Head up into the hills of northern Thailand and discover Pai, a secluded mountain valley filled with charm and natural delights where a stay at a Pai hotel will soothe your soul, invite you to tap into your inner child and explore your creative side. Quirky and eclectic, this tiny town defies any singular identity and around every corner is a hand-painted mural, kitschy boutique, themed café, or unassuming epicurean eatery waiting to be discovered and a wide choice of Pai accommodation. And Secret Retreats select Pai boutique resort makes for the perfect home while enjoying and exploring this country retreat.

An excellent jumping off point for nature treks and eco-experiences, Pai has all the outdoor fun and adventure of its larger cousin, Chiang Mai, without the accompanying bustle of the city. Whether your idea of time in the outdoors is active hiking and tumbling down river rapids or lounging by a scenic pool at your Pai hotel enjoying the view, you’ll find plenty to explore and wile away the hours.

Surrounded by lush mountains, picture-perfect views abound and more than once will you stop yourself mid-sentence to take in the stunning scenery. And the photographers’ golden hours here? They’ll simply take your breath away.

Hotels in Pai:

Reverie Siam
By the River
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Reverie Siam


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Best areas to stay in Pai

A longtime haven for hippies and backpackers, the town has retained its charming laid back ambience and artistic feel but grown up to attract other travellers and while Pai is a small country town, the best areas to stay in Pai are for sure those with the views of the surrounding mountains and not forgetting the Pai river. Now, the best hotels in Pai cater to a boutique traveller with a taste for the finer things in life. And the Secret Retreats Pai hotel selection takes in both the mountains and the river, and is conveniently close to the town but also far enough away to preserve that sense of tranquility amongst the nature so essential to a Pai boutique hotel stay.

Located in Mae Hong Son province, Pai runs from its namesake river and spans westward across a scenic mountain valley filled with farms, rice paddies and a smorgasbord of bungalows ranging from budget to boutique. The town itself is tiny, consisting of three main roads that form a border around a densely packed hub of cafes, restaurants, bars, boutiques, art galleries, Pai boutique hotel and guesthouses.

Toss a rock over your shoulder and it will surely land atop an available room, Pai accommodation is shockingly abundant. If you want to stay at the best hotels in Pai though, it helps to take time to review the options and separate the wheat from the chaff. The best area to stay in Pai, though, ultimately comes down to the mood you’re after.

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Stay at a Pai Hotel on the Walking Street

Every evening, the main street of Pai closes to motor traffic and becomes covered in artistic wares ranging from art and jewellery to bespoke leather boots and hand-knitted hats. Food vendors also take to the streets, curbside bars open their doors and musicians play into the night. You can walk up and down this short stretch for hours and still not exhaust its myriad delights.

Staying on or just off the walking street puts you at the heart of the action. For the traveller who wants to see and experience it all, staying on Pai Walking Street is a great option.

While the street may be abuzz, once on the other side of your Pai hotel’s walls you’ll wonder “what crowds?” as you make your way to your private bungalow nestled in a gorgeous tropical garden. Room in your budget equals room to get away from other travellers and enjoy your space, so skip the cramped hotels catering to backpackers and treat yourself to something nice.

Discover a Boutique Pai Resort By the River

Wondering where the best area to stay in Pai is? Cross the Pai River, a babbling stream or a swirling waterway depending on the season, and you’ll instantly notice that the relationship with space has changed. The eye finds more places to rest, typically on something green and growing, and it just feels like there’s more room to breathe.

Enjoy the picturesque scenes and fresh breezes that blow around the scattered bungalows and terraces, and take a break at a spacious Pai resort. Across the river you’ll find charming bamboo huts galore as well as hotels and cabanas that pack palatial charms into a fun-size package. Pai resorts are not the behemoth properties of southern Thailand, but more the just-right mix of amenities you need to relax and indulge within a picture-perfect setting.

Staying across the river, you may be a little further away from the heart of the action, but rest assured, all the fun is just a short distance away. To reiterate, the town of Pai is tiny, and door-to-door you’d be hard pressed to walk more than 15 minutes on foot from your Pai boutique accommodation to the charming restaurant you want to try.

Relax in a Luxurious Countryside Pai Hotel

For a truly remarkable Pai experience, venture out of town and into the countryside of this beautiful mountain valley. A large part of Pai’s charm lies in its picturesque, pastoral setting and the sense that you’ve gotten ‘away from it all.’ Outside side of the centre of Pai, and with more room to build, hoteliers have let their imaginations wander wild, and the things they’ve come up with are just transcendent, creating some of the best Pai accommodation available.

Discover miniature worlds built to whisk you away to another time or place. Pai resorts and hotels dotted around the surrounding valley come in all shapes and sizes. While some are modern architectural masterpieces you get to live in, others manage to combine rustic farm life with luxury bells and whistles.

For a decadent holiday in Pai, there’s no better choice than Reverie Siam Resort, a luxury property that fancifully blends old-world European charms with truly Thai touches and just the right splash of nature.

Begin Planning Your Pai Journey by Booking a Pai Hotel with Secret Retreats

The bespoke Pai holiday of your dreams awaits. Turn fantasy into reality today with a call to the Secret Retreats concierge who can help you put together the ultimate travel package. With our incomparable network of boutique properties, restaurant and hospitality experts, there’s no wish we can’t satisfy.

To book a room at the delightful Reverie Siam Resort in Pai or find the perfect Pai hotel for you, simply get in touch.
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Secret Retreats is a curated community of independent boutique hotel, villas, yachts and river boats keen to share their Asian Homes with travelers, sustainably and responsibly. Conservation of the environment, culture and traditions of Asia is of paramount importance to all in Secret Retreats. A community of like-minded hospitality professionals, we offer our guests authentic travel experiences that go beyond typical offerings to unveil the essence of Asia. Supporting the Asia based hoteliers and hospitality professionals and providing incredible holidays in Asia and tailor-made Asia travel itineraries direct to public ad travel agents.
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