Big Johns Backpacker Hostel

Staff is so helpful and nice -- I would come again
I have been here for two weeks I am leaving and coming back for 6 US dollars a night -- it is a deal! You will find locals who will show you around, free internet and TV, clean dorm room, and air conditioning. The staff and big john are so helpful in giving directions and helping out. I would definitely recommend this place if you are on a budget or not.

Big Johns is Awful -- Do not stay there!
Firstly, they didn't know I was coming even I though I confirmed my e-mail booking via e-mail. I paid 1263B ($45 -- which I couldn't help but feel ripped off at considering the website advertises it at 490 a night) for a private room for two nights only to discover the sweat box didn't have any curtains on the many windows surrounding the room. I spent a restless night with the lights of the city streaming in and at 5:30 had a terrible shower, if that is what you would call a hose hanging down the wall, slipped my key under the door, and not knowing where else to go headed to elsewhere, where I found an air-con room with private bath for the same price! My husband and I stayed here a couple of years ago, found it lovely, and would have continued to recommend it to people if I hadn't seen first hand how foul it has become. The new website gave the the impression of an upgrade, it is a far cry from that.

Still the best value for money accomodation in the better part of town
They've just moved into the building next door, which is still a work in progress, but it's still without doubt the best value for money genuine backpacker hostel in Bangkok. Great food, fun, and friendly staff. If everything was perfect there'd be no room for improvement.

This place was the wost hostel i have ever stayed in!
This hostel was absolutely disgusting. firstly it was totally overpriced -- we paid the same for a dorm bed (more like filthy mattress on the floor that felt like concrete) as we did for a private air conditioned room off Khao San road. The fan/ac didn't work and our room was hotter than outside. The lockers were old school style lockers and when i tried to open one the door came off in my hand! All the walls were rotten or peeling and the whole place looked like it was in serious need of a makeover and refurbishment. I have never stayed anywhere less satisfactory and i have been traveling for seven months. My advice to you is go somewhere -- anywhere -- else while in Bangkok because this place was crap!

We stayed here in Jan '07 for five nights and wouldnt even consider staying another night! When we arrived at Big Johns, he was too busy yelling at his staff to even check us in, then we he did check us in, there was no one to show us where anything was in the damn place! Then we discovered that the toilets weren't working due so no showers or toilets for anyone until next day. so the next day came and still no fixed! This joint is good if you are on a budget and are just stopping over for a day or so and i guess its not too bad if you didnt mind the fact that the showers didnt get cleaned for days. dont even get me started on the toilets. the food in the restaurant is way overpriced, and the place is four stories high, so if you are on the top floor like myself then you have to carry all your luggage up! My advice spend that extra 10 bucks and find somewhere a bit more central and cleaner!

I stayed here in October 2004, the first hostel I had ever been to. Since then I have stayed in nearly eighty and Big John's is still a decent place to crash when compared to all the others. We were here for three nights, the first was admittedly bad as I couldn't sleep due to the noise from the bar downstairs and the searing heat of my room (never turn the air con off in your room as it could do the same in someone else's)! After that though, it was all great -- met loads of other travellers from around the world and went to bed at six a.m. on the second and third nights. I can't believe that people have complained that this place is expensive -- £5 (less than $10) for a single air conditioned room per night?! The food and wonderful Chang beer were also dead cheap and available practically twenty-four hours. Location a little out of the way on the east side but the Skytrain or a tuk-tuk will take care of that. A real social place, so long as you are part of the crowd.

We booked a private two-bedroom and arrived six-thirty a.m. to find no room available for us. so we were put on the roof top in a run down bungalow on the fifth floor with so many stairs to climb with a backpack. We were suppose to move to our room when others had checked out but it never happened. John is nice and helpful and so are the staff. The food is little bit more expensive but so is the rest of Bangkok, so really what do you expect! The rooms are little more expensive, bathrooms are relatively clean but the people that come there are fantastic and i dont regret staying there at all. It was definitely an experience and i would go bak there. Free net for twenty minute before eleven a.m. and after nine p.m. Its close to Skytrain which is the cheapest and easiest way to get around and it stops everywhere. For those catching a flight. Take skytrain to MO CHIT station, costs forty baht then taxi to airport and pay no more then one hundred baht. Getting to Big Johns pay no more than two hundred baht and beware some people will try and rip you off, and i should no but stick your ground. The place is ok, really your paying for the convenience of the hostel location more than anything, and really it's just a place to crash!

Where to start? After travelling for three years, a year of which working and living in a hostel in Edinburgh, this place would have to be the worst I have ever stayed in. I don't mind being overcharged for the room, (which was refunded the next day, no worries when I asked again), or the extremely expensive prices What I do mind is Big John treating his staff like absolute sh*t in from of everyone in the restaurant over and over again. My girlfriend and I simple had to leave the following day as the vibe in the place was shitful. Quote from the kitchen: "Dont put that back in there someone has to eat that. That yours now you have to eat that. Put it on the scales and you paying for that. Now, go on! That some out of your pay and you have to eat that." This kind of thing happened on many occasions. Don't support this place, just go somewhere else.

