Thong Bay Guest House
Escape to nature
What we say: 
Situated on the banks of the Nam Khan, Thong Bay's bungalows are a refreshing alternative to the colonial guesthouses that dominate town. With thatched roofs and bamboo walls, the bungalows look rustic but still offer some modern comforts. Bathrooms combine wood, stone, brick and tile and all have hot water showers. Each bungalow has a private balcony, some with stunning river views. The warm welcome from the staff and the peace and beauty of the surroundings easily make up for the 20-minute walk into town, though a shuttle service runs at certain times of the day.
Check rates around Luang Prabang best price guarantee!Contact details:
On the banks of the Nam Khan River, Luang Prabang. T: (071) 253 234Visit website
What we were quoted
| Type of room | Low season | High season | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bungalow fan private b'room | 24 USD | 28 USD | Add $5 for a riverfront bungalow |
| Deluxe bungalow | 35 USD | 40 USD | Three beds, breakfast not included |
Added to Travelfish on: 26th May, 2004
Last visited or updated on: 8th April, 2010
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Read Thong Bay Guest House reviews
Rated 4.5 out of 5
Based on 10 ratings and 10 reviews
Beautiful Bungalow
This place is amazing! Stayed for 5 days in Jan. 2010 and would have loved to stay longer. Reserved a bungalow facing the river and payed $34 U.S. a night. Well worth the price. The staff is super friendly and willing to help. They now offer free transfer to the city center 3 times in the morning and 3 times in the evening. The walk back is not to dangerous and takes 30min. They also offer transport if you are interested in serving alms to the monks. If you are a light sleeper and not a morning person the pounding of the drums at 6 in the morning from the temple may bother you. There is also a semi-steep trail towards the back of the hotel which takes you down to the river. Swimming in the river is a great way to cool off, however I recomend the swim for only strong swimmers as the current is quite strong. Will definately stay there again.
Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by stephfinch81 (Total reviews: 4) on
True lao
The spacious bungalows along the Nam Khan river are in lao style. Breakfast is served on the balcony of the bungalow. Friendly staff.
Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by marco009 (Total reviews: 1) on
Not a bed of roses
Sorry to be the voice of dissent, but I didn't find this place all it was cracked up to be. I chose to stay here due to all the praise written on this page, but found it not quite up to expectations. My parents stayed in a riverview bungalow for $30 a night, while I stayed in a guestroom in their house across the road for $15. Considering the lack of air-con, this is a bit expensive when other options in town offer it. Unfortunately, we needed the cool air badly, as the bungalow got scorching hot in the day, making life very uncomfortable. The fan in the room is a ceiling fan, which directs all the air at the walls and not on the bed, so no relief there. There is no fan on the balcony either, so working up a sweat and being bitten to death by mosquitoes isn't exactly pleasant. Not as romantic as others may say. My suggestion to the owner is this: Remove the ceiling fans and get a decent floor fan that we can move inside or outside. This was of course during April and Luang Prabang was at its hottest, so maybe during the rest of the year the heat isn't an issue. The staff were very friendly and attentive. They do seem to be in league with the tuk-tuk drivers though, and three people into town costs 30,000 kip a time -- 50,000 to the airport. I think it's a bit overpriced but what can you do after they called someone to pick you up? The positives in short: Beautiful garden, friendly staff, nice wooden bungalows, nice views, nice bathrooms, spacious rooms, nice decor. The negatives in short: Very hot during April, overpriced, too far to come and go from town as you please, inadequate fans, rooms are NOT mosquito-proof, endless tuk-tuks work out expensive. Overall, think carefully before staying here. It's a good place, but far from perfect. For us it wasn't a good choice, but we still had fun. Staying in town with air-con at the same price would have been better. It would have been nice to go to the room and take a cold shower whenever you wanted, and go somewhere without needing a tuk-tuk all the time. We chose poorly, but it didn't take the shine off Luang Prabang for one minute!
Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by gromily (Total reviews: 3) on
Beautiful staff ang GH!
This was a lovely guest house in every way. Staff amazingly helpful, rooms very clean, good food, great views from the balcony to the mekhong and very reasonably priced. Book early!
Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by rutht8 (Total reviews: 3) on
Recently renovated, great view
very nice place. we had one of the bungalows with a river view (three of them have river views, two with river and mountain views). ours was recently renovated with a new bathroom. we had none of the problems stated in prior posts (no problems with worms, hot water, or dodgy plastic undersheets). breakfast on the balcony every morning. staff is very helpful. it is a bit of a walk to town, so we shelled out for a tuk-tuk. really nothing to complain about at all. One of our favorite guesthouses during our trip.
Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by syzafar (Total reviews: 4) on
Idyllic but Rustic
My husband and I stayed at Thong Bay for several nights and, generally, enjoyed it. The rooms and resort are clean and pleasant, but a bit sparse and dated. We had a room overlooking the river, which made the experience very pleasant. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and the breakfast served to the room was a nice luxury. The affordable laundry service was also useful. The resort, however, is a bit far from town (about 2-3 miles). The free bike did make things easier, but it was still a bit of a pain to go back and forth. Also, our room had no hot water and on one morning we found about a dozen worms under the bath mat. These cons, though, are expected given the hotel's country location (and the staff adequately addressed these issues when notified). Plus, you couldn't beat the price. All in all, if you want a more rustic place by the river and are on a tight budget, Thong Bay is a good choice.
Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by merrylg (Total reviews: 1) on
Rent the bikes!
Great place with great views of the river. The Swiss owner loves his gardening too, so very pleasant environment. It is a wee bit out of town but the place rents bikes for a dollar a day and the cycle in to town is laid back in terms of traffic. Only downside of this quality establishment was dodgy plastic undersheets on the beds.
Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by spy (Total reviews: 10) on
Thong Bay
What a fantastic place ! If you dont mind being little way out of town...but its still walkable..Thong Bay is quite perfect. The prices are absurdly low, the catering and service excellent, and the situation and views just impossible to better. I spent many...too many !..hours just sat on my balcony watching the river go by. I will not hesitate to return
Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by alanshiel (Total reviews: 2) on
inspiring bathrooms
These bungalows are a great bargain compared to accommodation in the centre of town. The blue-tiled bathrooms have a lovely indoor/outdoor feel, the staff are friendly and attentive, and the food (served right to your bungalow and enjoyed on the patio floor cushions) really is wonderful. Though they are all fine, it's worth the extra $2 for the bungalows with river views. You will want to get a tuk tuk to make the trip into town at night, though, as there aren't sidewalks the whole way.
Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by karabelle (Total reviews: 5) on
Great bungalows
Although a good walk from all of the action in town, Thong Bay is a secluded haven. Quiet, huge bungalows with very cool bathrooms, excellent food and very friendly service -- we had a great time here; and the host family was very warm and welcoming.
Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by CunningMcFar (Total reviews: 45) on