Serene at Chiang Rai

It was the best wifi we've had in Thailand, but the hotel wasn't much outside of that. The room was large, but the bathroom is old & the shower is small. The check-in process was long (they didn't have our booking because their fax machine was broken & they didn't speak English). The hotel is conveniently located close to the Golden Triangle area.

We visited Sob Ruak where our daughter is working with Think Elephants International. It is a small town with the mixed appearance often seen in developing areas. The town is safe with friendly people, with storefront restaurants which offer delicious local cuisine and local street markets. The Serene Hotel was excellent, with all the amenities and a nice riverside location in walking distance to the "downtown." Breakfast buffet was comprehensive. We recommend the Serene; as the starting location for our 3-week trip to Thailand we could not have done better. The helpful staff and relaxing ambiance were terrific. Great value for the cost.

The hotel overlooks the river. Unless you have a room facing that way, you still experience the view from the restaurant. The view is impressive with boats going to China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand; some tourist, some cargo and others just ferrying backwards and forwards.

Enjoyed having a room with a balcony offering us an unparalleled view of the Golden Triangle.

The hotel is nice, it's modern and clean, and I can't really fault it. My main issue with the stay was the area. This hotel is in the Golden Triangle, and there's not a lot there, it is totally dead at night. I'd recommend staying down the road in the town of Chiang Saen, which we did the following night, and that was great. In the morning I asked about transport to the Opium Hall, expecting that they may have a free tut-tut or shuttle up there. They sent their hotel car around, but wanted 200 Baht for the short 3 minute ride up the street.

Great hotel with a green facade. It was perfect for what we needed a grat place to stay while in Golden Triangle region. It had an elevator to take things to our 5th floor room, it had a nice buffet dinner one night with a broad assortment of tasty food and a great breakfast buffet in the mornings. Hotel dinning room faced the Mekong River and across from Laos and its casino and bright lights. Bed and the linens were superior and the aircon worked well. Staff was attentive and friendly. The manager of restaurant maybe or hotel even a graduate of Johnson and Wales Univ in Rhode Island had terrific skills and was very pleasant. Kudos to her . We took a speed boat across to Laos Market. Went to see the Hill tribes from here and that also was enjoyable. They have a school in the tribal community so if you can leave some money or some supplies please do as the teacher gives money toward helping to feed the children. They sang a song in Englsih for us and showed us what they were learning in Thai. Great teacher. We also went to the fabulous Opium Hall Museum which has a very interactive self guided tour of the Opium trade and country devastation caused by Opium. Well worth visiting. We also went to have lunch at the Anantara Hotel which was quite lovely but with beyond ridicuous prices for lunch but we did have that same great Thai friendliness there as well and the view was delightful. Overall you will enjoy the Golden Triangle area

Facilities: Brand new; Value: Fantastic; Service: Professional, Friendly, Courteous; Cleanliness: Spotless, Pristine; The small town is only worth an overnight stay not much else to see/do

We found this hotel to be the everything we had hoped.....the sheets were crisp, the riverview from our bed or terrace was so romantic.The welcome drinks were special and meals by the waterside were so relaxing.The hotel gave us a ride to and from the Hall Of Opium and offered lots of advise for our trip. I had 3 baths while there. we didn't want to leave the next day...a little bit of heaven.

we loved the Serene at Golden Triangle. The views over the Mekong to Burma,Laos and Thailand were perfect. The room was even better than we expected: very spacious, quality furnishings, a comfortable bed and a fantastic shower. We had a peaceful night and a delicious buffet breakfast. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful.

Have stayed in room with Mae Khong river view, bed was excellence, room had a LCD TV, Bath room with rain shower and a bathtub. Excellence! strongly recommended!