Lost? -- you're looking for a room
Region: Vientiane And Surrounds> Province: Vientiane> Location: Vientiane
Thong Bay Guesthouse
Simple but absolutely stunning
Ban Nong Douang, Vientiane
Vientiane Province
Tel: (021) 242 292, (020) 5663 809
Contact via email form
Visit website
Description
A little out of the main guesthouse area, Thong Bay is a sanctuary of beauty and tranquillity. It's a traditional Lao house set in grounds graced with banana trees, coconut palms and several salas for relaxing in. The elegant house has a lovely balcony plus a ground floor, retro-style lounge room. The 10 rooms are either fan-cooled or air-con, with or without bathrooms, but the shared bathrooms are clean and very contemporary. Be aware that, as is common with many older Lao houses, the infrastructure is prone to water damage from heavy rains, so look carefully around the rooms before you choose. The guesthouse does laundry, serves food, offers bicycle and motorbike rental, books bus tickets and can help with visas. Staff can organise a buffet of either Lao or Western food for small groups of people at $5 per person. The guesthouse is very keen to promote Lao cuisine and their fabulous chef gives cooking classes. For a maximum of 10 people, the class will start at 10:00 with a trip to the market to learn about the ingredients, then a buffet lunch of the dishes you've just prepared is served. The cost is $10.Thong Bay is sister to the bungalows of the same name in Luang Prabang.
Total rooms: 10
Dbl fan share b'room
10 USD (low season)
12 USD (high season)
Dbl fan private b'room
12 USD (low season)
14 USD (high season)
Dbl A/C private b'room
15 USD (low season)
18 USD (high season)
Family room
12 USD (low season)
14 USD (high season)
One room only
Added to Travelfish on: 5th July, 2004
Last visited or updated on: 9th October, 2006
Guest feedback
Very nice - 
By GandN ( total comments: 9 
) Stayed here 12/2007
We turned up on the off chance after a recommendation from some other travellers and got a lovely room in a very well furnished guesthouse with lots of character. Paid $20 for a big clean room with mozzi net, en suite shower (can't remember if it was hot)and balcony. Peaceful garden with nice food and beer. The staff were friendly, they organized us a tuk tuk to the bus station for 5am, although they didn't know how to get to Kong Lor on the bus.
Don't bother booking - 
By srsdj ( total comments: 11 ) Stayed here 12/2007
We booked well in advance as we wanted to rendezvous here with friends. Said they had lost record of our booking and were booked out. Friends stayed there and said people with bookings were being turned away at least once a day. GH operator attributed the problem to their ISP, which has got to be a lot of ..... !
very over-rated! -
By Mars ( total comments: 6 ) Stayed here 1/2007
The place was run by a NZ guy and his Lao wife when we visited. We stayed in the most expensive room available (USD20) and it was definately overpriced. The bed was just a mattress on the ground (no clean sheets), you had to go outside to reach the bathroom and the place was not clean.
Even though we booked online to stay two nights we returned the next night after sight-seeing to find that they had kicked us out of our room and claimed we only booked one night.
They packed up all our stuff and we didn't notice until a couple days later that our good torch was missing.
The owners were quite rude (especially when we returned the second night) and the food and drinks were overpriced.
Also beware if the guy offers you some of his Lao-Lao whiskey. It is very strong and he only offers it because he thinks it is funny to watch tourists be sick.
owen & angie -
By owenb ( total comments: 2 ) Stayed here 11/2006
Don't bother! This place may have changed ownership recently. The European owner we dealt with was indifferent and arrogant. Our room was infested with mosquitoes, and we had to ask for repellant and a coil. The food was ok but expensive and we were overcharged for a downstairs room with no windows. Go to town and get a better deal anywhere. Above all, stay away from this place until the owner learns about value for money!
No booking for us :( -
By alison ( total comments: 13 )
I arranged to stay here via their website and even double checked via email they had our booking 2 days before. They said they would pick us up at the airport for $5 but did not show, so we got a taxi and turned up but they said they did not have our booking despite me clutching an email from THEM to me saying 'your booking is confirmed etc'. They had rubbed our names out but would not admit to the mistake so we had to find other accommodation - which to me was a better option anyway. Thongbay is too far out if you want to wander around Vietiane. I stayed at the Chanthpanya and it was GREAT
An amazing house -
By CunningMcFar ( total comments: 32 ) Stayed here 3/2005
We just loved our stay at Thong Bay -- our upstairs room was simple but big enough and charming, with a lovely open lounge area (hammock, chairs, pillows, etc) just outside our room. I sat out here and watched an amazing electrical storm with lots of rain early one morning, very cool! Service was very good as well -- definitely recommended.
Have your say
Have you stayed at Thong Bay Guesthouse? What did you think?
You need to be logged in to add a comment. Not a member? you can join here.
Please note comments may be edited for clarity, typos etc. Also, this is not intended as a means to contact the guesthouse or hotel. Messages such as reservation enquiries will be deleted.
More options in Vientiane
Dragon Lodge
311-313 Samsenthai Rd, Vientiane
Dragon Lodge is a colourfully painted building with a dimly lit restaurant on the ground floor, and light, airy rooms above. The restaurant and bar combine to produce a really relaxed and comfortable environment, though it does get quiet during the day. The rooms are clean, with carpeted floors and... more
Thawee Guesthouse
64 Ban Anou, Vientiane
This may once have been the number one choice for budget rooms but recently the guesthouse has seen a bit of a decline. The restaurant has closed and there seem to be no plans to re-open it, which means there's now a rather empty feel about the whole place. The rooms are not bad for the money, and... more
Khamkoun Hotel
Lane Xang Avenue, Vientiane
This hotel is in a very busy location just up from the bus station and day market. Nevertheless, it is probably one of the most charming in this area and the rooms are well sound-proofed from the traffic noise on Lane Xang Avenue. All the rooms are of a good size, tastefully decorated and have... more
