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Please see Bangkok for other available Bangkok hostels and accommodations.
Please see Bangkok for other available Bangkok hostels and accommodations.
The Hostelz.com Review
Probably the thing that will attract you to Shanti Lodge is its location, about fifteen minutes' walk from the hype of the budget backpacker centre of Khao San Road. Shanti Lodge may as well be a world away in terms of quietness, local vibe and low key tourism. There are local markets right nearby, as well as a wat (place of worship), local shops, and friendly people.
The Location
Shanti Lodge is located in Tewet, just a block or so back from the river and one of the city's piers -- so you can easily access it and get around by ferry to other key points in the city (a lot of Bangkok's key sites are on or near the river). The easiest way to arrive there from the airport is to take a taxi, however you can get the free shuttle to the bus terminal, then a bus to Khao San Road and then a local tuk tuk. Alternatively when you head back to the airport get to Khao San Road and take one of the local backpacker buses heading to the airport -- they are the most economical way of getting there.
Rooms and Bathrooms
Shanti has a number of different kinds of room options. The budget ones are housed upstairs and are done in traditional style with tropical hardwood and woven bamboo, however they are rather flimsy and the windows/doors do lock but not really well. If you have valuables you may want to leave them downstairs with reception. They are fan-only and do get a bit hot.
These rooms have communal bathroom facilities, which are downstairs. The bathrooms are really clean and hygienic and set in the flowering courtyard below. The other kinds of rooms have their own en-suite bathroom.
Common Spaces
Shanti has a communal veranda where you can relax and stretch out if you wish. They also have a wonderful cafe area with an extensive vegetarian menu. A lot of people hang out here to access Wi-Fi and just chill out. There are books, lots of pots and plants, and it's very comfortable.
Summary
Shanti is definitely an oasis from the steady stream of activity that is Bangkok. It's really a place to relax from the noise and heat and it's also run by a family which helps give it a local feel. It's slightly more expensive and tricky getting here to/from the airport (they will try to get you a shared taxi), but it's a great base once you're in Bangkok for getting around. The reception has all the usual tourism information you need.
The Location
Shanti Lodge is located in Tewet, just a block or so back from the river and one of the city's piers -- so you can easily access it and get around by ferry to other key points in the city (a lot of Bangkok's key sites are on or near the river). The easiest way to arrive there from the airport is to take a taxi, however you can get the free shuttle to the bus terminal, then a bus to Khao San Road and then a local tuk tuk. Alternatively when you head back to the airport get to Khao San Road and take one of the local backpacker buses heading to the airport -- they are the most economical way of getting there.
Rooms and Bathrooms
Shanti has a number of different kinds of room options. The budget ones are housed upstairs and are done in traditional style with tropical hardwood and woven bamboo, however they are rather flimsy and the windows/doors do lock but not really well. If you have valuables you may want to leave them downstairs with reception. They are fan-only and do get a bit hot.
These rooms have communal bathroom facilities, which are downstairs. The bathrooms are really clean and hygienic and set in the flowering courtyard below. The other kinds of rooms have their own en-suite bathroom.
Common Spaces
Shanti has a communal veranda where you can relax and stretch out if you wish. They also have a wonderful cafe area with an extensive vegetarian menu. A lot of people hang out here to access Wi-Fi and just chill out. There are books, lots of pots and plants, and it's very comfortable.
Summary
Shanti is definitely an oasis from the steady stream of activity that is Bangkok. It's really a place to relax from the noise and heat and it's also run by a family which helps give it a local feel. It's slightly more expensive and tricky getting here to/from the airport (they will try to get you a shared taxi), but it's a great base once you're in Bangkok for getting around. The reception has all the usual tourism information you need.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
December 2010
Their Description
Shanti Lodge Details
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Location/Contact| Address | 37 Sri Ayuthya Road, Soi 16, Bangkok (Si Sou Tewet), Bangkok Province, Thailand |
| Location | Behind National Library |
| Website | www.shantilodge.com |
| Telephone | 66 2 281 2497, 628 7626 |
| Fax | 662 628 7205 |
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Hostelz.com Guest Reviews
Excellent hostel, but watch out for bedbugs just got back from staying at shanti lodge in bangkok. i loved the atmosphere and the food, and any difficulty with the staff was certainly due to cultural differences -- communication could be hard, but they were very kind and gracious. shanti farm was also fantastic. however, i will warn you -- either the farm or the lodge, not sure which, has a bad bedbug infestation. i have over a hundred bites on my body now and they itch like hell, so be sure to check your mattress before you sleep on it! — Anonymous , USA (2011-04-16) Good hostel with tropical, tasty restaurant. I stayed here last Oct. and Nov. and thoroughly enjoyed my stay, I had five days there and after a trip away went back for a few days. Gets a lot busier by November. The restaurant had great cheap food and drinks, the tropical plants and beach hut style furniture give a relaxing atmosphere compared to much of the city. The room facilities are ok, as with many hostels a lot of the rooms have fans. They have good massage and internet facilities. It's not in a chaotic area like Khoasan Road and there seems to be a lot of couples who stay there, but not exclusively. Not all the staff speak great english, but enough do and they are mostly very nice and seem to appreciate if you are nice to them. It's worth downloading the map from their site with Thai instructions for taxis. — Gary T , British (2007-08-30) This is a nice, relaxed "house" of a hostel. The staff are mostly female and they are friendly and laid back. The rooms vary in size, location in the house, street noise and price -- so ask to see a couple different rooms if you can. They are all very clean! The food is pretty good though comparably expensive. It is a fifteen-minute walk to