If you’re visiting Thailand for the first time and have a strict budget, chances are pretty good you’ll end up on Khao San Road. Khao San is Bangkok’s main backpacker accommodation hub, with some of the cheapest hotels in the city — and some of the worst.

Although it has a reputation for cheap, low quality hotels, there are some surprisingly good places to stay around Khao San Road. Below, we’ve listed our three favorite Khao San Road hotels that don’t suck and are worth staying in if you’re visiting Bangkok and want to save your money to spend in North Thailand or on the islands.

#1: Dang Derm Hotel

The Dang Derm Hotel is one of the biggest hotels on Khao San Road, and with its bright yellow exterior it’s very hard to miss. Unlike most of Khao San’s hotels, it’s kept clean and aimed at mid-budget travelers instead of people looking for the cheapest rooms in the world.

Is it luxurious? Well, actually, it kind of is. It’s not the Ritz Carlton, but the Dang Derm has nice rooms that are clean and comfortable, some with balconies that face onto Khao San Road itself. With a rooftop pool, it’s also a good place to relax during the day, when you aren’t partying or visiting temples, of course.

#2: D&D Inn Bangkok

Another big property on Khao San Road (and another with a big rooftop pool), the D&D Inn is a local institution. It’s recently been renovated, so its once dated rooms feel much more comfortable and modern, and its rooftop pool is one of the best places on Khao San Road to hang out and escape the heat.

The D&D Inn is cheaper than the Dang Derm Hotel, making it a good option for budget travelers. The rooms are spacious enough and have comfortable beds with soft sheets and free Wi-Fi, giving it pretty much everything you could ask for in a budget hotel.

#3: Fortville Guesthouse Bangkok

This one is a bit of a cheat answer, since it technically isn’t located on Khao San Road. Fortville Guesthouse is a boutique guesthouse on Phrasumen Road, which is about five to 10 minutes from Khao San on foot. It’s a small but clean and modern guesthouse with a variety of cheap and decent rooms.

What separates Fortville Guesthouse from other guesthouses on Khao San is that it’s really clean. In an area that isn’t renowned for its hygiene (look at any of the disgusting budget hotels in and around Khao San for proof) Fortville Guesthouse is a welcome, well maintained alternative.