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Kong Keo Guesthouse

Great little wooden bungalows, charismatic host

What we say 

Photo of Kong Keo Guesthouse,  P.O. Box 158A, Phonsavan. , Phonsavan
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The front garden and entrance to the Kong Keo is attractive and very welcoming but looking a bit dated. In the corner is a wooden shack that does duty as a bar, and stacked all around the grounds are loads of old bomb parts and other war remnants, but the highlight is a cozy wooden balcony, which serves as a restaurant. The menu is limited and the food is the standard Laos/traveller range you see in many places . A large rocket shaped bombshell holds an open fire in the evenings. Out the back is a collection of individual wooden bungalows, all with private bathroom and hot shower. They are clean, with a big bed and piney scent. Rooms in the main building are nothing special, less clean, most sharing a bathroom with hot shower and western toilet which could do with a scrub, and without fan. The bungalows are definitely the better option. Perceptions of the Kong Keo are divided, some love the earthy atmosphere, some hate it. When we visited it did feel that the whole place could do with a spruce up. They run tours to the Plain of Jars, ranging in price depending on the number of passengers, starting from 100,000 Kip. They say they won't go without a minimum of five people, but could probably be convinced. Maximum is about a dozen people. The guide is the cheeky guesthouse owner. Depending on demand, they often screen a documentary about the war and its effects.

Contact details:
P.O. Box 158A, Phonsavan. T: (20) 551 6365 
Email them at: kongkeojar@hotmail.com
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What we were quoted*

Type of room Low season High season Notes
Dbl fan share b'room 50,000 Kip 50,000 Kip
Bungalow fan private b'room 70,000 Kip 120,000 Kip Includes breakfast

* Travelfish researchers visit and review properties on an anonymous basis. By that we mean they show up, in person, and pretend to be either be a potential guest, or somebody looking for a room for a friend or relative. Where possible the researcher will inspect at least a couple of rooms. The rates you see above are what either the desk staff told us they were, or what were in the brochure when they just told us to quit bugging them and look in the brochure. For mid-range hotels and up, always shop around online for a competitive rate. Click here to find out more about what makes Travelfish different with regards our accommodation reviews.

Added to Travelfish on: 23rd October, 2004
Last visited or updated on: 17th July, 2009

Kong Keo Guesthouse reviews

Read 9 opinions from Travelfish readers

Needs to wake up to iteslf - 5th July, 2007
There is a lot more competition in town now, and Kong Keo's seems to still do well in recruiting guests. But it does little to keep them. The place really needs just a bit of basic maintenance, I mean the toilet seat in the upstairs bathroom was broken in half! Still no hot water and often no cold either while I was there. Tour mini-bus had two broken windows, not even plastic stuck over them to keep the wind and rain out. Minimal meals available, and the fireplace has gone so the communal area is a lot less inviting now. KK's still has more soul than some of the other guesthouses, but really needs to get its act together and reverse the decline into apathy.

Kong Keo Guesthouse reviewed by BC on 5th July, 2007, rated 2 out of 5.
Stayed here 5/2007
This is a Travelfish recommended reviewer
Total reviews submitted: 21.
BC also reviewed: Dien Bien Party Hotel, Kham Xam Guesthouse, Little Garden Bar & Guesthouse, Mai Sai Guesthouse, Malany Guesthouse, Manychan Guesthouse and Restaurant, Nam Ou Guesthouse and Restaurant, Rama Hotel, Rambuttri Village, Rattana Guesthouse, Riverside Guest House, Two Dragons Guesthouse, Villa Ban Lao, Yaklom Hill Lodge.

