Home > Accommodation > Thailand > Krung Thep Mahanakhon > Bangkok > Big Johns Hostel > Review from Big John's Guesthouse Hostel & internet cafe Bangkok Thailand
Big Johns Hostel - Review from Big John's Guesthouse Hostel & internet cafe Bangkok Thailand
Australian Run. Don't let our inexpensiveness fool you. This may well be the best value for money hostel in Southeast Asia, even hostels claiming to have quality & luxury don't come close. - We offer some of the best dorms, with some of the biggest/widest dorm beds, in some of the most spacious dorm rooms in Asia.
There's no additional charges, no tax or service charge or charge for airconditioning or lockers (all you need is a padlock) or towels or linen (not just sheets but comforters) and all bathrooms/showers have hot water and are available 24 hours, like everything else here. No other hostel gives you more for your money. We have plenty of double rooms which are about the same price as most other places charge for 4 - 10 bed dorms.
Thonglor - Sukhumvit Soi 55, - 'The Beverly Hills of Southeast Asia' quoting the Sunday New York Times - a wide 2km stretch of road on the edge of the CBD, and the sois (streets) that lead off of it are for Thais and Expatriates the desired location to live, shop and party. (much more than you'll find on the only 400m long KS road with it's mainly mindless, drunken, illiterate, sheep ). Thonglor boasts some of Bangkok's finest eateries, trendiest shopping and hippest clubs, like Escudo, Booze, Gigabyte, WeZa, Escobar & Santika (giant hip hop club with live music and dj's), to name a few.
The Witch's Tavern is all of 60 meters away. The Coleseum ( a huge, inexpensive, Thai, brew pub which features modern Thai entertainment (pop singers and comedians) is at one end of Thonglor. RCA (Royal City Avenue) and clubs like Astra (local and international dj's), Slim & Route 66 are also close, basically the other end of Thonglor. We are also not far from early Sukhumvit and popular clubs like Narcissus, Q Bar and Bed Supper Club. The street food in and around Thonglor has been voted the best in Bangkok for a number of years running.
With friendly, somewhat, English literate staff (at least most of them try, including the Aussie), Big John's, the original - run by Big John himself, family and staff (who will try to make your stay more of a home stay) - is rapidly developing a reputation, amongst backpackers and budget travelers - who want to get away from over trafficed, sleaze and scam artist infested, tourist areas (like Khaosan Road and Sukhumvit Soi 1 - 25) - as the number one place to stay in Bangkok.
Not only are we less expensive than most of the accomodation on KS road, we are the most inexpensive accomodation in what's considered, by many, as the better part of town (not sleezy like Sukhumvit Soi 1 - 25 and Silom) .
When someone smiles at you in this part of town they are just being nice, in other parts of the city when someone smiles you need to ask yourself how much it's going to cost you. In the pubs and clubs nearby you'll also find it easy to team up with locals to party on, without there being a pricetag at the end of the evening.
We are not members of a Youth Hostel Association or Hostelling International, not that we wouldn't be interested in joining, but they seem not to want to communicate with us. I'm not sure if they think we might make them look bad. We do know supposed hostels both big and small are trying to copy us, including stealing the copy we write and using it on their own sites. Comparing prices we certainly make them look expensive. Our prices are not over inflated and have already discounted for everyone not just YHI, YHA or TYHA members / card holders.
The pictures we post are real not an urban myth. The love and vibe here aren't artifically induced.
Big John's is a real home away from home - Centraly located (Bangkok is a very big and sprawling city with an official population of 8,500,000 people but a more realistic population of 20,000,000 people). The A3 Airport bus, from Donmuang Airport can bring you to our door for just 100 Baht, and transport to the rest of Bangkok won't cost you more than your room. We are also located about 30 minutes from Bangkok's New 'Suvarnabhumi' Airport. Big John's is a small ( from 1st January, 2006 - some what larger with over 80 beds ) Aussie run guesthouse and youth hostel that also includes Thailand's coolest and friendliest internet cafe, a bar and restaurant, Open 24 hours, both making and serving the number one Australian style pies & burgers in Thailand - pies and beef stew also sold in local VILLA supermarkets, along with several other Bars and restaurants along Sukhumvit Road and shipped as far north ans Udon Thani and South as Krabi - Not forgetting delicious western style vegetarian meals, international favourites including Big John's unique herb bread, thin crust Pizza, Thai/Fusion and classic Thai dishes like Tom Yum (Spicy Soup) and Pad Thai (Noodles). Did I forget to mention our fabulous home made pork sausages - also sold to many local restaurants -, vege/tofu Burgers and vegetarian breakfast?
