4 Best Hotels in The Mae Hong Son Loop, Northern Thailand

Set among mature teak trees, this fine hotel was designed to blend in with the surroundings—bungalows in landscaped gardens have both front and back porches, giving the teak-floored and bamboo-furnished rooms a light-and-airy feel. Golden Teak, which serves excellent Thai, Chinese, and European dishes, has a glassed-in section for chilly mornings and evenings. The restaurant and bar face the valley, as does the beautifully landscaped pool area.

"Vimaan" means "heaven," and this fine resort commands a celestial spot on the banks of the Pai River. Deluxe rooms in the main house, a stately building constructed almost entirely of teak, are enormous and opulently furnished in Lanna style. Two-story villas are arranged along a path that leads down to the river. The hotel has its own motorcycle taxi service to ferry guests around Pai.

Cooling breezes from the Yuam River waft through the open-plan areas of this attractive teak hotel, with rooms a simple but elegant synthesis of white walls, dark woods, and handwoven textiles from Sop Moei Arts, an initiative that supports local Pwo Karen artisans. The small terraces overlooking the river are a nice bonus. The 12 rooms are quickly taken in high season—Room 23 has a lamyai tree growing through its outside deck and is particular popular—so if the hotel is full, the nearby Riverhouse Resort, run by the same owners, is recommended. It's more expensive but has more facilities.

This modern hotel is a stylish contrast to the nearby teak-built Riverhouse Hotel, under the same ownership, but the smart interior is welcoming and comfortable. Rooms eschew the traditional Thai style of this region and are furnished in sleek wood veneers and fine fabrics, and most have small terraces overlooking the Yuam River.