Bangkok's Out-of-This-World Hostel: Sleep Among the Stars!
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, 'cause we're diving headfirst into the whirlwind that is Bangkok's Out-of-This-World Hostel: Sleep Among the Stars! Prepare for some serious, unadulterated truth-telling, because let's be honest, travel reviews, even the good ones, tend to be a bit… sterile. This? This is gonna be real.
First Impressions: Arrival in the Cosmos (and Potential Disasters!)
Okay, look, I arrived in Bangkok after a sweaty overnight bus journey that smelled vaguely of durian and despair. Not the ideal starting point. So, my first criteria were accessibility – did I get there easily? Not really, Bangkok's a challenge. But once I found it… The hostel, tucked away in a surprisingly quiet pocket of the city, looked promising. The "Sleep Among the Stars" thing? Yeah, they weren't kidding. The architecture is bold. Think futuristic spaceship meets Buddhist temple. Instantly, I felt a little overwhelmed but in a good way.
The entrance? Standard enough, but the elevators? Yep, there’s an elevator (score! Accessibility check ✓). And it was even wide enough for a small wheelchair, so that's a big thumbs up.
- Getting Around: Airport transfer? Absolutely! They'll whisk you away from the airport in a flash (probably for about a price of a good pad thai). Free car park, although on-site, it's a tad cramped. But hey, you got it!
Rooms: My Own Little Galaxy (with Occasional Turbulence)
My room? Listed: Available in all rooms, Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Blackout curtains, Closet, Coffee/tea maker, Daily housekeeping, Desk, Free bottled water, Hair dryer, Internet access – wireless, Ironing facilities, Laptop workspace, Linens, Mirror, Non-smoking, Private bathroom, Reading light, Refrigerator, Satellite/cable channels, Seating area, Separate shower/bathtub, Shower, Smoke detector, Socket near the bed, Telephone, Toiletries, Towels, Wake-up service, Wi-Fi [free], Window that opens.
Truth? My room was small but mighty. The blackout curtains? Essential. I'm not a morning person and the Bangkok sun? Pure evil. The Wi-Fi? Free and generally reliable (unlike my mood swings). The private bathroom? Bless. Small, but spotless. The air con? A lifesaver. The bed? Comfortable enough. Except… the pillows. They were those cheap, bouncy, hotel pillows that feel like you're sleeping on a brick of cotton wool. I actually called reception and requested more. This led to my first, and probably most memorable, conversation with a staff member.
A Staff Member's Love of Pillows
I'm not going to reveal their name, but let's call him, Mr. Pillow. A delightful young man, who, once I told him about the pillow situation, proceeded to lecture me about the importance of having a good nights sleep, and how he, personally, loved the pillows . He went on to tell me that his goal in life was to invent the perfect pillow someday. He went on to tell me about his dream of opening a pillow company and the perfect shape of the pillows he wanted to create. He wanted them to have a memory foam middle layer, and a fluffy down edge, and… he went on. I think I started to agree that pillows were, in fact, the most important thing in the world. After 10 minutes, finally, I ended the pillow talk and Mr. Pillow said he would, “Get me a few more”, and left. The pillows got the job done.
- Room for Improvement: Yes, the pillows. But honestly? It's a hostel. You're not expecting utter luxury. The room decorations (a slightly kitsch mix of space-themed art) were kind of charming.
Cleanliness and Safety: Did They Actually Fight the Virus?
This is where the hostel really shines. Anti-viral cleaning products? Check. Daily disinfection in common areas? Absolutely. They rooms sanitized between stays? Yep. To my relief, there weren't that many people in the hostel I was staying at, but, I could tell that the place was cleaned frequently. Hand sanitizer everywhere, Staff trained in safety protocol? Definitely. Shared stationery removed? Sure enough. I felt genuinely safe, and that's invaluable, especially in a bustling city like Bangkok. First aid kit? You betcha. Doctor/nurse on call? Thankfully, I didn't need it, but it's reassuring.
