Dang Derm Khaosan

The rooftop bar and restaurant are great, though they only take cash. Khao San Road is lively around the clock, so expect parties and noise. If that's fine with you, Dang Derm Dorm is a fun, well placed hostel for meeting other travelers. It's right by the bars, restaurants, shops and transport, and the rooms and shared areas were clean. Staff were friendly and helpful, and it felt like good value. Google Maps often takes you to the orange Dang Derm, but this review is for the green one across the street. Look for the gallery with a pharmacy at the front, then the hotel entrance at the back. The S1 bus stops nearby, which makes airport trips convenient.

For about 20€, I was pleasantly surprised by what the room had: hangers, a kettle, glasses, a sofa, coffee table, TV, hairdryer and safe. The only thing I missed was a light switch by the bed. I've paid more for places with cold water and cockroaches. The room was roomy, with a balcony facing the neighboring house through a bamboo sliding door. It's an older hotel, but it was clean, and they cleaned daily, replacing towels, water and toilet paper, plus sheets if requested. The pool was a real highlight, open 8am - 11pm, with clean tiles, towels and a bar. The metal sunbeds weren't comfortable, so bring another towel or a sleeping pad. Khaosan Road is loud, and you can hear the music until 5AM even with earplugs. I wouldn't choose this place for a quiet night's sleep, but I liked the busy city feel and was used to living above a club in Europe. Given the street and the price, the noise didn't bother me. I found the reception staff, pool attendant and housekeepers nice. The three receptionists smiled, spoke politely and greeted me whenever I passed. Some complaints about rudeness may relate to guests coming back drunk or high and behaving badly. Staff shouldn't have to stay polite when people vomit by the lifts or smoke a joint in the corridors. My deposit was returned. If deposits aren't returned in Thailand, there may be a good reason, and the people involved should think about that. The hotel has a visitor policy, shown in one of my pictures. If guests don't follow it, the hotel can keep the deposit or take other action.

The pool and shared spaces were nice, but they felt small and crowded. Rooms were clean and practical, though on the small side, and the staff were friendly. Service slowed down when it was busy, and breakfast was fine but lacked variety. Right on Khao San Road, the location is great for bars, shops and nightlife. A decent choice for a short visit focused on the neighborhood, but not for luxury or real peace and quiet.

I couldn't get any privacy because another room was directly across from my window, so opening the curtains wasn't an option. The room was too dark, and the windows did a terrible job blocking outside noise, which made it impossible to sleep. There was also a hotel rule they never mentioned before booking: any visitor to your room costs 500 THB per person, even for just five minutes. Ridiculous.