Our top 10 places to stay in and around Mae Sot
Cheapest beds in town
The long-running Bai Fern Guesthouse looked more rundown than on our previous visit but remains a reasonable option for solo backpackers seeking the cheapest beds in town.
Set just back from the Bai Fern Restaurant in the centre of town, the guesthouse is fronted by a bamboo table and rental bicycles parked in a sparse roofed common area. Step inside and you’ll see some maps before the English-speaking Burmese owner pops out to greet you. He was quick to show us the rooms, all relying on small shared bathrooms situated on the ground floor -- hot-water heaters are provided but they didn’t look to be in good working order. The cheapest rooms are tiny wooden boxes with rough spring beds, threadbare linens, wall-mounted fans and windows facing the hallway; these can get darn hot. Climb the narrow stairway to find much-larger air-con rooms with two single beds, multiple windows and splotchy dark-blue paintjobs.
The building has seen better days but we didn’t notice any obvious grime or cobwebs. Even so you’ll find better double rooms for similar rates at several other places, so Bai Fern is really only worth considering if you’re a solo traveller on a shoestring budget.
Address: 660 Intarakiree Rd, Mae Sot
T: (055) 531 349; (086) 737 6242;
Coordinates (for GPS): 98º33'51.88" E, 16º42'55.47" N
See position in Apple or Google Maps: Apple Maps | Google Maps
Room rates: Under 600B
What we were quoted as a walk-in.
| Sgl fan share bathroom | 150 baht | 150 baht |
| Dbl fan share bathroom | 250 baht | 250 baht |
| Dbl air-con private bathroom | 350 baht | 350 baht |
Reviewed by
David Luekens
David Luekens first came to Thailand in 2005 when Thai friends from his former home of Burlington, Vermont led him on a life-changing trip. Based in Thailand since 2011, he spends much of his time eating in Bangkok street markets and island hopping the Andaman Sea.
Our top 10 places to stay in and around Mae Sot
