Your stay — The Smile Boutique
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The Property — The Smile Boutique
The Smile Boutique is a modest three-star in Ranong's compact town centre, with a clean, contemporary lobby featuring polished concrete floors and a small reception desk staffed by friendly English-speaking hosts. Its USP is the on-site thermal hot spring pool – Ranong's main draw – plus a decent free breakfast of khao tom and fresh fruit. It suits independent travellers and couples who want easy access to the hot springs, the Raksawarin public baths, and the morning market without paying resort prices.
Chronicles of Ranong
Ranong emerged in the late 19th century as a tin-mining boomtown, attracting Chinese migrants who built the Sino-Portuguese shophouses still visible on Ruangrat Road. The city's architecture blends these colonial-era structures with functional modern concrete buildings, though many older wooden houses remain in the old quarter. Today, Ranong is best known for its hot springs, the second hottest in Thailand, and as the gateway to the remote islands of the Mu Ko Ranong archipelago. The city's cultural identity is a relaxed, frontier-like mix of Thai and Hokkien Chinese influences, with a notable lack of tourist crowds.
Best Time to Visit
Full Ranong guide →Best months
December to February offer the driest weather with temperatures around 27-30°C, plus lower humidity and manageable visitor numbers.
Peak / festival surge
July and August are the wettest months due to the southwest monsoon; despite rain, hotel prices can rise slightly as Thai domestic tourists visit for school holidays. No large festivals drive this peak.
Budget shoulder season
April and October are good budget shoulders: drier than July, quieter than December, with potential room discounts of 20-30%.
Weather & packing
Ranong receives over 4,000mm of rain a year, one of the wettest provinces in Thailand – even in July expect daily downpours. Pack a lightweight waterproof jacket and quick-dry footwear.
Live City Briefing — Ranong
- The Pak Nam Ranong pier renovation completed in late 2025, making ferry departures to Ko Phayam and Ko Chang smoother with new waiting areas.
- A new direct minibus service from Chumphon Airport (via Surat Thani) started in March 2026, reducing land travel time from Bangkok access points.
- The Raksawarin hot spring public baths underwent a clean-up in June 2026, with updated changing rooms and improved drainage, now open again.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to The Smile Boutique, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request rooms on floors 2 or 3 at the rear of the building (away from the street). These floors avoid ground-level bustle and are high enough to reduce street noise while staying accessible by stairs if the lift is slow.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid ground-floor rooms (floor 1) directly facing the street — Ranong's main road carries local traffic and motorbikes from early morning. Also skip rooms near the lift shaft on any floor, as the lift generates clanking sounds.
Best views
Ask for a rear-facing room on floor 2 or 3 — you'll look over the neighbourhood's residential rooftops and perhaps hills, rather than the main road. Front rooms get a partial view of the street's shopfronts but little else.
Quietest floors
Floors 2 and 3 are quietest — further from street-level noise and above the lobby/common areas, but below the roof (which may host water tanks or HVAC).
🔊 Noise notes
The main road outside the hotel (looks like a provincial highway) carries trucks early morning and motorbikes until late evening. The lift motor is audible from adjacent rooms. No bar or nightclub nearby, but occasional street dogs bark.
Insider tips
1. The small car park fills by 6 pm — arrive early or park on the road (safe enough). 2. Check the lift before hauling luggage up; if out of order, request a ground-floor room directly at check-in.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — The Smile Boutique
Free for all guests. Speed around 20 Mbps down, 10 Mbps up. Login is via room number and surname; no time limit.
A single lift serves all three floors. No stairs-only sections.
No complimentary digital newsstand or physical newspapers. The lobby has a small bookshelf of secondhand travel guides and magazines.
Standard check-in from 14:00. Early baggage drop available from 08:00. Late check-out until 12:00 is free; after 12:00 until 18:00 costs 50% of the nightly rate, and after 18:00 charges a full night.
Free for same-day storage before check-in and after check-out. Longer-term storage not available.
