Here, I thought that I would put forward, from time to time, those establishments of interest to the traveller, personally examined by myself, which I find both to be of good value for money and good service.
2012 — Ho Chi Minh City
* Long Hostel. This pleasant, budget hostel is located at the western end of the backpacker strip of central HCMC. $15 a night for a standard room, dorms available. This includes wifi and a not half bad brekky, plus lots of very tasty Vietnamese coffee. Also Mrs Long (grandma Long) and her family and helpful and knowledgeable. 10 alley 373,
* Penguins. Strange, I liked this place. Very cool, frozen yogurt, sub-titled us movies, HCMC youth elite, wifi. 180 Tran Hung Dao, to the south west of the backpacker area. Big, lots of neon, hard to miss.
2011 — Phnom Penh
* BJs Guesthouse. #42 Street 118 (one street back from the Mekong). 11.572 104.9283. ~$22 a night, wifi, all amenities, small breakfast.
Blue Pumpkin. Cafe, on the Mekong River front.
Treez. Veg restaurant, classy, $10 a meal, near the Independence Monument. 11.558 104.931
The Vegetarian. A tasty and less expensive veg rst, $5 a meal. 11.562 104.925
* LeQuay—boutique cafe & Crepene. This is an excellent small restaurant on the Mekong riverfront in the tourist area. Quiet, cool, good ambiance, recommended
2011 — Laos
Town of Savannakhet, in southern Laos
Cafe Chez Boune—best cafe/restaurant in town. Euro food. Great coffee.
Leena Guesthouse—pleasant enough guesthouse, just on the western side of the town. Clean, but basic 'western' rooms.
2011 — Thailand
Pattaya
Coffee Club Pattaya
Garden City Plaza, ground floor, 2nd road entrance.
A pleasant small restaurant, serves a good variety of western and Thai food (with a good vegetarian selection). A little on the pricey side, and the wifi expires after one hour, but nothing in life is perfect. Good place to hang for a few hours.
Nakhon Si Thammarat (Nakhon Si)
JE Coffee & Restaurant
Jamroenwitee Rd (one street back from the train station)
8.4412 99.9608
Mon-Sun: 10.00-21.00
Perhaps the best cafe in town. Serves excellent coffee, and a range of snacks and meals. Emphasis on Thai dishes, few western.
Pattani, deep south of Thailand.
"Coffee More"
A pleasant, small cafe, on the main road outside the CS Pattani Hotel. Perhaps not the greatest cafe in the world, but certainly the best in the town. Good coffee and cakes.
Pattani, deep south of Thailand
CS Pattani Hotel. 07 3336 0906.
http://www.cspattanihotel.com
This is the leading hotel in Pattani and in the three provinces of 'deep' southern Thailand. A four star: good rooms, pool, restaurant, cafe, only disadvantage is 100b per hour for wifi. Rooms vary, bargains given, ~800b a day, with a good breakfast. On the western edge of the town, next to the Big C, all amenities close by.
Trang, southern Thailand.
This is the best traveller hotel in the city of Trang, and it is easily found. It is directly opposite the town train station. About 600 baht a night, rooms plain but clean and equipped, attached good restaurant, wifi, friendly staff.
Phuket City
Twin Inn Phuket city
http://twinhotelphuket.com/
74/1 Poonpon Rd. T.Taladnue Muang Phuket Thailand 83000
Tel : +66 (0) 7 6355 8002
email : info@twinhotelphuket.com
This is a slightly more expensive place: 1000b - 1200b (high season), however, it is a pleasant hotel, and this comes with breakfast and wifi. To the south of the town, ~10mins to walk to the city centre.
Surat Thani, southern Thailand.
100 Island Resort and Spa
+66 (0) 7 7201 1508
http://www.roikoh.com/
A nice place, ~5kms west of the city, not too far from the bus station, good rooms, great pool, buffet breakfast, wifi, opposite Tesco. Single 680 baht a night.
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Bangkok, Thailand.
DI Place 21/15 Sukhumvit 4, Bangkok. +66 2253-9877.
13.74 100.5532
A new place, close to the centre of action in Bangkok. Small room, 850b per night. No pool, no brekky, post-modern design, wifi.
Bangkok, Ibis Hotel Nana.
Buffet breakfast and lunch. Good food, good value. Brekky 250b. Lunch 199b. Comfy environment, good range of food.
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Takuapa, southern Thailand.
Dream Cafe.
Outstanding local cafe. Good food and coffee, wifi (best in town).
On the main town road, opposite the big Buddhist temple.
