The Arak Bed Bar and Hostel

I went to Chiang Mai during an off-peak season and it was before Thailand had actually opened up for no quarantine travel. Turns out I was the only guest in the hostel during my stay and nevertheless despite that, their staff Pim and Perng were really accommodating and super nice everyday of my stay. Arak Hostel is situated in the middle of Nimman area and Old City so most places were about 5-10min drive away, which was great. In Chiang Mai, there are no public trains or buses so you would have to either take the Rod Daeng (Red Buses/Trucks) which is their main transport, or take a Grab, or if the location is too far out or its too late, you can always engage a private driver (a little more expensive but they stay with you till youre done). Pim and Perng introduced markets (Sunday Walking Market), cafes (cat cafes and cool cafes) and things to do and were always there to strike conversations with you, have Google translate accessible on your phone and endless conversation will flow! It was a really heartwarming stay as I was the only guest the entire time but they really have made me feel right at home and I feel like I've made some great friends! Super clean, peaceful and very well-maintained, they also have a cafe at the lobby with great coffee, so if you were to visit Chiang Mai, you definitely have to stay at Arak Hostel!

This hostel felt like more of a hotel with it's incredible service. Our room was awesome overlooking the main square. The bathroom and shower were quite comfy for us and breakfast every morning was great. I have no complaints except for the water in the shower, which didn't get very hot, but aside from that, we loved everything about our stay. I'd stay here again if I ever find myself traveling to Chiang Mai again!

We moved here after a less favourable experience across town. So were delighted by the Arak guesthouse. We had a room with a small balcony and en-suite shower. It’s felt spacious and clean. It felt modern and calm. We breathed a sigh of relief. The front of house staff were lovely, but leave at 16:00 which is a little frustrating. There was only one key (in use in our room for electricity) and we’d not been given a keypad code for reception so it made solo trips to the shops quite tricky.