The Top North hotel in Tai Pai Gate, Chiang Mai, is centrally located, well-found, has excellent service and conditions, a very helpful staff, and a friendly atmosphere. The hotel is a 3-star family hotel. We paid 800 baht per day, per couple (around $20 per day) and used the Top North as our base for 8 weeks. We enjoyed our stay there immensely. The pool, two handy restaurants on-site in the hotel, a tourist office, and a massage service-plus a helpful cleaning staff made for a wonderful holiday base.

Decent cheap hotels in Chiang Ma range from between 500 to 800 bhat per night, per couple, with air-conditioning, clean sheets, towels every day, en suite shower and bath, fridge, and plenty of cupboard space. Luxury hotels cost a bit more, but are still cheap by U.S. standards. The 5-star Chiang Waycome Inn cost us 1,200 bhat ($28 dollars per night, per couple) but the Waycome had a night club, a big restaurant, a pool, massage service en suit, a bakery, a tourist info' office, and a shuttle service to the airport. The rooms were enormous and extremely well-found. Budget travelers can find decent boarding houses and small hotels with prices ranging from 300 to 500 bhat.