B2 Pai Premier Resort

Most places to stay in Pai lean rustic, with bamboo, hammocks, a fan if you're lucky. This one goes the other way. It's part of the B2 chain, so you get contemporary rooms, a clean-lined look and outdoor pools, which matter more than you'd think after a day riding around the valley in the heat. There's a restaurant on site too, handy on the nights you can't face walking into town.

Who's it for? Couples and independent travelers who like Pai's slow, slightly bohemian mood but don't want to sleep in a shed to experience it. If you came to Pai specifically for the wooden-bungalow-by-the-river thing, this isn't that, and you'd be happier elsewhere. Reception runs 24 hours, which helps if you're arriving on a late minivan.