Chiang Mai has a good supply and range of places to stay. Normally it is easy to find the right level of accommodation at almost any time of year, but during holidays and especially the big Thai holiday of Songkhran it pays to book well in advance. If you haven't pre booked, you will find eager touts at either the airport, bus or train station waiting to take you to a nearby guesthouse or hotel. While it is not the best way to find accommodation, at least you can guarantee that the vacancy situation will be upto date with them. Sometimes if you have pre booked your room in advance you could ask them to meet you and take you direct.

Due to Chiang Mai's climate it is not always nessasary to have a room with air-con, but often the rooms are bigger and a little more luxurious if they have it. Another important point, when staying in the guesthouses or small hotels, please take care of your valuables. Some hotels and guesthouses offer a room safe, or safe keeping in reception, get an itemised receipt for anything left there. My opinion is always a good idea to keep your most important items with you ie: credit cards and passport.

Inexpensive
Chiang Mai believe it or not has a better selection of guest houses than Bangkok. You will find them to be friendlier, laidback, quieter and more often than not have a better atmosphere. Choose from shared dormatory type rooms from 100 baht per night up to 400 baht per night rooms with own bathroom, etc. Many of the guest houses will try to pressure you into taking a trek into the mountains with them, they do this to off set the low rental of the rooms. If trekking is not your scene, just say you have a bad back! Most of the cheaper accomodation in Chiang Mai city is conviently located around the eastern site of the moat in an area called Tha Pae Gate, which has a good selection of places to eat and market stalls.

Modest
Starting at around 500 baht buys you something that little bit better. Either good quality guest houses or small hotels can be found at this rate offering hot water, tv, air-con and an overall better standard. These type of places often have a coffee shop where you can chill out and talk with fellow travellers.

Expensive
Over the past couple of years high end accomodation has been popping up all over Chiang Mai. These range from unique boutique hotels right upto massive 5* resorts. These hotels offer every luxury, so if you can pamper yourself.