Some of us like to splurge on a wonderful resort or hotel room in an establishment with fabulous (and fabulously costly) features. Others of us like to save that money to spend on restaurants or shopping. If you fall into the latter category, here is a lovely guest house that will cosset you with care and be very gentle on your budget at the same time.

When I came to Chiang Mai about 2 months ago to scout out places I wanted to review, I picked Galare Guest House to be my base. An Internet recommendation had said, "One of the first, still one of the best."

Its location on the Ping River, yards from the Night Market and only a minute or two from both The Chedi and D2, made it ideal.

I haven’t stayed in many guest houses in my life, but my early years in Europe were filled with long stays in pensions and pensiones—no telephone, no fridge, no air conditioning, certainly no TV…most places didn’t even have a key to my often-windowless room.

I didn’t know what to expect to find at Galare; it is something quite different.

It looks like a Thai version of a two-story Motel 6 with 35 rooms you could almost call charming.

Mine was on the second floor.

A long, open-sided piazza with groupings of sofas and chairs and breakfast tables separates the rooms from the garden and river views.

While my room had air-conditioning, I spent my time on the piazza watching the river and the guests coming and going downstairs. My room also had a built-in closet (with shelf paper yet!), a roomy loo-shower, a king bed, cable TV, telephone, and a desk with Internet connection! There is also laundry service, and the friendly maids changed the bed every day. All for Bt 950 (US$26) a day! That’s a bargain.

Built on the site of one of Chiang Mai's first teakwood hotels (now long gone), the Galare is one of the oldest guesthouses in Chiang Mai, in fact it is one of the oldest outside of Bangkok. Owned and operated by the same family since it first opened in the 1980s, the place is very popular and as many of the guests are repeats, everyone is treated like family.

In the open-air lobby is ADSL Internet service and LAN connections for lap top computers for public use at 2 baht/minute.

From April 17th - October 31st, a Double costs 860 baht/night. A US$20 or Euro deposit per room (by credit card only) is required. November 1st - April 16th the price is 1,150 baht/night and the required deposit (by credit card only) is US$28 US or Euro.

The outdoor restaurant runs along the river. I enjoyed a full American breakfast each morning but never tried the lunch or dinner menu that includes Thai and Western dishes. Room service is also available.

The staff, each nicer than the one before, has been working here for over 10 years, providing consistent, friendly, and excellent service. The receptionists are especially helpful booking tickets, arranging Thai massages or cooking classes, and helping with motor scooter and car rentals. An in-house trekking agency, run by a charming guide, organizes trips to hilltribe villages as well as local tours of Chiang Mai.

Galare Guest House
7 Chareonprathet Road, Soi 2 Chiang Mai 50100
Tel: 053 81 8887, 82 1011
Fax 27 9088
Email: galare_gh@hotmail.com
Web: http://www.galare.com
Neighborhood: Night Bazaar

Wandering the neighborhood, one never knows what one will find. Here is a collection of vintage cars hidden in an old tin-roofed shed!

Amazing Thailand!

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