Station One

I always stay here when I’m passing through. It’s a nice old hotel in good condition, and the elevator has been repaired and works fine now. They also have a breakfast buffet for 150 baht.

There are lots of stairs to climb even for one floor, and sounds come straight through the walls, so I could hear everything the neighbours did. Still, my room was comfortable, clean, and had everything I needed for a night. Reception had a safe place where I could lock up my bike, and complimentary coffee was available in the morning.

I came in on the afternoon train from Bangkok, and the station is just a five-minute walk away. Check-in was easy, and the team were very helpful. The rooms are clean, comfortable, and good value. It’s well placed for the evening market or a nearby meal. I had a delicious one at Cashew restaurant, and found the town very clean and friendly. One warning from experience: don’t cross the border toward Siem Reap after dark. The lines are long, and Poipet isn’t comfortable at night. Stay here, then take a TukTuk or motorbike to the border. Before 8am, the process takes 30 minutes.

The renovated rooms are set in an “antique” atmosphere. Walking into the lobby feels like stepping back to the sixties, with pinball, vending and coke machines, old clocks, payphones, and other things from a bygone era.