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: Click here

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: Click here

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.

Further Information

• Tourism Thailand is the official website for tourism in Thailand