After we visited about 30 apartments in Chiang Mai, lived in two of them, and wrote an article Overview of apartments in Chiang Mai and Phuket Apartments Overview, I decided to write some tips for those who have never done this before. And although everything is quite simple, and it is recognized on the spot, it would have come in handy when I was sitting in Moscow, looking for information about housing in Thailand.
For more articles on renting accommodation in Thailand, as well as related topics of interest to independent travelers, see our informative FAQ. Winter in Thailand. If you have any questions, then first of all take a look there..
The content of the article
Accommodation in Thailand
There are several types of housing in Thailand. It's simple - condotels (or condominiums), guesthouses, private houses and hotels. I advise you to search and select housing through RoomGuru, this is the best service for Asia and the whole world. We immediately see the prices in all existing booking systems. You can find my instructions for booking houses at the link: How to book a house in Thailand - 5 ways.
Condoteli
Apartment buildings. They can be both multi-storey and multi-building, as well as just one building of three floors. Apartments are most often studios - one room with shower and toilet, sometimes there are 2 rooms. Visually, they are no different from hotel rooms. You just need to pay separately for water, electricity, internet, and the cost per month is much lower than the hotel one. The cost starts from 2500-3500 baht per month for simple housing, and from 4000-5000 baht for housing with everything you need. Daily rented too, but not always, and more expensive than guesthouses.
Guesthouses
They are very different and are located mainly closer to the center and in the center of the city. Often the rental price per month is less than the daily rate. But the rooms themselves are small and not quite suitable for long stays. There are exceptions. Cost from 200-300 baht per day.
We have on our blog review of 22 guesthouses in Chiang Mai.
Private houses
They vary greatly in price, depending on the city, distance from the center, etc. But the prices are very encouraging compared to those in Moscow. You can rent a small house from 6-10 thousand per month. As a rule, owners prefer to rent for long periods - from six months.
If you are traveling to Thailand for the first time, then I recommend booking a house or apartment in advance. This is done only through a realtor. Yes, they do not deal with the cheapest housing and take a commission, but this allows you to avoid unnecessary hassle in an unfamiliar country. Believe me, independent searches on the spot are difficult and not worth it. You are going to rest.
Send me a request to advise a trusted realtor, whom I myself trust. And then recently there have been a lot of scammers.
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Apartments for rent in Thailand
Apartments in Thailand, or in a local way - condo, the most affordable type of housing in big cities, they are here on every corner. In order to find an apartment, you just need to walk around the area you need. In small towns, or on the islands, it will be easier to rent a house or guesthouse.
Tips for finding accommodation in Thailand, namely apartments:
- Finding the right address is not a trivial task. As a rule, there are no house numbers and sometimes street names. Also, street names often do not coincide with the names in Google Maps, so it is better to mark a point on the map in advance, and go counting intersections, or use GPS. Maps posted on the websites of condotels can put into a trance even an inveterate lover of orienteering on the ground..
- The reception in the condominium usually works until 16-18 hours, so it is better to start looking for accommodation in the morning.
- If you are looking for something special, then it makes sense not only to walk on your own, but also to read reviews on the Internet about this or that condotel, because the same Wifi is not always possible to check on the spot.
- Condominiums where Thais live are cheaper than those where foreigners live. But accordingly, the interior will be dirtier and poorer there. Thais furnish the rooms themselves.
- There are condominiums, in which apartments are initially not for rent, but for purchase, that is, an analogue of our apartment buildings. However, you can rent a house by negotiating with the owners themselves. Announcements are hanging near the reception, or the girls at the reception will be aware of where to contact you.
- Prices for 1,3,6 months may or may not vary. But as a rule, the longer the rent, the cheaper it is to pay per month..
- Kitchens in apartments are rare, since Thais are used to eating in cafes, but you can find it if you try. A full kitchen is found in large two-room apartments, which tend to be more expensive. A defective kitchen adds only a small amount of cost, and includes an extra sink, table, and rarely a small hotplate..
- Sometimes it's easier to call to find out if there are places to save time. Especially, it makes sense to do it in high season..
- Don't believe the pictures on the condotel websites. Often they were made by professionals and immediately after construction, and since then a lot could have changed..
- There are often two living costs. One for just a room, the other for a room with cleaning and linen.
- In the high season, it is better to look for housing in advance, or as soon as possible, that is, do not delay with this. Good places, often booked several months in advance. During the New Year holidays, many apartments and guesthouses are rented only on a daily basis.
- How to ask Internet parameters: how many megabits? internet share? internet for all? Something like that. The word share is best understood. But the best way to find out the speed of the Internet is to take your laptop with you and do it yourself..
- Thais do not always understand what you are asking about. And they can just happily nod their heads at you, they say, yes, yes, everything is ok. So if you are not sure, ask again, draw on paper, check for yourself.
Internet in Thailand
I got sick, therefore, about the Internet in Thailand, a separate item. There is simply no good Internet in Thailand, well, the kind that people in Moscow are used to, so you need to understand this in advance and prepare yourself mentally. Moreover, the speed can be high, but the stability is not. It also happens that the provider has closed access to some sites, and closed ports for torrenting, but not often. If anything, there are workarounds - Tor and Vidalia.
Internet in Thailand in condominiums can be 3 options:
- One channel comes to the condotel (guesthouse) and is shared among all in the building and distributed via Wifi or LAN. Accordingly, the larger the building and the lower the channel speed, the worse. If someone turned on the torrent, then the Internet is stupid for everyone. The most common case.
- The same thing, only several channels come into the building, and they are divided between a certain number of apartments. Rare.
- Each apartment has its own personal Internet, which you do not share with anyone. Options: has already been carried out, or it is possible to conduct it yourself, having agreed with the provider. Most often, this option is available in condominiums where housing is not rented, but sold. And already the owner of a single apartment has his own Internet connection or the ability to connect. In condotels, this option is much less common, but it occurs.
Conclusion: The larger the building and the lower the speed of the Internet channel, the worse, and vice versa. Therefore, it makes sense to look for low-rise, low-rise buildings. A multi-storey condotel with 100 apartments and a shared internet of 2 mb is a very dubious option. Much better 10 apartments and 12 mb channel.
Accommodation in Thailand
Recommend to read my newer article - how to rent an apartment in Bangkok, there is a little more information and there are specific examples.
