Yim Yam Hostel + Garden BANGKOK

As the world becomes more travel savvy and the concept of working online booms, hostels are no longer just catering for students on their gap year but also for glam packers, digital nomads and families who are still looking to have fun and meet people but can do without the trashy party vibe.

So, if you ever happen to find yourself in Bangkok for a night or two and you're feeling like being fancy but you don't want to break the bank then I gotta tell you about Yim Yam Hostel + Garden in Bangkok. 'Yim Yam' translates to warm smile in Thai and you can definitely feel the love here. Run by a local Thai family, The owners at Yim Yam Hostel & Garden have deliberately used a mix of classic and contemporary Thai design throughout to stay true to their roots. The staff are warm and friendly and they helped me with everything I needed to make me feel at home as a foreigner in the somewhat overwhelming concrete jungle, Bangkok.

For daytime shenanigans, you can head out to the main shopping district, take a stroll or a boat along the river. If it's culture you are after, check out The BACC (Bangkok Art & Culture Centre), The Chamchuri Gallery or Jim Thomson House which are all within walking distance from YY.

The Jim Thompson House is an Oasis of calm, smack bang in the middle of bustling Bangkok. Jim Thomson was a famous architect from America, most famous for revitalising the Thai silk industry in the 1950’s.

The house itself is made from at least two centuries old Thai teak with beautiful detail and fabulous misshapen windows and doors. He was clearly very stylish chap and a huge collector of ancient south east asian art, so the house is filled with treasures and open for the public to view.

The most interesting thing to note was that in his study there is a framed astrology reading from a Buddhist monk, warning him to be careful when he turned 61... THEN, sure enough at age 61 (in 1967) he completely vanished when he was on holiday in Malaysia. He disappeared whilst taking a solo walk in the jungle and there is still no trace of what may have happened to him! My money is on him being devoured by a tiger!! 🐅

In the evening... Go for a massage at any of the local spots nearby or try some local street food. Its also worth checking out what Yam Yam has on offer, they had a BBQ while I was there and there are FREE yoga classes every Tuesday!