Mali's Room

The room was spacious and nice, with hot water and a balcony overlooking a wat and the market. But there was no TV, and the internet was really bad. Fix the wifi and it would be a nice place to stay, right by the night market.

The bathroom had such an overwhelming mold smell that we only used the shower for 10 seconds before getting out. We turned off the AC because it smelled moldy too, and seeing outside made that unsurprising. There was black mold, and I could immediately feel it in my throat. I’m a backpacker and not very picky, but this level of hygiene is unacceptable. It looked like the place hadn’t been deep-cleaned in months. At least the bed seemed clean, and the location was nice, but that wasn’t worth risking our health. If we’d found out sooner, we would definitely have left.

The room isn’t new, but it’s practical and everything works. It has a good refrigerator, always-hot water, and plenty of light from the balcony. Housekeeping does an excellent job, leaving the room spotless, with fresh towels and water bottles every day. You can also get free shampoo and soap from a basket in the lobby. I’ve tried more expensive Chiang Mai hotels and keep coming back here. It’s worth every penny. The area is quiet, away from the main street and opposite a beautiful temple. The lobby is big, airy, and pleasant, with free coffee and distilled water to enjoy while you relax. I highly recommend a balcony room, which costs only around 500 baht more depending on the season.

I didn’t hate my stay, and the location was quiet and convenient. The rooms were clean when requested, and there was no mold, bed bugs, or construction. The bed was uncomfortable, though, with hard springs. The water was cold unless I only turned it on partway. I didn’t figure that out until after the first two days. The lady owner had an attitude at least half the time, and I wouldn’t come expecting warm or welcoming staff. Requests got a negative look, though they did a good job cleaning when asked. I was on the second floor and paid an extra $20 to upgrade, but the balcony didn’t look like the picture. They did let me switch from a twin to a queen at no charge, so I didn’t argue about the misleading photos. A man smoked inside the lobby each morning, though staff didn’t, and everyone else smoked outside where they should. Thankfully, no one smoked by my balcony. The balcony is too small to hang much laundry, and in the shade it won’t dry. You can hang things on the roof, where they dry fast in the sun, but I had to find the roof myself because they wouldn’t help when I asked. You can get a better experience in a cheaper room if it’s discounted or on special, but the balcony still won’t look like the pictures. At the price they list now, there are similar places for half as much. I’d stay longer at a lower price. I’d booked last minute because most places were sold out, but I wasn’t unhappy with my stay.