Pana Huts
Jungle cuteness on the edge of town
More on Mae Hong Son
An unusual option in a chalet style, Pana Huts presents what are on a good day rustic, or a bad day worse for wear, chalets in a somewhat overgrown garden hiding some of the cutest and best decorated rooms in town.
Travelfish says:
Pana is one of the first establishments you reach going up the hill off Makasanti Road so not quite as far out of town as some up this way. Allow 10 to 15 minutes to walk into town and it certainly is a quiet spot on the occasion when the resident hounds are chilled out.
As you arrive you’ll see a small reception and cafe area at street level with a flight of steps leading down to where the half a dozen or so chalets are widely scattered across a small valley. The grounds include mature palms, stands of bamboo, vegetable plots, fruit trees and a few laid out borders along the windy pebble paths. Funky rather than manicured springs to mind and if you’re the sort who squeals at the sight of a beetle on your balcony, gecko on your wall or frog in your bathroom you should probably stop reading right now.
The exteriors of the woven bamboo, wood-framed, stilt chalets are deceptive and you’d assume bog-standard budget huts with mattress on the floor, tatty Isaan cushion on the balcony and at best a gaudy acrylic sunset nailed to the wall but the sometime shabby outsides (certain chalets have been renovated others not) actually hide sumptuous and well-maintained interiors.
Pleated bamboo walls are home to Lanna wall hangings and mosquito nets hang over well-dressed and decent sized beds. Otherwise, furniture is minimal but adequate in the small to medium rooms but each chalet comes with a tiled and stucco walled bathroom with modern fittings and everyone has a balcony out front with table and chairs. There’s WiFi but no TV or minibar, yet with a price tag of 400 to 500 baht a night we reckon Pana is an all-round very good deal indeed.
Staff members are helpful and friendly and the usual travel advice and assistance is available. There’s a simple cafe on site but you’re also welcome to use the kitchen yourselves which is a nice touch. This is no frills, but if you want to experience a truly rustic and authentic yet comfortable jungle vibe with a friendly family style atmosphere, Pana’s the one to go for.
Contact details for Pana Huts
Address: Up the hill off Makasanti Road, Mae Hong Son
T: (097) 936 7370; (082) 892 4250;
Coordinates (for GPS): 97º57'25.1" E, 19º18'7.5" N
See position in Apple or Google Maps: Apple Maps | Google Maps
Room rates: Under 600B
Room rates
What we were quoted as a walk-in.
| Bungalow fan private bathroom | 400 baht | 500 baht |
Reviewed by
Mark Ord
Based in Chiang Mai, Mark Ord has been travelling Southeast Asia for over two decades and first crossed paths with Travelfish on Ko Lipe in the early 1990s.