Scala Hostel

It’s loud here, with a band playing 80s American covers outside until midnight. Right in the middle of Chinatown’s tourist chaos, and the vibe is really strange. The first floor is a disgusting shark fin restaurant, while the lobby is on the sixth floor. At least there were no bedbugs, and there’s hot water in the kitchen. Very impersonal and low quality. Too expensive for what you get, so go somewhere else if you can.

You couldn’t ask for a better spot for getting around Chinatown, and the room was clean with a good bed. The room is small, though, with only one little table to balance my bag on. The private bathroom was fine and had hot water, and there’s hot and cold water in the lobby. On the fourth floor I could hear traffic and music from somewhere, so it was noisy. I’d come back.

The room is on the small side, but the price is reasonable. It had good air conditioning, a hot shower, and a very comfortable bed. There’s an elevator, plus a shared room with a washing machine, fridge, and microwave on the 6th floor. They provide a free bottle of water and clean daily. A hair dryer and shampoo are included, but no toothpaste or toothbrush. The towel didn’t feel very new. The best part is the location, right in the heart of Yaowarat and near the Wat Mangkon MRT. The hotel shares a building with a restaurant of the same name. Check in at the lobby on floor 6. There’s a 500 baht prepayment for the room card, returned when you check out.

The location is the only reason I’d consider staying here again. I spent four days and three nights with my wife, and the service was poor. Reception staff had limited English, and the hostel staff didn’t greet or smile unless we started the interaction. They were often busy on their phones. The bed was uncomfortable, there were no tables, and we had to leave our luggage on the floor with very little space to walk. The reception also isn’t open around the clock. If you arrive after 9 pm, you need to call the number posted at reception.