Baanlek Home Stay

The family feel really makes this place, with owners who are warm and always ready to help. Baanlek Homestay has a lovely landscaped house and courtyard that invite you to sit and stay awhile. The rooms are lovingly furnished and clean, and it’s pleasantly quiet despite being close to the old town. We can definitely recommend staying here.

For about $25 per room per night, we got a very reasonable deal. It’s not the Ritz, but it doesn’t need to be. The essentials were all there for me: AC, a comfortable bed, modern toilet, a good shower, and free WiFi. The owners were gracious and polite, and the rooms were comfortable with the amenities needed for a pleasant stay. It’s around a five-minute walk to the southern gate of the old city, with lots of food and shopping nearby. The hotel sits off a relatively quiet side street, and there’s a laundry a block away, plus plenty of coffee shops and restaurants within about a block. One idea for the owner: sell drinks and snacks in the lobby to bring in a little extra income.

Mr Lek and his wife were warm, friendly, and helpful, and we liked the wooden Thai-style house. The location was handy too, just a nine-minute walk to the Chiang Mai gate and night market. We were there around New Year, and despite the lack of sound insulation between rooms and from outside, the neighbourhood was quiet enough that outside noise didn’t significantly interrupt our sleep. The room itself was disappointing. Power outlets were old, worked badly, and were awkwardly placed. There was an old TV with a fully damaged screen, which we didn’t need and didn’t enjoy having take up space. The AC was old and loud. There were no glass windows, only wooden latches opening onto a shared gallery. Breakfast isn’t available, which is a shame, especially if you have to leave early, since an in-house option would be nice. Good food is easy to find throughout Thailand.

The room was clean and comfortable, and they let me wash and park my bike. Lak and his wife were very kind and hospitable. It’s really close to the night market and convenient for getting into Old Town.