Pentahug Hotel — an art-design boutique hotel in the Wat Nong Bua area near Ubon's bus terminal, with more style than its price suggests
If you arrive by intercity coach at the Ubon bus terminal, or you're driving in on errands around Wat Nong Bua, and you want somewhere with a bit more design flair than the usual hotel without paying a lot, Pentahug Hotel (officially Pen Ta Hug Hotel) is a name reviewers bring up often — a 3-star boutique hotel boldly decorated with painted murals and bright colours, with a garden, a restaurant and bike rental · It sits in the Wat Nong Bua area, close to the Ubon Ratchathani bus terminal, with easy access in and out of the airport · Around 79–82 rooms, free parking, free Wi-Fi · Scored 8.6 on Trip.com from 62 reviews · Prices from about ฿850/night
If you're looking for somewhere to stay in Ubon Ratchathani that's more than just a clean, plain room — somewhere with personality and design that makes the stay feel like it has some flavour — the name Pentahug Hotel, written by some platforms as Pen Ta Hug Hotel, is likely to turn up on your list · It's a 3-star boutique hotel that sets itself apart from the usual budget places in Ubon by leaning into arty decor, with painted murals, bright colours and common areas that have clearly been put together with care · What people remember it for is the way it tries to deliver an experience beyond its price — it isn't selling five-star luxury, it's selling style and the warm feel of a place run by people who love design · Overall, then, Pentahug suits travellers who value atmosphere and feel, not just the nightly price tag alone
Pulling together what real guests say across several platforms, Pentahug scores consistently well — on Trip.com it sits at around 8.6 from dozens of guest reviews, with its strongest categories being service (around 9.0), cleanliness and location; TripAdvisor gives it around 3.9 out of 5 and ranks it among the top hotels in Ubon · The words guests use most often are friendly staff, beautifully and distinctively decorated rooms, clean, good value, and plenty of restaurants and convenience stores nearby to walk to for food · At the same time there are honest comments about the beds and mattresses in some rooms feeling old or too firm, plus the lack of a lift — which we'll cover in full, both the praise and the criticism, so you can decide on real information
Before the details, here's the short version of who this place suits · Pentahug suits travellers who arrive by coach at the Ubon bus terminal and want somewhere nearby without a long onward trip, people who prefer a hotel with design and character over a chain that looks the same everywhere, couples or solo travellers who want a warm atmosphere on a comfortable budget, and self-drivers who want free parking inside the hotel grounds · On the other hand, if you need a hotel with a lift, a swimming pool, a fitness room, or breakfast included in the room rate without paying extra, this place may not be what you're after, and you should look instead at the larger city-centre hotels such as Sunee Grand or Laithong
Location and getting around is something to understand clearly before booking, because it's both the advantage and the limitation of this place at the same time · The hotel is at 13 Soi Sukha Uppatham 9, Nai Mueang, in what's known as the Wat Nong Bua area, the northern zone of Ubon city · The strength of this location is that it's close to the Ubon Ratchathani bus terminal, about a 10 min drive, which makes it very convenient for people arriving by intercity coach without needing a long onward ride · It's also near Wat Phra That Nong Bua, an important temple with a striking white Bodh Gaya-style chedi, just about a 5 min drive away, and near Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University within a similar distance, handy for anyone here on business in this part of town
Slightly longer trips are still manageable · Ubon Ratchathani Airport (code UBP) is around 5–6 km away, about a 12–15 min drive, while Ubon Ratchathani railway station is around 8 km away · The city centre and Thung Si Muang, the central city park, are around a 10–12 min drive, as are the night market and the walking street that come alive in the evening for food and drinks · The upside is that if you have a car or use a ride-hailing app, getting to both the airport and the city centre is easy without battling heavy traffic · The trade-off to accept is that this location isn't in the middle of a walkable tourist district, so without your own vehicle, getting into town means relying on a taxi or a ride-hailing app — something some reviews mention as worth budgeting transport money for
"Loved it here, quiet and peaceful, staff friendly and really helpful, rooms beautifully decorated with cute painted murals, clean, and there are restaurants and a 7-Eleven nearby that you can easily walk to for supplies. At this price it's great value."
