5-1 Homestay

The location is great, the dorm room is really spacious, and the price was among the lowest I saw in Kenting. It felt well worth it. The owner and staff were kind, and they invited us to her small birthday gathering and gave us a piece of cake. The dorm can sleep up to 12 people but has just one shower and bathroom outside the room, so you can imagine it’s not very comfortable when it’s full. The staff didn’t know English. That wasn’t a big issue generally, but trying to pay for one more night and not being understood for 10 minutes was really frustrating.

The hosts were the best part for me. They were so kind and caring, and clearly love having guests around. They worked tirelessly all day to keep things running smoothly. Since they knew I was traveling alone, they went out of their way to make me feel welcome. I’ll always remember their generosity and warmth. They also have lovely cats, so the place always feels lively and fun. The hostel is in a great central spot: a 3 minute walk to the Kenting bus stop, with the national park right next door, and the night market and beach just a minute away. The beds were really comfortable and clean, and the air conditioner ran all day, making it pleasant indoors. Thank you for working so hard ❤️🌱🌸🥰

This is just about the first-floor dorm, not the higher-end rooms on the second floor. It’s a large room with 12 bunk beds around one shared area, and there’s plenty of room to move. The ceiling fans and air conditioning work well. The place is well maintained, the sheets are clean, the bunks are wide and spaced out, and there are lockers in the room. There’s a refrigerator and water dispenser on the second floor, plus a clothes-drying rack on the third. The downside of the shared room is noise at night and in the morning when phone alarms go off. Staff provide earplugs, so adventurous backpackers may not mind. Depending on how full it is, the single bathroom can also be a problem at busy times. There aren’t services like food or laundry. If you like cats, you can watch them eating in their urban habitat right outside the hostel entrance.

It was central, budget friendly, clean and simple, and I was able to check in early spontaneously. There were so many cats, too. We’d read that the host was very friendly, but in our case the host didn’t seem particularly interested in us. There was no friendly hello or smile when we arrived, and the online pictures weren’t up to date. Some smaller issues: ants were around, there were no bath mats, and the whole bathroom was wet after a shower. The staff didn’t speak English. That was okay, but a translation app should be used. For me, 1/5 means insufficient and unsatisfactory, 2/5 below average and deficient, 3/5 average and good, 4/5 above average and very good, and 5/5 absolutely recommended.