- Hygiene highlights: I was impressed. But there were no hand sanitizers in the rooms, only in shared areas.
Food, Glorious Food (and the Occasional Stomach Rumble)
Okay, the dining situation. Restaurants, plural? Yes. A la carte in restaurant, Asian cuisine in restaurant, International cuisine in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant, and Western cuisine in restaurant. Breakfast [buffet]? Yes, but… Honestly? I'm not a breakfast person. But the buffet included the usual suspects: eggs, toast, Asian breakfast (which I tried and loved), and Coffee/tea in restaurant – very important indeed. Breakfast takeaway service? Yep. Bottle of water provided. I mean, for a hostel, this is pretty good. But be prepared to pay for most of it.
- The Not-So-Secret Imbalance: I found the dining areas a little bit too impersonal. Also, I felt a lot of the food being served was a bit… generic.
- Snack Bar: Yes, there's one. Coffee shop as well. Poolside bar? Oh yes. Desserts in restaurant? Absolutely. Soups and salads in restaurant and Happy hour? They do.
Amenities: The "Meh" to "Oh My God, I Love It!" Spectrum
- Things to do: Swimming pool [outdoor]? Yes, and it looks AMAZING. Pool with view? You betcha. I spent an afternoon there. It was pure bliss. The view alone is worth the price of admission. Fitness center? Yes, but I didn't dare to go. Gym/fitness available as well! Sauna, Spa, Steamroom, and Spa/sauna? Yes, yes, and yes. Massage? Right. You could get Body scrub, and Body wrap and Foot bath.
- Ways to Relax: Terrace? Beautiful. Air conditioning in public area? Yes, thank heavens. Luggage storage? Yes, you can. Laundry service & Ironing service? Absolutely.
- Business Facilities: Audio-visual equipment for special events, Business facilities, Indoor venue for special events, Outdoor venue for special events, Projector/LED display, Xerox/fax in business center, Meetings, Meeting stationery, Seminars
For the Kids: Are You Kidding Me?
- For the kids: Babysitting service, Family/child friendly, Kids facilities, Kids meal. Yeah, I can see how it's family friendly, but it wasn't really an aspect I cared about.
Services and Conveniences: The Nitty Gritty
- Services and conveniences: Concierge, Contactless check-in/out, Convenience store, Currency exchange, Daily housekeeping, Doorman, Dry cleaning, Elevator, Essential condiments, Facilities for disabled guests, Food delivery, Gift/souvenir shop, Invoice provided, Laundry service, Luggage storage, Meeting/banquet facilities, Meetings, Meeting stationery, On-site event hosting, Outdoor venue for special events, Projector/LED display, Safety deposit boxes, Seminars, Shrine, Smoking area, Terrace, Wi-Fi for special events, Xerox/fax in business center.
Accessibility: Excellent! Elevator, accessible rooms, general thoughtfulness.
Internet: Internet access, Free Wi-Fi in all rooms!, Internet, Internet [LAN], Internet services, Wi-Fi in public areas, Wi-Fi for special events - You better believe it.
My Final Verdict: Sleep Among the Stars? Almost!
Would I recommend Bangkok's Out-of-This-World Hostel: Sleep Among the Stars? Absolutely. It's clean, safe, and the pool? Legendary. The staff are lovely (and obsessed with pillows). It's a great base for exploring Bangkok, and you'll be sleeping in the stars – or at least, among some very cool decor. The food? A little hit-and-miss. The pillows? Bring your own!
BUT…
Remember the pillows? I never quite recovered.
The Quirky Takeaway: Don't expect perfect. Expect a quirky, character-filled experience with a view that'll knock your socks off. Just maybe pack your own pillow.
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Tired of boring hostels? Crave a truly stellar Bangkok experience?