The rooms and the decor are what set Pentahug apart from similarly priced hotels in the same area · The hotel has around 79–82 rooms, all air-conditioned, split into several tiers to choose from by size and budget, starting with the Standard Room and Superior Room as the basic options for 1–2 people, stepping up to the Deluxe Room that's larger and more fully decorated, plus family rooms for groups or families travelling together · The standout that guests mention most is the decor — each room has painted murals and bold use of colour that make it feel lively and photograph well, not the plain white box you usually get
In terms of in-room amenities, every room has the essentials for a comfortable stay — air conditioning, a fridge/minibar, a flat-screen TV, a work desk, a water heater, free drinking water and free Wi-Fi · Many reviews praise the rooms as clean, well laid out and warmer-feeling than the price suggests · But to be straight with you, there's a recurring comment worth knowing before booking, about the mattresses and bedding in some rooms feeling old or too firm — some people say the mattress is so firm it's uncomfortable on the back, and a few reviews mention sheets that look well-used · There are also some rooms where the water pressure and temperature in the bathroom are inconsistent, and the air-conditioning in some rooms is fairly loud · The upside is that these issues can usually be solved by asking to change rooms or telling the staff, since most reviews note the team responds quickly and is happy to help
Facilities and common areas at Pentahug are those of a compact boutique hotel that focuses on atmosphere over a long list of facilities · A favourite for many is the green garden around the hotel that keeps things shady and peaceful, nice for sitting and relaxing · There's bike rental for anyone who wants to ride around and see the surrounding area, a banquet room for small events, and a 24-hour reception, which matters a lot for people arriving late by coach or leaving early · There's free parking on the hotel grounds, and free Wi-Fi both in the rooms and in the common areas · What needs saying plainly is that there's no swimming pool, no fitness room and no lift, as it's a low building of just a few floors, so if you get an upper-floor room you'll have to take the stairs — something to bear in mind for anyone with a lot of luggage or older guests
Food and the restaurant is another topic to spell out clearly · The hotel has an in-house restaurant serving Thai food and fusion dishes, plus a coffee-shop corner to sit and sip coffee, which several reviews praise for its atmosphere and flavours done well for the price · On breakfast, the thing to get straight is that the buffet breakfast is served roughly 6:30–10:30 AM for an extra charge (around 140 baht per person) and isn't automatically included in the starting room rate, so if you want breakfast at the hotel, choose a package that includes it or pay the extra at check-in · The good news is that there are à la carte eateries, convenience stores and a 7-Eleven near the hotel where you can easily walk to find breakfast, so many people choose to eat out instead — which saves money and lets you try local food at the same time
Service is Pentahug's most consistently praised strength · In many reviews, the reception staff are described as smiling, easygoing, quick to respond and happy to help, whether recommending restaurants, calling a car, or sorting out an on-the-spot issue like a room change · The service category on Trip.com is high, at around 9.0, which reflects that the team's care is something guests genuinely feel · For a small boutique hotel without luxury facilities, having service this good is a real advantage that brings people back and gets them recommending it · A few voices note that when the hotel is busy, responses can be a little slower, but overall the people are something guests come away impressed by rather than disappointed
Voices from real reviews — the praise · Gathering guest opinions across several platforms — Trip.com, Booking.com and TripAdvisor — what people most agree on, by frequency, is: one, the friendly and genuinely helpful staff, which comes up most often · two, the stylish decor of the rooms and common areas, with painted murals, bright colours and good photo spots · three, the value for what you get · four, the cleanliness of the rooms and common areas · five, the quiet, peaceful atmosphere and the shady garden · and six, a location with restaurants and convenience stores nearby for easy access to food on foot · Friendly, stylish and good value are the three words that come up most often
Voices from real reviews — the criticism and what to watch for · To be straight about it, the most common observation is about the mattresses and bedding in some rooms feeling old or too firm — some people even say it left their back aching, which is a point where you can ask to try the room or request a change · Next is inconsistent water pressure and temperature in the bathroom in some rooms, and loud air-conditioning in places · The lack of a lift also comes up for people with a lot of luggage who get an upper-floor room · Some reviews mention rooms facing the road where you can hear noise from outside, while rooms on the side near the car park are quieter · And some note there's no in-room safe and no key-card system · None of these are serious faults, but they're details to weigh against the price and the purpose of your stay before deciding
"Beautiful room, great for photos, the staff are so lovely · My only gripe is the mattress is a bit too firm; I had a slight backache after the first night and next time I'll ask to try another room first. But overall I'm still impressed and it's good value."
