Hotel Hop

The Peppermint Guest House is in a prime location in the old city and close to all 'the action' (whatever that is), and for $14 a night we couldn't go wrong, right?
Our room was on the third floor of the narrow building and was about the size of a small bedroom with a tiny adjoining bathroom. The bathroom was a 'onesey' like our last hotel in Bangkok where the whole area was basically a shower with a sink and toilet in it. The room was so small we couldn't shower without rubbing against the toilet, which was a very unpleasant feeling, plus the entire room was wet afterwards. There is no good way to explain the room. There was only one very old lumpy bed with only a bottom fitted sheet and a thin comforter, and nothing in between. The pillows were about 6 inches high and felt like sandbags that wouldn't bend or form to the head. We figured they were probably acquired cheaply after all the recent flooding receded. There was a large window with very thin drapes that did a disastrous job of blocking out the city lights (which happened to be shining directly at our window) making it bright enough to read all through the night. The concrete floor was sticky, there was only one electric socket, and an army of ants had already staked their claim for most of the room. We slept in our clothes. Not surprisingly, the little bit we did sleep we both had bizarre dreams concerning things such as prison camps and tar babies. Needless to say we were checked out as soon as we could get our stuff together in the morning. Lesson learned: for $14 a night, you can't go right.

Having just cancelled our two weeks of respite at the Peppermint, we were officially homeless once again. Looking online earlier we had seen a hotel which fit our budget, and with a name like Prince Hotel we couldn't go wrong, right?
The room at the Prince was definitely an improvement, and was more than twice the size of the previous place. The bathroom was larger and with more of a western feel and had a real bathtub. The bedding was softer with bottom AND top sheets. The sandbag pillows were back but only about 3 inches high this time, so they were a little easier on the neck. However improved, it still didn't feel clean. The carpet felt dirty so we hated to remove our shoes, and the bathroom looked like it was host to a middle school biology project and in dire need of remodeling. A night or two was no problem but two weeks wasn't going to work. The Prince hotel turned out to be more of a Pauper place so we were back in the market for lodging.

Next on our list was the Santitham Guest House, located just outside the old city. We stumbled upon it by running searches on the Internet. It turned out to be by far the nicest and homiest place we've stayed in the entire trip. The guest house is actually a complex of small rooms and apartments in several buildings. The whole place is surrounded by a wall which separates it from the havoc and confusion of the surrounding city. The grounds are exquisite and covered with lush vegetation, flowers, trees and water features, and has many beautiful and serene areas for reflection and relaxation. It is an oasis to say the least, and is reminiscent of an upscale home in the Santa Barbara hills.
The other guests we've met so far are quite pleasant, and what is even more delightful is that everyone (for the most part) speaks English. Getting by on smiling and pointing is fine for a while, but some of that down home talk sho' is refreshin'. The owner, Noland, is a North Carolina native and has been quite cordial and available to help us get acquainted with the city. He even keeps bicycles on the premises at no charge for those bold and/or crazy enough to brave the streets. The rooms are comfortable, the beds and pillows are clean and soft, and the entire facility is impeccably clean. The room also includes a breakfast of fresh fruit, Greek yogurt, rolls and granola. For a weekly rate of only $23 a night, we finally found our home, and home sweet home it is!