Starbright Hotel Chiang Rai

Very good value for the money. Our room was extremely large and had a/c, fridge, and a safe in the room. Bathroom had a tub, separate toilet area with a door. The hottest shower water I have ever had in Thailand. Breakfast was not provided. Receptionist was very sweet, caring and professional. She spoke very good English. The night market was right across the street and had a very good food court. Bus depot was also right across the street and we rolled our luggage there when we were heading back to Chiang Mai. When we visit Chiang Rai in the future, we will stay at the Starbright Court again. Almost forgot to add this... Bath towels were clean, soft and smelled like cotton candy!

We booked this hotel because after some days in remote mountain villages, we felt like we deserved some more "luxury". It also was the second most expensive accommodation during our stay in Thailand. Unfortunately it was quite disappointing, so that after two nights, we decided to move for the third. The whole staff was really friendly, which was a great plus. But the hotel was located in a truly ugly street, full of dodgy massage saloons, with a backpacker hostel next door with drunk, loud people. Our room, despite being very spacious, and (in the beginning) really clean, was quite ugly (outdated, dark furniture which had definitely seen better times). Only plus was the good mattress, but pillows were hard (as almost everywhere in Northern Thailand, it seems). The bathroom was relatively newly renovated, but the bath tub was constructed in such an odd way that, no matter what you did with the shower curtain (we obviously put it inside the tub whilst showering, as a sign also asked for), the bathroom was flooded. And didn't dry, not even with ventilation switched on during the night. Worst of all was the smell - old cigarette smoke in the staircase, and canal smell in our bathroom after "the flood". We left the room the morning after the first night, hoping that the soaked bathroom floor mat would at least be changed. But coming back, we saw nothing had changed. Bathroom mat still smelly wet, bed not made. I'm normally really not the person to be so fussy and complain about all that (except maybe the smell). But for 1.900 baht for the two nights, we simply expected something much better. We had much nicer accommodations for much less money...