You can watch LIVE American Football, Baseball and the European football and the FA Cup, no matter what time of the day or night it's on. During live EPL matches, on Saturday & Sunday nights, there's FREE local draft Beer for 2 minutes after every goal for anyone with an empty glass (meaning you've already bought one).
During the F1 Grand Prix season there's free draft beer for 2 minutes after every crash, resulting in the driver retiring from the race, to anyone with an empty glass (see above).
We also offer free Sausage Rolls to all drinkers during all AFL & NRL games (to the uneducated, that's Australian Football & Rugby League). During all AFL games broadcst on abcasiapacific if you are drinking beer from a glass you have 1 minute after every goal kicked from more than 50 m to get to the bar for a free glass of Chang Draft. And now there's FREE Chang Draft until the first score in all AFL, NRL,and Live International Rugby matches.
Sat. 12th August - Mothers Day in Thailand - Free Lunch or Dinner including Drinks for all Mothers accompanied by a mother lover.
Sun. 3rd September - Australian National Flag Day - 1 FREE Australian Beer for anyone wearing an Australian Flag - Buy 2 get 1 FREE Australian Beers all Day - FREE BBQ 12noon - 2pm & 6pm - 8pm - FREE local Draft Beer 9 - 11pm. Prize for the best Australian Flag clothes.
Fri. 29th September - Michealmas Day - all you can eat Buffet, including Roast Goose & Michaelmas (Apple & Blackberry) Pie - yes there'll be rings hidden in some of the pies - 200 Baht and Free local draft beer 10-11 pm
Sun. 1st October - 1 Year Anniversary of the expansion into the new building. FREE Buffet & BBQ 6-8pm FREE local draft BEER 9-10pm
Tues. 31st October - Halloween - Free BBQ 6-8 pm - Buy 2 get 1 FREE drinks 9 - 11 pm. FREE local Draft Beer midnight - 1 am.
Sun 5th November - Loy Kratong - Thai floating flower & candle festivile. Free Food 6-8 pm FREE Local draft Beer 9-11 pm.
Tues. 7th November - Melbourne Cup Day - 1 FREE Australian Beer with every lunch purchase of 250 Baht or more - Buy 2 Get 1 FREE Australian Beers all day.
Fri. 24th November - American Thanks Giving - Roast Turkey with stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas, apple pie and ice cream all just 350 Baht 7-9pm, 650 Baht with all you can drink local draft beer.
Sunday 10th December - King's Birthday - free BBQ'd KING Prawns with the usual Sunday Roast. Free party pies to all those drinKING.
Mon. 25th December - Christmas Day - Our now famous 5 roast meat, Turkey, Ham, Lamb, Pork & Beef, Lunch 12noon - 2pm & Dinner 6-8pm with steamed & baked vegetable & mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy cranberry sauce, apple pie & icecream only 490 Baht, 790 Baht with all you can drink local draft beer.
Sun. 31st December - New Year's Eve - FREE BBQ 6-8pm FREE local Beer 9-10pm.
Getting back to the almost normal.
Breakfast starts from just 30 Baht and is available 24 hours a day, like everything else on our menu. Yes, we have vegemite (free with breakfast), peanut butter, cornflakes, Coco pops, Frosties and a lot more for breakfast.
It's a great place for getting over jet lag, as no matter what time your body clock is on, everything on our menu is available 24 hours, that's including our famous Aussie Burgers and American style Beef Meatloaf and Poutine for hungry, homesick Canadians.
Friday night is Ladies night with Free Gin, Vodka, Rum, Whisky, Mixers & local Draft Beer from 5pm - 9pm for ladies.
Saturday Nights - Student/Teacher Nights with 1 litre Jugs of Chang Draft for just 100 Baht - valid student/teach id required. Beef & Onion Pie & Mash potatoes just 120 Baht.
Every Sunday Morning - All You Can Eat Pancakes with Canadian Maple Syrup 50 Baht.
