Aomsin Guesthouse

The mountain surroundings are the main thing this place has going for it. We booked one night because we'd been to the nightclub next door the evening before, and with no taxis around, moving somewhere else seemed safer. The club and guest house are reportedly owned by the same people. It shuts around midnight to 12:30, and the mostly local crowd, largely aged 18-30, cleared out quickly. People were friendly and welcoming, with no fights or trouble, though a few in the young crowd looked underage. The rooms are large, but worn down, in need of paint, and not cleaned well. We got a knock at 8:30 in the morning asking us to leave so the room could be cleaned, even though checkout was 10:30. They hurried us out, then the cleaner spent only about two minutes in the room and didn't change the bedding. The tiled walkways were very dusty from the nearby road, and with no outdoor seating, there wasn't really anywhere to sit outside. There was no food or drink at the guest house, and the only small nearby market had no hot food. A fan room was 90k kip for one night, or 120k kip for air conditioning.

We had no real choice but to stay because it was already dark and our driver needed a rest. For our group of six, the rooms were poor even by local standards. The first two rooms we were shown had insects all over the walls. One replacement room had a front door whose two locks didn't line up, so neither could be locked. The bathroom water barely trickled, and the room clearly hadn't been dusted up high for a long time. The bed was comfortable, but the blanket barely covered it. Staff should walk through the rooms at the start of a shift so they know what guests are facing at check-in.

At 60,000 kip a night, the room felt like it should have cost more than the other places we'd stayed. It was spacious, clean, and looked almost new, with a ceiling fan and attached bathroom. Both hot and cold water were available. There were no mosquito screens on the windows, and the location was a bit inconvenient, with no shops or restaurants within walking distance. There was a restaurant across from the guesthouse, but it was closed when we arrived. Na Hin village is a short drive away.

The staff were friendly, I have to admit. Still, the room had insects all over the walls and a used condom under the bed. We left for another hotel after just an hour. A very local experience :D