Hotels

Northern Thailand has the full range of accommodations, from simple guesthouses to five-star resorts. Mostly in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai but also studding the region's mountains are classy resorts and spas, many of them with all the luxury and facilities of Chiang Mai's top hotels. Chiang Rai, Sukhothai, and Pai contain many boutique hotels—small, comfortable, and well-appointed establishments of no more than 40 or so rooms. Most of these are built in "Lanna" style, reminiscent of this region's earlier architecture, with the accent on dark teak and white stucco. Some of the top hotels are internationally known for embracing a "contemporary Asian" look, combining sleek lines with decorative Oriental features.