Mae Hong Son

Mae Hong Son

Mae Hong Son has plenty of accommodation but given its size, surprisingly few really good places to stay. You don't see the range of choice you get in Pai, nor are there the excellent spots that you see in Soppong. The Tourism Authority of Thailand office in Mae Hong Son will happily give you a map of town showing some 50 hotels and guesthouses, but only a scanty selection remains by the time you eliminate the following: motel-like blocks that are probably short-time trade only, fancy Thai resorts with only Thai script signs, hotels that operate a two-tier pricing system (charging supplements because you're foreign), and backpacker spots built 15 or 20 years ago that don't have the word maintenance in their vocabularies.

There is commonly a seasonal rate system in place, so you'll find some good deals in low season but overpriced ones during the high. Several decent mid-range choices are scattered around town and a whole bunch of budget spots are concentrated around the lake side, but bear in mind that whatever impression other guides may give, none of them are really by the lake, which is surrounded by a public park and then a road on three sides, so the best you're going to do is one of the places to the north, which actually looks on to it.

If you have a desire to stay in the suburbs of a small Thai provincial town then great -- go for it -- though unless you like long walks home fighting off suburban dog packs or hiring motorbikes just to go and drink a beer, maybe think twice! Some pretty good possibilities are in the villages surrounding the town, but then again, if you wanted to be in a small village, why didn't you just stay in Soppong? Mae Hong Son is a lovely spot, but do keep in mind that Western tourism seems to have peaked here around 10 years ago. Most new trade is Thai and no one's bothered too much to build anything new targetting foreigners or to even maintain what were decent guesthouses back in the day.

Backpacker
Under 600B
81%
3 votes
 

Piya Guest House - Great location
1/1 Khunlumphrapat Soi 3, Mae Hong Son
T: (053) 611 260; F: (053) 612 308
Piya Guest House is set in a top spot across the road from Mae Hong Son's lake right in the centre of town. It has very clean, heavily furnished rooms -- many have TVs and all come with air-con. The ... Piya Guest House complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
80%
1 vote
 

The Residence - Odd location for a decent hotel
41/4 Nivespisarn Road, Mae Hong Son
T: (053) 614 100; F: (053) 614 177
Located down the street past the market, just before the entrance to Mae Hong Son's airport, this is an odd spot for what is a very nice hotel. It's not the most scenic part of town but very few ... The Residence complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
80%
1 vote
 

Ngamta Hotel - Central and spotless
5-9 Khunlumpapas Rd
T: (053) 612 794;
Located at the junction of Khunlumpapas Road, (a road rumoured never to have had its name spelt the same way twice and so henceforth referred to as the high street) and Udom Chaonithet Road, ... Ngamta Hotel complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
80%
1 vote
 

Jongkham Place - Wooden chalets near the lake
4/2 Odon Chaonithat Road
T: (053) 614 294;
A welcome fresh entry into the Mae Hong Son accommodation scene, Jongkham Place may only have a handful of chalets but they are quite lovely wooden ones set in a pleasant garden near (but not by) the ... Jongkham Place complete profile

Midrange
1,500B to 4,000B
80%
1 vote
 

Imperial Tara Mae Hong Son Hotel - Big hotel style
149 Moo 8, Tambon Pang Moo
T: (053) 684 444; F: (053) 684 440
A large chain hotel, Imperial Tara has all the accoutrements of the genre: pool, fitness room, sauna, restaurants, conference rooms, gardens backing on to the river and courteous staff. The modern, ... Imperial Tara Mae Hong Son Hotel complete profile

Midrange
1,500B to 4,000B
80%
1 vote
 

Baiyoke Chalet - Good central mid-range option
90 Khunlamprapas Rd
T: (053) 613 132-9; F: (053) 611 533
Not to be confused with Baiyoke Tower, which is much bigger and located in Bangkok, Baiyoke Chalet has a very central location on the main street, just down from the 7-Eleven and diagonally opposite ... Baiyoke Chalet complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
71%
1 vote
 

Jongkham Guest House - Good budget choice
7 Odon Chaonithat Road
T: (053) 613 855;
One of the few spots with an unobstructed view of the lake itself (though direct access is a two-minute walk away), Jongkham Guesthouse has a row of rather basic chalets set in a garden and a large ... Jongkham Guest House complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
70%
1 vote
 

Palm House - Uninspiring setting but pretty good rooms
22/1 Chamnansahait Rd, Mae Hong Son
T: (053) 614 022;
Palm House is one of your best options out of a fairly poor selection in the lake area. Set back one block from lakeside on a quiet residential street, its appearance is uninspiring -- a concrete ... Palm House complete profile

Midrange
1,500B to 4,000B
70%
1 vote
 

Mae Hong Son Mountain Inn and Resort - Very nice but expensive
112/2 Khunlamprapas Rd, Mae Hong Son
T: (053) 611 803; F: (053) 612 284
Slightly out of town on the main highway leading south to Mae Sariang, Mountain Inn and Resort is large and well laid out, boasting a cafe, restaurant area, a spacious reception with plentiful staff ... Mae Hong Son Mountain Inn and Resort complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
68%
2 votes
 

