On 7/3/2026 at 12:23 AM, grain said:

I first got to Bangkok in 1978, stayed many times at the Privacy Hotel, both the Privacy & Malaysia hotels were good value, funny how the Malaysia was the backpacker mecca, then that whole scene moved to Khao San Road, then the Malaysia became a gay hotel. If you were really on a tight budget then the Thai Song Creet was the place. The Atlanta was were everyone went to score. I also stayed many times at Honey, and Miami. I stayed at Miami last time about 2 years ago, it wasn't cheap, 2300 Bt and if you wanted breakfast it was extra. However, it was the noisiest hotel I've ever stayed at in my entire life. I even told the reception that when I checked out. My favorite for many years was the Golden Palace, the rooms were old but they had a very good pool and a terrific restaurant, but that's all gone now.

Miami hotel was 2,300 Baht a night? Isn't it like only 2 star? I guess maybe you are paying for the location.

On 7/5/2026 at 12:15 AM, Kyoto Kyle said:

Miami hotel was 2,300 Baht a night? Isn't it like only 2 star? I guess maybe you are paying for the location.

Location, plus the Miami is considered "cool" these days by young Thais because of its retro interior.

On 7/2/2026 at 8:33 PM, Dcheech said:

There in th 60’s or 70’s, but mid 80’s for me. Use to move between two hotels on Soi Kasem San 1, depending on money. The Reno; nice, upscale, a pool, café, bar. The Star, farther down the soi. A cheap, pickup hotel, if skint.  If the press/news flacks stayed in the Reno in the 60’s. GIs used The Star for RR. The Star had a central building that had been added to, a short time Thai style, drive in parking with drapes around cars, by the 80’s. Reno is still there and I use it, if in the city. The Star was bought, bulldozed and turned into hi so condos back in the early teens.

If I mention those two , I have to include a restaurant, The New Light, a short walk away, on the backside of Siam Square. Three floors; western, Thai and Chinese food. Always extremely dark. Great place to nurse a hangover after a hard night. Closed 2014 & missed.

Used to stay at the Star in the late 90's, the Wendy House as well, Reno was a good one back in the day, still stay around this area when in BKK. There was a little restaurant nr there called Pisces, lovely Thai lady owner. Stayed at the Patumwan Hotel as well.

Edited Monday at 04:14 AM2 days by roo860

On 7/4/2026 at 1:15 PM, CMHomeboy78 said:

We found that the best source of information was from travelers coming from places you were going to. That was what made the meeting places so valuable - from the Pudding Shop in Istanbul to Freak Street in Kathmandu.

In the mid to late 70's this for sure was the case. The old Foodland on Ploenchit right next to the old British embassy had a huge bulletin board right at the front. Travellers left ideas, deals, messages and more there. This at the time was the only place you could get milk, cheeses, chips and deli meats as well. Got some great advice about Katmandu, "stay out in Bodnath" much better than the Tamil area". Bali as well. "Janji Inn" Legion lovely family and at that time away from the hustle of Kuta". The good old days. I am still in contact with the Balinese family almost 50 years later.

On 7/5/2026 at 12:15 AM, Kyoto Kyle said:

Miami hotel was 2,300 Baht a night? Isn't it like only 2 star? I guess maybe you are paying for the location.

No It's been renovated and upgraded and is very nice now, the room we stayed in was delightful, one of the nicest ever in that price range, and of course the location is excellent. It was getting a lot of business in recent times as it's so close to Trendy building where people had to go for visas, which was why we were there, to get my TGF an Aussie visitor visa. So all these Thais from upcountry who came to BKK for visa applications and had to stop the night used the Miami. But the visa outfit VFS has, I believe, now moved to another part of Bangkok, so that would have hit hard the Miami business. However, as I said it was the noisiest hotel I ever stayed in. The maids were all shouting out to each other and slamming doors, there were Thai film crews there using the hotel pool and interior to shoot TV commercials, and all those film crew people were all over the place shouting out to each other. Thankfully we only stayed one night.

On 7/4/2026 at 11:50 PM, Explorator en Action said:

Swan Lake Hotel Kilo Sip Bang Chang, outside Uthapao AFB main gate. Okay, not Bangkok but the scene of the crime for many a Virgin Airmen back in the 70’s……..

Yep, I know it well. Not long after I arrived in Bangkok in 1978 I hooked up with a gal from The Mississippi Queen in Patpong 1, she was a Sattahip gal and took me to live in Sattahip for a couple of years, the Swan Lake Hotel was going well back then 1978-79-80, even though the GIs were gone. We went there many times. I last had a look at the Swan Lake about 2-3 years back. It's still there but wasn't being used, and looked very run down. When I first got to Sattahip/Kilo Sip in 78/79 there were lots of old run down bars remaining from the US/Utapao times. There was a whole street of bars, I think it was called "Freeland" or "Newland", something like that. I took lots of photos of those old bars, Thais were living in them. Now all gone, there's a big housing estate built on that site today. There was also "Coconut Grove" a kinda short-time bungalow bar place, I used to go there too.

On 7/5/2026 at 12:03 AM, Kyoto Kyle said:

I walked in there once I think to meet a friend who was staying there. Did it also have a pool, I can't remember?

Yes it did. Right out front.

Malaysia Hotel, 1973.