De Talak Hostel

The place is a little hard to find and isn't in the busy part of town, so you'll need to walk to get to things. The Subway is only 1 km away, though. Inside, it's clean, with a nice lounge, fresh sheets, and bunk curtains. Each bed has a personal cabinet and mirror. Laundry is available cheaply, the kitchen is free to use, and they give out tea and ice cream every day. The staff are very friendly. I can't really complain.

The curtains and light switch by my dorm bed were great, and the older woman helped me sort out a system issue with Agoda. She even kept a few of my belongings for me, though she looked annoyed that I wasn't staying an extra night. The staff were helpful and spoke English well. The bathroom was very small for a dorm, and finding this place with GPS took a while; in the end, locals helped me. There are so many stairs, and I got tired going up, so I wish staff had helped more with my luggage. I also got confused about which exit to take at MRT Khlong Toei station. Despite those hassles, it was a good stay overall.

Bed bugs are why I won't return, though this used to be my favorite hostel. In December 2014, I noticed bites under my shirt and found a bed bug after lifting the bed. I tried staying again in March 2015, but saw another bug walking across the bed in a different room and left immediately for another hostel. I believe the place is infested and that the owner doesn't want to close it to clean properly. I posted about the bugs on Agoda, but they screen reviews and wouldn't allow the post. This was the only hostel where I found bed bugs during four months in South East Asia.

It's very clean, the AC works perfectly, and the staff speak English. The hotel is near Or Kor Thor market, which is really convenient if you love fruit, since it's one of Bangkok's cheapest markets.