Review of the Baan Are Gong Riverside Homestay, Ayutthaya

If I need to stay near the Train Station in Ayutthaya I normally go the Krungsri River Hotel, which is comfortable and luxurious and also near the Train Station. On this occassion, I opted to save money because I was travelling on my own and wanted to try something different. The Baan Are Gong Riverside Homestay is priced at around 700 THB a night booked online. This includes all taxes, service charge, air-conditioned room and a continental breakfast about which I say more later.

Baan Are Goong is a guesthouse

Baan Are Gong describes itself as a ‘Riverside Homestay’. I am not sure how accurate that description is. The place is run by a family, it is by the river, but unlike a genuine home stay you aren’t expected to have dinner with them or participate in group activities. The big selling points of the place are the riverside location and the very old Thai house in which this hotel is located.

If you choose you can indeed eat here in the ramshackle/charming (depending on your perspective) restaurant. Breakfast is served. I was not expecting a breakfast but the owner insisted I had coffee, toast and jam (I turned down the rice soup option) before I got on an early train and she insisted on getting up to do it.

Interesting building

The interior is pretty interesting as well with lots of old objet d’art and wooden panels painted with various Thailand related scenes. The upstairs balcony is a good place to see Ayutthaya at night and hang out with the other guests.

The room I stayed in downstairs, by contrast, was more comfortable but lacking the same Old Worlde charm of the fan rooms upstairs.

Air Conditioned Rooms

The air-conditioning worked and there was hot water. No mosquitoes or other unpleasant visitors to the room. However, this is yet another Ayutthaya hotel with no English language channels for the TV.

I think the satellite provider in Ayutthaya (IPM) doesn’t include them on the lower rate package which is why you need to stay in a more expensive place in Ayutthaya if you want to get English language TV when you want to relax after a hard day walking around the ruins. However, the internet is good at this hotel and it is possible to stream movies so you can get around the problem by plugging your computer/tablet into the TV.

Reasons to stay at the Baan Are Goong Homestay

The Baan Are Goong Homestay is located a 9 minute (100 THB) tuk-tuk ride away from the main Ayutthaya Historical Park, but absolutely brilliant if you want to get to Ayutthaya train station, which is 240 metres walk away. I stayed here to be near the railway station and save cash, without downgrading to a fan room available at other nearby budget hotels, so this hotel suited me just fine.

Walking route to Ayutthaya Train Station

• Walking Distance from Baan Are Goong Homestay to Ayutthaya Train Station: 240 metres
• Walking time from Baan Are Goong Homestay to Ayutthaya Train Station: 3 minutes