5 Great Hostels
in Chanthaburi
We've Written Up

If there's one hostel in Chanthaburi that real reviews praise almost across the board, many people point to this one — Traveller Hostel Chanthaburi is a small boutique hostel of just 7 rooms on Si Chan Road, in the heart of Chanthaburi's old town near the foot of the bridge over the river, and it holds the highest score in this article at 9.6 on Trip.com. The thing every review agrees on is that the owner, Peter, a former guide from Bangkok who speaks fluent English, looks after guests himself. Many guests describe it as having a local friend who tells you which restaurants are good, which corners photograph well, and when the markets are buzzing — something big hotels can't give you. The location is a real advantage, because it's less than a 2-minute walk from the front door to Chanthaburi's gem market, another 5–10 minutes across the bridge to the Chanthaboon riverside community with its old wooden houses, cafes, and food shops, while the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is about 5–7 minutes away on foot or by bike. What reviews mention most often, though, is the cleanliness — it scores near full marks, with fresh linens and bathroom amenities better than you'd expect at hostel prices, plus a quiet that many say lets them sleep soundly all night despite being in the middle of town. There are private rooms for couples and dorm beds for solo travellers, a common lounge with free drinking water, tea and coffee, and bikes to rent for a morning ride around the old town. The honest caveats from reviews: with only 7 rooms it fills up fast, especially Friday–Sunday when the gem market is busy and over long weekends, so book ahead; there's no pool or hotel-style facilities; private parking is limited because it sits on the narrow streets of the old town; and at times it's listed as adults-only. This isn't the pick for a big family or anyone who wants a pool, but it's the warmest choice for solo travellers and budget couples who want to explore Chanthaburi's old town up close.

If you think a hostel in town has to be a cramped, dim shophouse room where you sleep just for the price, Bedgasm Hostel Chanthaburi will change that picture — it's a small boutique hostel that opened back in late 2016, in the heart of Chanthaburi in the Chanthanimit area behind Robinson mall, with both private rooms with en-suite bathrooms and air-con dorms, done up in a clean minimalist style. On TripAdvisor it sits at around 4.6 out of 5 and ranks among the top stays in town (roughly 3rd) out of dozens in the city area, which is impressive for a stay at this price. What sets it apart from a typical hostel is the cafe and restaurant downstairs, which many reviews praise for good coffee and as a nice spot to work or hang out, while breakfast comes as a cute little set that foreign reviewers call a "cute breakfast." Location-wise you can walk to almost every key spot in town — it's under a kilometre to the Centric Family Market night market, the Chanthaburi gem museum is only about 200 metres away, and the gem market, cathedral, and Chanthaboon riverside community are all close by. Reviews repeatedly praise the very clean rooms, comfortable beds, well-chosen furniture, ice-cold air-con, and plenty of charging outlets, and the staff get credit for being kind and helpful. It also has bikes to borrow and free parking, which is rare for a hostel in the middle of town. The honest caveats from reviews: the soundproofing between rooms isn't very thick, so you sometimes hear the next room or the hallway; the staff's directions to far-off places aren't always accurate, so cross-check with a map; it's a small hostel and the rooms aren't large; and it fills up fast during the fruit festival and long weekends. In short, it's the best fit for travellers who want a clean, designed room with a cafe in the building, in the heart of Chanthaburi, on a budget.

