Taris Art Hotel Phrae — Plenty of Rooms, Cheap, with a Generous Breakfast in Central Phrae on Ratchadamnoen Road
If you want a place in central Phrae with plenty of rooms, easy booking, a light price and a breakfast included, no guesswork, Taris Art Hotel Phrae is a name self-drivers and business travellers pick often. It's a budget hotel on Ratchadamnoen Road in the Nai Wiang quarter of the old town, open since 2016, with 99 rooms, ample free parking, free bicycles to borrow, and a breakfast many guests say is better than the room price suggests. It's walkable to Pratu Chai, the market and the old-town temples. Rooms start from about ฿650/night. The catch is that it's an older building and the rooms aren't great at blocking sound.
Taris Art Hotel is a mid-size budget hotel on Ratchadamnoen Road in the Nai Wiang quarter, in the heart of Phrae's old town. It opened in 2016 and has 99 rooms — a lot for a secondary city like Phrae. Its selling point is straightforward: plenty of rooms, easy booking, a light price, ample parking, and breakfast included. Most people who choose it are driving through Phrae, here on business, or small tour groups that need several rooms in one place at good value with a central location, rather than anyone hunting for boutique atmosphere.
Rooms come in several types, from Deluxe Twin and Superior up to a Junior Suite. Inside you get air-conditioning, a small fridge, a kettle, a TV, a work desk, a wardrobe and a private bathroom. Many guests say the rooms are more spacious than expected, with large, comfortable beds, good for an actual night's sleep. The trade-off is that the 'Art Hotel' name might set you up to expect bold design, but the decor is plainer than that — and because it's a building with some years on it, a few rooms show wear, such as worn towels or a small bathroom.
"If you're in Phrae, the room is fine and the breakfast is very good. Lovely staff, lots of parking, and you can walk to Pratu Chai and the market. For this price in the centre it's good value — just the rooms aren't great at blocking sound."
Breakfast is the most-praised thing in the reviews. Guests agree it's generous and varied beyond what the room price suggests, with hot dishes and local options. Service is another strong point: staff earn praise for being friendly and helpful, reception is open 24 hours, and there's CCTV. A standout for old-town explorers is the free bicycles you can borrow to ride around Phrae's old town with ease.
The Nai Wiang location is a real highlight, scoring around 9.0 for location. It sits on Ratchadamnoen Road, walkable to Pratu Chai and Pratu Chai Market. The Pung Thao Kong Shrine, Khum Chao Luang and several old temples in the quarter are within walking or cycling distance. Wat Phra That Cho Hae is about 15 minutes by car and Phrae Airport about 7 minutes. Free parking is available both front and back, very convenient for self-drivers or groups. The overall score sits around 8.2 from 92 Trip.com reviews.
To be straight: Taris Art isn't a brand-new property or a boutique one, and there's no pool. The point guests raise most is that the rooms aren't great at blocking sound — the walls and doors are thin, and some nights you'll hear footsteps or conversations from next door — plus comments about worn towels, small bathrooms, or a musty smell in some bathrooms. Cleanliness and amenities score around 7.8, lower than location and service. If you want a brand-new room, Hop Inn suits better; if you want boutique character with indigo (mor hom) touches, Hug Inn or Huern Na Na is more interesting. But if you want a cheap, easy-to-book room with breakfast, lots of parking and an old-town location, this place delivers good value.
A tip from following the reviews here: ask for an upper-floor room away from the main corridor and the street to cut down on noise. Borrow the hotel's free bikes to ride around the Nai Wiang old town — a fun way to see Phrae with no parking hassle. Go down early for breakfast to get the full spread before it runs low, since it's the part guests love most. And always compare Agoda, Booking and Trip.com before booking, as the rate here moves with the season.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Generous, varied breakfast, beyond the room price
- ✓ Central old-town location, walkable to Pratu Chai, market and temples
- ✓ Plenty of free parking front and back, plus free bikes
- ✓ Friendly, helpful staff and 24-hour reception
- ! Rooms aren't great at blocking sound, thin walls and doors
- ! An older building — some worn towels, small bathrooms
- ! No pool and no boutique atmosphere
- ✓ Rooms more spacious than expected, large, comfortable beds
- ✓ Budget price, good value for a central location
- ✓ Lovely staff, good service
- ✓ Easy to book, plenty of rooms, good for groups
- ! Plain decor — not the bold design the 'Art Hotel' name hints at
- ! Some rooms have a musty bathroom smell or slow drainage
- ! Comments about air-con noise or outside sounds in the morning
- 💡If you're a light sleeper sensitive to noise — the rooms here aren't great at blocking sound, with thin walls and doors, and some nights you'll hear next door → ask for an upper-floor room away from the main corridor and the street, or pack earplugs.
- 💡If you want a brand-new room or boutique atmosphere — this is a 2016 building with plain decor, not boutique or bold design → try Hop Inn (newer rooms) or Hug Inn / Huern Na Na (boutique mor hom) in the same town.
- 💡If you're particular about linen and bathroom cleanliness — some rooms have worn towels, small bathrooms and a musty smell → check the room at check-in and ask to change room or linen at the 24h reception.