Baanthep Antique Homestay Phrae — sleep in a teakwood house that doubles as an antique museum, inside the old city wall
If you'd rather sleep in a house with a story in every corner than in another identical hotel room — Baanthep Antique Homestay is a two-storey teakwood house in Phrae's In Wiang old town, assembled by its owner from salvaged old wooden homes nearby and then filled with antiques, Chinese furniture, ceramics and countless old objects until it feels like sleeping inside a museum. It's a 2-star homestay on Tesaban 2 Road, Tambon Nai Wiang. Its draw is the old-teak atmosphere, warm hosts and a location inside the old city wall, walkable to Kad Kong Kao, Khuang Mueang Phrae and Khum Chao Luang. Rooms start at around ฿800/night — understand there are only a few rooms and it's a genuine private home, but you get charm you simply won't find at an ordinary hotel.
Baanthep Antique Homestay isn't an ordinary homestay. The owner, Khun Thep, has collected antiques for over 40 years and gradually assembled a two-storey teak house from salvaged old wooden homes around Phrae as both a lodging and a personal museum. Step inside and you'll find heavy wooden furniture, antique Chinese pieces, ceramics, coins and old objects everywhere, each with its own story. The house sits In Wiang, inside Phrae's old city wall, on Tesaban 2 Road — a neighbourhood made for wandering the old town on foot.
What reviews highlight most is the charm of the old wooden house and the owner's hospitality. Many guests say it feels more like staying at a relative's house who loves telling stories about their collection than checking into a hotel. The mood is genuinely slow-life — a leafy garden, a wooden terrace to sit on, and antiques to wander among all day. The location inside the old city wall puts Kad Kong Kao (the Saturday walking street), Khuang Mueang Phrae, Khum Chao Luang and the pink Baan Wongburi within easy reach. TripAdvisor ranks it #1 among specialty lodges in Phrae.
"It's like sleeping in a museum — antiques everywhere, beautifully arranged. The owner is so kind and tells you the story of each piece, the breakfast is freshly made and tasty, and you can walk to the old town. More charming than I expected."
Rooms are inside the old wooden building, decorated with antique furniture to match the house. There's a Standard King (one large bed), a Standard Twin (two single beds) and a more spacious Deluxe Family Suite. Each has air-conditioning, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom, and some have a seating corner or small kitchenette. Most reviews praise comfortable beds, clean rooms and the warm feel of the old wood. Because it's a genuine old timber house, the structure doesn't soundproof like a modern building — light sleepers should keep that in mind.
On facilities, take it for what it is — a homestay. You get free parking, free Wi-Fi, a garden, a terrace, a small restaurant and bike rentals for exploring the old town. The freshly cooked breakfast is a frequent highlight. There's no swimming pool and no lift (it's a two-storey wooden house). Driving is easy thanks to the parking, and the house sits in a walkable old-town district. If you want a perfectly standardised, silent hotel room, this isn't it — it's a living old wooden house full of character and stories.
On scores, Baanthep Antique Homestay sits firmly in guest-favourite territory. Across real reviews it averages around 9.0 out of 10 — Booking.com near 9.2 and Trip.com around 9.0, while TripAdvisor sits at about 4.7 out of 5 and ranks it #1 among specialty lodges in Phrae. The recurring praise is the old-teak atmosphere, the antiques, the warm hosts, the breakfast and the old-town location. The gripes that turn up in some reviews are a bathroom smell in one or two rooms, less privacy because it's the owner's home, and a few guests feeling the price runs a touch high for the room.
Honestly, this isn't a hotel built for privacy or chain-standard rooms. Its appeal is the chance to sleep in a teakwood museum-house in the heart of Phrae's old town, looked after by hands-on hosts, from around ฿800. Standard rooms run about ฿800 in normal periods and climb on long weekends or festivals. If your trip is about soaking up the old town, strolling Kad Kong Kao, and loving antiques and timber houses — this is a memorable fit. But if you want strong privacy, a perfectly quiet room, or full hotel facilities, look elsewhere in town.
Tips from reading plenty of reviews here: message the owner before booking about room types and breakfast, since it's a small, flexible homestay. If you're sensitive to bathroom smells, ask or inspect the room at check-in. Leave time to wander the collection — the owner loves to talk through it and it's the real highlight. Try to be here on a Saturday night for the nearby Kad Kong Kao walking street. And on long weekends rooms are few and fill fast, so book ahead.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ A beautiful, one-of-a-kind antique teakwood house — like sleeping in a museum
- ✓ Warm welcome from the owner and family, attentive care
- ✓ Old-town location, walk to Kad Kong Kao and the sights
- ✓ Tasty freshly cooked breakfast, comfortable beds, clean rooms
- ! Only a few rooms; as a private home, less privacy than a hotel
- ! Some rooms have reviews mentioning a bathroom smell
- ! No swimming pool and no lift (two-storey wooden house)
- ✓ The old-wood atmosphere and antique collection are unlike anywhere else
- ✓ The owner shares stories about the antiques — warm and full of character
- ✓ Walkable old town, with free parking and bikes to borrow
- ✓ Quiet, slow-life mood, great for soaking up the atmosphere
- ! An old timber house doesn't soundproof like a modern building — light sleepers beware
- ! A few guests feel the price runs a touch high for the room
- ! It's the owner's home, so those wanting strong privacy may not love it
- 💡If you want strong privacy and a perfectly quiet room — this is the owner's home and an old timber house that doesn't soundproof like a modern building → if that matters, consider a boutique or hotel elsewhere in the old town.
- 💡If you're particular about bathroom smells or condition — there are reviews mentioning a smell in one or two bathrooms → ask or inspect the room at check-in, and message the owner before booking.
- 💡If you're coming on a long weekend or want the family suite — rooms are limited and fill fast → book ahead and confirm the room type with the owner first.