How to Choose Hotels in Thailand
How to choose the right hotels for your Thailand holiday? For a country with a lot to offer, this sounds like finding a needle in a haystack. Accommodation in Thailand can count as the best in Asia, not by way of price, but by way of value. Vague standards for star-ranking make the search more difficult. Look at Asia Highlights’ guidelines to make the right decision.
Consider how you want to spend your holiday
You might not have a clear-cut concept for the purpose of your vacation, yet every journey is destined to achieve a goal. It can be unplugging from daily life, celebrating an anniversary, school vacation with your kids or some leisure time attached to a business trip.
Your holiday purpose determines the areas you choose. Most travelers visit Thailand for two common interests: the city and the beach. Take Bangkok for example, your days in the city consist of sightseeing, leisure and shopping. And for beach destinations, the biggest agenda is doing nothing but kicking back on the beach.
Learn what to expect
Thailand has no formal criteria for hotel ranking. In Asia Highlights, we distinguish the hotels that we use by the following standards:
Luxury: 5-star and up, mostly international chains and some domestic chains, USD250 and up per room/night. Example: SO Sofitel Bangkok.
Deluxe: 4 to 4.5-star, mostly boutique hotels and deluxe class of international chains, USD100 to USD200 per room/night. Example: Novotel Phuket Vintage Park Resort.
Mid-range: normal 4-star, mostly mid-range business hotels, USD80 to USD120 per room/night. Example: De Lanna Hotel, Chiang Mai.
As you may notice in our tour packages, we use mid-range and deluxe hotels as our “Handpicked Comfort”. Room footage for this selection is 30sqm and up, breakfast is included, and rooms are comfortable enough for a good night’s sleep.
Hotel prices include daily breakfast and use of hotel on-site facilities such as swimming pool, gym and internet. Airport shuttle bus, spa, restaurant for dinner and executive lounge will charge extra. All-inclusive resorts are limited in Thailand. However, you may find a lot of great options covering entertainment, leisure, accommodation, dinner and well-being if you prefer staying in all day, and the hotel offers everything that you need.
If you are traveling during Christmas or New Year, you might be required to attend a compulsory dinner gala at the hotel with extra cost. Cost ranges from USD50 to USD200 per adult; it is to be paid in cash on the spot.
Understand the area
Hotels are all about the location. No matter what your kind of Thailand holiday is, it is wise to consider the neighborhood when making a decision. When it comes to the idea of “downtown” or “centrally-located”, please bear in mind that each destination in Thailand has its own standards. Below is a list of what we consider the ideal area for different types of vacation.
| Destination | Type of Vacation | Area/Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|
| Bangkok | Leisure | Sukhumvit, Silom, Siam |
| Bangkok | Honeymoon | Sathorn, Silom, Riverside |
| Bangkok | Family | Sukhumvit, Siam, Pathumwan |
| Chiang Mai | Leisure | Old City (including Hayai, Chang Khlan, Chang Moi) |
| Chiang Mai | Honeymoon | Chang Khlan, Mae Hia, Pra Sing |
| Chiang Mai | Family | Chang Khlan, Chang Moi, Wat Ket |
| Phuket | Leisure | Kata, Bangtao |
| Phuket | Honeymoon | Khao Lak |
| Phuket | Family | Kata |
| Koh Samui | Leisure | Chaweng, Choeng Mon, |
| Koh Samui | Honeymoon | Lamai, Coral Cove Beach, Maret |
| Koh Samui | Family | Big Buddha Beach, Chaweng |
| Krabi | Leisure | Ao Nang, Railey |
| Krabi | Honeymoon | Railey, Koh Lanta |
| Krabi | Family | Ao Nang, Koh Phi Phi |
How much to budget
When you have done some research for preferable location, popular areas and travel season, you will have a rough idea of how much to budget for hotels. This will take up almost 1/3 of your total budget.
The hotel cost depends greatly on the season. The peak season in Thailand is during late September to March, while the low season lasts from late March to September. Generally speaking, 4-star hotels at the heart of a destination would cost USD80 to USD150 per room per night during the peak season, 5-star hotels USD150 and up. Cut off 1/4 or 1/3 of that price for low season.
Concentrate on must-have factors
Different strokes for different folks. Although some hotel facilities might look appealing, it is always wise to fix your head at the must-have factors. It is all about your own needs. If you are traveling with children, look for a hotel with kiddie pool or children’s club so that your little ones can get entertained at all times. For love birds, a 4-star secluded retreat facing the ocean, or with a private pool, outweighs a 5-star international resort that serves large travel groups. Screen the reviews to find the like-minded travelers, which will provide useful insights about what to expect and what to be mindful of.
Much about Thailand will be learned while you are searching for the right hotels. Once on the right track, half the battle is won. You may go through our rundown of top hotels in Thailand, or we are happy to work our expertise if you somehow find it hard to decide. Just send us an inquiry and tell us your ideas now.
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