Arbor S House

The worst booking experience of my life. When I arrived, the hall was empty, with no staff or owner around. Other guests said the owner’s husband lived next door. I spoke with him, but he couldn’t help me check in, so I went back to the empty hall. Then the owner showed up and shouted at me, insulted and threatened me, told me to go back to my country, and called the police because I asked whether I could check in at 1pm instead of 2pm. The police actually arrived while I was looking for somewhere else to stay. At that point the owner suddenly changed her manner and seemed quiet and reasonable.

The mountain-view room has an amazing swinging bed and seems like the best value in the area. There are 50 steps up to it, but we’re both 75 and managed them comfortably, so a few stairs shouldn’t be a problem if you’re okay with them. Tell your taxi driver the destination is Arbors House, and don’t use the co-ordinates on the Airbnb website. With Google Maps for guidance, we walked to both the Old City and Maya shopping centre. I think the earlier negative reviews are grossly unfair. We’d definitely stay again when we visit beautiful Chiang Mai.

The shared bathrooms and toilets were clean, the design is nicely Japanese, and the staff and owners were lovely. Free tea and coffee, and rabbits!! Just be careful when booking, since you might get a room without a window. Definitely recommend.

The location is great: quiet, but an easy walk to restaurants, BBQ stalls, laundromats, massage places, and a gym. The decor is stylish, the common areas and bathrooms are very clean, and the friendly, funny hosts made my two-week stay a good one. There are lots of adorable animals around too, so it’s a little paradise for pet lovers. I’d suggest booking a room with a window. My windowless one took a lot of effort to air out, and the shared showers could use more hooks. There’s no early check-in, and the place feels more like a self-service hostel. Room cleaning is only once a week, and you have to ask for it, which is inconvenient. Door signs saying “Please Clean” would help. The walls are very thin, so noise from other guests can be a problem. I had late-night arrivals and chitchats disturbing me. The private rooms feel like hotel rooms, but remember it’s still a HOSTEL. Despite those small flaws, I’d recommend it for the charming vibe and location.