Live Local Cafe & Hotel: A Charming Boutique Hotel in a Restored Shophouse at Bangkok’s Chinatown (Thailand)

Thailand is really a tourist-friendly destination. Aside from its amazing culinary scene, the hotels are nice and affordable. You can book 3- o 4-star hotels at roughly half the price compared to its Philippine counterparts. So for our trip to Bangkok, we decided to try three hotels, with the first two in Chinatown. We stayed in Chinatown because it’s strategic, as it is near Bangkok Old Town and Yaowarat Road, and a few minutes drive away from ICONSIAM (one of the newest malls in the city), if there’s no traffic.

Our first Chinatown hotel is Live Local Cafe and Hotel. It’s a boutique hotel housed in a restored shophouse, giving retro Chinatown vibes.

Its lobby/reception is a cafe. I like its green walls, hanging china, and other retro paraphernalia. They serve coffee, Italian sodas, smoothies, and tea. Unfortunately, they don’t serve cooked food and desserts. So don’t come here if you’re looking for something to eat. (Fortunately, Patonggo Savoey, a shop selling fried dough sticks, is just beside Live Local.)

We tried their Coco Brownie Smoothie and Fresh Berry Soda. They’re both refreshing in the Bangkok heat.

From Left to Right: Coco Brownie Smoothie (THB95) and Fresh Berry Soda (THB80)

Let’s now talk about the room we got, which is a Private Double Room at the second floor. It’s a 14m2 (151ft2) with a queen-sized bed. It’s kind of small (especially with the size of our luggages) but it has everything we need (like ref for our leftover food and TV for our entertainment needs).

The Private Double Room. I like my room bright. But for this one, I’d let it go as lack of lighting adds to the charm.

The Ref. On top of it are charming ceramics.

Here’s the bathroom:

The Bathroom of the Private Double Room. It’s just odd that there is no divider or at least a shower curtain.

For a complete list of the hotel amenities, as well as our room’s, check this out.

They also have a roofdeck, where you can stay and relax. However, the ladder is quite challenging to climb on.

Because Live Local is a boutique hotel, don’t expect a 24/7 service like a 4- or 5-star hotel. The staff leaves at 6PM but was helpful when they’re present.

Live Local Cafe and Hotel has cozy and charming rooms, a nice cafe, and a helpful staff when they’re present. It’s also in a strategic location. If you’re a backpacker or a light traveler (or you don’t mind lifting your heavy luggage through its narrow stairs), then this is perfect for you. I highly recommend Live Local Cafe and Hotel to you!

Have you stayed in Live Local Cafe and Hotel? How was your experience? Comment below!

P.S. If you’re staying at Live Local, don’t forget to try the incredible dough fritters at Patonggo Savoey!

Deep Fried *Patonggo* with *Pandan* Custard (Small Set/3pcs.: THB50; Big Set/7pcs.: THB80) and Cold Soy Milk (THB20)

P.P.S. I just finished a series on our Bangkok Food Trip. Check out the installments: Bangkok Food and Travel Guide | Chinatown Food Trip | Jodd Fairs Rama 9 Food Trip (Night Market) | Khao Gaeng Jek Pui (Thai Curry Rice) | MICHELIN Street Food Guide | Phed Mark (Pad Krapow or Holy Basil Stir-Fry) | On Lok Yun (Thai-Style Western Breakfast) | Polo Fried Chicken (Soi Polo) | Raan Jay Fai (Michelin-Starred Street Food) | SookSiam Food Trip | theCOMMONS Thonglor (Food Hall) | Wattana Panich (Beef Noodle Soup)

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