Imagine letting a run down, unkempt hotel ruin your entire trip.
It'd be mass irritating and I'm sure no one would want that to happen because a comfortable stay is basically what makes the entire trip enjoyable.
I remember my friend being bitten by bed bugs during our high school graduation trip in Langkawi. It was a good example of a badly maintained hotel. Bed bugs wouldn't exist if the mattresses are changed and disinfected regularly. Luckily it happened during our last night otherwise she would have to live through discomfort and irritation for the rest of the trip.
So I'm happy to say that we managed to find ourselves the coolest place to stay during our recent Bangkok trip *drumrolls* Lub d ! We were sort of tight on budget and were glad to have chosen to stay at a backpackers hostel so we can reduce expenses and save the money for shopping later.
Lub d has made quite a name for themselves with their friendly staff, 24 hours front desk, interesting activities and the spicy chilli challenge (which I proudly accepted and completed)!
Lub d was also rated "one of the 17 coolest hangout hostels in the world" by Britain's influential daily, The Observer. The hostel offers a variety of rooms including mixed dormitory, ladies dormitory, railway twin room and also double room for those who prefer to have some privacy.
So now you know where to stay in Bangkok if you don't mind using shared bathroom, which I totally don't mind because Lud d's shared bathroom is sufficiently spacious and well-equipped. It is also very clean and sophisticatedly designed which is awesome. Even the painstaking routine of dressing up is taken care of as hair bands, hair straightener and hair dryer are available in the ladies shared bathroom. If you are running out of cotton pads, you can also find them easily on the dressing table. Double awesomeness.
For the first three nights of our Bangkok trip, we stayed at Lub d in the downtown area of Silom.
As far as I know, Silom is known for its night activities as well as the vast variety of fine restaurants and street food. I call it the Thailand version of Sri Hartamas/Mont Kiara because Silom is also a business district with many corporate high rises and condominiums. It is also one of the places where most working foreigners reside in Bangkok.
Silom can be easily reached using the BTS Skytrain's Silom line. Follow the signs to exit 3 at Chong Nonsi Station to reach Silom Road. Detailed directions to Lub d will be emailed to you once the bookings are confirmed.
So we took the A1 bus from Don Mueang International Airport and took the BTS Skytrain from Mo Chit Station to Chong Nonsi Station. You need to change train lines at Siam station.
Getting excited in this bus. Bus fare is 30 baht per trip.
The bus dropped us near the Chatuchak market but it's not time for shopping yet! We headed straight for Mo Chit station by following the massive crowd. No need to ask for direction or anything Haha.
Queueing up to buy tickets at Mo Chit Station.
Very easy to use ticket machine.
If you are taking taxi, this map to Lub d Silom in Thai might come in handy for taxi drivers who can't speak English very well.
Lub d is actually a phrase in Thai language which means sleep well *taught by Apple, our one day tour guide for Mahachai trip*. Couldn't have a better name because all of us definitely slept well through the nights.
The main area where most of the people gather to have breakfast and engage in casual conversation. Free breakfast are given from 7am - 10am. Every morning, we woke up to the smell of toasts and coffee, which is mildly blissful. (^_^)
Our 6-bed ladies dormitory. Each bed has its own reading light, power socket, personal shelf and a locker big enough to store your luggage or just all the important stuff you need to safekeep.
Settling down.
I absolutely love the urban decor concept at Lub d which I totally did not expect from a backpackers hostel. The ladies dormitory is at the 4th floor so climbing stairs is inevitable. The rate is 460 baht per pax for one night at the ladies dormitory.
There is also free wifi here if you wish to have access to Internet. We were checking mails as well as updating ourselves with the latest news in Bangkok (we happened to travel to Bangkok during the military coup).
Selfie of us!
And more selfies so bear with it.
Oh this was taken before our Mahachai trip.
Poking my head out from the backside of an elephant. Taken before leaving Lub D Silom.
And we spent the remaining nights at another Lub d hostel located at Siam Square.
We took the BTS Skytrain from Chong Nonsi station to National Stadium station with tons of our heavy luggage. My Canon EOS600D gave me sore neck as it swung around my neck violently while I was moving my luggage.
Moving from Silom to Siam Square wasn't as tedious as it sounds though as the entire journey was shorter than expected (merely 5 stations apart). We only dreaded the stairs climbing part. Each time we saw an endless flight of stairs to the station platform, we felt like we were doomed. It was good exercise though. I can see my arm muscles swell the next day.
Lub d Siam Square is strategically located right next to National Stadium station itself. It is also within walking distance from various shopping malls such as MBK mall, Siam Centre and Siam Paragon.
This time we had a pink 4-bed ladies deluxe dorm! Similarly with Lub d Silom, the ladies dormitory is in a secure 'ladies-only' section or no man land. The rate is 520 baht per pax for one night.
Selfie at the shared bathroom. Taken before going out to explore the shopping district.
Breakfast at Lub d Siam Square. Another simple yet satisfying meal.
The reception counter which is connected to the mini kitchen where you can find local alcohol beverages and snacks. They are having snack nights on every Thursday here where you can taste famous local street food and specialty wine. During our stay, they were serving local mango (it was a taste of awesomeness), fried crispy chicken skin (no one can resist this), pork innards and local sticky rice wine (a taste that I will never forget).
Christy and I even did our Lub d Spicy Chilli Challenge here (which I will blog about in a separate post). Eventually won the challenge by swallowing 10 green spicy chillies within 1 minute but ended bawling my eyes out.
Computer area.
Theatre room which is located at second floor above the reception counter.
Directions to the airport! Everything is so meticulously taken care of at Lub d. Also feel free to ask the reception counter for travel guides.
And at the end of our trip, it became sentimental for us to leave this incredible place so we decided to leave some touchy feely messages on their traveller's notebook.
Don't judge hahahaha. I don't even know if I had counted the stripes of our Malaysian flag correctly. =_____=
A picture of me taking a picture of Christy.
Added a supposed-to-be Thailand flag next to my poorly drawn Malaysian flag. And also the anime version of the three of us. False impression as Jacqueline is supposed to be the tallest among us.
Taking our last picture at Lub d. Btw the blue van behind us actually transforms into a mini bar at night so it was oasis in desert for people who wish to drink until late night during the curfew.
Will definitely come back to Lub d If I happen to be in Bangkok again. Love Bangkok so much that it will remain as a special place in my heart ♥
Lub d Bangkok
by
CSY
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