ll take off a tasty 10% off your entire stay – happy days!
For more info check out their website – www.hqhostel.com – or their twitter feed – @HQhostel
Value – 4/5
Atmosphere – 4/5
Cleanliness – 5/5
Facilities – 4/5
**I received a complimnetary stay at HQ Hostel, Bangkok – but rest assured all opinions are honest and my own**