If you think a hostel has to mean cramped bunk beds in a dorm with no privacy, Chernchan Hostel will change that picture — it's a small boutique hostel of about 19 rooms in Chanthaburi town, in the Chanthanimit area, created from a major renovation of an existing building before it opened in 2017, and nearly every room is private with an en-suite bathroom rather than all dorms. Its average score from real reviews sits around 9.0, which is high for a stay at this level. What people talk about is the design throughout the building, more considered than you usually find at this price — from exposed-brick walls, wood-framed paintings, world maps and various globes to a common lounge with floor cushions, a sofa, a guitar, and books, where guests come down to chat with other travellers. The location lets you walk to the old town's highlights with ease — about a 7-minute walk to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and Robinson mall, and a little further across to the Chanthaboon riverside community full of old wooden houses, cafes, and food shops. Reviews repeatedly praise the very comfortable beds and spotless rooms — many use the word flawless — friendly, helpful staff, a Western breakfast that's better than expected, free bikes to borrow, and motorbikes to rent for those who want to go further afield. The honest caveats from reviews: rooms are fairly small, especially the cheapest one without a window, which can feel cramped over several nights; the door locks on some rooms aren't very secure; the lift is small and tight, making it awkward with large luggage; and there are a few mentions of hiccups with billing/deposits. It's the best fit for travellers who want a clean, designed private room in town on a budget.

If you think a budget stay in Chanthaburi has to be an old fan room or a packed dorm, Sim27 Hostel is a name budget travellers talk about in a different light — it's a small hostel of about 8 rooms in Chanthaburi town, in the Talat sub-district, on Phaendin Thong 2 Road, where every room is air-conditioned with an en-suite bathroom, a TV, and a locker, clean and looking new. Its real-review score is around 8.7 on Agoda, which is high for a stay at this price. What real reviews agree on is the cleanliness, the quiet, and the owner who looks after guests personally and warmly — some foreign reviews call it spotless and chic, say it costs about ten dollars a head but feels like more than you paid, and many say they'd come back if they're in Chanthaburi again. A highlight many people like is the shared kitchen where guests can cook their own meals, which saves on food and is handy for longer stays, plus a key-tag security system that makes it feel safer than a typical guesthouse at the same price. The point worth being upfront about, and the one reviews mention most, is the location, which isn't in the heart of the tourist area — one foreign traveller wrote plainly that without your own vehicle it can be a bit of a hassle to reach. That means if you have a car or motorbike, this location is actually a plus, because it's quiet, fuss-free, has free parking, and lets you drive into the Chanthaboon riverside community, the cathedral, and the town markets in a short time. It also offers motorbike rental for guests arriving by public transport. The other caveats are predictable for the size and price: rooms aren't hotel-spacious, there's no breakfast or resort-style facilities, and with few rooms it fills up fast on holidays. It's the best fit for budget travellers with their own vehicle who want a clean air-con room in town for a few hundred baht.

If you want a budget stay in the heart of Chanthaburi, drive in with free parking, no dragging your luggage up stairs because there's a lift, and close to the food district and sights in town, Eco Inn Lite Chanthaburi is a name budget travellers pick often — it's a 2-star budget hotel in the Eco Inn chain, which has many branches across Thailand, with about 84 rooms on Raksakchamun Road in Wat Mai sub-district. Its average score from real reviews is around 7.8 (Trip.com about 7.9 from over 200 reviewers). The strengths reviews mention most, and what gets it booked again, are the in-town location, the free parking, and the lift, which you rarely find at this price — about 5 minutes' drive from the King Taksin the Great shrine, around 5–7 minutes to the Chanthaboon riverside community, and about 7 minutes to the cathedral. For people driving in, it's a well-judged location, because it's about a 3.5-hour drive from Bangkok right to the front door, free parking with no circling for a spot, and reception is open 24 hours so you can check in late, which suits anyone using Chanthaburi as a stopover on the way to Trat or Koh Chang. On the rooms, most reviews agree the mattress is firm in a good way, comfortable to sleep on for the price, and the air-con is ice-cold. The honest caveats from reviews: the rooms are small and compact, better for sleeping than spending long stretches in; cleanliness isn't consistent in some rooms (a few found stains, damp, towels that weren't fresh, or ants); there are small details that need fixing, like a bathroom door that won't lock and a slow-draining sink; there's no pool; and most rates don't include breakfast. The hotel entrance is a little hard to spot, so open your navigation the first time you drive in. It's the best fit for budget travellers, people driving in, and anyone using Chanthaburi as a stopover or visiting the town without wanting to pay a lot.