Khao San road, but is close to a lot of great local buses to take you to Siam square or wherever. Definitely take the ferry down the river, the stop is very close. We printed out the directions in Thai on Shanti's website and the taxi driver had no problem. — MM , USA (2007-03-27) I stayed at Shanti Bangkok for a night in March 2007. It was very hard to find for the Thai taxi driver. The room here was average, again the food was fabulous and the staff was good during my short stay, worth three to four stars. — David- Canada (2007-03-21) I've been to Bangkok four times, and I have stayed in the Shanti each time. It is my home away from home. The food is amazing and the accommodations are excellent, especially for the price. The Shanti has character and an amiable atmosphere. This is the perfect place for backpackers looking for a comfortable family place to stay for awhile. I can only attribute comments about rude or cold staff to cultural differences. The Shanti girls can be shy, this is true, but getting to know them has been a joy and I have never had any negative experiences with them. — Robin Turner (2006-10-15) I loved this place. The showers with the vines in them, the lassis, the whole atmosphere was just an oasis after the hot smelly streets of Bangkok. — Karen (2006-08-07) I have to admit that I was a little shocked by the attitude of the staff when I first arrived at the Shanti Lodge. Kim was at the reception desk and was very abrupt and rude when I checked in. The rooms were fine, if a bit small. The biggest drawback of staying here was the location, it wasn't close to any of the attractions of Bangkok. I thoroughly enjoy Thailand (I've visited the country twice) but I would not stay here again. — S. Hayden (2006-06-18) I stayed there one night. I recommend this place. Cheap and adequate. Good restaurant and food, safe. Nothing to wrong with the place for a cheap backpackers hostel. — James (2006-05-05) We booked Shanti under the basis of these reviews however we have a story of our own. I am not a fussy person as regards accommodation -- if it is clean it is fine, but I draw the line at rats in the room. We had left a pack of unopened malteasers in the room high up on a shelf, I awoke in the middle of the night to the noise of a vermin rustling the packaging. Convincing myself it was nothing, I fell back to sleep some time later. We awoke in the morning to a more than half-eaten bag of unopened malteasers with a big hole chewed in the bag. Needless to say we left as soon as possible that morning. They do say not to bring food into rooms but I wonder if this is just so people will not notice there are rats in the place. — Cait (2006-05-02) We've travelled most of Asia in the past couple of years and this was the best place we ever stayed at. Food, atmosphere, staff, fellow backpackers, rooms...everything was excellent. It truly is the Oasis in Bangkok. Check out Emily Barr's "Backpacker" book, the Shanti Lodge is mentioned in it. Cheers! — Jon (2006-03-10) Great atmosphere, the nicest place you will find in Bangkok. Although the staff were not as friendly as the staff in Shanti, Phuket, I still had a great time. Affordable rooms and great food, although probably it is not located on the infamous Khao San Road, the cab and tuktuk drivers had a hard time finding it. — Anonymous (2006-01-30) I have been travelling around Asia for 5 months and each time I come back to Bangkok I stay here.
My first visit to BKK I stayed in a dump, but met some friends that dragged me here. WOW. This place is GREAT.
The staff are so friendly and I met so many wonderful people in the dorm here.
I would not stay here again before staying in a 5 star hotel. Excellent!
Thanks guys! — Dave D (2006-01-09) Loved this place!!! We stayed next door, our first time in Bangkok, unfortunately, but then left a lot of our stuff at Shanti so we didn't have to carry it around the rest of Thailand. They kept our reservation for over a month, so no problems when we finally returned. They are lovely people and since coming home I have missed the food so much. The pumpkin was awesome!! The decor is so cute and the rooms were beautiful and clean!!! — 3 girls (2005-11-28) What a FANTASTIC place to stay! Great atmosphere, friendly people, beautiful decoration, and amazing food (fresh, interesting, yummy!). Our little girl was happy and comfortable; the staff helped with her needs (providing parking for our Baby Jogger, warm milk and sticky rice whenever was needed). Most of the girls who work there seem to be quite shy, but very kind and genuine.
It was a true relief to get back to the Shanti after a hot, noisy day in the city. It felt like going back to a cool home where somebody had prepared dinner for you and somebody else could give you a great massage. It really made a huge difference for us. Thank you, Shanti people! — Cristina, Daniele and Micol - from Milan, Italy (2005-09-12) If you are a poser backpacker, this is the place to stay! If you're prissy and hate hostels, but want to go cheap, here's the place for you! If you're a backpacker, and want the true backpacking experience, it's perfect for you!!! In other words, it's the Hilton of hostels, and it has tons of fellow low-maintenance backpackers to exchange info with!
The restaurant deserves 5 stars of its own, and if you need a change of pace, there are 2-3 other great restaurants 2-3 doors down.
Need a Thai massage, quality, but on the cheap? Next door.
Short on time and need a trustworthy travel agent? Right there!
Feeling dry? There's a bar, too, with great ability to make drinks! (In Asia, that means they're made correctly.)
Forgot your travel books? They have a mini library in the restaurant with pretty much most of what you need.
If you want the cheap, cheap, cheap backpacking experience, stay in the dorm. If you want a romantic getaway, ask for the room with the fish tank or one of the other best rooms for barely a couple bucks more! If you want an outdoor camping experience, stay out on the porch on the second floor (covered with a mosquito net, of course)!
Be aware that you have to gush over the local staff to get them to be friendly to you. There's not much in-between where friendliness is concerned in Thailand. If you're neutral, you won't get a smile in this supposed land-of-smiles and you can count on being ignored. So walk up to the staff with a huge smile, and be way overly friendly. They'll bend over backwards from then on!!! That goes for every service industry in Thailand — not just this hostel.
It's a great place to stay! (But book early, or if you can't get a room, stay next door (a not-so-great place and very unfriendly, but you can deal with it for one night, right?) and wait for your room to open up!) Enjoy! — Lyney (2005-09-06)