The Outside Inn — a garden guesthouse near Ubon airport with spacious rooms and homemade Mexican food
Ubon has a small guesthouse that foreign travellers mention so often it sits near the top of the city's rankings — The Outside Inn, a boutique guesthouse run by Thai-American owners Brent and Tun, open since 2013 · The draw is spacious, clean rooms with high ceilings set around a central garden, plus a restaurant serving Thai, Mexican and Western food · It is close to Ubon airport and the city, breakfast is cooked fresh and free, and parking is free · It scores 9.0 on Trip.com and around 4.7 on TripAdvisor, ranked #2 of 37 B&Bs in Ubon · From approx ฿650/night.
What sets The Outside Inn apart from the usual small hotels in Ubon is that it is a guesthouse the owners run themselves · Brent (American) and Tun built it from restored buildings around a central garden dotted with fountains, potted trees and earthen brick · The feel is homely and personal, and the thing guests praise most consistently is the owners and staff — friendly, attentive, and genuinely knowledgeable about where to eat and what to see in Ubon.
Rooms come in two main forms: standard Jasmine and superior Royal Lotus · Both are spacious with high ceilings, tile floors and windows, air-con and ceiling fans, plus a TV, fridge/minibar, hot water and a sitting area · Some rooms have connecting doors, handy for families · Guests agree the rooms are clean, larger than expected for the price, and quiet thanks to being set back from the main road — the trade-off being that the place is genuinely hard to find without GPS.
"The room was huge with high ceilings, spotless. The owners were so friendly and helpful, the homemade Mexican food was the real deal, and breakfast was cooked fresh. Incredible value for Ubon."
The garden restaurant is another big talking point · The Outside Inn serves Thai, Mexican and Western dishes made fresh in-house, along with cocktails from house-infused vodkas and homemade liqueurs · A cooked-to-order breakfast is free with every room, with both Western options and local Isaan noodles · Many reviews point out that made-from-scratch Mexican food is a rarity in Ubon and that it is done well here — one of the reasons guests come back.
To be straight, this is a guesthouse, not a hotel, so there are limits worth knowing · There is no swimming pool, and it is a small property of around 12 rooms with modest facilities · Some reviews mention bathroom odours in a few rooms, curtains that do not close fully, and an occasional band playing in the garden that brings noise at night · The restaurant and bar close fairly early, and the entrance is hard to find without a map · If you want luxury or full hotel facilities, this is not the place.
On location · The Outside Inn sits on Suriyat Road in the Ubon city area, about a 10-minute drive from Ubon Ratchathani Airport (UBP) and only a few minutes by car from Thung Si Mueang and the central sightseeing area · It suits anyone flying in and out of Ubon who wants somewhere quiet with a garden near the airport, or drivers who want free parking · The 9.0 on Trip.com from 28 reviews and the 4.7 on TripAdvisor (ranked #2 of 37 B&Bs in Ubon) show most guests leave very happy.
In short, The Outside Inn is a owner-run garden guesthouse with spacious, clean rooms, good food and a handy location near the airport at a gentle price · It is ideal if you like a homely, personal feel and want local tips straight from the owners, and you are not fussed about a pool or upscale facilities · If you want a city hotel with a pool and full amenities, look at Laithong or one of Ubon's 5-star hotels instead · But for a small, warm stay with homemade Mexican food and hosts who care, this is a well-judged choice.
A tip from following the reviews here: turn on GPS or ask the owners for the pin before you arrive, as the entrance is hard to spot · If you are noise-sensitive, check whether a band is playing in the garden that night when you book · And do not miss the homemade Mexican food and the house cocktails — many guests call them the highlight of the stay.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Spacious rooms with high ceilings, clean, great value
- ✓ Friendly, helpful owners and staff with excellent local tips
- ✓ Good garden dining, especially the homemade Mexican food; free cooked breakfast
- ✓ Quiet, with a garden, free parking and close to Ubon airport
- ! No swimming pool; it is a small guesthouse
- ! Hard to find without GPS
- ! Occasional live band in the garden brings noise at night
- ✓ Great value, spacious guesthouse rooms at a gentle price
- ✓ Garden setting with a homely, personal feel
- ✓ Diverse food — Thai, Mexican and Western made fresh in-house
- ✓ Family-friendly, with connecting rooms available
- ! Restaurant and bar close fairly early
- ! Bathroom odours and curtains that do not close fully in a few rooms
- ! Modest facilities; not a luxury property
- 💡If you want a swimming pool or hotel-style facilities — this is a small guesthouse with no pool → choose a city hotel with a pool such as Laithong, or one of Ubon's 5-star hotels instead.
- 💡If you are noise-sensitive and a light sleeper — a band plays in the garden some nights → check when you book and ask for a room away from the restaurant area.
- 💡If you are driving or taking a taxi — the entrance is hard to find → turn on GPS or ask the owners for the pin or a photo of the entrance in advance.