When I book travel accommodations, I am more inclined towards guesthouses and homestays than hotels. I like staying in local traditional houses to get a feel of how the locals lived.
Since I was going to Thailand, I was really looking forward to staying in one of those traditional teak houses but I couldn’t find any on Airbnb.
[use this referral link to get S$45 travel credit when you book your first homestay with Airbnb, this travel credit can be used to offset part of future Airbnb bookings]
I fell in love with Fundee Story Guesthouse’s listing on Airbnb at first sight. These bamboo huts are built in Lanna-style, which is one of the most traditional type of Thai house you can find.
It is located in the Old Town of Chiang Mai yet far away from the main street so the environment is quiet.
A standing piece of woven wooden board serves as the front door. From the front entrance, you will see a counter to the left where you can book tours. There is a raised platform to the right where you can chill out and relax. There is a small winding path in between the counter and resting area which leads to the back where the bamboo huts are.
The bamboo huts are numbered 1 to 7 so it is easy to locate your hut. There is a small wind charm outside every bamboo hut and a lone orange jessamine tree perfumes the whole area.
The bamboo huts are built on bamboo stilts so you will have to climb a few steps to get into the hut. If you have large suitcases, it can be quite a challenge. There is a mosquito net hanging from the ceiling if you want to use. The queen-sized mattress on the floor is fitted with clean bedsheet and there are two rolled towels on the bed. There is a fan diagonally opposite the bed and there are three power outlets in the room.
The attached bathroom is simplistic, made of cement flooring and surrounded by bamboo. There is a small basin, hot and cold water and clean seating toilet.
There isn’t much breakfast, just bananas and a local snack of glutinous rice and custard wrapped in banana leave. There is hot water with which you can make 3-in-1 coffee.
The owner, Ploy, is very responsive and we communicated via WhatsApp. The Chiang Mai 1 Day Tour she helped me book was good.
You don’t need to set alarm when staying in Fundee Story Guesthouse. There is a rooster in the compound, which starts to crow at 6 in the morning.
Fundee Story Guesthouse has excellent location, responsive host and basic amenities. The only problem is no air-conditioning which is a major problem in Thailand’s humid weather. Even through there is a fan, it doesn’t help much. Even the air from the fan is warm! I often wake up in the middle of the night covered in sweat.
All in all, Fundee Story Guesthouse is a good place to stay if you like living in traditional houses and you are not bothered about the heat.
Fundee Story Guesthouse
Address: 16 Samlan Road Soi 7, Tambon Phra Singh, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, Chang Wat, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
[use this referral link to get S$45 travel credit when you book your first homestay with Airbnb, this travel credit can be used to offset part of future Airbnb bookings]”
