Top North

I stayed for a week and really enjoyed it. I asked for a quiet room and got one. I also liked the mix of guests, from older expats to Thai families and younger foreign visitors. The breakfast ladies by the pool were very friendly. For 80thb, there are two basic egg choices or a Thai porridge option. The rooms have back balconies, though I’m not sure whether smokers can use them. Housekeeping brings water daily, and the hot water worked fine. The standard rooms are cheap if you book early. They have functional furniture and bathroom fittings dating from the 1970s, plus a fridge, AC, and small safe. There are more modern rooms at a higher price. The beds are hard, and I think they should replace the old spring mattresses or at least add foam toppers. The pool is maintained and has plenty of fairly new patio chairs, but its tiles need fixing. This is a typical family-run Thai budget hotel, and it was a great deal for what I paid, under $30 USD a night in high season. If you expect the Ritz Carlton at hostel prices, you should stay somewhere else.

The hotel is dated, but it has a certain charm, and the location really makes it. We got home to Hua Hin tonight after spending the last five days here. It’s centrally placed by Phae Gate, where we were lucky to find the Flower Festival happening right outside. It’s a great base for seeing the city, and Chiang Rai is easy to get to as well. The staff were very friendly.

The pool could use work, and it’s hard to see how it got into that condition, though you can still get in and cool off. The location is superb, and the staff have been incredibly flexible and accommodating for us. These five stars aren’t saying it’s a five-star hotel. For what you pay, it’s what it should be. The rooms aren’t what you’d get at the Marriott, of course.

A lovely hotel in a great area, with a really spacious pool area and very friendly staff.