Lub d Bangkok Siam

Lub d Bangkok is nestled between hotels and an office building in the popular Siam District. The four-story hostel's open design makes it feel fresh and bright, with lots of air and natural light in the common areas. The interiors feature industrial concrete and natural wood accented by lots of color, with room doors and walls sporting shades of red, orange, peach, and aqua-blue. Guests enter to a lobby sitting area with wooden tables and leather sofas, a flat-screen TV, wall map of Bangkok, and tourist brochures. The lobby bar serves both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and the outdoor terrace features a bar fashioned out of a vintage Volkswagen van. Guests also gather in the high-ceilinged sitting area with a long wooden table beside a faux-grass wall. Another popular spot is the movie-screening room, where beanbag cushions and black-leather couches face a large flat-screen TV (DVDs are available). The Lub d is clean throughout and draws backpackers and budget travelers with its boutique design, excellent location, and affordable rooms. 

The Lub d Bangkok is in the popular Siam District, an area filled with street-food stalls, restaurants, shops, and other hotels. The hostel is less than a five-minute walk from Siam Square and MBK Center malls. Next door to the hostel is the National Stadium BTS Skytrain station, handy for reaching the other areas of the city. The train is also convenient because drive times in Bangkok vary wildly. All car-travel times below are subject to major fluctuations based on traffic conditions.Cultural sights also dot the area. Within five minutes' walk are Bangkok Art & Culture Centre and Jim Thompson House, a complex of old Thai structures collected by an American silk trader with a mysterious story. Farther out, the hostel is about 25 minutes (by walking, bus, and express boat along the Chao Phraya river) from the Wat Pho temple complex and Wat Arun temple. Guests are also well-positioned for more shopping, dining, and nightlife. The Hua Chang Bridge SANSAB channel boat is a seven-minute walk from the hostel and travels to vibrant areas such as Ratchaprasong, Pratunam, and Thong Lo. Also, Khaosan Road nightlife is about 15 minutes' drive or 25 minutes by bus/walking from the hostel. Bangkok Railway Station is 10 to 15 minutes away by bus or car. Suvarnabhumi Airport is a 35-minute drive or 40 minutes by Airport Rail Link from Phaya Thai Station (a seven-minute drive or 13-minute bus ride from the hostel). Don Mueang International Airport is a between 30 minutes to an hour away by car, depending on traffic conditions. 

The Lub d Bangkok has both dorm rooms and private rooms. They are all nicely sized and have a boutique look, with white cotton bedding and colorful walls decorated with playful murals. Rooms are generally quiet, but some closer to the street may encounter noise from neighboring nightclubs and/or traffic and the skytrain.Four-bed dorm rooms feature nice bedside touches such as individual reading lights and electric sockets. For security, there are personal lockers and electronic keying. Towels, air-conditioning, twice-daily cleaning, and free Wi-Fi are all provided. Some dorm rooms are for women only. These rooms share (very clean) single-gender bathrooms with toiletries and hairdryers provided. Ironing facilities are available as well. Private rooms with shared bathrooms come in Econo Twin and Econo Double options, the latter with king-size beds and private balconies. Deluxe Double Rooms feature flat-screen TVs with English and satellite channels, queen-size beds, and en-suite bathrooms, some with shower/tub combos. All private rooms are cleaned once daily, air-conditioned, and add writing tables and iPod docks. Some come with free bottled water. Rooms are in a four-floor building, with no elevator. All rooms and public spaces are non-smoking. 

The best feature here is the movie-screening room where guests can kick back on leather sofas and bean bag chairs to watch DVDs on the big-screen. Free popcorn is available during screenings. There are coin-operated washers and dryers in a light-filled space with artificial turf carpet. The internet center has several laptops and a shelf of books and magazines. The hostel serves a continental breakfast of hard-boiled eggs, toast, croissants, coffee, and juice (for a fee), but there's no lunch/dinner service on-site. The lobby bar serves light snacks and a good range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. More bar space is available outdoors on a terrace. Unfortunately, there is no communal kitchen.Convenient features include free long-term luggage storage, currency exchange, and a 24-hour front desk. There's parking for bicycles and scooters, and car parking is available nearby for a fee.