So, you’re planning to visit the beautiful town of Hua Hin, but you don’t have the budget for the fancy, four- or five-star hotels like Intercontinental? Or maybe you simply feel like paying hundreds of dollars per night for a place to sleep is just too much? In this post, I’ll show you what I think are the best guesthouses to stay in Hua Hin without busting your bank account.
If you don’t know what a guesthouse is, it’s basically a low-cost hotel. Don’t expect to find the typical hotel services, like breakfast or concierge in guesthouses. If you find those things indispensable, you may want to take a look at the hotels map (which does include guesthouses and hostels too - use the price slider) to find something more for your liking.
Also, if you are looking for accommodation for a family with kids, you may find better room options in hotels (these guesthouses are still worth checking out, though).
And everyone who values low-cost lodging in a good location - continue reading.
3. Victor Residence
Very similar to the room I had, except I had a window facing the street.
The location couldn’t be much more convenient; it is right in the town center, within a walking distance from the Bintabaht area and the beach. On top of this, many restaurants and other shops are just outside the building.
I stayed in here a few years back, right after Victor Guesthouse. The room I got was in the first floor, facing the street, which made me keep the curtains closed 24⁄7. Other than that, I liked this place a lot - the location is excellent, the rooms are cleaned once a day, and the price is very reasonable.
My room was noticeably smaller than the one I had in Guesthouse - just enough floorspace for the bed, a desk and a small cabinet for clothes. Not an issue for me, but if you’re traveling with kids or need more space for whatever reason, keep this in mind.
As its name implies, this place has a “residential” feel to it. The building is a remodeled apartment building, and it shows - it feels a bit like staying in a condo.
As a bonus, there’s a smoking area on the roof, equipped with benches and tables, that offers a beautiful view over the sea and nearby rooftops. Even if you’re a non-smoker this is a nice spot to wind down in the evening.
The staff is friendly, helpful and speak English well. WiFi is provided free of charge, and DVDs, motorcycles and bicycles are available for guests to rent. Laundry services and tour booking are also provided.
Where is it?
Address: 60 Naresdamri Road (note: this is the address where you’ll find the check-in counter - it’s shared between Victor Residence, Victor Guesthouse and Pattana Guesthouse.)
From Soi 55, go towards the beach until you find Naresdamri Road. Turn right, and you will soon see the Victor logos on the right-hand side of the street. If you can’t seem to find it, look for the more easily noticeable restaurants Greek Taverna and Brasserie de Paris - it’s right next to them.
Check the best prices, more details and book:
2. Victor Guesthouse
Official photo, very similar to the room I stayed in.
This results in an experience that doesn’t quite feel like a regular hotel. There’s some variation in the room styles and sizes, but the one I got was rather large, in the ground level and equipped with a sliding glass door to the outside porch.
The house was built from teak, like most traditional Thai houses, and preserved some cool details from its past; like the small doors in the walls, now nailed shut and immobile, but still a reminder of the times gone by. Teak is dark-colored wood, so it does make the room feel dark, which I’m sure will be off-putting for some. Luckily, the room was quite large, even to the point it felt like there’s some wasted space, offsetting some of the darkness.
I’m sure not everyone will appreciate the style, but for me, it was the best part of staying here. Note that not all rooms are like that - check out the official image gallery in the widget below.
What I found a bit annoying was the mosquitoes. Because the wall structure in a traditional house like this isn’t entirely sealed, there’s many ways the mini-vampires can find their way in and make sure you wake up itching. Granted, I stayed during the wet season, when the mosquito problem is at its peak. Mosquito repellent containing DEET is recommended, you should be able to find it in any pharmacy in Thailand.
Other thing to take note of is that the walls are thin. Thus, soundproofing leaves a lot to be desired - I could clearly hear all the sounds from outside while staying in my room. In the end, this didn’t bother me much (and probably sounds a lot worse than it actually is), but your mileage may vary.
The staff is friendly, helpful and speak English well. WiFi is provided free of charge, and DVDs, motorcycles and bicycles are available for guests to rent. Laundry services and tour booking are also provided.
(If you felt a bit of dejá vu reading the above, it’s because I copy-pasted the paragraph from the Residence section - the services are exactly the same and provided from the same location, after all).
Where is it?
Copy-paste from the Victor Residence section above:
Address: 60 Naresdamri Road (note: this is the address where you’ll find the check-in counter - it’s shared between Victor Residence, Victor Guesthouse and Pattana Guesthouse.)
From Soi 55, go towards the beach until you find Naresdamri Road. Turn right, and you will soon see the Victor logos on the right-hand side of the street. If you can’t seem to find it, look for the more easily noticeable restaurants Greek Taverna and Brasserie de Paris - it’s right next to them.
Check the best prices, more details and book:
1. Maria Room for Rent
The room here is roomy.
The street where Maria is located is very quiet. Right next to the guesthouse, you’ll find an ice-cream café and a Thai restaurant. A combined laundromat and drinks vendor (!) is right next door too. On the opposite side of the road is the popular Baan Itsara restaurant (which I found to be delicious, but a little pricey).
Not many Western tourists find their way here - it’s up to you if you consider this a good thing or a bad thing.
The rooms at Maria are large, and the ones in the top floor come equipped with a balcony. There’s also a decently-sized bathroom in all rooms, plus air conditioning and Wi-Fi. The bed is a king-sized one, but a bit hard like is usually the case with hotels and guesthouses in Thailand. As a nice little detail, there’s also a small walk-in closet for your clothes, with some coathangers provided.
If I counted correctly during my stay, there seems to be only four guest rooms total. The guesthouse is a small family-run operation located in an old shophouse, so this is to be expected. It does make the place feel somehow much more cozy. Unfortunately, this means that during high season it might be a bit difficult to get a room here - book early!
A few motorcycles are available for rent. If you’re staying here, you will probably need one, the transportation options are otherwise quite limited - the red songthaew route does pass the place between 7 am and 9 pm, but that’s about it.
The staff is friendly and helpful, but their English skills are not as good as in the other guesthouses. However, this didn’t cause any problems for me during my stay. When I checked out and returned my motorcycle, they were happy to give me a ride to the bus station with no additional cost.
Note that the reception closes at 7 pm - if you are arriving later than that, make sure you send them a message when you make your booking so that they can arrange someone to check you in.
Where is it?
Near the corner of Soi 47, along Naebkehardt Road. If you’re coming here by a tuk-tuk, it’s easiest to ask the driver to bring you to Baan Itsara, the popular restaurant on the opposite side of the road.
Here’s a map for reference: Location of Maria Room for Rent
Check the best prices, more details and book:
So which one should I pick?
Obviously, this depends on your tastes, needs and expectations. To put it shortly:
If staying at a walking distance to the beach, tourist-oriented nightlife and all the other services in the town center, you cannot go wrong by picking either one of the Victors.
If you appreciate a little different-than-usual rooms and classic Thai architecture, you will love Victor Guesthouse.
And if you want some peace and quiet, without going too far from the action, Maria is your top choice. This will also take you to the part of town that is somewhat less populated by Western tourists.
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