Located out of the Old City of Chiang Mai, near to the University, Doi Suthep Mountain and Huay Kaew Waterfall, Pause and Play Hotel is a stylish hotel with a rooftop bar and a swimming pool. You can rent a luxurious room for one night, one week, or, if you’re looking to make a base in Chiang Mai for a while, you can rent a room with a kitchenette (and a bath!) for one month.
Why does Pause & Play Hotel Make This List?
The facilities – Every traveller has to splash out once in a while and Pause and Play’s lovely plunge pool is the perfect treat after a hot afternoon exploring the city! They also have a full-sized pool table, a rooftop bar with views of Doi Suthep mountain and a restaurant which serves breakfast and lunch. The breakfast buffet is the most extensive we’ve seen on our travels so far – you can have everything from cereal, fruit, toast and eggs, to fried rice, chicken and cashew nut, morning glory and other Thai dishes – for breakfast! Considering what this same standard of hotel would cost in Europe, there’s a lot on offer here for the price!
Free drinks and snacks – Throughout the day, guests at the hotel can help themselves to endless cups of (very good, unsweetened) café latte, hot chocolate or Thai tea, as well as a variety of colourful biscuits! There’s also free water in the fridge and – jelly!
The luxurious rooms – Staying at Pause and Play Hotel, we felt like we had our own city apartment. The room is large, spacious and has a big balcony. The bed and duvet are top quality and really comfortable, and the room comes with Sky TV, a safety deposit box, air-con, hair-dryer, fridge, and super fast WI-FI. The shower is hot and powerful and free toiletries are provided, as well as comfy slippers and bathrobes for wearing whilst in the room! Rooms are spotlessly clean and whilst you are staying there, you can have them cleaned every day if you so desire.
Transport – As the hotel is located on Canal Road, which is a busy road about a 15-minute walk from shops and restaurants, the hotel provides daily free minibus transport to Maya Shopping Mall. From here, it’s an easy walk to Nimman Hamen Road, with its trendy cafés, boutique shops and range of restaurants from street food to gourmet burgers. In teh evening, the road opposite Chiang Mai University becomes a cool student market selling retro clothes and cheap eats. It’s a great place to have a wander, eat sushi and pick up some fun, kitsch Thai clothes. Pause and Play hotel also offers free bicycles to anyone up for a ride.
Long stays – You can rent the apartments at Pause and Play Hotel for a whole month, and you’ll get a good rate for doing so. For digital nomads or long-term travellers to Thailand, the apartments make an excellent abode with a small kitchen, living room, shower (plus bath!), large bedroom and balcony. With good value for money apartments like this on offer, it’s easy to see why so many people make Chiang Mai their temporary home.
How to book Pause and Play Hotel?
Check out the Pause and Play website here (you’ll need headphones if you’re in a quiet place!), and check them out on Facebook and Instagram.
- Book: You can book with Agoda or Booking.com.
- Prices: From $40 USD / Double Deluxe Room.
In return for reviewing this hotel, we received a free stay. The hotel was told in advance that they were not guaranteed a place on this ‘Best Hotels’ list, and the views expressed in this article are our own.
For most of my time in South East Asia I stayed in hotels as they are so cheap and usually pretty nice.
Yes, there really are some amazingly cheap deals for hotels. And if there are two of you travelling, a decent hotel can be much cheaper than a dorm bed in a hostel!