CuteinNan Hostel — a cute, clean hostel in the old town with beds from around a hundred baht
If you want a budget stay in Nan old town that is clean, cute and within walking distance of the walking street and Wat Phumin, CuteinNan Hostel is a name backpackers and slow travellers mention often. It is a small hostel on Monthian Road built around bunk-bed dorms with a privacy curtain on every bed, a bright, cutely decorated common area, and free coffee, tea, bananas and bikes to borrow. Real guest reviews are consistent about two things: the cleanliness and the kind staff. Beds start at around THB 99 in the off season.
What guests remember most about CuteinNan is how cute and clean it is. Reviews say the same thing again and again — a bright common area with little corners to photograph, tidy dorms with well-kept beds and linens, and shared bathrooms with hot water that actually work well. For a hostel that starts in the low hundreds of baht, many people feel they get more cleanliness and character than they paid for.
Rooms are mostly shared bunk-bed dorms, with a privacy curtain, two power sockets, a reading light and a locker per bed. Beyond per-bed stays, the hostel also lets you book a whole room for a group or family, from three or four people up to a larger group — a good-value option if you travel together and want more privacy. Bathrooms are shared (several stalls with hot showers), so go in expecting a hostel layout rather than en-suite hotel rooms.
"Very clean, privacy curtains on the bunks, good hot showers, free coffee, tea and bananas, and free bikes to ride around town. The staff are so kind — they even gave us a lift and helped carry our bags."
The other thing reviews praise most is the friendly, genuinely kind host and staff. Many guests describe being helped with tips on what to see and eat, given a lift, and helped carrying bags to the bus station — looked after like a friend visiting. Another standout for a hostel is the free coffee, tea and bananas plus free bikes to borrow. Nan old town is small and lovely to cycle, so free bikes fit the way you actually explore here.
Location is the main advantage. CuteinNan sits on Monthian Road in the old town, about 300 m on foot from the Nan walking street, Wat Phumin and the Lila Wadi tunnel. In the evening you can walk out to the weekend walking street (Sat–Sun) for food, visit the temples, and stroll back to sleep without needing a ride. The scores reflect this — around 8.7 from recent guests on Booking and 4.6 out of 5 on TripAdvisor from a still-modest number of reviews, with couples rating the location as high as about 9.2.
To be honest about the limits — this is a hostel with fairly clear house rules to keep things calm and quiet. Reviews note that the air-con runs on a schedule (roughly early afternoon to morning) rather than all day, eating in the bedrooms is not allowed, and there are quiet hours in the sleeping areas. It is also cash only, with a THB 100 damage deposit refunded at check-out. No personal toiletries (soap/shampoo) are provided and bathrooms are shared — all normal for a hostel, but worth knowing before you book.
The honest summary: CuteinNan Hostel is a great fit for travellers who want a clean, cute, well-located old-town base at hostel prices. Beds start around THB 99 in the off season, rise during high season, and whole-room bookings work well for groups. It suits backpackers, town-cycling travellers, budget couples and groups of friends using Nan as a base. If you need an en-suite bathroom, air-con all day, or card payment, it may not be the match — but if you are happy with a hostel format, the cleanliness and character here are hard to beat for the money.
A tip from reading the reviews: bring cash and your own toiletries, since payment is cash only and no soap or shampoo is provided. If you travel as a group, ask about booking the whole room when you reserve — it is usually better value and more private. And do borrow the free bikes to ride around the old town — Wat Phumin, Wat Phra That Chang Kham and the cute cafés are all an easy cycle away.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Very clean, cute and bright decor
- ✓ Curtained dorm bunks with sockets, reading lights and good hot showers
- ✓ Old-town location, walk to the walking street and Wat Phumin
- ✓ Kind staff who give lifts and carry bags; free coffee/tea/bananas
- ! Shared bathrooms, not en-suite
- ! Air-con runs on a schedule, not all day
- ! Cash only, with a THB 100 deposit
- ✓ Excellent value, beds from the low hundreds of baht
- ✓ Free bikes to borrow for cycling the old town
- ✓ Quiet and restful, easy to sleep well
- ✓ Friendly, caring host and staff
- ! No toiletries provided, bring your own
- ! Fairly clear house rules, e.g. no eating in bedrooms
- ! Small hostel with basic facilities
- 💡If you need an en-suite bathroom and air-con all day — bathrooms here are shared and the air-con runs on a schedule → if that does not suit you, choose a hotel or guesthouse with private rooms instead.
- 💡If you are used to paying by card and prefer not to carry cash — this hostel is cash only, with a THB 100 damage deposit → bring enough cash before you check in.
- 💡If you travel as a group and want privacy — whole-room bookings are available from three or four people up → ask about reserving the whole room early; it is usually better value and more private than booking bed by bed.