John is a real fine fellow and a likeable guy. I arrived very late after 2 a.m. and had to wait several hours to get a bed, but he got me into a bunk early. The place is very clean and in excellent condition. The air-conditioning in the large building on Soi Gow "9" is chilling. The staff are very friendly and will help you around the city. The location is also very good between the canal and BTS [Bangkok Mass Transit System]. It's away from Khaosan Rd. but 15 minutes by the canal boat. You can get to other parts of Bangkok easily, but not necessarily quickly. The traffic is as bad as they say. John puts on a free barbecue every once in a while. The food was very good, Thai whiskey and Coke were a good price. I would recommend the place to anyone who wants a clean safe stay and to meet great people. Close to Soi Cowboy. After the girls pull you into your first bar and you walk outside a few drinks later into a Real Pink elephant, how could you ever stay away? When I go back I'll be staying here.

Where to begin with Big Johns?? 1. On arrival we were informed (after having paid) that, despite booking over a month before, there was no room for our party of 10 at the hostel. As a result, 5 of us were put into the staff accommodation above the Internet cafe. 2. The staff accommodation had no real air conditioning and two of us had to share beds. Also, there was no doorknob, let alone a lock, just a gaping hole where they should be. These were only provided after strong insistence. 3. The bathrooms in the staff accommodation were filthy, again with no lock. This meant that the numerous cats hanging around shared the bathroom with us. Cat pee everywhere. 4. Free Internet access for 30 minutes? A joke. Several of our coupons "forgot" to be given to us and those who received them did not have access for every day. 5. For the pleasure, we were charged the same price as those staying in the safe, clean, advertised hostel. 6. We booked Big Johns because it is advertised as 24-hour accommodation. When three of us returned one night at 2 a.m. we were told by the staff that the remainder of our party would be locked out, as it was staff accommodation and shut early. We were not informed of this prior to this point and so had left our key with a member of the group who was still out, with the intention of waiting up for them. As a result, the staff attempted to hack our doorknob off with a kitchen knife, as a spare key was not kept. 7. When we attempted to ask Big John about these issues, he immediately blamed his Thai staff and became abusive towards them, shouting at them in front of us. He refused to discuss any of the issues, asking what the f*** did we expect for 2 pounds a night, telling us to f*** off if we weren't happy, before storming out of the room. Not so Big after all then. Although we knew that for 2 pounds a night we weren't gonna get the Ritz, its only fair to expect what's advertised. I have seen better for less. We and none of our group would recommend you stay here, if only for the fact it is run by a man who appears to have no concept of the Thai culture and whose staff (who really tried to help despite poor English and broken Thai on our part) seem genuinely afraid of him. Response from the owner: I can take a lot of critisism, but I draw the line at out and out lies. Regarding the comments - they are inaccurate. 1. They booked late - were given the rooms they booked, I checked when they made the booking to see if I could accomodate them all in the one building, but the other 6 person dorm room was already fully booked. Yes, the older dorm in the original building is not as nice as the new building - but not as bad as the whining bitch is making them out to be. It wasn't staff quaters it's the original dorm room that many other people have even requested since. 2. The airconditioner works fine. We don't normaly give people keys to the dorm rooms - as she complains later - it was obviously a mistake. 3. Load of rubbish - they are new and cleaned several times a day and have locks on the doors - as I said before she was just pissed off she didn't get to stay in the newer building. 4. Load of rubbish again - they were given coupons for free internet access for each day on check-in - if they lost them or didn't use them it was up to them. 5. They were actually paying less for the room. 6. One buildings doors are closed at 2 am, but the staff in the newer building have a key to let people in - I live in the building and can let people out before 7 am. They were all pissed - lost their friend with the key to the room. As I said before obviously a mistake giving them the key for the room in the first place. 7. I was fed up with the whining bitch already, saw no point in discussing it with her - something she didn't like - she's the one that was yelling and being abusive. They did get what was advertised - only one of the party of 11 had a problem, a whining bitch whon no-one can or would want to make happy. 10 yaers in Thailand and I don't know anything about Thai culture and customs and I'm going to take lessons from someone who's just landed in Thailand?

The rooms were quite comfortable (we had a triple), the bathrooms were clean, and John had useful information to share regarding getting around Bangkok. The food at the hostel was also yummy, and we found the location to be convenient to the Skytrain, canals, and eastern bus terminal. When/if we are in Bangkok again, we'll stay at Big John's for sure.

Awesome. Big John has really pulled it of this time. From the time you walk in the door and see the long Thai silks hanging from the walls and the teak woodcarvings, you know you are in for something special. There is a feeling of warmth and friendliness even before the friendly staff greet you. The new rooms are absolutely immaculate. I felt more like I was in a spa or five-star hotel. Many of the rooms have raised wooden floors. Mind you, the renovation of the original building is pretty good as well. There is no longer a curfew with the reception and restaurant open 24 hours. They also sell jugs of Chang beer for just 150 baht late into the night/morning. I met lots of other travelers and interesting people. I can't wait for my next trip to Bangkok and to stay at Big John's again.

I am so impressed by the clean rooms!!! I stayed in the mixed dorm, which had wicked air-conditioning, nice beds, and a clean bathroom. This place serves great food, and I met loads of fellow travelers. I would highly recommend this place. I will be back very soon.

The food at this hostel is really EXPENSIVE!!!

I'm sure that your new facilities will be great, but those squeaky beds really did my head in. And if you call that an air conditioner in the room, you must surely be kidding; it was crappy and old. And as an Aussie I was very let down by the home team. Sorry, Big John, but you'll have to pull up your socks, mate!