Price and value compared · Pentahug's starting price is around 850 baht a night for a Standard/Superior room at regular rates (during some promotions you can see lower), while the Deluxe Room, larger and more fully decorated, runs around 1,100–1,300 baht, and family rooms go up with the number of people · Compared with similarly priced hotels in Ubon, Pentahug sells a difference in design and atmosphere that most hotels at the same price can't match · If you value style, a quiet atmosphere with a garden, and warm service, the money you spend is worth it · But if you measure value purely by facilities — needing a pool, a lift, breakfast included — a chain or a larger city hotel may offer more value on that front · The bottom line is that how good a value this place is depends on what you weight most
Things to know before booking, summed up in a short, easy-to-remember list · One, if you're sensitive about mattresses, try asking for a recently renovated room or to test the mattress first, since some reviews mention firm beds · Two, breakfast isn't automatically included in the starting rate, so if you want it at the hotel, choose a package that includes it or pay an extra roughly 140 baht per person, or walk to the eateries nearby · Three, the hotel has no lift, so if you have a lot of luggage or older guests, ask for a ground-floor room when booking · Four, if you find it hard to sleep, ask for a room on the inner side that doesn't face the road, or near the car park, which is quieter · Five, check-in is 2:00 PM and check-out is 12:00 PM, and the 24-hour reception means you can arrive late · Six, during the Ubon Candle Festival (July) it gets busy and rooms fill up fast, so book ahead and compare several platforms before you confirm
The verdict · Pentahug Hotel is a compact boutique hotel that does what it sets out to do well — offering a stay with design, character, a quiet atmosphere with a garden, and warm service, at a price you can manage, near the Ubon bus terminal and the Wat Nong Bua area · It's not a hotel selling luxury facilities; there's no swimming pool, no lift, and it isn't the pick for people who want to walk out the front door into the city centre · But if what you want is a stylish place with a good atmosphere, lovely staff, close to the bus terminal, with free parking, and you're not fussed about a mattress that might be a bit firm or having to take the stairs, this is a charming and good-value option in Ubon · The 8.6 from guests and its high TripAdvisor ranking confirm that people who come with expectations that match what the hotel is mostly leave satisfied
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Friendly and genuinely helpful staff
- ✓ Stylishly decorated rooms, lovely painted murals, great for photos
- ✓ Clean, with a quiet, peaceful atmosphere and a garden
- ✓ Near the Ubon bus terminal, free parking, restaurants and a 7-Eleven nearby
- ! Mattresses in some rooms are old or too firm; some get a backache
- ! No lift, so you take the stairs if you get an upper-floor room
- ! Breakfast not included in the starting rate; you pay extra
- ✓ Distinctive art design, good value in the boutique bracket
- ✓ Warm, quick service with good food and sightseeing tips
- ✓ Location near Wat Nong Bua, Ubon Rajabhat and the bus terminal
- ✓ Has a Thai/fusion restaurant, a coffee shop and bike rental
- ! No swimming pool or fitness room
- ! Inconsistent water pressure/temperature in some rooms, loud air-conditioning in places
- ! Not in the middle of the tourist district; without a car you need to use an app
- 💡If you're sensitive about mattresses/bedding — some reviews mention firm or ageing mattresses → ask to try the room or request a recently renovated one, and you can ask to change since the staff are helpful
- 💡If you have a lot of luggage or find stairs difficult — the hotel has no lift → ask for a ground-floor room when booking, or choose a hotel with a lift instead
- 💡If you need a swimming pool or breakfast included — there's no pool here and breakfast costs extra → consider the larger city-centre hotels such as Sunee Grand or Laithong