Northern Thailand Accommodations

Guesthouse signs sprout from almost every soi entrance within a 1km radius of Tha Pae Gate. Be sure to make a reservation during festival periods (see Holidays and Festivals), the largest of which are the three-day Flower Festival in early February and the four-day Songkran Water Festival (Thai New Year) in mid-April, when certain guesthouses inflate their prices. Each neighborhood in the city hosts a number of comfortable and inexpensive accommodations. The area around Tha Pae Gate is close to everything, although the drone of traffic and bar tunes can be distracting. Heading north from Tha Pae Gate on Moon Muang Rd. leads to Soi 7 and 9 in the old city; both are quiet at night and packed with budget choices. The pace near the night bazaar is frenetic, and it’s difficult to find budget lodgings. More affordable accommodations lie along quiet soi near the Ping river, 10min. away from the night bazaar. Expensive guesthouses will often give sizeable discounts on long-term accommodations. For large groups staying for extended periods of time, this can be significantly more cost-effective than staying in guesthouses.

• Within The Moat (The Old City)

Libra Guest House, 28 Moon Muang Rd. Soi 9 (}/fax 053 210 687). With a convenient location and large rooms arranged around a courtyard, this family-run guesthouse is one of the best options in Chiang ...more

• East Of The Old City

Eagle House, 16 Chang Moi Kao Rd. Soi 3 (☎ 053 874 126; www.eaglehouse.com). Walk east on the soi adjacent to the northernmost bridge on Chaiyaphum Rd., and take a right immediately after the ruined ...more