Ko Phi-Phi
These cream-painted, wood-panelled bungalows come in cute pastels offset by colourful bed runners and snazzily tiled bathrooms. Most enjoy island views …
Must-see hotels in Thailand
Ko Tao
It's not really a resort and it's not the choice if what you want is a pool and a beachfront, but reliable Nadapa is bright, clean and comfortable, with…
Ko Pha-Ngan
This dark grey, sharp-angled and stylish resort leads to a slim stretch of beach away from party central. Swanky room interiors feature polished cement…
Pai Village Boutique Resort & Farm
Pai
This well-maintained, efficient place offers a luxury version of the basic backpacker bamboo bungalow. The 38 wooden huts are small but plush, with safety…
Chiangkhong Teak Garden Riverfront Hotel
Chiang Khong
Formerly known as the Ibis Styles, this is Chiang Khong's poshest hotel. The rooms are decent-sized, comfortable and come with balconies – the most…
Ao Nang
This low-slung, modernist-style, beachfront hotel offers large, comfortable rooms, some with sea views, some with direct pool access. The purple decor…
Nan
This boutique place has all-white rooms that include separate sitting rooms with a widescreen TV, and bedrooms (with yet another widescreen) that come…
Lampang
The location is perfect and the seven rooms here are spread across a well-maintained, handsome traditional wooden house and a new annexe out back in the…
Ko Chang
In a beautiful riverside house overlooking the canal, not far from the beach, this hostel has spotless mixed and female-only air-conditioned dorms and a…
Ko Pha-Ngan
Run by two highly knowledgeable Danish women (Christina and Heidi), this sociable spot offers simple, bright rooms and plenty of party preparation fun for…
Banglamphu
This huge complex, which includes a pool, fitness room and (ahem) a branch of McDonald’s, features 70 rooms that are comfortable, well equipped and…
Northeastern Thailand
Managed by a charming elderly woman who speaks good English, this place near the market is tastefully decorated, with plenty of timber finishings and…
Ko Samet
There are several options in these rows of terraced accommodation behind the main strip in Ko Samet's capital village. Rooms have firm, comfortable…
Hat Yai
The 244-room Centara is a smart choice with pool, excellent rooms, terrific service and some fine views from the upper floors. Evening live jazz in the…
Chiang Khan
This basic, traditional-style place is all creaking timber and tin roofing, and it's the inescapable wear-and-tear that makes it so cheap (fan-cooled,…
Sukhothai
It may not look like much from a distance, but a closer peek at this place reveals an inviting cluster of bright bungalows linked by an elevated wooden…
Chiang Rai Province
Down a steep dirt road 1km east of Mae Salong’s town centre (look for the orange sign), this peaceful place is a great choice if you’ve got your own…
Krabi Town
The best value of several fresh, modern guesthouses in an otherwise unremarkable block, Apo has big and bright, gleaming, minimalist-smart rooms decorated…
Ko Samui
We love the eastern vibes in this cute little hostel backing onto the beach in the heart of Mae Nam. Run by warm and friendly staff, this is the perfect…
Hua Hin & the Upper Gulf
Catering mostly to French tourists – the restaurants are decent – this upmarket hotel is right on the beach and has all the resort amenities, including…
Ko Tao
A huge mix of lodging, from simple wood fan bungalows to hotel-style rooms in a block and plush villas, this is a busy resort with nicely tended grounds,…
Nakhon Si Thammarat
The 401-room, 16-storey Twin Lotus is a good choice for those wanting to go a little more upscale in Nakhon; some rooms are a tad dated, but they are…
Ko Chang & Eastern Seaboard
This beachfront resort is at the main pier, so it's the first place you'll see when arriving from the mainland or nearby islands. Stay in white beachfront…
Khao Yai National Park
This new resort 11.5km from the national park entrance aims for peaceful relaxation, and it succeeds. To ensure this, the manager told us they will never…
Imperial Tara Mae Hong Son Resort
Mae Hong Son
The 104 rooms in this upmarket hotel all have wooden floors and balconies and are tastefully decorated. French windows that open onto terraces make a…
Ko Samui
Formerly Elements, the Avani Plus occupies a lonely stretch of palm-studded sand with views of the stunning Five Islands. The location is perfect for a…
Phitsanulok
It's not really a hostel – there are no dorm beds – but it does have decent-sized, comfortable rooms decked out in stripped wood and some industrial-chic…
Chiang Mai
A laboratory-themed boutique hostel that takes this theme very seriously. The bright, stylish common space is somewhat creepily decorated with things like…
Ko Samui
Simple whites, lacquered teak and blazing reds set the scene at this hip residency towards Chaweng’s southern sands. Wander past thick palm trunks and sky…
Phuket
Set beside a pretty patio on a leafy street 300m north of Hat Rawai, these fresh, contemporary-style rooms spiced up with colour accent walls, tiled…
Udon Thani
The rooms are simple, as you'd expect at this price, but the whole package combines to make a fantastic place to stay. Pear and Thong's hospitality, and…
Sukhothai
This boutique has a sumptuous air and features three traditional-feeling structures divided up into 13 rooms and suites placed around a lotus pond. Rooms…
Northeastern Thailand
The rooms here are clean and bright, though overall nothing special. But they can fetch these prices because they're the best in town and there are plenty…
Siam Square, Pratunam, Phloen Chit & Ratchathewi
The Pullman is a great choice for those who want to stay in a business-class hotel, but who would rather not stay 'downtown'. Rooms are smart and modern,…
Nong Khai
Just off the river in a small, beautifully restored wooden house ringed by a long veranda, this is an atmospheric place for backpackers to stay. The air…
Bangkok
Quirky, artsy, bright and fun, Silom Art Hostel combines recycled materials, unconventional furnishings and colourful wall paintings to culminate in a…
Ko Samui
An upmarket backpacker’s Shangri-La offering some of the cheapest huts around, including excellent family beachside options. The complex occupies a…
Phang-Nga Province
Open-plan thatched bungalows offer serene views across a palm-shaded garden and beach-facing infinity pool to a white strip of sand. We love the graceful,…
Hat Kata
From the crisp, fresh, contemporary rooms to the stylish, tile-floored, low-key cafe, this warm little guesthouse on central Kata's main road ticks all…
Ko Samui
It doesn’t look like much from the front, but this neat, tidy, friendly and popular place is very central, with clean fan and air-con dorm rooms and…
