Lablae Guesthouse Uttaradit — sleep in an 80-year-old wooden house in the heart of Laplae old town
If you'd rather sleep somewhere that feels like going back to your grandparents' house in an old town — Lablae Guesthouse is a roughly 80-year-old wooden shophouse the owner opened up for guests in Laplae, Uttaradit. It isn't a hotel but a genuine wooden home that still keeps its original character: a handful of rooms decorated with antiques, beds under mosquito nets, a soaking tub and hammocks to stretch out in. The Laplae city gate and the teen-jok cloth museum are just a short walk away. Rates start from approx. THB 500/night, for travellers who want an experience rather than just a bed.
What sets Lablae Guesthouse apart from ordinary places to stay in Uttaradit is that the building itself is a local-style wooden shophouse roughly 80 years old, which the owner chose to adapt rather than tear down and rebuild. The original timber frame, wooden floors and old furnishings are still in place. Step inside and you catch the smell of aged wood, see the wooden cabinets, chairs and everyday objects from another era — many guests say it feels more like staying over at their grandparents' house than checking into a hotel.
There are only a few rooms here — it's a small place where a home is opened up to guests, not a multi-storey block. What people single out are the little touches you won't find in a regular hotel: mosquito nets over the beds, a soaking tub and hammocks to lie back in, and quiet corners furnished with antiques. There's free Wi-Fi, free parking and a local-style breakfast served at an easy pace. It's a place built around atmosphere and slow rest rather than a full hotel kit of facilities.
"Sleeping in an old wooden house, hearing the quiet of Laplae town, with an owner as kind as family — it really felt like escaping the chaos to stay at a country home."
The location is another strength for anyone who loves an old town. The guesthouse sits on Tesaban Sriphanommas Road, Highway 1041, in the heart of Laplae district — about 700 metres from the Laplae city gate and roughly 800 metres from the Laplae town museum, close to the teen-jok cloth museum that Laplae is known for. Old temples, noodle shops and local food are an easy walk away, and the owner lends out bicycles for a free ride around the old town — the way to see Laplae that best matches the town's gentle pace.
Guests who've stayed agree on how warm and welcoming the owner is. Many describe being pointed to the best places to eat and visit, and hearing the stories of Laplae as if shown around in person. For solo travellers or couples who want a homely feel and a real conversation with a local, that's a charm the in-town hotels simply can't offer.
To be honest, this place isn't for everyone. It's an old wooden house with only a few rooms, leaning into original character — if you expect a chilled air-conditioned room, a glass-walled bathroom or a full set of hotel facilities, it may feel too simple. An old wooden house also means creaking floorboards, the occasional insect of a garden home (hence the mosquito nets), and less privacy than a sealed-off hotel room. It's worth contacting the owner ahead via the Facebook page or by phone, as it's a small property that isn't open every day like a large hotel.
On the whole, Lablae Guesthouse is a place that sells an experience, not luxury or a full facility list. Online reviews are still few, as it's a small and fairly niche stay, but the ones that exist praise the wooden-house atmosphere, the owner's warmth and the old-town location. Rates start around THB 500 and rise with the season and room type. If you come to Laplae to soak up the old town, the teen-jok cloth, the famous Long-Lin Laplae durian, and want to sleep somewhere that tells the town's story on its own, it fits far better than a concrete hotel in the city centre.
A tip drawn from the reviews: message the Lablae Guesthouse Facebook page or LINE to confirm a room and dates ahead of time, as rooms are few and the owner runs it personally. Come in September or October and you'll catch the durian and langsat season in Laplae, and don't forget to ask for a bike to ride around the old town early in the morning, when the air is still cool and the streets are quiet.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ A rare old-wooden-house atmosphere, like sleeping at your grandparents'
- ✓ A friendly owner who recommends places to eat and visit
- ✓ A central spot in Laplae old town, walkable for sightseeing
- ✓ Free bicycles to lend for riding around town
- ! Few rooms, so book and confirm with the owner ahead
- ! Simple facilities, not a full hotel set
- ! An old wooden house, so less privacy than a sealed hotel room
- ✓ An old-town and wooden-house atmosphere that photographs beautifully
- ✓ Mosquito nets, a soaking tub and hammocks — charming details you rarely find
- ✓ Near the city gate and the teen-jok cloth museum
- ✓ A homely, local-style breakfast
- ! A niche stay, with few online reviews so far
- ! An old wooden house, with creaking floors and the odd insect (nets provided)
- ! Not ideal if you need an air-conditioned room and full facilities
- 💡If you need an air-conditioned room, a modern bathroom and a full hotel set of facilities — this is an old wooden house built around atmosphere, with simple comforts → look at Friday Hotel or Sunee Boutique in Uttaradit town instead.
- 💡If you're travelling as a large family or want a high level of privacy — rooms are few and it's an open wooden home → it suits solo travellers, couples or old-town lovers better.
- 💡If you plan to turn up at short notice — it's a small place the owner runs personally and isn't open every day → message the Facebook page or call 084-502-3761 to confirm a room before you travel.