Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [299]
Top North Hotel (0 5373 1955; 306 Th Phahonyothin; d 400-600B, tr 900B; ) A five-minute walk to the bridge to Myanmar, this older hotel has spacious rooms and friendly staff. Some of the rooms look newer than others and have cable TV; choose the ones at the back of the building to avoid street noise.
S-House Hotel (0 5373 3811; s_house43234@yahoo.com; 384 Th Sailomjoi; r 500-600B; ) At the end of the covered part of Th Sailomjoi, away from the border crossing, this hotel has spacious rooms with balconies overlooking the hills.
Khanthongkham Hotel (0 5373 4222; 7 Th Phahonyothin; r 950B, ste 1190-1390B; ) This brand new hotel features huge rooms that have been tastefully decorated in light woods and brown textiles. Suites are exceptionally vast, and like all rooms, also have flat-screen TVs and truly user-friendly–looking bathrooms. A downside is that many rooms don’t have windows.
Maekhong Delta Boutique Hotel (0 5364 2517; www.maekhongtravel.com; 230/5-6 Th Phahonyothin; r 900-1500B; ) It’s an odd name, considering that the Mekong delta is way down in Vietnam. Odder too that the rooms here are somehow reminiscent of a ski lodge. Regardless, the rooms are both cosy and comfortable, albeit a bit far from the centre of town. Popular with groups, a full-scale travel agency is located next door.
Piyaporn Place Hotel (0 5373 4511-3; www.piyaporn-place.com; 77/1 Th Phahonyothin; r 1000B; ) On the main road by Soi 7, this seven-storey hotel is good value. The large, contemporary-styled rooms have wooden floors, a small sofa and the usual four/five-star amenities like bath, cable TV and minibar. There is a conference room and a smart, stylish restaurant serving Thai and European food.
Wang Thong Hotel (0 5373 3389-95; www.wangthong-maesai.com; 299 Th Phahonyothin; r 1200B, ste 4500B; ) The nine-storey Wang Thong is a comfortable choice and great for its convenient location by the border crossing. The rooms are nothing special but they’re spacious and come with amenities you’d expect at this price. In addition to the pool there is a pub, disco and a popular restaurant. Discounts are available in low season.
Eating
A decent night market unfolds every evening along Th Phahonyothin.
Khao Soi Islam (no roman-script sign; 0 5373 3026; 140 Th Phahonyothin; dishes 25-30B; 7am-5pm) This friendly Muslim restaurant serves the usual beef and chicken versions of the eponymous noodle dish; for something a bit different try ah·ah soy, kôw soy served with thick noodles made from brown rice. They do several other Muslim dishes as well, and dining entertainment involves listening to the staff converse in a mixture of Chinese, northern Thai, central Thai and Burmese.
Khrua Bismillah (no roman-script sign; 08 1530 8198; Soi 4, Th Phahonyothin; dishes 25-40B; 6am-6pm) Run by Burmese Muslims, this tiny restaurant does an excellent biryani, not to mention virtually everything else Muslim, from roti to samosa. There’s no English sign, simply look for the green halal sign.
Sukhothai Noodles (no roman-script sign; 08 1530 1997; 399/9 Th Sailomjoi; dishes 30-40B; 7am-2pm) This open-air restaurant serves the namesake noodles from Sukhothai, as well as satay and a few other basic dishes. A picture menu shows the varieties of noodles available, and the pictures on the wall are of the owner’s daughter. Look for the busy pink restaurant opposite S-House Hotel.
Kik Kok Restaurant (Th Phahonyothin; dishes 30-120B; 6am-8pm) This restaurant prepares a huge selection of Thai dishes and has an English menu. It’s a good dinner option if you’d rather not eat on the street.
Mae Sai Riverside Resort (0 5373 2630; Th Wiengpangkam; dishes 40-139B) Recommended for its Thai dishes, like the tasty lemon-grass fried fish, this restaurant has a