Every Sunday Night you can enjoy Roast/Smoked/BBQd - with hickory & mesquite wood chips - Beef and/or Ham and/or Pork with mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables and gravy from just 190 Baht. THE LAST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH WILL ALSO INCLUDE ROAST TURKEY.
The 2nd Sunday of every month includes Roast Lamb.
Every Monday Night is Pizza & Beer Night with a FREE 1 litre Jug of Chang Draft with every 12 inch Pizza.
Every Tuesday Night is 2 for 1 NIght with Buy 1 get 1 free meat pies and 2 for 1 Chang Draft (buy one get one free**) 5 - 11pm*
Every Wednesday Night is Hi Card Wins - cut the deck against the bar and win and your drink is FREE* 5pm - midnight. Bangers & mash & beer only 170 Baht.
Every Thursday Night. Pool & Beer - Fish & Chips - 1 free game of pool with every Jug of Chang Draft Beer Fish (flounder fillets) & Chips & Small Chang Draft 170 Baht.
Seldom do you find home cooked meals this good in a hotel, no where else will you find food this good in a guesthouse or hostel. Finding better value for money, quality home style meals is hard anywhere else, especially in Asia, which is part of why our facilities are popular with both locals and travelers.
From 1st October 2004 we expanded the hostel guesthouse into a much larger, immaculate building, just around the corner, which features polished wood floors throughout, along with modern spotless, sparkling clean bathrooms. Single, Double, Triple, 4 Person, 6 Person & 12 Person rooms are available. Some of the private rooms aren't big, nor do they all have windows, but you won't find better value for money. The new building also has a pool table and numerous satellite dishes - to catch over 400 stations and sports from around the world.
In February 2006 we took over the building nextdoor adding 2 brand spanking new 12 bed dorms that feature wide bunk beds with a light with dimmers switch and power outlet next to every bunk.
We have a DVD player to check and watch your latest purchases and a lounge area on the 4th floor for those who just want to chill for a while.
The reception desk, restaurant and front door are open 24 hours a day for those wanting a drink after the bars close. The reception, restaurant and sports bar/cafe area has been decorated with long, hanginging Thai silks and teak wood carvings (see photos) .
We can help with information on how to get around Bangkok, to the temples and other sites without paying through the nose. We offer tours to Kanchanaburi, including the floating market, war cemetary, bridge over the River Kwai and the Tiger Temple. River and road tours to Ayutthaya are also available. Two day tours including Erawan Falls, Hot Springs, Hell Fire Pass, Elephant rides & bamboo rafting can also be booked here along with three day tours to Kanchanaburi & Sanghlaburi, including the above and Three Pagoda Pass, Viwagaram Temple, underwater temple, orphanage and long wooden bridge.Optional extras are cycling, kayaking and trekking.
We also offer bookings on daily VIP buses to Cambodia - siam Reap, Ankor Wat & Phnom Phen - the Eastern - Koh Chang, Koh Kut, Koh Wai, Koh Mak -& Southern Islands- Koh Tao (turtle island - diving), Koh Phangan (Full moon party), Koh Samui - South - Phi Phi, Krabi, Phuket, Had Yai, Koh Lak & Northeastern Thailand - Nong Khai and Laos - Vientien.
We have local Chang Beer on tap, glasses start at 65 Baht (330ml) and 1 Litre Jugs at 165 Baht.
FREE Sausage Rolls, for drinkers, during all AFL NRL & Live Rugby Games * Imported beers excluded **per person
We also have 3 great Australian beers for your enjoyment, Fosters Lager, Victorian Bitter (VB) and Crown Lager (Crownies) and 2 great British beers - JohnSmith's Extra Smooth and Newcastle Brown, and American Budweiser all at affordable prices.
Last, but not least we now also have San Miguel Blue Ice, buy 4 for get 1 FREE and large bottles of Red Horse (6.9% alcohol) for just 100 Baht.
Traditional Thai massage, Oil Massage and Reflexology (Foot Massage) is available from Praiphana in the original building - only 50 Baht for a 15 minute neck & shoulder massage, 1 hour massage from 200 Baht, 2 hours from 400 Baht. Other services include manicure, pedicure and hot waxing.
