I just had a one night stopover in Bangkok. This was the first time I have returned to the city since I left in 2013 after a five year stay. It was terrific to be back, catch up with a few old friends and see how the Big Mango was looking. A friend recommended that I stay at The Hostel 16, in a small sub-soi off Soi 16 in the heart of Sukhumvit.
The Hostel 16 is a beautiful house in a very quiet street with a nice garden to the front. The front garden area has lots of seating and guests gather here to socialise and eat. On the night we arrive the host Miss Pond put on a barbecue. The Thai style with a metal tray sitting on top on hot charcoal. There is a kind of moat round the plate which is filled with stock. meats are barbecued on the metal and the vegetables are placed in the stock. It’s a cook as you eat type of thing, with everyone cooking their own food. I love this way of eating.
The bunch of people here on the night I stayed were a friendly bunch of backpackers from many different countries. The conversation was fun and friendly. Pond runs an amazingly friendly, easy-going hostel here. It was a genuine pleasure to stay. Inside Hostel 16, the rooms are clean and comfortable and really quiet, which is hard to find in the middle of Bangkok. For its location Hostel 16 probably offers the least expensive overnight in town. They have dorms, twin rooms and doubles.
Hostel 16 has a friendly dog called Sunnie. Sadly she was hit by a car when a pup and has lost the use of one of her legs. Pond has taken care and even provided a little chariot for her to get round on. Everyone makes a fuss of Sunnie, it’s nice to see.
This is one of the most friendly and laid-back places I have ever stayed. Pond simply cannot do enough for her guests. Predictably the quiet night out that I had planned turned into a massive reunion with friends on Soi 22. I didn’t arrive back until 4am meaning I slept in, until almost noon. I came down and asked if there was still any coffee on the go. Not only did I get coffee but I also got a complete breakfast. Rules are very lax here.
I would recommend The Hostel 16 wholeheartedly. It is a great place to stay, inexpensive, great rooms, a terrific hostess and the location is unbeatable. It is less than a 10 minute walk to The BTS and MRT stations at the junction of Asok and Sukhumvit. From here you can get direct transport to anywhere in the city that you would want to be.
Ms Pond has built something rather special here. Another thing close to my heart is that they do not use plastic, in this day and age this should be the norm, sadly it isn’t. I sincerely hope that it thrives. On the face of my visit, it certainly is doing.
