Bann Tawan Hostel Chiang Rai

The main attraction here is the central location, and for this price range I found it acceptable plus. Across the road, the building and park have fitness and tai chi classes, including one on Wednesday that I saw. The hotel layout is a little odd, with massage beds in the entrance and lobby, though that didn't affect the room or stay. Our room was small for two and a bit tired. The sheets were stained and need replacing, and the wall could use fresh paint. The aircon worked well and the bed was very comfortable. The shower drained slowly.

The location near the city center was the one good point. I booked three rooms at the last minute for 750 baht each. The reception ladies weren't very friendly, and the rooms were small and basic. The beds were hard, and the showers had no water pressure. It was okay for the price, but quite disappointing, and I wouldn't recommend it unless you're after somewhere very basic to stay.

The room had what I needed, including a comfortable bed, good AC, a hot shower, and a fridge. It was cleaned daily and generally quite clean, though there was a small, barely noticeable stain on the bed cover. There was no room safe, so I used padlocks on my backpack zips as a precaution, even though people around there seemed very honest. I stayed three nights in Chiang Ria. It was peaceful, and restaurants and the night bazaar were about a five-minute walk away. The TV remote wasn't great, and I couldn't get Netflix to work, so I used YouTube instead. The Wi-Fi was good. Good value.

Right in central Chiang Rai and very cheap, which is a real plus. The entrance is a little odd: to reach the rooms, you go down a corridor that seems to have massage tables. The bathroom also flooded whenever I showered, so I had to keep showers short. The bed was on the firm side, and the rooms could use a deep clean. For a budget stay, it's an okay deal if you're prepared for the unusual layout.