Many of the single & double rooms, including the 6 person mixed and female dorms, have matresses placed on raised wooden floors, a feature which helps add a distinctively oriental feel to the rooms and makes those dorms probably the best in Asia. The 12 person dorm rooms feature a power socket/outlet next to each bed along with a dimmer switch for control of your own light.
All the triple rooms have bunk beds that are double on the bottom and single on top (see picture). Triple rooms may also be used for double/ twin use and you'll only be charged for a double/twin when you check in. All the double rooms may also be used as singles where we also offer a substantial discout at check-in.
For the next several months a limited number of rooms and dorm beds have been specially discounted for early bookings made here, on-line.
All the rooms are airconditioned and all beds have not just linen, but comforters, making you feel really at home.
Towels and toilet paper are also supplied. The guest to bathroom ratio is 8:1 or better.
All guests also receive 20 minutes free 2.5 mbps ADSL internet access or computer time per day. We have more computers - both Macs and PC's - than you'll find in any other guesthouse or hostel, scanners, printers, CD Burner, Card Readers, USB & Firewire ports, so connecting your digital camera or video or freeing space on your memory cards or sending pics to friends is easy. Importantly, we have antivirus and antispyware running on the computers and unlike other guesthouses aren't running keystroke software to track and hijack your email and make fake ratings and comments with hostelworld.
In the restaurant/cafe/bar we have free wifi (wireless internet) to anyone with their own laptop - it even works in most of the rooms.
We have numerous washing machines, dryers and irons, so If you have laundry our staff can do it for you at a very reasonable price - 20 Baht per Kg minimum charge 50 Baht - so cheap locals bring their washing here.
For those who love to read we also have a free book swapping / exchange service and also have a small library of traveller guide books on Bangkok, Thailand and Southeast Asia.
FREE maps of Bangkok, showing BTS (Skytrain), MRT (Subway) and canal routes are usually available at the reception desk. We also have more detailed maps which include Sukhumvit, China Town, Banglampoo, Chatuchak (JJ- the weekend market) and greater Bangkok for sale.
We also offer free bag / luggage / baggage storage to returning guests, and to store your bags should you be taking a lter flight, train or bus, all of which makes us the big one for others to follow.
There is also no charge for locker use while you are staying with us.
We don't have our own swimming pool, but just down the road you'll find a couple of places with a pool, open to the public and gym available from 100 baht per day. Muay Thai and boxing training are also available at affordable prices.
We don't have a self kitchen but the BBQ's are avaiable for anyone wanting to buy and BBQ their own meat.
We do have our own pool table and you can also find a pool table in The Local Pub, a few doors away, as well as diagonally across the road in the Witches Tavern.
Large blocks of Cheddar cheese (Australian prefered) are always welcome and can be bartered here, as can Kosher Hard Salami, beef hotdogs, hot English mustard, Canadian Maple syrup, Branston Pickles, Bundaberg Rum, good, preferably South Australian, Wine and lamb. If you have any other delicacies you wish to barter please email us in advance. We're also interested in Sports memorabilia and Australiana which can also be bartered for food and drinks.
Thonglor is an upmarket, cosmopolitan, residential area on the edge of Central Bangkok, in what is considered the prime nightlife / entertainment zone, surrounded by many clubs, restaurants and eateries which are frequented by both affluent young Thais and expatriates.
You can walk the streets in safety and won't have to worry about being touted or mugged.
Thonglor is close to many of the International schools. It also hosts the Japanese quarter of Bangkok. Thonglor has a less artifical feel than many areas traditionally frequented by backpackers and tourists. Here you can experience life in Bangkok & Thailand on a more realistic, down to earth, day to day level - minus the touts and scam artist infesting traditional backpacker and tourist areas.
Beware that in booking cheaper accomodation, especially offering free airport pick-up, you could end up in the middle of no-where, where the cost of getting anywhere is more than your accomodation and, with Bangkok's ever increasing traffic congestion, add hours to your travelling time.
If you are a seasoned traveller and hosteler we'd love to have you stay with us as we know you'll really appreciate we offer much more than your average hoste, especially for the pricel. If you are not a veteran hosteler, and even though many of our facilities are better than a 3 star hotel, you may be disappointed that we are not a 5 star hotel. What's more we wouldn't want you to be disapointed when later you realise most hostels, especially in Thailand, just aren't this good. We are aware you can't make everyone happy all the time and remember you'll only be paying between $4 - $11 a night, we'll do our best.
