About 15 million reasons exist to visit Thailand -- as many as the number of tourists expected to invade the kingdom in 2011. Some come to admire Thailand's luxurious palaces, Buddhist temples and fascinating ruins. Others seek the crazy duality of Bangkok, with its soaring skyscrapers, quiet canal neighborhoods and labyrinthine Chinatown alleys. Pastoral villages among rice paddies, dream beaches with coconut palms and spicy regional cuisines -- all these draw the curious traveler. Although Thailand has a wealth of hotels, running the gamut from low-brow to luxury, the wise traveler reserves before leaving home.
Organize the dates and details of your trip. If you know your itinerary, list the places and dates you need hotels. If you are touring, select base cities using a trusted tourist guidebook, then list the date of arrival at each. Include in the list the date you arrive in Thailand and the day before you depart. In planning your trip, remember that the most visited areas of Thailand -- including Bangkok, Phuke and Chiang Mai -- have the greatest variety of hotels.
Count your pennies and put together a hotel budget. Thailand offers something for every pocket book, although if you select the cheapest of the cheap, expect cold-water showers and fan-cooled rooms. Slightly more money buys you pleasant and authentic quarters at family guesthouses and hostels. Moderate hotels with swimming pools and satellite television run about $200, as of 2010, and luxury accommodations are about double that. Note that expensive and moderate hotels add a 10 percent service fee plus the government value added tax of seven percent.
Select hotels for your itinerary using a trusted Internet travel site or a good guidebook. Many top Thailand hotels are familiar chains such as Hilton, Accor, Sheraton and Marriott. Book these directly through the chain's website or by telephone. Book smaller hotels without websites with a travel agent or Internet travel site. Provide your credit card to hold the booking and obtain a written receipt and reservation confirmation.
