Siam Tara Resort

This hotel is unique and needs to be experienced. I've lived in Chiang Khong for most of the last year and stayed at the three obvious best riverside hotels. I don't know of anything else like this in this part of Thailand. My impression was that the owner didn't need our money for the hotel to exist, though I met him and we never discussed money. The price is the price, with a wide range of rooms from very nice and basic to very luxurious, and rates that match. They all share the same lovely pool, and there's a dining room. A river walk in town has been there for years and is being renewed and extended. I used it to walk here from the other side of town, but it's far from finished, so about half the route meant walking on dirt. That's not how you'd normally get here. The hotel is on a paved road and an easy ride from anywhere in town. I walked back across town on the paved roads.

I've stayed at Siam Tara Resort four times now, and it's become my place to unwind by the pool and in the gardens. After 33 years living in Thailand, I know how much I need a good spot like this from time to time. John, the owner, told me the resort's wood is all reclaimed timber, including the four-poster beds in every room. Each room also has a Persian carpet at the foot of the bed, and those are for sale. I hope you enjoy your stay as much as I do.

We stayed in a cabin and liked the attention to detail, from the reclaimed teak floors to the carved panels under the handrails. The owners were nice and very accommodating. There's a very nice pool just outside the modern two-story hotel.

After a long journey, we were made to feel very welcome at this lovely hotel. The rooms were spacious and very clean, and the bed was comfortable. Dinner was tasty, and the live music in the restaurant was fun. The next morning, the owner drove us to catch the bus to Chiang Rai. A really nice place to stay.