2012 — Ho Chi Minh City
* Long Hostel. This pleasant, budget hostel is located at the western end of the backpacker strip of central HCMC. $15 a night for a standard room, dorms available. This includes wifi and a not half bad brekky, plus lots of very tasty Vietnamese coffee. Also Mrs Long (grandma Long) and her family and helpful and knowledgeable. 10 alley 373,
* Penguins. Strange, I liked this place. Very cool, frozen yogurt, sub-titled us movies, HCMC youth elite, wifi. 180 Tran Hung Dao, to the south west of the backpacker area. Big, lots of neon, hard to miss.
2011 — Phnom Penh
* BJs Guesthouse. #42 Street 118 (one street back from the Mekong). 11.572 104.9283. ~$22 a night, wifi, all amenities, small breakfast.
Blue Pumpkin. Cafe, on the Mekong River front.
Treez. Veg restaurant, classy, $10 a meal, near the Independence Monument. 11.558 104.931
The Vegetarian. A tasty and less expensive veg rst, $5 a meal. 11.562 104.925
* LeQuay—boutique cafe & Crepene. This is an excellent small restaurant on the Mekong riverfront in the tourist area. Quiet, cool, good ambiance, recommended
Town of Savannakhet, in southern Laos
Cafe Chez Boune—best cafe/restaurant in town. Euro food. Great coffee.
Leena Guesthouse—pleasant enough guesthouse, just on the western side of the town. Clean, but basic 'western' rooms.
2011 — Thailand
Pattaya
Coffee Club Pattaya
Garden City Plaza, ground floor, 2nd road entrance.
A pleasant small restaurant, serves a good variety of western and Thai food (with a good vegetarian selection). A little on the pricey side, and the wifi expires after one hour, but nothing in life is perfect. Good place to hang for a few hours.
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Nakhon Si Thammarat (Nakhon Si)
JE Coffee & Restaurant
Jamroenwitee Rd (one street back from the train station)
8.4412 99.9608
Mon-Sun: 10.00-21.00
Perhaps the best cafe in town. Serves excellent coffee, and a range of snacks and meals. Emphasis on Thai dishes, few western.
Nakhon Si Thammarat (Nakhon Si)
Green Place Guesthouse
opp town stadium, northern end of town.
http://greenplacenakhonsi.blogspot.com/
http://greenplacenakhonsi.blogspot.com/
600 baht night. Not 5 star, but the best in town for what it is.
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Pattani, deep south of Thailand.
"Coffee More"
A pleasant, small cafe, on the main road outside the CS Pattani Hotel. Perhaps not the greatest cafe in the world, but certainly the best in the town. Good coffee and cakes.
Pattani, deep south of Thailand
CS Pattani Hotel. 07 3336 0906.
http://www.cspattanihotel.com
This is the leading hotel in Pattani and in the three provinces of 'deep' southern Thailand. A four star: good rooms, pool, restaurant, cafe, only disadvantage is 100b per hour for wifi. Rooms vary, bargains given, ~800b a day, with a good breakfast. On the western edge of the town, next to the Big C, all amenities close by.
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Trang, southern Thailand.
Sri-Trang Hotel, 075 218 122.
http://www.sritranghotel.com/This is the best traveller hotel in the city of Trang, and it is easily found. It is directly opposite the town train station. About 600 baht a night, rooms plain but clean and equipped, attached good restaurant, wifi, friendly staff.
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Phuket City
Twin Inn Phuket city
http://twinhotelphuket.com/
74/1 Poonpon Rd. T.Taladnue Muang Phuket Thailand 83000
Tel : +66 (0) 7 6355 8002
email : info@twinhotelphuket.com
This is a slightly more expensive place: 1000b - 1200b (high season), however, it is a pleasant hotel, and this comes with breakfast and wifi. To the south of the town, ~10mins to walk to the city centre.
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100 Island Resort and Spa
+66 (0) 7 7201 1508
http://www.roikoh.com/
A nice place, ~5kms west of the city, not too far from the bus station, good rooms, great pool, buffet breakfast, wifi, opposite Tesco. Single 680 baht a night.
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DI Place 21/15 Sukhumvit 4, Bangkok. +66 2253-9877.
13.74 100.5532
A new place, close to the centre of action in Bangkok. Small room, 850b per night. No pool, no brekky, post-modern design, wifi.
Bangkok, Ibis Hotel Nana.
Buffet breakfast and lunch. Good food, good value. Brekky 250b. Lunch 199b. Comfy environment, good range of food.
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Dream Cafe.
Outstanding local cafe. Good food and coffee, wifi (best in town).
On the main town road, opposite the big Buddhist temple.
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