Much more than a bed for the night - 15th January, 2006
Stayed in a bungalow - not five-star but comfortable enough. Didn't see any evidence of rats, possibly because there is a very approachable (and at the time, very pregnant) cat in residence, to be found around the bombshell fireplace in the evening. Food is definitely available now, and it is very good and very reasonably priced. Our hot water didn't work too well, but in fairness we never got around to asking to have it fixed/turned on/whatever so we can't really complain. Kong Keo, the owner, is a bright chap in every sense, a wealth of information, with excellent English (and some other languages too). He no longer works with MAG (ask him why) but is involved with local villages who deal with UXO every day in places other than tourist sites. Praise for his tours is well deserved - ''Pet'' wasn't available the day we went (we did meet him at the airport and he seems very good), but we had the pleasure of Kong Keo himself in the morning and Toovee (sp?) in the afternoon and they were great. Prices are about $10 per person now, and if numbers are low you can hire a car with guide for the day. Wish we had been able to spend more time at this place.

Kong Keo Guesthouse reviewed by BC on 15th January, 2006, rated 4 out of 5.
Stayed here 1/2006
This is a Travelfish recommended reviewer
Total reviews submitted: 21.
BC also reviewed: Dien Bien Party Hotel, Kham Xam Guesthouse, Little Garden Bar & Guesthouse, Mai Sai Guesthouse, Malany Guesthouse, Manychan Guesthouse and Restaurant, Nam Ou Guesthouse and Restaurant, Rama Hotel, Rambuttri Village, Rattana Guesthouse, Riverside Guest House, Two Dragons Guesthouse, Villa Ban Lao, Yaklom Hill Lodge.

My Favourite in all of Laos - 5th September, 2009
I've been meaning to get on here for months now but when you get back home after travelling you never really seem to get around to anything.. Anyway, I'd like to say that this is a brilliant guesthouse! The place is very cheap and rooms good, but the main reason to come here is the staff - Kong himself is fluent in English and will almost certainly have been to more countries that you have, which means his conversation is amazing and he will be truly open and honest about Laos and its history.. his tour of the plain of jars and bomb craters and to a beautiful waterfall all in the one day was our best day in Laos.. but jamming with him and his kind brother on the guitar late at night was what sealed the deal for me.. Kong, if you are reading this, hope you are still doing well and remember Dave & Emma Irving

Kong Keo Guesthouse reviewed by daveirving on 5th September, 2009, rated 5 out of 5.
Stayed here 4/2009
Total reviews submitted: 3.
daveirving also reviewed: Mi Thuna Guest House and Restaurant, Sleepy Sam's Bed and Breakfast.

best choice in this town - 3rd March, 2008
clean rooms, very valuable, hottest shower I got in Laos. Here you get the best trips with best guides.

Kong Keo Guesthouse reviewed by fritzla08 on 3rd March, 2008, rated 4 out of 5.
Stayed here 2/2008
Total reviews submitted: 10.
fritzla08 also reviewed: Charoensri Palace Hotel, Jasmine Lodge, Nana Guesthouse, New My House Guest House, Sabaidy 2 Guesthouse, Sansabai House, Saysouly Guesthouse, Souannavong Guest House, Tapee Hotel.

fine but cold! - 8th December, 2007
Stayed in a bungalow for $5. There was supposed to be warm water but there wasn't. Enough blankets to keep warm but very cold if you have to use the toilet at night.There still is a fireplace and the owner is nice and speaks English quite well. Breakfast is only omlets or pancake but nice enough.

Kong Keo Guesthouse reviewed by milou13 on 8th December, 2007, rated 3 out of 5.
Stayed here 11/2007
Total reviews submitted: 8.
milou13 also reviewed: An An Hotel, BAP Guesthouse, Monsavan Guesthouse, Phonesavanh Hotel, Saysong Guesthouse, Swan Hotel, The Villa Siem Reap.

Read 4 more reviews

Eccentric but welcoming - 11th November, 2007
I enjoyed the Kong Keo very much, but I can see why some people might not. The $4 bungalow was nice, but there is a special knack to getting the water lukewarm rather than cold. Ask them to show you. Apparently the new $10 bungalows have 'real' hot water. The tour was good enough, but if you're on a budget and not many people are staying you could probably get cheaper at an agency in the town. The best thing about the place is the communal area with the fire in a bomb casing and the eccentric owner, who gives out lao-lao, sings crazy songs with his guitar and tells old Lao folk tales about Buffalo and Horses. He's priceless and in my view unmissable.

