Guesthouse of Love - Come as a guest leave as family

Guesthouse of Love – “Come as a guest, leave as family”

 Business Name and what it does :

Wassana Sitdharma Guesthouse is a budget accommodation business located in Trang Province, south of Thailand. Established in 2008 by Mrs. Watanyou Chingchit, the guesthouse was created with a vision to develop a large block of land that was full of industrial rubbish, overgrown, and abandoned. Mrs. Chingchit’s goal was to turn the land into a beautiful place that everyone could enjoy, offering budget accommodation that anyone could afford.

Trang Province is easily accessible with flights from Bangkok, and the guesthouse is only a seven-minute drive from Trang Airport. The town of Trang is also conveniently located nearby, just a ten to fifteen-minute drive away. With thirty rooms available, the guesthouse offers both long-term and short-term stays for both Thais and foreigners.

 Business Strategies :

The guesthouse is situated in a quiet and peaceful environment, surrounded by nature. With four ponds, trees, and a lawn within almost one acre, guests can take a stroll, breathe in fresh air, and connect with nature. The guesthouse is also pet-friendly, making it a great option for pet owners who want to travel with their furry friends.

 Founder’s/Owner’s story and what motivated them to start the business :
 Unfortunately, in 2022, Mrs. Chingchit suffered a stroke and could no longer run the business. Myself, Hanny, her daughter, together with my sister Pe’Kai keep the business running with a powerful motivation as a place that provides the opportunity to do good deeds. Our goal is to run the business with love and kindness, and help more people as much as we can. It also provides jobs to many kinds of local workers, cleaners and tradesmen.  It’s also a home for few stray dogs. The customers are so happy here. This place is a blessing for me.

 The challenges the business/market is facing :

With more accommodation available in Trang now and the age of the guesthouse, we face high competition, closer to the town. Unfortunately, the public transport in Trang Province is not great. Customers with no cars choose accommodation that has easy to access to the town. With this negative aspect, there is an opportunity to do a good deed. We provide motorbikes to customers free of charge. They just pay for the petrol. We are proud to offer this service to our customers. While there is no income generated from this service, the guesthouse owners believe that it’s important to help each other, even with small things.

 The opportunities the business/market is facing :

As a pet friendly accommodation, customers who are pet lovers also have a good place to stay. Nowadays, there are many more customers travelling with pets, but many accommodations do not allow pets. This is another opportunity for us to do a good deed to animals, and allow pet lovers to travel with their loved one.

Over the past 15 years, Wassana Sitdharma Guesthouse has built strong bonds with its customers, both Thai and foreign. Many customers return to the guesthouse every year, especially retired Europeans who stay for one or two months during the winter season. The affordable prices and peaceful environment make it an ideal place to stay for an extended period. For those who prefer to cook for themselves, the guesthouse also provides a kitchen free of charge.

Advice to others about business :

In 2023, the guesthouse received the Traveller Review Awards from Booking.com, which is awarded to businesses that provide exceptional services beyond traditional accommodation. From ten thousand hotels worldwide on the Booking.com platform, the guesthouse was chosen by customers who appreciated the love and care that the guesthouse owners provide. The award is a testament to the guesthouse’s commitment to providing excellent service to its customers.

Wassana Sitdharma Guesthouse also won four badges from Travelmyth awards, which is a hotel search engine that offers personalized recommendations based on users’ interests and needs. The awards were given in four categories: Adult Only, Dog-Friendly, Parking, and 3-Star. Winning these awards highlights the guesthouse’s unique features and ability to meet customers’ diverse needs

 Lessons learnt from running  this business :

Running the guesthouse has not only allowed the owners to develop various skills, but it has also been a spiritual journey and experience. Although there are challenges and problems that arise, maintaining good deeds and kindness can turn negatives into positives and lead to excellent outcomes.

For anyone looking for a peaceful and relaxing vacation in the south of Thailand, Trang Province and Wassana Sitdharma Guesthouse are excellent options. The guesthouse’s commitment to providing a unique experience that is both budget-friendly and welcoming to pets is a testament to its values of love and kindness. With many beautiful attractions to explore and friendly locals, Trang Province is an excellent destination for anyone looking to connect with nature and experience the kindness of Thai hospitality.

You can find us on facebook page : Wassana Sit Dharma Guesthouse

Ksenia Sobchak
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Ksenia Sobchak, BA (Hons) Fashion Communication: Fashion Journalism, Central Saint Martins

Ksenia Sobchak enjoys blogging on fashion, style, lifestyle, love and CBD areas. Prior to becoming a blogger, Ksenia worked for a renowned fashion brand. Ksenia is a contributing author to leading fashion, lifestyle and CBD magazines and blogs. You can bump into Ksenia at her favourite cafe in South Kensington where she has written most blogs. Ksenia is a staunch advocate of CBD and its benefits to people. Ksenia is also on the panel of CBD reviewers at CBD Life Mag and Chill Hempire. Her favourite form of CBD are CBD gummies and CBD tinctures. Ksenia is a regular contributor at leading fashion, lifestyle as well as CBD magazines and blogs.

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