Tips on Accommodations

The most visited parts of Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Koh Samui offer the widest assortment of accommodations in the country. International chains such as the Mandarin Oriental group, The Peninsula, Hilton, Accor, Sheraton, and Marriott have some of their finest hotels and resorts in these areas, while Dusit and Amari chains have numerous resort and city properties that can compete with the best.

These days, smaller, independent boutique places are very much in vogue, but in Asia it's common to find that most of the best restaurants are operated by the big chain hotels. Five-star hotels and resorts spare no detail for the business or leisure traveler, providing designer toiletries, plush robes, in-room DVD or CD players, Jacuzzis and Wi-Fi, plus many other creature comforts.

Because they have more facilities, better activity options and services, and well-trained staff, luxury category hotels and resorts can charge more than 28,000B (US$800/£431) a night for a double room. Many hotels in this category have started quoting prices in U.S. dollars.

Most hotels that fall into the "Expensive" category also have lots of bells and whistles, but feature less deluxe amenities; yet they may still offer perks like silk bathrobes, CD players, and DVD players. Room design and furnishings will not extend to the glamour of the higher categories, but all rooms will be well maintained and facilities tend to be of excellent quality. Expect to pay around 15,000B (US$428/£231) per night.

"Moderate" hotels and resorts start at about 8,000B (US$228/£123) and are often quite modern and a good value for your money. Most have swimming pools, good restaurants, toiletries, satellite television, in-room safes, and international direct dialing from your room. In smaller cities and towns, this category is about the best you can do, but some of these moderately priced options can have facilities and rooms of surprising quality. Prices are also discounted greatly; they may fall to as little as 1,800B (US$51/£26), depending on the season.

Thailand offers a good range of places for the budget traveler and the many mom-and-pop guesthouses and cut-price hostels here often allow for more authentic experiences. If you go really inexpensive, expect to rough it. Cold-water showers, fan-cooled rooms, and dormitories are the norm. But sometimes you'll find inexpensive accommodations that stand out from the pack -- quaint beachside bungalow villages, city hotels with good locations, or small guesthouses with knowledgeable and helpful staff.

Expensive and moderately priced hotels add a 10% service charge plus 7% government tax, also called value-added tax (VAT).

Thailand has its own star rating system based on the number of amenities in any given hotel, but the system is arbitrary and takes little account of quality. Often the smaller boutique resorts of the highest quality have lower star ratings because they lack the "business center and meeting facilities for 250 or more" required. It's best to go by reputation rather than the Thai ratings system.