Blanco Hostel at Lanta

I stayed three nights and really loved it. The staff are so welcoming, and the area feels like a peaceful little village, with hammocks and lots of places to lounge. It’s right on the beach. The room AC doesn’t stay on very long in the evening, so it can get stuffy during the day if you’re trying to stay out of the sun. Water refills also cost 10 baht or more, while most hostels I’ve stayed at offer them free. Still, I’d absolutely stay again when I’m back in koh lanta.

The social side made our stay at Blanco a lot of fun. The reps and staff were really nice, and there were enjoyable evening activities. The boat trip was the highlight for us, and we’d definitely come back. The bathrooms are wet baths, and there aren’t curtains on the beds, though.

The way the hostel handled the passport deposit left me with serious concerns. Their booking email says a passport is required, so I knew that part in advance. But when I declined to hand mine over, a staff member offered to take 2000 baht cash instead. That conflicts directly with the same written policy, which says cash and other ID aren’t accepted as deposits. Most hostels ask 100-200 baht for a key, and even hotels usually ask around 1000 baht. Staff also became noticeably unfriendly and dismissive once I pushed back. Other guests agreeing to leave their passports doesn’t make it reasonable for everyone. I didn’t ask to rent a motorbike. The passport was requested as a deposit for my stay, not for a bike. Staff didn’t help arrange transport either, they made rude remarks. Management’s response misstates what happened and asks me to remove a legitimate review. Their written policy and the cash alternative offered in person contradict each other. What a mess. There are plenty of other places in Koh Lanta, and I’d choose one of those instead. Happy travels :) --- EDIT, reply to management: Management’s response contains several inaccuracies. I acknowledge the booking email says to leave a passport, but that doesn’t explain the rest. When I refused, staff offered 2000 baht cash despite the email saying cash and other ID aren’t accepted. Which is it? I was not offered help with transport; I got rude remarks instead.

The rooms were reasonably clean, though there was always dust on the floor, so it was hard to tell whether it had been cleaned. The blanket was a bit short for me at 1.83 cm. I also found the stay overpriced: water refills for a large bottle were 20 baht, activities cost quite a lot, and staff kept trying to sell them after I declined. Things seemed fine when I booked, but changed after I arrived. They wanted my passport as a deposit. When I said Thai law doesn’t allow that, staff snapped at me and weren’t very friendly after that. I wouldn’t recommend staying here.