A great hostel is much more than a room or a bed. Here at Big John's we strive to bring both travellers and locals together in a safe and friendly environment condusive to the exchange of cultures and ideas. A warm and friendly, home away from home, offering opportunities and experiences you will remember for a lifetime and an environment you won't be in a hurry to leave.
C YA SOON
Big John
Thonglor - Sukhumvit Soi 55, - 'The Beverly Hills of Southeast Asia' quoting the Sunday New York Times - a wide 2km stretch of road on the edge of the CBD, and the sois (streets) that lead off of it are for Thais and Expatriates the desired location to live, shop and party. (much more than you'll find on the only 400m long KS road with it's mainly mindless, drunken, illiterate, sheep ). Thonglor boasts some of Bangkok's finest eateries, trendiest shopping and hippest clubs, like Escudo, Booze, Gigabyte, WeZa, Escobar & Santika (giant hip hop club with live music and dj's), to name a few.
The Witch's Tavern is all of 60 meters away. The Coleseum ( a huge, inexpensive, Thai, brew pub which features modern Thai entertainment (pop singers and comedians) is at one end of Thonglor. RCA (Royal City Avenue) and clubs like Astra (local and international dj's), Slim & Route 66 are also close, basically the other end of Thonglor. We are also not far from early Sukhumvit and popular clubs like Narcissus, Q Bar and Bed Supper Club. The street food in and around Thonglor has been voted the best in Bangkok for a number of years running.
With friendly, somewhat, English literate staff (at least most of them try, including the Aussie), Big John's, the original - run by Big John himself, family and staff (who will try to make your stay more of a home stay) - is rapidly developing a reputation, amongst backpackers and budget travelers - who want to get away from over trafficed, sleaze and scam artist infested, tourist areas (like Khaosan Road and Sukhumvit Soi 1 - 25) - as the number one place to stay in Bangkok.
Not only are we less expensive than most of the accomodation on KS road, we are the most inexpensive accomodation in what's considered, by many, as the better part of town (not sleezy like Sukhumvit Soi 1 - 25 and Silom) .
When someone smiles at you in this part of town they are just being nice, in other parts of the city when someone smiles you need to ask yourself how much it's going to cost you. In the pubs and clubs nearby you'll also find it easy to team up with locals to party on, without there being a pricetag at the end of the evening.
We are not members of a Youth Hostel Association or Hostelling International, not that we wouldn't be interested in joining, but they seem not to want to communicate with us. I'm not sure if they think we might make them look bad. We do know supposed hostels both big and small are trying to copy us, including stealing the copy we write and using it on their own sites. Comparing prices we certainly make them look expensive. Our prices are not over inflated and have already discounted for everyone not just YHI, YHA or TYHA members / card holders.
The pictures we post are real not an urban myth. The love and vibe here aren't artifically induced.
Big John's is a real home away from home - Centraly located (Bangkok is a very big and sprawling city with an official population of 8,500,000 people but a more realistic population of 20,000,000 people). The A3 Airport bus, from Donmuang Airport can bring you to our door for just 100 Baht, and transport to the rest of Bangkok won't cost you more than your room. We are also located about 30 minutes from Bangkok's New 'Suvarnabhumi' Airport. Big John's is a small ( from 1st January, 2006 - some what larger with over 80 beds ) Aussie run guesthouse and youth hostel that also includes Thailand's coolest and friendliest internet cafe, a bar and restaurant, Open 24 hours, both making and serving the number one Australian style pies & burgers in Thailand - pies and beef stew also sold in local VILLA supermarkets, along with several other Bars and restaurants along Sukhumvit Road and shipped as far north ans Udon Thani and South as Krabi - Not forgetting delicious western style vegetarian meals, international favourites including Big John's unique herb bread, thin crust Pizza, Thai/Fusion and classic Thai dishes like Tom Yum (Spicy Soup) and Pad Thai (Noodles). Did I forget to mention our fabulous home made pork sausages - also sold to many local restaurants -, vege/tofu Burgers and vegetarian breakfast?
