Hotel Queen Jamadevi

The detached bungalows cost a few dollars extra, and I thought they were worth it. Their wide verandas look out over gardens, with nature all around. The quiet setting and friendly staff made for a thoroughly enjoyable stay. Some general upkeep and cleanliness were lacking, though. A few walls were dirty and needed fresh paint, and several maintenance issues had been left unattended. Still, the surroundings and service earned this place a solid four stars.

Getting around is easiest with a car and driver or a rented motorcycle, since the hotel is a little isolated. The riverside area is no more than a 15-minute drive away. The traditional-style building is beautiful, and breakfast in the morning was absolutely delicious. I was especially interested in the vegetable garden. They even grow their own corn!

It's a motorbike ride out of town, but I still think the hotel is worth the trip. Staff were really friendly and helpful, and spoke great English if that's something you need. Our room was spacious, with working A/C and a wall-mounted flat screen TV. It only had about 13 channels, but three or four were in English and one was HBO. The bathroom was clean, attractive, and roomy. The shower had hot water, though as in many places in Asia, it wasn't separated from the rest of the bathroom by a door or curtain. Breakfast was tasty, as was the one dinner we had at the restaurant.

One of our rooms had so many mosquitoes that I couldn't give the stay five stars. Apart from that, the rooms were spacious and comfortable, and the staff were helpful. Breakfast was quite good, and the garden seating was nice for meals or an evening drink. It's a bit far from town, but taxis make getting around easy. They also arranged a very friendly, helpful guide for the day. Pao Mon is an eight-minute walk away, with an amazing cooking class and very good local food.