Princes Guesthouse - Great view of the temple
38/1 Udomchanitech Rd, Mae Hong Son
T: (053) 611 136;
The wooden rooms at Prince's Guesthouse are large and bare and those in the rear concrete building are not so big. Most share bathrooms, which have hot showers and a choice of western or squat ... Princes Guesthouse complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
60%
1 vote
 

Panorama Hotel - Comfortable and clean
51 Khunlumprapas Rd, Mae Hong Son
T: (053) 611 757-62; F: (053) 611 790
Still central enough and close to the market, Panorama is not a bad option with a cross section of rooms to meet various budgets. The old Panorama Hostel over the road has been demolished and a new ... Panorama Hotel complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
57%
3 votes
 

Friend House - Cleanish with a great location
20 Phaditchongkam Rd, Mae Hong Son
T: (053) 620 119;
Friend House has a variety of relatively clean rooms in a large teak and cement building. There is a small restaurant out back which has no ambiance whatsoever, but serves a few breakfast dishes. The ... Friend House complete profile

Outskirts of town

As with Pai, accommodation spreads out from the town centre to include many of the Shan villages situated in the valley to the north and south of Mae Hong Son. (East and west is mountainous and contains only really hill tribe villages). Some of these resorts are very nice if you're prepared to spend a few baht but decent budget options in these villages are hard to find. The villages to the immediate south of Mae Hong Son town are strung out along the main roads but to the north of town there is a more extensive network of back country roads and there are some cute out of the way Shan villages to be found.

Midrange
1,500B to 4,000B
93%
4 votes
 

Fern Resort - Delightful
64 Moo 10, Pha Bong, Mae Hong Son
T: (053) 686 110; F: (053) 686 111
This delightful spot is well out of the way but certainly worth the effort of getting to. It has great rooms, a nice restaurant and bar, campfire area and swimming pool as well as lots of local ... Fern Resort complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
84%
2 votes
 

Sang Tong Huts - Beautiful bamboo and wooden huts
Moo 11 (off Makasanti Road), Mae Hong Son
T: (053) 620 680;
Sang Tong boasts a large range of beautiful bamboo and wood huts and houses located a short trip outside Mae Hong Son. Muk, the Shan woman who runs the place, is friendly and a very capable cook. If ... Sang Tong Huts complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
83%
3 votes
 

Pana Huts - Charming wooden bungalows in a rural spot
Mae Hong Son
T: (053) 614 331;
The wooden bungalows at Pana occupy a quiet spot quite a way out of Mae Hong Son. The rooms are average size, with attractive design features like wooden slat windows looking out on narrow balconies, ... Pana Huts complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
80%
1 vote
 

Tham Pla Forest Park Camping - The fish cave
On the road to Soppong, 17km from Mae Hong Son

The best part of this place is that it's free! Unbelievably, in the country of the sneaky charge, we've unearthed a freebie. What's more shocking is that it's run by the National Parks commission, ... Tham Pla Forest Park Camping complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
80%
1 vote
 

Rim Nam Klang Doi Resort - Good river side location
108 Ban Huai Deau, Pha Bong, Mae Hong Son
T: (053) 684 142; F: (053) 613 232
Set on the banks of the Pai River a few kms, (they claim 7), south of Mae Hong Son is this pleasant resort set in a sprawling garden. Of the two parallel roads leading south out of town take the ... Rim Nam Klang Doi Resort complete profile

Midrange
1,500B to 4,000B
80%
1 vote
 

Ban Rim Pai - Good riverside chalets if you've got the money
197 Ban Pha Tong Daeng
T: (053) 684 188; F: (053) 612 775
Just 4km out of Mae Hong Son, this tiny and new resort has some very classy riverside chalets on offer. Attractive wooden exteriors and very well-designed interiors with large balconies as well. In ... Ban Rim Pai complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
70%
1 vote
 

Maehongson Resort - Good riverside location
24 Moo 3, Pha Bong, Mae Hong Son
T: (053) 684 138; F: (053) 684 137
Around 10km out of town you'll find the Maehongson Resort with an enjoyable river bank location. It proclaims to be Mae Hong Son's first ever 'resort', but don't worry since the accommodation is ... Maehongson Resort complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
70%
1 vote
 

Mae Nam Guesthouse - Isolated but gorgeous
Toong Bang Moo village
T: (053) 611 945;
Mae Nam Cottage is located about 15 minutes out of Mae Hong Son on the edge of the Ping River. A gorgeous old teak building sits in the centre of large grounds which are bordered by the river, while ... Mae Nam Guesthouse complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
70%
1 vote
 

Mae Hong Son Guest House - Mae Hong Son's first guesthouse
295 Moo 11, Makasanti Rd, Mae Hong Son
T: (053) 612 510;
Originally located in a rented house near the airport, the Mae Hong Son Guest House has relocated to quiet, spacious grounds just outside of town. The three different room types are all very clean, ... Mae Hong Son Guest House complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
70%
1 vote
 

Lintfah Camping - Also has decent bungalows.
134 Moo 3 Namakpin Tambon Pangmoo
T: (053) 612 811;
Just before the entrance to the village on the right hand side if you're coming from Mae Hong Son town is Lin Fah Camping. Set on a wooded hillside this 'camp site' also has its own rather good ... Lintfah Camping complete profile