I am a first time traveler and I am very excited. I am 25 years old and am looking forward to this trip. I'll be there for 3 weeks in Phuket.

Me and a buddy of mine are going together. But we can't decide weather staying in a hostel or hotel is a better option. Hostels are super cheap, but hotels have more privacy.


I just want to know what are your opinions and recommendations. Money is an issue.

Once you leave Bangkok you will not find that many hostels!

However, in Thailand many small no-name hotels and guesthouses are not that much different in price.

Phuket is the most expensive city for hotels in Thailand. Even more expensive than Bangkok when you consider the cost of local transportation. Don't skip Bangkok, that city is worth a visit too!

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Work up a budget and see how much you can afford for your hotel or hostel. Then ask for suggestions in that price range. Try not to waste your entire time only at beaches.

Koonel is right, there are not so many hostles outside of BKK. I currently live in Phuket and have seen a sign for a YHA Hostel near Chalong whilst driving about. Ok it is an internationally accredited brand however even though ive not seen it myself, i must admit i do fear the worst for the state of the place. Nowhere that cheap in Phuket can be any good

Phuket is pretty much the most expensive place to stay in Thailand but bargains can still be found. When i first stayed i used a local estate agents who also did rentals. They found me a bungalow on a small modest resort, it had a restaurant and pool (small) and my room still had A/C, Wifi, Cable Tv and fridge with its own bathroom with shower heater (i know mentioning a shower heater may seem trivial but not all budget accommodation supply it and trust me you neeed it) - all this for 8000baht for the month, in phuket that really is a bargain. i know places half as good for double/tripple+ easily in phuket. As always it depends if you go in high season (Dec-Apr) or not.

I hope this helps, enjoy your stay

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Hi and welcome to the forum. As the others have said, things work a bit differently in Thailand when it comes to accommodation. Whilst in the UK or Oz a budget traveller essentially has the choice between budget hostels with shared dorm rooms and more expensive private rooms in hotels, in Thailand there is more of a smooth grading between the two. Since you can get a cheap private room in a guesthouse for a few hundred baht, it doesn't make sense to have the annoyance of sharing a room with ten other people all coming back late, making noise, putting on the light, getting up early etc and ruining your sleep just for saving a pitiful amount of baht.

The one thing dorm rooms ARE good for is meeting other travellers - you can't help but not chat to your roommates, and if you are keen to meet others then I would suggest finding a newish, clean hostel offering dorms is a good idea (Soi 1 Guesthouse in Bangkok seems to come well recommended, if you're spending any time there either side of Phuket - a solo traveller mate of mine stayed there the other week and judging by his facebook photos, he had a great time!). But since it's you and a mate, why not go for the best of both worlds: book a twin room to save money, but choose a guesthouse with a lively communal area (check hostel reviews) that makes it easy to meet others?

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