If you’re looking for places to stay in Pai, you’re in luck! Whether it’s cheap and cheerful, something mid-range and great value for money or even something a little flash, there are lots of choices of great places to stay both in Pai and just outside. Here are some of our favourites.
Before we start however, a quick caveat. On our Tuk Tuk Club 11 Day Adventure we stay for 2 nights in Pai and have always loved Phu Pai Art Resort (currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic but hopefully back to it’s former glories as soon as travel opens up again).
Why do we love it so much? Simply, for us it’s got everything a great place in or near Pai should have: lovely views across the rice fields to the mountains, lots of space (the rooms themselves are very large and are spread around a huge area giving a sense of real peace and tranquility), there’s a fantastic infinity pool, the dining area has awesome views and the staff are brilliant. You can’t really ask for much more than that for a fantastic relaxing time in the mountains than that. Oh, and the drinks and food are great too!
Starting at the ‘high end’, a couple of great places to stay in Pai when you’re looking to treat yourself!
A stunning small resort sitting on the river just outside the busy town centre, meaning it’s easy to get into ‘town’ but when you’re at the resort it’s very very peaceful. Designed very beautifully and with a range of rooms – we’d recommend the ground floor rooms where you can literally swim right up to your terrace – on offer
The restaurant is very nicely run with a range of Western and Thai dishes (usually more Western dishes than Thai) and a decent wine and cocktail list. A lovely place to relax over food and a few drinks after a day exploring.
The staff here are really pleasant and helpful too.
A great option for a romantic break
A very ‘cool’ resort located around 5km outside of Pai town and set in beautiful scenery with views of the mountains from every room. The centre piece of the resort is the bar / dining / swimming pool area providing a great place to relax over a few drinks – there’s even a great pool table tucked away on the indoor bar. Popular with Thai travellers and Instagram addicts (there are so many great photo opportunities here), during busy times there can be a great ‘vibe’ to the resort.
There are a three main types of room on offer from the very cool designed deluxe rooms to pool villas and what’s called the Puri Villa. All offer a high standard of design and very comfortable beds. And of course, all have superb views and are very private.
Not cheap but definitely worth a look for a treat.
Mid-range is probably where Pai really excels in terms of places to stay and there is a huge choice and, at least during the COVID-19 pandemic, some superb offers on hotels that would normally be quite a bit more expensive.
Here are a couple of our favourite mid range choices (excluding Phu Pai Art Resort which is currently closed, but otherwise would be our number 1!)
Set a little way out of the town – making sure things are nice and peaceful! – this resort has a lovely feel to it (very relaxing) and a great range of rooms. With a very nice swimming pool, a goo restaurant and friendly staff it’s well worth looking at for a great place to stay.
We’d recommend the Deluxe Cottages which are very nicely put together, give a real sense of privacy and are the perfect base for your time in Pai.
If you’re looking to be in the heart of the action and right in ‘town’ then Pai Village Boutique Resort is a very good option. Very well run with cosy ‘cottages’ as rooms – all with relaxing verandhas with cushions to chill on – and a pleasant bar and dining area, you are literally in the heart of Pai and within seconds walk from restaurants, bars, coffee shops, markets – everything you can think of. There’s also a pleasant small swimming pool to relax in after a hard days exploring.
For those enjoying the hustle and bustle of the town this really is a great option.
Heading into the cheaper brackets there is a great range of options for backpackers or just the young at heart. Starting at just 200-300 Baht a night (for a dorm room) – giving you that all important extra bit of money for exploring or partying – there are a number of party hostels around the town that can deliver a very lively and fun experience as long as you’re not looking for peace and solitude!
Some of the most famous hostels in the town are:
With hostels in many of the key backpacker locations throughout Thailand (and beyond) Bodega has built a great reputation for offering amazing value and a serious party atmosphere. If pub crawls and beer pong are your thing, and you have the stamina to keep going day after day, Bodega might be just what you’re looking for.
Similar to Bodega, with branches throughout Thailand and beyond, Mad Monkey offers much of the same. A very friendly and party style atmosphere, if you’re looking to party hard in Pai and make lots of friends, this could be a brilliant option for you.
Of course this is just scratching the surface of places to stay in Pai, there are literally hundreds of options with budgets and styles to suit pretty much everyone. A good place to browse to see the full range of options is Agoda, one of the best sites in this part of the world for accommodation. But do remember that when you see the price on the site you do have to add taxes!
Our final bit of advice on places to stay in Pai. If you’re not a party person or are looking for some peace and quiet, then choose somewhere to stay a little way out of the town centre. Pai isn’t super noisy but people often enjoy a good night out here in the mountains and if you’re a little further out of the town you’re not going to be disturbed. On the other hand, if partying is what you’re looking for then definitely stay right in the heart of town and you’ll have loads of bars to explore right on your doorstep.
For more information on Pai, how to get there and things to do have a look at all our articles about Pai here
Or, for the very best way to experience Pai (as part of a Tuk Tuk Club Adventure of course) have a look at our 11 Day Adventure here. Simply the best way to experience Northern Thailand!