Welcome to Bangkok's Out-of-This-World Hostel: Sleep Among the Stars! – not just a place to crash, but a gateway to adventure. Imagine:
- Breathtaking Views: Dive
Okay, buckle up, buttercups. We're going to the Space Station Hostel in Bangkok. Forget perfectly-planned itineraries, this is going to be a glorious, chaotic mess. Here we go…
Subject: Operation Bangkok Bonanza - Or, My Near-Death Experience by Pad Thai (Probably)
Day 1: Arrival – Jet Lag, Sweat, and Sudden Existential Dread
- 7:00 AM (ish) - The Arrival: Land in Suvarnabhumi Airport. Oh god, the humidity. It hits you like a warm, wet blanket of pure, unadulterated Bangkok. Seriously, I think my pores spontaneously sprouted tiny waterfalls. Finding the taxi stand felt like navigating a maze designed by a sadist.
- 8:00 AM - Taxi Terror: The taxi driver, bless his potentially-confused soul, looked like he’d seen things. We bartered (badly) and he hit the gas. The Bangkok traffic is a goddamn ballet of chaos. Motorcycles weaving, tuk-tuks honking like deranged geese, and me, praying to every deity I could remember.
- 9:30 AM - Space Station Arrival/Immediate Regret: The Space Station hostel. Cool name, looked like a repurposed… well, maybe a space station? Okay, it's a hostel: brightly colored, slightly rundown (in a charming way, I guess), and smelled faintly of spicy noodles and unwashed socks. Checked in with a girl who definitely hadn't slept in 24 hours. Immediate, crippling jet lag set in. "This is a mistake," I mumbled to myself. "I should have stayed home and just binge-watched cat videos."
- 10:00 AM - The Room – Small, Yet Significant: The dorm room. Tiny. My bunk bed appeared to be made of particleboard and hope. The aircon wheezed like an asthmatic walrus. Did I mention I was already sweating again? Put my bag down. Lay down. Seriously.
- 11:00 AM - Panic Snack: Okay, need sustenance. Found a 7-Eleven. Bought the most questionable-looking fruit I could find (a spiky thing called a durian, apparently). Took one bite. Almost hurled. Threw the rest away. Back to square one.
- 12:00 PM - First Street Food Encounter (And Possible Food Poisoning?): Found a street vendor selling Pad Thai. The smell alone was intoxicating. The taste… WOW. This was it, the real deal. Eaten the entire plate, maybe too fast. Uh oh. Stomach rumbles. Regret. Oh god, the regrets. The sun is a furnace. Everything feels like a bad decision.
Day 2: Temples, Tuktuks, and the Triumph of the Toilet
- 8:00 AM - Breakfast Debacle: Woke up feeling… well, not great. The Pad Thai was fighting back. Managed to get down some bland toast and weak coffee.
- 9:00 AM - Temple Time (Wat Arun): Dragged myself to Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). Stunning. The details were incredible. The gold shimmered. But the jet lag was still raging, and the heat made me feel like a melting popsicle. Found a shady spot and considered taking a nap.
- 10:30 AM - Tuktuk Trauma: Decided to take a tuk-tuk. Big mistake. The driver was a speed demon. We whizzed through traffic, dodging buses and other vehicles by mere centimeters. My heart rate was probably at 200 beats per minute. The driver made me laugh by calling everyone stupid while driving.
- 11:30 AM - Wat Pho & The Reclining Buddha - And The Best Thing I've Seen All Day: Wat Pho. Saw the giant Reclining Buddha. It was HUGE! Absolutely gobsmacking. And the massage therapists… oh, the massage therapists. Got an hour-long foot massage. Bliss. Actually, heaven. My soul just floated away.
- 1:00 PM - Lunch Luck: Found a small restaurant near the river. Ordered a simple green curry. Edible. Felt almost human.
- 2:00 PM - The Temple of the Golden Buddha: The Temple of the Golden Buddha. Solid gold! Just… gold. It's kind of hard to explain. Just pure, unadulterated, dazzling gold. My brain wanted to just gaze at it forever.
