Where to stay in Phuket: Bodega
If I could pick Bodega up and carry it with me around Southeast Asia, I would. In a heartbeat.
It’s a shame that it’s located in Phuket, because while I hated the sleazy vibe of Patong, I loved the bohemian hospitality and modern conveniences of the hostel.
The bar and café: Reasonably priced Thai and Western food of excellent quality. I couldn’t get enough of the mango banana smoothies while snuggled up in an overstuffed Victorian chair with a book: perfect spot to people watch.
The high-tech conveniences: Each bed in the 8-bed dorm had its own outlet point and reading lamp, with a few more outlets strewn throughout the room. Yay for having fully charged gadgets every morning! There’s also Wifi throughout the hostel.
The security: Each person also had a locker with key to stash expensive tech and passports while they were out and about: the added security is a nice perk.
The chill lounge: A windowseat with Wifi that looks out onto a quiet street: this is the stuff a blogger’s dreams are made of. There are also two free computers with super-fast Internet and cameras for Skype.
The cleanliness: Super, super clean. The all-white sheets and beds are a bit sterile looking, but they are sparkling clean. Someone also comes in and makes your bed up every day, and opens the windows in the afternoon to let some fresh air in. Bonus: the bunk beds don’t squeak AT ALL.
The view: Plenty of windows for natural light and the 8-bed dorm has a balcony that’s lovely for a bit of reading in the sunshine.
Good people: I’m particularly grateful to the staff of Bodega because they helped me out in a bit of a jam. I realized in late January that my debit card expired in 02/12—oh, you know, in 10 days! I emailed Bodega and asked if I could have my new one sent to me there—they were super responsive and had the FedEx envelope waiting for me upon arrival.
I also loved the signs that they had up around the hostel, reminding you to speak clearly and nicely to the staff–particularly since you’re in Thailand and don’t speak Thai!
The only downside is the lack of AC or fans in the 8-bed dorm. Located four stories up, it gets hot in there—opening the windows during the day is great to get the air flowing, but it can get a bit stuffy at night. A few fans would go a long way!
Note: Bodega kindly offered me a complimentary stay, but all opinions are my own.
