Piya Guesthouse

The large rooms are very close to town, and the pool is lovely for cooling off after a pleasant walk around the small lake. There’s a common room with books and a ground level balcony looking over the lake. The white bedsheets smelled really nice, which made the night that much better.

The chalet style rooms are basic, but they had everything I needed. This small guesthouse/hotel looks over the lake in Mae Hong Son, with the mountains beyond. After the arduous trek through the mountains from Chiang Mai, it’s a great place to unwind. Bring swimming trunks if you want to refresh yourself in the small pool.

The room felt a little dark, which was the one downside for me. Otherwise, it’s right on the lake and just steps from the night market, with big rooms and a very nice, clean pool. There’s a free coffee machine in the common room, and the reception girls spoke some English.

I’ve stayed here many times, and the owners make it feel like home. It’s a lovely, cosy family business run by local people in the centre of town. For me, the location is the best in town, right beside the lake and temple.