Moon River Resort Phimai

Delightful budget resort on the banks of Northeast Thailand's Mun River (hence the name Moon River). Proprietors Christian and Chin welcomed us and advised on attractions, restaurants, local happenings. Our room was clean with a view on the river, the mattress comfortable, the wading birds of the river within range of our camera's long lens. A bridge that puts Phimai temple within a 15-20 minute walk was closed for renovation when we were there, so Christian kindly drove us. Bicycles were also available for free. We enjoyed our time and would gladly go back.

This is a quick follow up to my previous review from October 2024.||The owners have kindly taken advice and added some furniture to bungalows 9A and 9B (these are the connecting ones we use for the four of us, right at the end of the drive). However, they had also taken out the TV and fridge from 9A commenting that they were broken. The place didn't look busy, but if you are planning to head here, and find yourself in 9A, you might need to ask for a fridge. Of course, it could have been replaced by now - perhaps the owners can comment.||It's still good value and the bridge into the old town is now open but only to walk across.

Great place to stay for exploring Phimai. Rooms, although a little basic were clean and adequate. The highlight was being able to swim in the Mun river even with the 6 foot long water monitors!

This is a small resort right on the bend of the river in Phimai next to the bridge (currently being rebuilt) into the old town. They have definitely made the best of the river view, with a great terrace area at one end of the gardens and tastefully arranged bungalows surrounded by greenery. It's a budget resort so don't expect too much in the way of facilities but there are coffee and tea making at reception (not in the room).||The rooms are fairly basic but all face the river and the bathrooms are quite spacious and all have aircon. I'm always interested in how resorts go from the planning to the building stage. I wonder if builders make their own decisions as they go. We stayed in one of the large, two bedroom bungalows and the generosity of electrical outlets is marred somewhat by their location. In the second twin room there are 6 x 2 double outlets, one for the TV and fridge, and 8 other sockets in various locations. The main double bedroom has 10 outlets (1 x double for the TV and fridge) and 4 other doubles as far away from anywhere as possible. All are 100cm off the floor, so cables generally don't quite stretch to the floor where you would rest a device, and the lack of any furniture in the room (apart from the shelf for the TV) means the sockets are effectively unusable without dragging a suitcase over to a wall. There are even 4 sockets in the bathroom either side of the mirror. None of this, of course, detracts from the enjoyment of the stay, but I do wonder how hard it is for someone to stop and reflect on what they're doing when they're putting in the electrical work. Simple things like a light switch next to the bed seem to be impossible to do.||The owners are friendly and welcoming, so please ignore my comments on the over-abundance of electrical sockets and do stay here if you're in the area. Just remember to bring a small foldable table if you want to charge something.

We stayed 2 nights (Dec.9th and 10th)at the beautiful Moon River Resort! Christian has created an amazing tropical oasis in this area of Thailand! The trees, shrubs, and flowering plants along with the natural water features have created a lovely ecosystem complete with birds and butterflies. The lighting throughout the resort during the evening hours was magical! We spoke with other guests who were return guests. One couple had returned for 5 years, staying 3 months each year. Upon arriving, we were shown our accommodations which was #10, 2 bedrooms with an adjoining bathroom. It was very clean and provided all of the necessities. We had planned to go into town for dinner, but Christian was kind enough to invite us to dine with him. He treated us to locally grown fruits and vegetables with an amazing dish of green curried chicken! After a restful night, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast and then Christian drove us to the ancient ruins of Phimai Historical Park. Afterwards, he drove us to the Banyon Grove and walked with us, sharing interesting information about the area. We were delighted at finding real coconut ice cream at a local street market! We enjoyed our visit to Moon River Resort and highly recommend to anyone thinking about visiting Thailand!

RESUMEE: fantastically relaxing riverside lodge, well run, with personalized support by boss and staff. Minor quibbles see below, but in Phimai, I’ll never look for another lodge. WHAT I LIKED: – eerily quiet (perhaps partly due to temporarily closed highway bridge nearby, but also because of slightly isolated location, and the river has no motor boats) – undamaged and easy to use mosquito screens plus the quietness allowed for sleeping with open windows in the delicious December cool, so nice (as always anywhere, inconsiderate guests can ruin the idyll) – bungalow # 3 useful and pleasant, but not overdone with decoration I barely notice anyway when touring all day; small lights and power plugs next to bed; clean and newish – phantastic communal riverside terrace with many cool stone and wood benches and tables (few and tiny mosquitoes in early December) – lots of tall, atmospheric shady trees (most other Asian resorts whack down all trees and replace them with dull lawns and geometrical flower beds) – wi-fi, hot shower and air condition work well – bungalow # 3 with small, but useful private terrace with two decent chairs, wooden bench and table, yet no power outlet – bungalow # 3 with small couch, small desk and even a small rotating rolling office chair – bathroom with some daylight and natural aeration; also with two splash-protected power plugs next to mirror and sink – breakfast not included in the price, but available optionally - the way it should be everywhere – friendly and personalized service by boss, gardener and housekeeper, among other things helping me to receive delayed mail orders and change to a better suiting bungalow after having booked and paid another category – swift laundry service WHAT I DIDN'T GET: Cupboard to hide my stuff (instead, shelves and hangers); kettle; bowls, plates and cutlery to eat street food or food deliveries around the bungalow, on the delightful river terrace for instance; hammock on private terrace or riverside terrace near me (note, I didn't ask the lodge for any of the items mentioned above, they might be able to provide some) With the nearby highway bridge now temporarily closed even for pedestrians, the travel distance to agreeable downtown Phimai is not 1 km, but 3.5 kms (Dec 2024). I traveled that route twice or thrice daily with my bicycle, also at night. It always felt safe and smooth (street dogs lazy 24/7), but it's seriously dull and lonely; I'd carry a light whether walking or cycling. (The lodge can point out nearby restaurants in easy walking distance on their side of the river.)

The hospitality was exemplary! The accomodations very comfortable. Christian was the kindest host. Highly recommend this little getaway. Such a true cultural experience. You will not regret staying here. Thank you for a wonderful time!

Excellent hospitality at this neat little resort. We had two bungalows, which were clean and comfortable. The view over the water is peaceful. Would definitely stay again!