You can watch LIVE American Football, Baseball and the European football and the FA Cup, no matter what time of the day or night it's on. During live EPL matches, on Saturday & Sunday nights, there's FREE local draft Beer for 2 minutes after every goal for anyone with an empty glass (meaning you've already bought one).
During the F1 Grand Prix season there's free draft beer for 2 minutes after every crash, resulting in the driver retiring from the race, to anyone with an empty glass (see above).
We also offer free Sausage Rolls to all drinkers during all AFL & NRL games (to the uneducated, that's Australian Football & Rugby League). During all AFL games broadcst on abcasiapacific if you are drinking beer from a glass you have 1 minute after every goal kicked from more than 50 m to get to the bar for a free glass of Chang Draft. And now there's FREE Chang Draft until the first score in all AFL, NRL,and Live International Rugby matches.
Sat. 12th August - Mothers Day in Thailand - Free Lunch or Dinner including Drinks for all Mothers accompanied by a mother lover.
Sun. 3rd September - Australian National Flag Day - 1 FREE Australian Beer for anyone wearing an Australian Flag - Buy 2 get 1 FREE Australian Beers all Day - FREE BBQ 12noon - 2pm & 6pm - 8pm - FREE local Draft Beer 9 - 11pm. Prize for the best Australian Flag clothes.
Fri. 29th September - Michealmas Day - all you can eat Buffet, including Roast Goose & Michaelmas (Apple & Blackberry) Pie - yes there'll be rings hidden in some of the pies - 200 Baht and Free local draft beer 10-11 pm
Sun. 1st October - 1 Year Anniversary of the expansion into the new building. FREE Buffet & BBQ 6-8pm FREE local draft BEER 9-10pm
Tues. 31st October - Halloween - Free BBQ 6-8 pm - Buy 2 get 1 FREE drinks 9 - 11 pm. FREE local Draft Beer midnight - 1 am.
Sun 5th November - Loy Kratong - Thai floating flower & candle festivile. Free Food 6-8 pm FREE Local draft Beer 9-11 pm.
Tues. 7th November - Melbourne Cup Day - 1 FREE Australian Beer with every lunch purchase of 250 Baht or more - Buy 2 Get 1 FREE Australian Beers all day.
Fri. 24th November - American Thanks Giving - Roast Turkey with stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas, apple pie and ice cream all just 350 Baht 7-9pm, 650 Baht with all you can drink local draft beer.
Sunday 10th December - King's Birthday - free BBQ'd KING Prawns with the usual Sunday Roast. Free party pies to all those drinKING.
Mon. 25th December - Christmas Day - Our now famous 5 roast meat, Turkey, Ham, Lamb, Pork & Beef, Lunch 12noon - 2pm & Dinner 6-8pm with steamed & baked vegetable & mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy cranberry sauce, apple pie & icecream only 490 Baht, 790 Baht with all you can drink local draft beer.
Sun. 31st December - New Year's Eve - FREE BBQ 6-8pm FREE local Beer 9-10pm.
Getting back to the almost normal.
Breakfast starts from just 30 Baht and is available 24 hours a day, like everything else on our menu. Yes, we have vegemite (free with breakfast), peanut butter, cornflakes, Coco pops, Frosties and a lot more for breakfast.
It's a great place for getting over jet lag, as no matter what time your body clock is on, everything on our menu is available 24 hours, that's including our famous Aussie Burgers and American style Beef Meatloaf and Poutine for hungry, homesick Canadians.
Friday night is Ladies night with Free Gin, Vodka, Rum, Whisky, Mixers & local Draft Beer from 5pm - 9pm for ladies.
Saturday Nights - Student/Teacher Nights with 1 litre Jugs of Chang Draft for just 100 Baht - valid student/teach id required. Beef & Onion Pie & Mash potatoes just 120 Baht.
Every Sunday Morning - All You Can Eat Pancakes with Canadian Maple Syrup 50 Baht.
Every Sunday Night you can enjoy Roast/Smoked/BBQd - with hickory & mesquite wood chips - Beef and/or Ham and/or Pork with mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables and gravy from just 190 Baht. THE LAST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH WILL ALSO INCLUDE ROAST TURKEY.
The 2nd Sunday of every month includes Roast Lamb.
Every Monday Night is Pizza & Beer Night with a FREE 1 litre Jug of Chang Draft with every 12 inch Pizza.
