Australian run. Don't let our inexpensiveness fool you. This may well be the best value for money Hostel in Southeast Asia. - We offer some of the best dorms in Asia. There's no additional charge tax or service charge or for airconditioning or lockers or towels or linen and all bathrooms/showers have hot water. No other Hostel gives you more for your money. The pictures we post are real not an urban myth.

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, sheep like, illiterate, party heads ).
Thonglor boasts some of Bangkok's finest eateries, trendiest shopping and hippest clubs.

With friendly English literate staff (at least most of them, including the Aussie), Big John's, the original - run by Big John himself, family and staff (who can make your stay more of a home stay) - is rapidly developing a reputation, amongst backpackers and budget travellers - who want to get away from over trafficed tourist areas - 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.

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. 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.
Big John's is a real home away from home - Centraly located. The A3 Airport bus 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. Big John's is a small ( from 1st January, 2006 - some what larger with over 70 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 also sold in local VILLA supermarkets, along with several other Bars and restaurants along Sukhumvit Road and ship as far north ans Udon Tani and South as Krabi - Not forgetting delicious western style vegetarian meals, international favourites including 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 and World Cups, 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 (maening you've alrready 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 BBQ snacks and/or Party Pies to all drinkers during all AFL & NRL games (to the uneducated, that's Australian Football & Rugby League).


17th March - St. Patricks Day - FREE FOOD and DRINKS to little people wearing green and carrying large pots of gold - Free drinks for ladies 5-9 pm. 1 free green draft beer to anyone wearing a 4 leaf clover, all day. All you can eat buffet/bbq 6 - 8pm 200 Baht.

1st April - April Fools Day - to celebrate the soft opening of the new Big John's at Sukhumvit Soi 1 we'll be playing the fool with buy 1 get 1 free pies all day and free draft beer to anyone dressed as a clown.

14th April - Songkran (Thai New Year) - Swim Suit & Easter Bunny Party. FREE Large bottle/bucket set ofThai Whisky, coke , redbull & ice to all parties of 4 people in swim suits or bunny costumes.
All you can eat BBQ / Buffet 6-8pm 200 Baht or 300 Baht, all you can drink Chang Draft Beer. FREE Chang Draft 9-10 pm.

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 and cornflakes, 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. Big John can sometimes be persuade to make Poutine for hungry, homesick Canadian guests.

Seldom do you find food 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 travellers.

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, but you won't find better value for money. The new building also has a pool table and satellite dish - to catch over 400 stations and sports from around the world.

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 area has been decorated with long, hanginging Thai silks and teak wood carvings (see photos of opening party) .

We can help wit information on how to get around Bangkok, to the temples and 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.
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.

Friday night is Ladies night with Free Gin, Vodka, Rum, Whisky, Mixers & local Draft Beer from 5pm - 9pm for ladies.

Saurtday 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 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.

Every Monday Night is Pizza & Beer Night with a FREE 1 litre Jug of Chang Draft with evry 12 inch Pizza.

Every Tuesday Night is 2 for 1 NIght with Buy 1 get 1 free meat pies and 2 for 1 drinks (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 Imported beers are buy 2 get 1 FREE - that?s Fosters, VB, Crown Larger, John Smith's Extra Smooth & Newcastle Brown ** 5pm - midnight. Burger, mash & beer 170 Baht.

FREE Party Pies, for drinkers, during all AFL NRL & Live Rugby Games
* Imported beers excluded **per person


We now 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, 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 90 Baht.


Traditional Thai massage, Oil Massage and Reflexology (Foot Massage) is available from Praiphana in the original building - only 50 Bhat for a 15 minute neck & shoulder massage, 1 hour massage from 200 Baht, 2 hours from 400 Baht. Other services include manicure, pedicure and waxing.

Many of the additional rooms, including the 6 person mixed 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.
If you have your own laptop you can also plug into our high speed / broadband connection. In the restaurant we now have free wifi (wireless internet) to anyone with their own laptop - it even works in some 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, 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 hostel. If you are not a veteran hosteler, and even though many of our facilities are better than a 3 star hotel, you may be disapointed 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.

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

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