Bangkok: New Joe Guesthouse (Guesthouse)

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Address: 81 trokmayom chakrapongse road, Taladyod pranakorn , Bangkok 10200, Thailand
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Lonely Planet review

There are birds chirping! There are also phones ringing and hammers hammering, but still a genuine breeze blows through Joe's Guesthouse, tucked as it is in a quiet alley back from Khao San Rd. Somehow it feels like it's in the countryside and not deep in urban Bangkok. Here, the relaxed environment makes the basic accommodation worthwhile.

The charm of this place isn't so much about the rooms themselves but the setting. Young travellers mill about at the simple plastic tables or play pool in the chilled restaurant area, which is set in a calm courtyard full of flowers and greenery. A big kitchen serves up crusty pizzas and colourful stacks of noodles. Joe's is a cruisy, pleasant place to hang out, away from the frenetic comings and goings of the rest of the neighbourhood. A trip up the old stairs reveals a predictable cocktail of budget facilities: grimy walls, marked lino, peeling paint and simple rooms. While rooms are a touch shabby, they let in quite a lot of light and aren't depressing. More expensive ones have hot water and air-con, while all have budget shower-over-toilet bathrooms, clean (if very thin) sheets and mini-balconies.