Every Tuesday Night is 2 for 1 NIght with Buy 1 get 1 free meat pies and 2 for 1 Chang Draft (buy one get one free**) 5 - 11pm*
Every Wednesday Night is Hi Card Wins - cut the deck against the bar and win and your drink is FREE* 5pm - midnight. Bangers & mash & beer only 170 Baht.
Every Thursday Night. Pool & Beer - Fish & Chips - 1 free game of pool with every Jug of Chang Draft Beer Fish (flounder fillets) & Chips & Small Chang Draft 170 Baht.
Seldom do you find home cooked meals this good in a hotel, no where else will you find food this good in a guesthouse or hostel. Finding better value for money, quality home style meals is hard anywhere else, especially in Asia, which is part of why our facilities are popular with both locals and travelers.
From 1st October 2004 we expanded the hostel guesthouse into a much larger, immaculate building, just around the corner, which features polished wood floors throughout, along with modern spotless, sparkling clean bathrooms. Single, Double, Triple, 4 Person, 6 Person & 12 Person rooms are available. Some of the private rooms aren't big, nor do they all have windows, but you won't find better value for money. The new building also has a pool table and numerous satellite dishes - to catch over 400 stations and sports from around the world.
In February 2006 we took over the building nextdoor adding 2 brand spanking new 12 bed dorms that feature wide bunk beds with a light with dimmers switch and power outlet next to every bunk.
We have a DVD player to check and watch your latest purchases and a lounge area on the 4th floor for those who just want to chill for a while.
The reception desk, restaurant and front door are open 24 hours a day for those wanting a drink after the bars close. The reception, restaurant and sports bar/cafe area has been decorated with long, hanginging Thai silks and teak wood carvings (see photos) .
We can help with information on how to get around Bangkok, to the temples and other sites without paying through the nose. We offer tours to Kanchanaburi, including the floating market, war cemetary, bridge over the River Kwai and the Tiger Temple. River and road tours to Ayutthaya are also available. Two day tours including Erawan Falls, Hot Springs, Hell Fire Pass, Elephant rides & bamboo rafting can also be booked here along with three day tours to Kanchanaburi & Sanghlaburi, including the above and Three Pagoda Pass, Viwagaram Temple, underwater temple, orphanage and long wooden bridge.Optional extras are cycling, kayaking and trekking.
We also offer bookings on daily VIP buses to Cambodia - siam Reap, Ankor Wat & Phnom Phen - the Eastern - Koh Chang, Koh Kut, Koh Wai, Koh Mak -& Southern Islands- Koh Tao (turtle island - diving), Koh Phangan (Full moon party), Koh Samui - South - Phi Phi, Krabi, Phuket, Had Yai, Koh Lak & Northeastern Thailand - Nong Khai and Laos - Vientien.
We have local Chang Beer on tap, glasses start at 65 Baht (330ml) and 1 Litre Jugs at 165 Baht.
FREE Sausage Rolls, for drinkers, during all AFL NRL & Live Rugby Games * Imported beers excluded **per person
We also have 3 great Australian beers for your enjoyment, Fosters Lager, Victorian Bitter (VB) and Crown Lager (Crownies) and 2 great British beers - JohnSmith's Extra Smooth and Newcastle Brown, and American Budweiser all at affordable prices.
Last, but not least we now also have San Miguel Blue Ice, buy 4 for get 1 FREE and large bottles of Red Horse (6.9% alcohol) for just 100 Baht.
Traditional Thai massage, Oil Massage and Reflexology (Foot Massage) is available from Praiphana in the original building - only 50 Baht for a 15 minute neck & shoulder massage, 1 hour massage from 200 Baht, 2 hours from 400 Baht. Other services include manicure, pedicure and hot waxing.
Many of the single & double rooms, including the 6 person mixed and female dorms, have matresses placed on raised wooden floors, a feature which helps add a distinctively oriental feel to the rooms and makes those dorms probably the best in Asia. The 12 person dorm rooms feature a power socket/outlet next to each bed along with a dimmer switch for control of your own light.
All the triple rooms have bunk beds that are double on the bottom and single on top (see picture). Triple rooms may also be used for double/ twin use and you'll only be charged for a double/twin when you check in. All the double rooms may also be used as singles where we also offer a substantial discout at check-in.
