Est. 2018 · Phuket, Thailand

We didn't build a hotel.
We built a home for
travelers who want real.

Two friends. One airport. A dream to make Phuket's first night the best night of your trip. Here's how it started, and why we're still here. We are a technology first business, and our vision is to provide a seamless, end to end guest experience that makes travel worry free and enjoyable.

Read our story ↓ See our values
7+
Years running
4,200+
Guests hosted
4.8★
Average rating
3
Properties
📖
The Full Story
How two friends turned a empty lot near the airport into Phuket's favorite landing spot.
🎯
Our Mission
Make every traveler's first and last night in Phuket feel like coming home.
🌏 35+ countries represented
Our Story

It started with a bad airport hotel.

2018. Two friends freshly arrived in Phuket. Tired. Hungry. Booked the only thing near the airport: overpriced, underwhelming, forgettable. That night we said: "There has to be something better." There wasn't. So we built it.

2018
💡

The Idea

Two friends, one Thai and one international, meet at a Phuket Airport café. Both frustrated by the lack of honest, affordable stays near the terminal. Whiteboard napkin sketch. That's how it started.

Late 2019
🏗️

The Build

Rented a shophouse. 6 rooms. Painted every wall ourselves. Installed WiFi ourselves (badly). Opened our doors in late 2019 with zero marketing: just a sign outside and a prayer. First guest? A solo German backpacker who stayed 3 nights.

2020
🌊

The Storm

COVID hit. Borders closed, and we had to close the hostel. But the kitchen kept going: 2020 is the year Super Chef opened next door, cooking real Thai food at honest prices.

Oct 2024
🚀

The Comeback

Friends Hostel reopened in October 2024. Same team, same values, and the travelers came back. Word of mouth became our best marketing.

Oct 2025
🌿

The Retreat

Opened Friends Retreat in October 2025: private garden bungalows for couples and families who wanted quiet, a 5-minute walk from the airport.

2026
✨

Today

Three properties. Same team. Same values. Still answering emails at midnight. Still remembering names. Still near the airport. Still the best first night in Phuket you'll ever have.

What We Believe

Four rules. No exceptions.

Every decision we make, from the soap in the shower to the menu at Super Chef, passes through these four filters. If it breaks a rule, we don't do it.

🤝

Honesty over profit

We'll tell you the truth even if it costs us a sale. "That restaurant is closed on Mondays." "The beach is crowded right now, try this one instead." "You can book cheaper on our site." Trust compounds.

⚡

Speed matters

Fast WiFi. Fast check-in. Fast replies. Fast restaurant. Travelers don't want to wait, especially at 2 AM after a 14-hour flight. We optimize for your time, not our convenience.

🏠

Clean is non-negotiable

Not "clean for the price." Actually clean. Hospital-grade. Every room, every time. We'd rather close a room than compromise. Our housekeeping team are the real MVPs, and they're paid like it.

💡

Listen, then adapt

The Retreat exists because guests kept asking for private rooms. Super Chef started because travelers wanted real Thai food, not tourist menus. We don't guess. We listen. Every review is read. Every suggestion is considered.

The Team

Not a corporation. A family.

We're not a hotel chain. We're three properties run by the same handful of people who actually care. No call centers. No scripts. Just us.

👨

Oat

Co-Founder & Hostel Manager

The one who remembers your name. Former hospitality school grad who left a corporate job to build something real. Runs the Hostel like it's his living room, because it basically is.

Fun fact: Has stayed in 200+ hostels worldwide
🌍

Matt

Co-Founder & Operations

The international half. Moved to Phuket in 2017, never left. Handles bookings, systems, and the 3 AM guest messages. Believes technology should make hospitality more human, not less.

Fun fact: Speaks 4 languages (badly)
👨‍🍳

Chef Noi

Super Chef Head Chef

20 years of cooking. Trained in Bangkok, cooked in Phuket. Runs Super Chef with the same menu she'd cook for her own family. If it's not good enough for her kids, it's not on your plate.

Fun fact: Her green curry recipe is 3 generations old
🌿

Nook

Retreat Manager

The quiet one who makes everything peaceful. Runs the Retreat with the kind of attention you'd expect from a 5-star resort, but without the attitude. Guests say she has a sixth sense for when you need tea.

Fun fact: Grows her own herbs in the Retreat garden
By The Numbers

7 years. A lot of coffee. Some numbers.

4,200+
Guests hosted
4.8
Average Google rating
98%
Would recommend us
15 min
Max from airport
1 Gbps
Fiber WiFi speed
35+
Countries represented
Guest Love

Don't take our word for it.

★★★★★

"I've stayed in 50+ hostels across Southeast Asia. This is the only one I've returned to 3 times. Oat remembers my name. The WiFi is actually fast. The bed is actually comfortable. That shouldn't be rare, but it is."

🇩🇪
Lukas M.
Berlin, Germany · Hostel guest
★★★★★

"We booked the Retreat for our honeymoon and stayed an extra 2 nights. Nook brought us fresh mango every morning. The garden was silent. We slept better there than at home. Already planning our return."

🇯🇵
Yuki & Haru
Tokyo, Japan · Retreat guests
★★★★★

"Arrived at midnight. Chef Noi had leftover pad kra pao waiting. Who does that? A place that actually cares, that's who. The airport taxi drivers all know this place. That tells you everything."

🇦🇺
Sam T.
Melbourne, Australia · Hostel guest

Ready to be part of the story?

Whether you're a solo backpacker, a couple on honeymoon, or a family passing through, there's a room for you. And we'll remember your name.

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