Pai
This collection of old A-frame bungalows and some newer ones, all with thatched roofs, is set on the edge of a photogenic rice field. The older ones are a…
Must-see hotels in Northern Thailand
Northern Thailand
Also known as the Grand River Resort, this is one of a handful of ‘resorts’ on the western bank of the Mae Nam Ping set up for Thai tourists. There’s a…
Chiang Rai Province
This resort has comfortable but compact bungalows perched on a hillside. The covered porches give great views of the tea plantations below: the views are…
Chiang Khong
This place looks a little ragged, and the fixtures and fittings are dated, but the four fan rooms and six air-cooled rooms here come with balconies and it…
Pai
An old-school backpacker crash pad, Giant has ramshackle and fan-cooled bamboo bungalows stationed around a large riverside garden, as well as a few…
Chiang Rai Province
This long-standing collection of mostly fan-cooled, rustic, bamboo bungalows sits by the dirty Mae Nam Sai, just across from Myanmar. The bungalows vary…
Chiang Rai Province
On a steep hillside approaching an Akha village is this beautifully situated yet underwhelming hotel. Accommodation ranges from shared-bathroom, fan…
Northern Thailand
It feels rather dated now, but Kamphaeng Phet’s grandest hotel does offer river views from most of its rooms. All are decent sized and come with balconies…
Sukhothai
In the splendid 50-year-old wooden home of the proprietor, the simple but comfortable rooms here – both the fan-cooled ones in the original structure and…
Tak Province
Primarily catering to Thai tourists, Phudoi has bungalows and rooms set on a well-landscaped hillside. The log-cabin-style bungalows can be dark, but do…
Chiang Rai
The rooms in this handsome villa, located just west of the city centre, aren’t as charming as the exterior suggests, and the cheapest share bathrooms,…
Chiang Rai Province
The best place to stay in Ban Thoet Thai is Rim Taan Guest House, located off the main road through town. The bungalows range from basic, fan-cooled…
Pai
This is one of Pai’s longest-standing guesthouses. Mr Jan's 10 rooms are set around an eccentric garden full of trimmed hedges. Avoid the cheapest ones,…
Pai
Palm House has nine fan-cooled or air-con rooms in a two-storey compound on a quiet lane. The rooms are plain – with white walls and tiled floors – but…
Northern Thailand
At this old-school Thai hotel – the air-con units are museum pieces – the rooms are dated, with tired wooden furniture and spongy foam mattresses. But…
Pai
This self-professed ‘boutique house’ has nicely decorated and comfortable rooms in a two-storey villa, but only a few of them have windows. The cheapest…
Mae Hong Son Province
Two dozen homes in Mae La-Na have collaborated to form a homestay programme; fees go back into a community fund. Meals can be prepared for 100B per person…
Sukhothai Province
The rooms here are featureless but tidy, and the expansive bungalows are great for families. There's no English-language sign, but you can’t miss the…
Lampang
One of a crop of new midrange places located outside the city centre, the Hop Inn is just across the road from Lampang's bus station. This chain hotel has…
Mae Hong Son
A long-standing budget option, Friend House has simple but spotless fan-cooled, mattress-on-the-floor rooms. The more expensive ones are larger and come…
Mae Hong Son Province
P&P has 14 rooms on stilts, all linked by elevated walkways. Rooms are wood-panelled and a litltle dark, but the beds and bathrooms are OK. There's an…
Pai
The characterless but sizeable and well-maintained rooms here have comfy beds, modern bathrooms and big balconies. All are set in a secluded compound of…
Mae Hong Son Province
This guesthouse is the cheapest Mae Sariang digs with river views, with 11 rooms that are simple but reasonably sized and with hot-water bathrooms. Only…
Sukhothai
Located above a decent cafe close to the Sukhothai Historical Park, the five well-maintained wood-panelled rooms here have plenty of space, with fine…
Lampang
Chita is another of Lampang's guesthouses located above a cafe. Rooms are old-fashioned and compact, especially the cheapest ones, which share a bathroom…
Northern Thailand
This towering hotel located just outside the old city feels a little institutional with its narrow corridors. Outside the imposing lobby, it looks like a…
Pai
Located in a little forecourt behind the Israeli restaurant of the same name, the nine rooms here are almost mini-apartments, with their own separate…
Phitsanulok
The compact dorms at this friendly hostel have bathrooms and small lockers. The beds are hard – a theme of Phitsanulok hostels – and the location close to…
Sukhothai Province
A local artist has opened her family’s home/studio to guests. A single room, separate from the house, is equipped with private bath and air-con. Look for…
Sukhothai
This place within walking distance of the old city has cheap fan rooms that don't see a lot of natural light; they're also plain and bare, with hard beds…
Phayao
Gateway is ostensibly Phayao’s grandest hotel, with big rooms that boast a slightly faded midrange/business feel, while including all the amenities you'd…
Nan
The Sukkasem Hotel is located on a busy street (by Nan standards, anyway), with modern, minimalist-feeling rooms that have wood floors and white walls…
Sukhothai
Rueangsrisiri has 53 rooms spread across two blocks just steps away from the bus station. The dorms come with small lockers and clean shared bathrooms…
Phitsanulok
Despite the Lithai re-inventing itself as a 'boutique hotel', its tiled-floor rooms remain plain and no-frills, lacking both character and decoration…
Pai
Villa De Pai has 19 unexceptional, compact and sturdy wood-and-bamboo bungalows with hammocks on their terraces. All are fan-cooled. It's in the heart of …
Chiang Rai Province
Anonymous Tararin is reminiscent of a 1980s American motel, with rooms grouped around a large car park. The rooms are a tad old-fashioned but the location…
Pai
This well-groomed compound near the river features nine plain and parquet-floored rooms and six spacious and simple A-frame bungalows. They're set in an…
Chiang Khong
The cheaper rooms here are closet-sized, fan-cooled and share bathrooms, but the rooms with air-con have more leg room, not to mention TVs, fridges and…
Mae Hong Son Province
Centrally located in Soppong, Lemonhill Garden has a spread of faded and worn accommodation that backs onto the Nam Lang. Some rooms are in better…
Pai
This friendly new hostel has a couple of eight-bed dorms and three private rooms. Dorms are windowless and a little cramped, but come with their own…