Kong Keo Guesthouse reviewed by pauljaymes on 11th November, 2007, rated 5 out of 5.
Stayed here 11/2007
Total reviews submitted: 3.
pauljaymes also reviewed: CM Blue House.

Great time had - 9th November, 2007
The Kong Keo guesthouse is THE guesthouse to stay in, in Phonsavan. I read about it in my guidebook and found a guy leading people there from the bus station - unfortunately all the bungalows were booked up when we arrived, and I'd definitely recommend them over the main building whose shared bathroom was possibly the worst feature of the guesthouse. However that night the owner cooked us two pigs and invited all his friends around for a party - many shots of lao-lao were consumed. The tour with the guest house was to site 1 of the Plain of Jars and a cratered field (where once there was a garage), and the Hmong village with Cluster bomb casings (used as pigeon coop stilts and fences). All these were amazing. We finished the tour at a hot springs which were really not good - A similar tour is provided with a waterfall instead though. The next night was more celebration... Overall the spirit, character and food make this guesthouse a vital part of your itinerary in Laos.

Kong Keo Guesthouse reviewed by hyacin3 on 9th November, 2007, rated 5 out of 5.
Stayed here 11/2007
Total reviews submitted: 2.
hyacin3 also reviewed: Old Darling II and Asia Queen Hotel.

Surely there's a much better option in town - 13th February, 2007
Not the best place to stay. Stayed in one of the bungalows. Even though the staff tell you there is hot water, there isn't and it is freezing at night!!! They have two options for tours around the area. We organised to go on one but on the day they made up an excuse because they only wanted to take one group out that day. So we couldn't go on the tour we wanted. Whatever you do, do not make an argeement with the guesthouse and a group of other people to be dropped off at the bus station. They will be keen at first then 15 minutes before the bus leaves they say the van has a flat battery before pointing out a 4WD and saying "needs a push start" and everyone in the group will take turns pushing the car around the airstrip out the front, until someone points out a jeep. Everyone in, but no one to drive. Back to pushing the jeep around. With a minute to spare someone else will come out and offer to take everyone to the station for an exorbitant amount because the bus is about to leave! I wouldn't stay there again. Be wary of overcharging.

Kong Keo Guesthouse reviewed by joant on 13th February, 2007, rated 1 out of 5.
Stayed here 12/2006
Total reviews submitted: 6.
joant also reviewed: Bounmy Guesthouse, Libra Guesthouse, New Siam Guest House, Tribal Hotel, V.N.Guesthouse.

Great rooms but was that guy wasted or what?! - 23rd June, 2006
OK great double room in the house, $4 with bathroom and hot water at night, no complaints and interesting garden with war scraps used as planters and fence posts but the guy that ran the place geez...don't know what was up with him. 5 of us were trying to get an answer out of him about the tours he ran and the cost but he just kept laughing and wouldnt give us a straight answer. Finally he said $10US for a day each mumbling something about paying buffalo prices getting buffalo tour, pay chickens prices get chicken tour, but he was just such a waster we couldn't be sure what was going on so we booked in town at a travel agency for $10 for the day taking in Plain of Jars, village that uses bomb scraps in daily use, buddha cave and medicine cave. The caves were not too interesting but the first half of the day was. Personally I would only stay the full day in Phonsavan then move on. But anyway the accomodation was fine.

Kong Keo Guesthouse reviewed by noushymoo on 23rd June, 2006, rated 3 out of 5.
Stayed here 6/2006
Total reviews submitted: 6.
noushymoo also reviewed: #10 Lakeside Guest House, CM Blue House, Merry Guest House No. 1, New Joe Guesthouse, Sisavang Guesthouse.

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