Phangan Arena

People staying at other hostels and accommodations come to Arena to spend the night, so it’s a main spot for activities. The staff are really fun. Emmy is especially nice and keeps a great attitude whatever the time. She says she always thinks of it as her last day. The accommodation is very good value.

The place has good social energy and is very cheap, which works well for budget travelers. But I booked a private room through Booking.com and got no answer to my WhatsApp messages. When I arrived, me and two other couples were told no private rooms were available and offered dorm beds instead. They didn’t charge us, but the whole thing was handled badly. The music goes on loudly until midnight, and there’s no hot water. Good vibes, but not very organized.

The place has a great party atmosphere and the location is excellent, but the property and rooms are in awful shape. Our shower had mold and the doors wouldn’t lock. The gym equipment was rusty and broken, and plenty of other things around the property were falling apart too. I raised it with the owner, who didn’t seem to care. For what we paid for a private room during the Full Moon, it wasn’t worth it. I don’t expect much from hostels in Thailand, but at those prices, basic cleanliness should be included. This could be a five-star spot if management took better care of the property.

At €10 a night, the value is excellent. We got a room with air conditioning and a private bathroom, and it’s a good place to meet people and join the evening activities. It can be a little noisy before midnight, when the music stops, but after that you can sleep.