Baan Gong Kham Hotel, Chiang Mai

Despite being a family owned hotel (which I usually prefer) I didn't enjoy my stay at this hotel. The main reason is that I didn't find the room or hotel to be comfortable. The open-air bathroom is nice, but then the shampoo and soap are in two indistinguishable bottles so you never know which is which. The roof hangs very low, so you never get direct sunlight in the room and at night the lighting comes from a naked, neon bulb hanging in the middle of the room, which makes me feel more like I'm living in a laboratory than a hotel. There are a lot more gripes, but I'll leave it at that. Wouldn't stay there again - wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

I really enjoyed staying at this wooden built "boutique" hotel. All rooms are simply but tastefully decorated and overlook the charming garden. The beds are huge and there is a windscreen tv, private balcony and wonderful bathroom with bottles of shampoo and bath oil. The manager/owner is very welcoming and very helpful. I had the feeling that I was staying in a hotel in the middle of the countryside rather than near a city centre. I will stay here again without hesitation, even though it is a taxi/tuk-tuk ride to the centre of the city.

We booked online based on the pictures and descriptions of location. For travelers with a vehicle, it would be a good choice. We arrived by bus and found the Baan Gong Kham to be remotely located from central Chiang Mai which surprised us. Staff were gracious in arranging a Tuk Tuk for us whenever we needed to get around. Staying in a rural setting with barking dogs and noisy roosters made sleeping difficult. The breakfast set up wasn't very organized and choices were limited. We had a Thai phrasebook which was helpful in asking for breakfast options.