Balcony Guesthouse & Restaurant
Great sunsets
What we say: 
Of all the guesthouses in Kratie, Balcony is the most "backpackerish" with an excellent upstairs balcony that is ideal for the sunset and meeting other travellers while simultaneously serving up some solid Khmer and Western dishes. The rooms are large, with the upstairs river-view one being especially good value -- there's enough space they could fit in a table-tennis table. It could do with a coat of paint inside, but that's a minor problem. The real issue here is with the upstairs share bathroom, which has almost no water pressure and detracts from what is otherwise a good spot. Downstairs has a small information table and noticeboard and there is also a shared TV and DVD collection. Originally started by an Australian, he's apparently now busying himself with the related guesthouse in Banlung, while the Kratie option is looked after by Cambodian Pheak. The rates are great and this is better value than Star, but if you want a few more creature comforts, Heng Heng II may be a better option.
Contact details:
Riverfront. T: (016) 604 036Email them at: Balcony@y7mail.com
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What we were quoted
| Type of room | Low season | High season | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dbl fan private b'room | 8 USD | 8 USD | |
| Dbl fan share b'room | 5 USD | 5 USD |
Added to Travelfish on: 18th August, 2009
Last visited or updated on: 13th October, 2012
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Read Balcony Guesthouse & Restaurant reviews
Rated 4.5 out of 5
Based on 10 ratings and 10 reviews
Kratie's saving grace
We broke our journey from Laos and stayed here for 2 nights. Andrew was an amusing and entertaining host and the food was great. We 'splurged' on the only en-suite room with air-con which was great value for money at US$10 p.n. including breakfast. Beware shared mini-bus for onward travel to Phnom Penh though. You might save three hours over the coach but we incurred the journey from hell in a sardine can. Thanks for a great stay Andrew.
Balcony Guesthouse & Restaurant reviewed by EdSue (Total reviews: 6) on
Great place
We stayed here 3 nights in an air con room for $10 a night. The room was very clean and comfortable. The guest house staff are very friendly and always eager to help. The Balcony has a fabulous, erm, balcony, where you can enjoy lovely views of the Mekong while eating your dinner. The food here is excellent - I definitely recommend the Khmer food.
Balcony Guesthouse & Restaurant reviewed by appro (Total reviews: 19) on
good value
with helpful, knowledgeable staff. The food is pretty good and the balcony restaurant is a great place to meet people.
Balcony Guesthouse & Restaurant reviewed by raindog (Total reviews: 5) on
Cool vibe - fantastic value!
Great stay at the Balcony. Room was big and clean. The balcony was a great place to chill out in the evening - nice food and a great range of well-priced drinks.Andrew was really helpful without being pushy. Highly recommended!
Balcony Guesthouse & Restaurant reviewed by DJguapa (Total reviews: 2) on
Value for money
$10 for a double, private bathroom & a/c. Room was clean, staff friendly. Not too far from the bus stop.
Balcony Guesthouse & Restaurant reviewed by Joniboy (Total reviews: 3) on
Good Value
We stayed in a double fan room shared bathroom for $4. The room was incredibly hot but the bed was very comfortable. Both the room and shared bathroom were very clean. Unfortunately, when this building was being built, they apparently didn't pay much attention to detail, as the windows had huge cracks around them, allowing mosquitoes to fly in all night. This wouldn't have been a problem except that the ceiling was much too high for us to hang a mosquito net from and I was bitten 16 times that night! Also, the food was TERRIBLE, except the garlic bread, which was amazing! Overall, this place is good value - just watch those mosquitoes!
Balcony Guesthouse & Restaurant reviewed by backpacker1000 (Total reviews: 6) on
Relaxed place with good view, food, and atmosphere
We've spent a few nights here and barely got out of the hostel. It was just too relaxed for us. :-) The rooms look very nice and since month of travelling it was the first time we even had a plant (i.e. little palm tree) in the room. We tried both the western and the Kmer food and both were great. We payed 4,- $ for our room (with fan but no a/c and shared bathroom). Considering the heat during the day, we might should have changed to a room with a/c. But hey, hanging in the upper relaxed chairs and doing nothing during the day, can also be fun from time to time.
Balcony Guesthouse & Restaurant reviewed by asfintesco (Total reviews: 2) on
Excellent value
Everything was very clean, nice rooms and the most comfy bed I've slept in for ages. The atmosphere is laidback and we were made very welcome by Andrew and the staff - its the ideal place to chill out for a few days. Lots of help and ideas for visiting off the beaten track and meeting the locals. Add to that some awesome sunsets,great cocktails. So good we didn't want to leave. We highly recommend staying here.
Balcony Guesthouse & Restaurant reviewed by Couderc (Total reviews: 4) on
A great welcome
Had a great stay at Balcony Guesthouse. Andrew the host has lived in Kratie for years so he really knows his way around. Everyone made us feel right at home and nothing was too much trouble - trip to the dolphins, hiring a bike, extra-extra large G &Ts served on request while watching the sunset... Laidback atmosphere, clean, comfy and good value. Definitely recommend it.
Balcony Guesthouse & Restaurant reviewed by Couderc (Total reviews: 4) on
Good value, helpful owner
We stayed here for 3 days, the Oz owner was really friendly and helpful. The rooms were clean, spacious and comfy. There was a tv/dvd player available to guests at all times which was a bonus and also a computer/internet available for $1 per hour. The staff were happy to help with booking any tuk tuks, buses or tours you wanted to go on. Note - buy your return bus ticket when you arrive in Kratie (through the guesthouse or bus station) NOT before in Phnom Penh as they'll charge more.
Balcony Guesthouse & Restaurant reviewed by halftheworldaway2009 (Total reviews: 1) on