Taris Art Hotel Phrae — Art-Filled Rooms in a Walkable Old Town
Phrae doesn't have the long hotel list that Chiang Mai does, so if you want a base you can wake up and walk the old town from, the name that keeps coming up is Taris Art Hotel Phrae. It's a fully renovated building on Ratchadamnoen Road, and the thing people remember is the bold-colour paintings hung across every room alongside gold wingback chairs — the photo corner that shows up in nearly every guest review. Rates start in the low hundreds of baht, but you get a roomy space and a location within walking distance of Khum Jao Luang and the morning market.
Taris Art Hotel is a top-to-bottom renovation on Ratchadamnoen Road in Nai Wiang, right inside Phrae's old quarter. There are 100 rooms split across Superior, Deluxe and Junior Suite categories, and the theme runs true to the name — a bold-colour painting is the centrepiece of each room, set against cream-and-gold walls, dark wood furniture, and the gold buttoned-leather wingback chair that's become the hotel's signature photo prop. Most rooms have laminate wood flooring, a flat-screen TV, a small fridge and a long desk.
The room guests talk about most is the Junior Suite, noticeably larger than the standard categories, with a padded gold headboard running the width of the wall, a separate sofa corner and a classical painting hung above the seating. Superior and Deluxe rooms are standard-sized, each with a single bold-colour piece over the dressing table. One thing reviewers agree on: the beds are comfortable but on the firm side, so anyone who likes a soft mattress should know that going in.
Location is where Taris pulls ahead of other Phrae hotels. It's a 10-minute walk to Khum Jao Luang, the old teak mansion that anchors the town, and Wat Phra Bat Ming Mueang Worawihan is within walking distance too. The morning market and the café-in-an-old-shophouse scene of Nai Wiang sit all around. You can step out at dawn and photograph the Sino-Portuguese buildings without getting in a car — in a town the size of Phrae, that counts for a lot.
One guest noted it was "a few minutes on foot to Khum Jao Luang, and an easy stroll back past the old-shophouse cafés in the evening — never needed to call a car."
The freebies hold up well at this price. Free loaner bikes suit the quiet old-town streets, private parking is free, and Wi-Fi is free in every room. There's a small lobby bar, a meeting room and laundry service, and the front desk runs 24 hours. There's no swimming pool, though — anyone set on a swim will need to look elsewhere.
The overall score sits at 8.2/10 from 92 Trip.com reviews, with location (9.0) and service (8.3) leading the way, and staff drawing praise for being friendly and helpful in almost every review. The repeat complaints are few and specific: a gap under the room doors lets in outside noise (some guests caught roosters or barking dogs in the morning), a few bathrooms feel musty with slow-draining showers, and some towels are getting old. Worth knowing so you don't expect more than the rate delivers.
Check the breakfast terms carefully when you book. Some packages include a buffet breakfast and some are room-only, and the platforms don't agree on what's bundled — so read the rate conditions before you pay. If your chosen rate doesn't include it, that's no real problem: there are several morning rice-soup spots and cafés within walking distance in Nai Wiang.
The short version: Taris Art Hotel works best for travellers exploring Phrae's old town who want a clean, well-styled room without paying much. It isn't a pool-and-spa resort, but you get a central location, more space than the price suggests, and rooms that look good in photos. If you're a light sleeper, ask for an upper-floor room on the inner side and pack earplugs for the early-morning sounds.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Central old-town location, walkable to Khum Jao Luang and temples
- ✓ Friendly, helpful staff
- ✓ Rooms larger than the price suggests, nicely styled with art
- ✓ Free bikes and free parking
- ! Gap under the doors lets in outside noise
- ! Beds on the firm side for soft-mattress sleepers
- ! No swimming pool
- ✓ Good value, clean and well-presented rooms
- ✓ Central spot with easy access to restaurants and cafés
- ✓ Great for cycling a quiet old town
- ✓ 24-hour front desk, easy check-in
- ! Some bathrooms musty with slow-draining showers
- ! A few towels showing their age
- ! Early-morning roosters or dogs audible from outside
- 💡If you sleep light — request an upper-floor room on the inner side and pack earplugs → there's a gap under the doors, and mornings can bring roosters or dogs from outside
- 💡If breakfast matters — confirm in the booking flow whether your rate includes it, since platforms disagree → if it doesn't, there are rice-soup spots and cafés within walking distance in Nai Wiang
- 💡If you came to swim or spa — there's no pool or spa here → it's geared to old-town sightseeing rather than resort relaxation, so look out of town if a pool is essential