For the next several months a limited number of rooms and dorm beds have been specially discounted for early bookings made here, on-line.
All the rooms are airconditioned and all beds have not just linen, but comforters, making you feel really at home.
Towels and toilet paper are also supplied. The guest to bathroom ratio is 8:1 or better.
All guests also receive 20 minutes free 2.5 mbps ADSL internet access or computer time per day. We have more computers - both Macs and PC's - than you'll find in any other guesthouse or hostel, scanners, printers, CD Burner, Card Readers, USB & Firewire ports, so connecting your digital camera or video or freeing space on your memory cards or sending pics to friends is easy. Importantly, we have antivirus and antispyware running on the computers and unlike other guesthouses aren't running keystroke software to track and hijack your email and make fake ratings and comments with hostelworld.
In the restaurant/cafe/bar we have free wifi (wireless internet) to anyone with their own laptop - it even works in most of the rooms.
We have numerous washing machines, dryers and irons, so If you have laundry our staff can do it for you at a very reasonable price - 20 Baht per Kg minimum charge 50 Baht - so cheap locals bring their washing here.
For those who love to read we also have a free book swapping / exchange service and also have a small library of traveller guide books on Bangkok, Thailand and Southeast Asia.
FREE maps of Bangkok, showing BTS (Skytrain), MRT (Subway) and canal routes are usually available at the reception desk. We also have more detailed maps which include Sukhumvit, China Town, Banglampoo, Chatuchak (JJ- the weekend market) and greater Bangkok for sale.
We also offer free bag / luggage / baggage storage to returning guests, and to store your bags should you be taking a lter flight, train or bus, all of which makes us the big one for others to follow.
There is also no charge for locker use while you are staying with us.
We don't have our own swimming pool, but just down the road you'll find a couple of places with a pool, open to the public and gym available from 100 baht per day. Muay Thai and boxing training are also available at affordable prices.
We don't have a self kitchen but the BBQ's are avaiable for anyone wanting to buy and BBQ their own meat.
We do have our own pool table and you can also find a pool table in The Local Pub, a few doors away, as well as diagonally across the road in the Witches Tavern.
Large blocks of Cheddar cheese (Australian prefered) are always welcome and can be bartered here, as can Kosher Hard Salami, beef hotdogs, hot English mustard, Canadian Maple syrup, Branston Pickles, Bundaberg Rum, good, preferably South Australian, Wine and lamb. If you have any other delicacies you wish to barter please email us in advance. We're also interested in Sports memorabilia and Australiana which can also be bartered for food and drinks.
Thonglor is an upmarket, cosmopolitan, residential area on the edge of Central Bangkok, in what is considered the prime nightlife / entertainment zone, surrounded by many clubs, restaurants and eateries which are frequented by both affluent young Thais and expatriates.
You can walk the streets in safety and won't have to worry about being touted or mugged.
Thonglor is close to many of the International schools. It also hosts the Japanese quarter of Bangkok. Thonglor has a less artifical feel than many areas traditionally frequented by backpackers and tourists. Here you can experience life in Bangkok & Thailand on a more realistic, down to earth, day to day level - minus the touts and scam artist infesting traditional backpacker and tourist areas.
Beware that in booking cheaper accomodation, especially offering free airport pick-up, you could end up in the middle of no-where, where the cost of getting anywhere is more than your accomodation and, with Bangkok's ever increasing traffic congestion, add hours to your travelling time.
If you are a seasoned traveller and hosteler we'd love to have you stay with us as we know you'll really appreciate we offer much more than your average hoste, especially for the pricel. If you are not a veteran hosteler, and even though many of our facilities are better than a 3 star hotel, you may be disappointed that we are not a 5 star hotel. What's more we wouldn't want you to be disapointed when later you realise most hostels, especially in Thailand, just aren't this good. We are aware you can't make everyone happy all the time and remember you'll only be paying between $4 - $11 a night, we'll do our best.
A great hostel is much more than a room or a bed. Here at Big John's we strive to bring both travellers and locals together in a safe and friendly environment condusive to the exchange of cultures and ideas. A warm and friendly, home away from home, offering opportunities and experiences you will remember for a lifetime and an environment you won't be in a hurry to leave.
C YA SOON
Big John
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