Darn Good Digs Review - Editors' Choice

Soppong River Inn, Soppong, Mae Hong Son, Thailand
Nominated By: Tony, Australia, May '08

Price Range: 700 - 2450 Baht # of Rooms: 9 Kid-Friendly: Yes

What makes Soppong River Inn so Darn Good? Going to the land of zzzz's on an excellent bed in a room with open eaves poised high above the chattering river after an excellent Thai spread in the Soppong River Inn restaurant is one of my lingering memories of the fabulous Mae Hong Son province. In ten years of wandering through Thailand, my favourite bed and breakfast or hotel has to be the Soppong River Inn. I score it a 10/10 for location, atmosphere, food, and service.

Location: The Soppong River Inn is located in Soppong, a small village in the mountainous Mae Hong Son province near the Burmese border, 130 km northwest of Chaing Mai. Soppong has a lively market every Tuesday, when hill tribe people journey down from the mountains to shop and sell their goods. If you are in the mood for some outdoor adventure, the Inn is a perfect base for caving, kayaking, rafting, and trekking.

Rooms: The rooms and cottages are different styles, but all are made using traditional materials such as teak and bamboo, and all take their cues from traditional and modern Thai architecture. All rooms have cotton sheets and towels, en-suite bathrooms, and hot water. Some of the rooms have balconies overlooking the river, gardens, and rainforest.

Food: The Inn's Seven Elephants Cafe serves a choice of Thai, American, or European style breakfasts, all with a super-fresh tropical fruit salad. Coffee drinkers will be psyched about the Inn's espresso machine, the only one for miles around. The dinner menu includes both Southeast Asian (even some local Shan specialties) and western style meals. The restaurant has both indoor seating and an outside deck perched above the river.

Vibe: Every time I've been back, Burt and Joy, the owners, seem to have improved the place even more, though how it's possible amazes me.

Things to Keep in Mind: It's a bit of a trek to get to Soppong, but the roads are good and the flights from Chang Mai are short.