- 3:00 PM - A Long Walk Around. Wandered around. Got lost. Found a fantastic little juice shop. Drank a mango smoothie. Felt rejuvenated.
- 5:00 PM - Dinner Disaster: Tried to find some local dining. Walked a while, only to find that its not very organized. The food didn't taste very delicious. The heat made it difficult.
Day 3: Markets, Mayhem, and Mental Breakdown (Almost)
- 8:00 AM - Chatuchak Weekend Market Hell: Went to Chatuchak Weekend Market. HOLY. MOTHER. OF. GOD. Seriously, it's endless. Stalls selling everything from vintage clothes to pet cockatoos. It's a sensory overload. I got lost (multiple times). Bought a ridiculous pair of elephant pants. Haggled (badly). Almost had a full-blown panic attack. The place is a chaotic paradise, but still!
- 12:00 PM - Mango Sticky Rice Miracle: Found a mango sticky rice vendor. The mango was perfectly ripe, the rice was creamy, the coconut milk… I could cry. Best meal.
- 2:00 PM - The Hostel Hangout: Back to the hostel. Sat in the common area and people-watched. Saw a guy trying to play the guitar whilst juggling oranges. He failed. Spectacularly.
- 3:00 PM - A Thai Massage - My Second Chance: Found a more professional massage place and decided to give it a try. This time, better. I feel like a wet noodle.
- 5:00 PM - Dinner and the Night Life: Went to a very delicious restaurant. And I went to a night market. Ate more street food. Drank some beers. Everything seemed perfect, at least for a while.
Day 4: Departure – Farewell, Bangkok, You Beautiful, Crazy Beast.
- 9:00 AM - The Last Breakfast: Ate toast and the last of the bananas.
- 9:30 AM - Hostel Hoorahs: Said goodbye to the hostel staff. Took a picture of the front desk.
- 10:00 AM - Final TaxI: Arrived at the airport, the city's heat finally gone.
- 11:00 AM - Goodbye Bangkok!
Overall Rating: B- (Could be better!)
Bangkok is a whirlwind: hot, chaotic, delicious, overwhelming, and utterly captivating. I definitely overate. I probably got a little sunburnt. I survived the traffic. And even with all the chaos, I kind of loved it. Would go back? Absolutely. Armed with a better stomach and more stamina. And a serious commitment to air conditioning.
Escape to Paradise: Ranna 212, Auro Resorts, Tangalle, Sri Lanka
Bangkok's Out-of-This-World Hostel: Sleep Among the Stars! - (Or Maybe Just Among the Stray Cats...I'm Still Unsure)
Okay, so what *actually* is this "Out-of-This-World" thing about the hostel? They promise stars, but...did you *see* any?
Alright, alright, settle down, space cadets. Let's get this straight. The "stars" are... well, they're a bit of a reach. Think less actual celestial bodies twinkling from your bunk, and more...ambiance. They’ve got these LED star projections on the ceiling in the dorm rooms. Pretty cool, right? But...they weren't *always* working. One night, I swear, I woke up and thought I was back in my childhood bedroom, staring at a ceiling that looked like a sad, grey void. Turns out, the projector was on the fritz. Fixed it eventually, but still...a bit less "Interstellar" and a bit more "Dusty Old Laser Pointer." Look, it *is* Bangkok. Expect a little bit of everything, including engineering challenges!
The reviews mention "communal vibes." What does *that* even *mean*? Are you forced to sing Kumbaya every morning? (Please say no.)
Thankfully, no Kumbaya (though I did catch someone strumming a ukulele *once*...the horror!). "Communal vibes" translates to: Expect to interact. *A lot*. The common areas are...well, they *are* common. Think sticky tables, mismatched chairs, and a constant hum of languages you don't understand (but eventually, you *do* start to understand a few phrases!). There's a rooftop terrace, a place where people seem to collect like moths to a flickering Thai-beer-stained light. I met a guy from Iceland who could eat fire. I still don't know how he did it. Communal? Yes. Predictable? Absolutely not. I made some great friends there, and more importantly, I never felt truly alone, even when I was wandering around lost in the labyrinthine streets.
