From Chiang Mai we went further north. To the town of Pai we went, via winding roadways—762 curves to be exact—a mountain getaway a few bohemian backpackers made their home some twenty-some years back. I have heard about this place too many times from my friends who have braved its nausea-inducing road, and this time, I want to see and experience it for myself.

ONE OF SEVERAL AL FRESCO AREAS AT THE PAI HOUSE OF LOVE

Before going, we coordinated with Kiki, Pai House of Love’s very friendly and pretty proprietress. Since we’re staying at her place and have zero knowledge on the lay of the land in Pai, we requested if we can be picked up at the bus station along the Pai Walking Street.

CHIC, OPEN-AIRED LOBBY

The ride from Chiang Mai to Pai took about three hours, and yes, we were quite dizzy but not enough to throw up (but almost) when we arrived in town. It took a few minutes before our host found us, sitting dazed with our backpacks at a curb near the bus terminal.

PAI HOUSE OF LOVE’S CAFE

Ten minutes later, we were at the House of Love. It’s more of like a resort—sans the pool—than a hotel or inn really. The structures are laid on an undulating parcel of land, each a walk away from each other either by wooden, gravel, or grassy pathways. I like how relaxed the atmosphere was. The first ones to greet us have eight wagging tails, the owner’s friendly dogs.

ONE OF THE ACCOMMODATION BUILDINGS AT THE PAI HOUSE OF LOVE

We chose the farthest structure from the gates, the bungalow, since we wanted a bit of privacy. We found out later that we need not have to anyways since it was the low season and we have the whole resort for ourselves.

INSIDE OUR PAI BUNGALOW ROOM

Set on an ochre-colored one-storey building, our elevated room consists of a veranda, the bedroom, and an en suite toilet and bath. Interiors are done in modernist bare style, with the walls painted in plain white and the concrete floor left untreated. I kinda like the simplicity of the room, but I think a few more accents could make it livelier—perhaps a rug, some lamps, and a few sculptural displays to make the room a little more interesting for guests.

UTILITARIAN BUT CLEAN

Utility-wise, I have no complaints with our bungalow room. For its price, it has cable television—mostly Thai channels though—a fridge, shelves, electric fans on top of air-conditioning, and reliable Wi-Fi connection. The toilet and bath is clean, has a bidet, and a working hot shower.

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OUR FAVORITE SPOT AT THE RESORT

My favorite part of our room is the open balcony. Here, we usually retire to after a full day of motor biking around Pai, trading stories and reliving the day that was with beer in hand. I’m not sure if they sell beer at House of Love (I guess they do), but we usually buy ours along Walking Street just before going back to the resort.

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CAN YOU SAY HAM AND EGG?

Early mornings, usually find us at their al fresco garden restaurant near the lobby. House of Love offers free breakfast for guests, and although it’s not your usual buffet, it is definitely made with love. From looks alone, one can see that they made an extra effort to please not only your palate, but your eyes as well.

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TRADITIONAL THAI BREAKFAST AT THE PAI HOUSE OF LOVE

One thing that might deter guests from checking in at House of Love might be its location since it is not really walking distance to Pai’s center (about ten minutes by motorbike). But fear not, as bicycles and motorbikes are easily available and are rented out quite cheaply at the resort (100.00 THB per day). If you don’t know how to balance on two wheels, complimentary tuk-tuk shuttles are also available.

OUR UNBELIEVABLE AFFORDABLE RENTED SCOOPY FROM THE HOUSE OF LOVE a PAI

During our three-day stay, we rented out their scooter everyday, checking out the tourist spots in Pai and ending up at Walking Street by nightfall. It was quite convenient, really. We love how full of backpackers the center was and how absolutely peaceful our resort was. Two different worlds, only ten minutes away.

Pai House of Love ► ROOM RATES
Address: Thung Yao, Pai District, Mae Hong Son, Thailand
Contact Number: (083) 201-6886 | (083) 153-6548
Email: sales@houseoflovepai.com | Facebook
GPS Coordinates Map: 19.353806, 98.435334

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