Holiday Accommodation in Thailand
Going on vacation in Thailand? Information on finding the right place to stay: self-catering, bed and breakfast, hotel or youth hostel, find out more...
With over 10 million visitors a year, Thailand has many places for them to stay. There is a vast range of holiday accommodation in Thailand ranging from cheap backpackers' accommodation to international five-star hotels.
Most accommodation options offer good value for money. During off-peak periods, bargains can be found on the many vacation accommodation websites serving the region.
Hotels
There is a wide variety of hotels in Thailand ranging from very basic to luxurious international hotels. Budget hotels with or without air-conditioning can be found from THB 200 to 600. Mid-range hotels start at THB 700 outside of Bangkok and the main tourist areas, but in heavily frequented tourist areas can reach as high as THB 3,000 in the high season. At the luxury international hotels, prices start at about THB 3,000. Thailand has a number of boutique hotels with facilities such as a spa. These can be found in the downtown area of Bangkok or along the banks of the Chao Phraya River.
Star ratings
In
March 2004 the Thai Hotel Association, supported by
the Tourism
Authority of Thailand, introduced a star rating
system for hotels in Thailand. Stars are awarded from one to five with five
being the highest standard. Factors taken into consideration when awarding
stars include location, construction quality, facilities, quality of service
and general maintenance.
- For a list of
hotels granted a star rating: Thai Hotels Association website
- For a list of hotels
certified by the Thai Hotels Association
Guest Houses and Inns
These
are often the most basic accommodation available in Thailand. Usually without
air-conditioning and using shared facilities, prices start as low as THB 200.
Some guest houses offer facilities such as Internet access, luggage lockers and
a safe as well as family rooms that sleep up to three people. It is not
always possible to book in advance unless a cash deposit is paid so it is worth
phoning beforehand to check whether they are full or not. Inns are usually
similar to guesthouses, although some may describe themselves as boutique inns
and are slightly more up market.
Inns
are usually similar to guesthouses, although there are some boutique inns with
slightly better facilities.
Serviced Apartments, Self-catering and
Holiday Rentals
There
is a large choice of self-catering accommodation, serviced apartments and
vacation rentals in Thailand. These normally offer good-value basic accommodation.
Prices vary depending on the season but normally range from THB 200 to 1,500.
Youth Hostels
The Thai Youth Hostels Association has
information on all the youth hostels of Thailand. In general youth hostels
provide dormitory style accommodation and sometimes a choice of single or
family rooms, with fans, air conditioning, showers and kitchen facilities.
- Thai Youth
Hostels Association
At: 25/14 Phitsanulok Road, Dusit, Bangkok
Tel: 02 628 7413
Fax: 02 628 7416
Beach Accommodation
There
are many beachside hotels, guesthouses, resorts and bungalows for vacation
rental in Thailand. "Bungalow" is used by Thais to describe a
small detached building used for holiday accommodation. In beach resorts and
islands they are often right next to the beach and are rented per night or for
longer periods. They vary from very basic accommodation with a fan and
Thai-style toilet, through to a little more luxurious, sometimes with air
conditioning. Most have a single bedroom and there are seldom kitchen
facilities. This type of accommodation is generally good value, starting from
as little as THB 200 a night.
Camping
The
many National Parks around Thailand have good camping facilities. In some of
the parks, "free camping" is tolerated, however in other National
Parks, camping is only allowed in designated areas. Check with the National
Park headquarters for information.
- For a list of
National Parks and their attractions: Department of National Parks
Ecotourism
Over
recent years the development of eco-resorts in Thailand has been on the
increase and this type of holiday accommodation are gaining in popularity. The
aim of these resorts is to preserve the environment and support the local
communities. Most of these resorts are situated in Chiang Mai in the north of
Thailand or in Phuket.
ยท
For a list of Eco Friendly resorts in Thailand visit: Eco Conscious
Traveller
Further Information
- Tourism
Thailand is the official website for
tourism in Thailand