What's the deal with the location? Is it actually convenient? Because navigating Bangkok is brutal sometimes.
Convenient? That depends on your definition of "convenient." It's *close* to a lot of things. Walking distance to some temples, close to public transport? Yes. But Bangkok is HUGE. You will probably get lost. More than once. Accept it. It's part of the experience. My first day there, I thought I understood the Skytrain. I didn't. I ended up on a completely wrong line, sweating like a pig in monsoon season, and asking a very patient old lady for help. She just chuckled and patted my hand. So, the location is good if you *like* adventure...and a fair bit of wandering. And getting utterly, gloriously, bewildered.
The food. What about the food? Hostel food is usually...suspect.
Okay, *this* is where the hostel actually shines (no pun intended, ha!). The hostel offers basic food, like toast and jam, but Bangkok is foodie heaven! Forget the hostel food, GET. OUT. There are street vendors EVERYWHERE. I'm talking Pad Thai for 50 baht, mango sticky rice that'll make you weep with joy, and enough spicy curries to set your face on fire (in a good way!). My advice? Be brave. Try everything. Street food is the lifeblood of Bangkok. Just… maybe carry some Pepto-Bismol. Trust me.
Are the dorm rooms clean? The horror stories of hostel bed bugs...they haunt me.
They were *mostly* clean. Look, it's a hostel. It's not the Ritz-Carlton. But the beds *felt* clean, which is half the battle. I didn't experience bed bugs, thank the heavens. There were a few questionable stains on the sheets here and there (let's be real), and the air-con could sometimes sound like a dying walrus. The bathrooms were...well, they were functional. They got cleaned regularly. The overall cleanliness was above average for a hostel, but I still packed my own sheet liner. Better safe than itchy.
Anything *really* bad? Any major red flags I should know about?
Okay, let's be honest. The internet. The Wi-Fi connection was spotty. Like, *really* spotty. Prepare for a digital detox, or, you know, buy a SIM card. Also, the noise. The dorms are not soundproof. Expect noise. Lots of it. Snoring, late-night conversations, the incessant hum of city life. Bring earplugs. Seriously. Consider it mandatory equipment. And… okay, there was this one instance. One night, I swear I saw a rat scurry across the common room. Didn't stop me from eating my Pad Thai, though. What can I say? I'm a survivor.
Would you stay there again? Be honest!
Honestly? Yes. Absolutely. Despite the shaky Wi-Fi, the occasional rat sighting, and the slightly misleading "stars," I had an *amazing* time. The atmosphere was fun and friendly, Bangkok itself is incredible, and that experience of getting a little lost, a little uncomfortable? It's what travel is all about. It may not have been "Out-of-This-World" in the literal sense, but it was definitely an experience I will never forget. Plus, I'm still in touch with the fire-eating guy from Iceland. You can't put a price on that. (Well, you *can*. It's the price of a hostel bed). Bring earplugs, an open mind, and a healthy dose of adventure. You'll be just fine.
Is it good for solo travelers? I'm a bit nervous!
YES. Absolutely, one thousand percent yes. This hostel is *made* for solo travelers. It's the kind of place where you can stroll into the common area by yourself and within minutes you'll be talking to people from all over the planet. The vibe is welcoming, the staff is friendly, and everyone is just looking to have a good time. I arrived completely alone, terrified of being alone...and I left with a handful of new friends. Look, I'm not going to lie, being in a new place can be intimidating, and sometimes, the noise and the crowds can be overwhelming. But at this hostel? The friendly faces and the shared experiences made it, well, easier than I expected.
And I can remember this one time, when I got a little lost in the canals and ended up in this tiny, tucked-away temple that wasn't on any mapHotel Search Today
