Monchapaplearn Monjam

The breakfast was quite large and tasty, probably the only good part of my stay. Otherwise, it was wet, cold, and uncomfortable, and nothing like the photos online. I paid 8000 THB per night, nearly 250$ per night, and don’t think it was worth it. The place has potential, but it needs proper maintenance, care, and management that understands hospitality. We booked the most expensive villa for one night, around 8000 THB, expecting it to be the highlight of the trip. It looked dreamy on Instagram. I’d considered staying two nights, but I’m glad we didn’t. I’ve been living in Thailand for more than a year, have travelled around the country, and know what good hospitality and Thai service usually feel like. I usually don’t write bad reviews, but I trusted the online photos and videos and wish I’d seen something more realistic before booking. We arrived before check-in and were allowed to leave our bags. When we came back, the lobby staff could barely speak English, which surprised me for a place that hosts tourists every day. At the villa, the staff member dropped us off and left without explaining anything, most likely because he couldn’t speak English. The room itself was okay, but the outside was a shock: dirty walls, old and poorly maintained furniture, a wet, damaged table, and surfaces that hadn’t been properly wiped or cleaned. The bathroom and shower share one space, so even the toilet area stays wet. Inside the main room, the light kept flickering and the air conditioner barely worked. I can’t imagine sleeping comfortably here in warmer weather. The pictures show sunny, warm weather in October and November, but it’s actually cloudy, rainy, and cold then. That felt misleading. Maybe January-February would be worth visiting just for photos, when it’s dry, though the place already looks worn out compared with the online pictures. Afternoon tea was supposedly included, but nobody offered it, so I had to ask. When it finally arrived, the staff nearly put everything on a soaking wet table, which I had to clean before we could eat. They brought the Thai BBQ with no utensils or grilling tools. I messaged for help and waited over 2 hours for a reply. Instead of asking what we needed, they only asked whether we’d received the afternoon tea. We couldn’t really enjoy the BBQ without tools, and there wasn’t even a fork in the villa. They delivered afternoon tea and dinner to the villa, then never came back for the dishes or leftovers. Everything stayed outside all night in wind and rain, looking messy and unpleasant. In the morning they wanted to serve breakfast outside again, despite the rain and wind, with the earlier dishes still there and completely wet. We ate in bed because it was the only dry, clean place left to sit. This isn’t my first villa stay in Chiang Mai, so I have comparisons. The hospitality here fell far short. It felt like they host so many tourists each day that they no longer care.

The view and atmosphere were lovely, but the poor service and cleanliness left me very disappointed. I paid 3,990thb for a room with a pool, booked almost a month ahead to celebrate my early birthday with my boyfriend visiting from Australia. When I arrived at 16:30, the pool was dirty and the air conditioning didn’t work. Someone at the front desk asked a staff member to check it. For about an hour, he just kept pressing the remote. When I asked what I was waiting for and what the result would be, he went back to the front and didn’t return. I later saw him serving Mu Kra ta in another room. I called the front desk again for an update. He told me there wasn’t enough electricity for the resort’s air conditioning, but the air-con in the next room was working. Then he asked, “What do you want me to do? If you’re not okay I will return your money.” I was extremely upset. It was nearly dark, and we’d have to go out and find another hotel. In the end, he refunded me and said sorry.

It was a really peaceful, laidback stay. The staff were very helpful in arranging transport back to the centre. I appreciated it!

We stayed in Baan Cherdoi (Villa), and the fantastic view made it a great place to relax and do nothing. The room didn’t disappoint, with acceptable water pressure, though there were no cups. Wifi and Data are reception were acceptable. Mookata was good value for money. It was an easy drive up and Google map was accurate, but the signs to the resort were poor. The drive took about 1hr 17min. Self drive is recommended, since getting transport back to the city can be tricky with no Grab service in the area. Food may take some planning because they only provide Breakfast & diner, which are chargeable. We had to sort out lunch ourselves, though there’s a small cafe a short walk down the slope. Overall, we had a good experience.