Buddy Guesthouse

This review is from November 2025, posted at the end of a seven-week trip around Thailand. I felt the place was completely overpriced for what we got, and the service was awful. I'd tell people to spend their money somewhere more deserving. Our room booking was honored and we had somewhere to sleep, which is the one reason I can give it three stars. The water pressure was good, too. The room didn't match its booking description. Several amenities were missing, and it was small, dark, stuffy, run down, and poorly maintained. The receptionist was already annoyed when we asked to see the room beforehand. When we asked why it differed from what we'd booked, we were told this was the only room available. The payment process was another problem. We booked through a reputable platform and they put a hold on our credit card, so we understood payment would be handled electronically. At check-in, though, they demanded the full week's cost in cash, upfront. We only had enough for the deposit and first night, which was also the cancellation fee. Even though they had no contractual risk, they insisted we go to an ATM after sunset and pay everything in cash in advance. It felt like they didn't trust us, while we were being asked to pay more for less and worry they could charge the card too, leaving us to pay twice. That was a horrible start to Chiang Mai. All our other stays in Thailand accepted digital payments, so this undisclosed policy seemed out of step. There was dust under the bed, webs on the ceiling, and mould. The free Wi-Fi didn't work, there wasn't enough space to unpack, and both the towels and bedding were stained. At THB 900 a night, it was way overpriced. We moved to another guesthouse for the rest of our time in Chiang Mai, where THB 600 got us much better facilities. They denied our request for a partial refund 🙃, and we left feeling scammed and taken advantage of.