Pai Vintage Garden Resort -Tranquility and Peace in Pai

How would you like to wake up with tranquil exotic gardens, coi ponds, bamboo lined buildings and the soft trickle of fountains? Layer that with a morning walk in the light fog hovering over the rice paddies in a gorgeous valley. That is exactly what you will experience, when staying at the Pai Vintage Garden Resort.

Flashback to 2014:

When seeking out places to stay in Pai, Thailand we wanted something with a little more space than your standard backpacker hut. We wanted to experience the nature of Pai and sleep a little removed from the center of town. We found the Pai Vintage Garden Resort and it looked wonderful. They seemed to have a variety of accommodations, including a 2 bedroom apartment. This was exactly what I was looking for. This way we could have space to have some down time.

In no time our reservations were made and 2 days later, we were off. Pai is only about 90 miles from Chiang Mai, but due to the 700+ twisty mountain turns it is about a 3 hour journey. We made our way there and crossed through the town of Pai, to the far side near the airport. We had no troubles finding Pai Vintage Garden Resort and our check-in was quick and easy. The staff was excellent and very helpful. Check-in was a breeze and Isara catered to our every need. He provided us a map of Pai and reviewed all of the sights with us. He even suggested driving routes for us to maximize our time.

Upon arrival, we liked that there was ample paved parking overlooking the neighboring farms. This seemed to be located in a standard Thai residential neighborhood and I just couldn’t wait to go explore. Before exploring outside, it was time to check out where we were going to be sleeping. As we walked through the property, I found I was lagging behind our escort to the cottage. I was too busy admiring all of the cute and quirky statues, as well as the garden and ponds.

Everywhere you looked was a special treat waiting to be discovered. It was almost like a where’s Waldo or something, trying to find the hidden gems around the gardens. Our daughter and I enjoyed the many sitting areas and the tranquility in the morning. Our walks around the surrounding areas were so peaceful and full of discovery. We created our own scavenger hunt, discovering interesting flowers, insects and fell in love with the rice paddy fields.

Ooops, I got side tracked. I was instantly taken back…

Now, where was I?

Oh yes, our cottage.

2 Bedroom Cottage at Pai Vintage Garden Resort

As we approached out cottage, I noticed we had our own private patio and sitting area. As we entered our place there was a nice living room with 2 sitting areas and a television and small refrigerator, stocked with bottled water. Off to the right was a doorway leading down a few steps to a very good-sized bathroom. Just opposite the bathroom door are stairs, which lead up to the loft bedroom. The kids loved this as their room and quickly staked their claim on their side of the bed.

Off to the left of the living room is the main bedroom, with two twin beds. If you like a firm bed, this is the place for you! Just off of the main bedroom is an en-suite bathroom as well as access to the outdoor patio.

Location

The location of the Pai Vintage Garden Resort may not be perfect for everyone, but when traveling with kids it was just our style. The old backpacker in me thought we should just stay right in town, but I really did enjoy the quieter side of things at this location. our daughter and I did walk into town and it took about 20 minutes to reach the walking street. Of course that was in the pouring rain, trying to share one umbrella, so it is likely only a 15 minute walk in normal weather. I would recommend having a bike, scooter or car, for ease, but it is close enough to walk.

Food

Breakfast was included with the room and was served at the tables near the reception. They don’t have a full restaurant on property, but can make some dishes here for you. We enjoyed the swing, while waiting for our omelets and toast each morning.