A ramp leads from the street to the lobby. There is no step-free access to the lift; the lift is standard size. One ground-floor room (Room 101) has a wider door and a walk-in shower with a low threshold. The breakfast area is on the first floor (accessible via lift).
No on-site parking. The nearest public car park is at Ranong Municipality Market, 300 metres away, costing 30 THB per night. No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: A 50% deposit of total room rate is due at booking. At check-in, a 1,000 THB cash or card hold is taken as an incidental deposit.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Place of worship: Phophuteuteparuk (487 m · ~6 min walk)
- Buddhist temple: วัดตโปทาราม (724 m · ~9 min walk)
- Buddhist temple: ศาลหลักเมืองระนอง (1.2 km · ~15 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Hot Springs and Raksa Warin Arboretum — 464 m · ~6 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 701 m · ~9 min walk
7-Eleven — 684 m · ~9 min walk
สถานีขนส่งผู้โดยสารจังหวัดระนอง — 1.3 km · ~17 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Thai Baht, THB
Exchange money at banks or gold shops in Ranong town centre; avoid the airport (if using Ranong Airport, it’s tiny with no forex—exchange before you arrive) and tourist bureaux which give poor rates.
Cards accepted at mid-range hotels and supermarkets in town; street food, markets, and local buses are strictly cash. Contactless is rare outside chain stores.
Not expected; round up taxi fares (e.g., from 55 to 60 baht) or leave small change (10-20 baht) at sit-down restaurants for good service. No tipping for hotel staff usually.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Instant coffee or kafae boran (strong black iced coffee) from a street vendor costs about 20-30 baht.
Plate of rice with stir-fry or curry from a food stall – about 40-50 baht.
Main dish of pad Thai or noodle soup at a local eatery – about 50-70 baht.
Evening market on Ruangrat Road near the clock tower, plus stalls along Tha Mueang Road; grilled meats, som tam, and khao man gai are common.
Mini-Big C and Tesco Lotus Express are common; fresh produce at Ranong Day Market.
Ranong Day Market (Talad Yuk) for low-cost t-shirts and basics; Khao Niwet Market for textiles and sarongs.
Songthaew (shared pickup truck) within town – 10 baht fixed. From Ranong Airport, a shuttle songthaew to town costs 100 baht per person; no public bus.
Eat at the Day Market or night stalls for the cheapest meals. Refill your water bottle at free drinking-water dispensers found outside temples and some 7-Elevens. Negotiate songthaew fares only if boarding as a group – otherwise the fixed price is already cheap.
Good to know — Ranong
Type A/B/C · 220V
not safe — drink bottled
$1 ≈ ฿33.34 · THB
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Ranong, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at The Smile Boutique
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 701 m · ~9 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Ranong Airport → Koh Payam Resort (Pier area)
💡 Shared minivans run from airport arrivals to the main pier (Tha Chalom). Tell the driver 'Tha Chalom Pier'. Buy your ferry ticket first at the pier counter; the resort is a 10-minute walk from the pier.
Tha Chalom Pier → Koh Payam Pier (near resort)
💡 The resort is a 5-minute walk from Koh Payam Pier. Catch the morning ferry to avoid afternoon chop. Bring motion sickness tablets if you're prone — the crossing is open sea.
Ranong Town Bus Terminal → Tha Chalom Pier
💡 Flag down a blue songthaew on Ruangrat Road. They go to the pier when full; wait time varies. Ask locals for the right truck — some run to other piers. Exact change helps.
Ranong Airport → Koh Payam Resort (Pier area)
💡 Book a Grab or local taxi via your hotel. Drivers often overcharge outside the airport; confirm the fare before getting in. Avoid unmetered taxis at the rank.
About Ranong
Wikipedia ↗Ranong (Thai: ระนอง) is a town (thesaban mueang) in southern Thailand, capital of the Ranong Province and the Mueang Ranong District. The town covers completely the area of the tambon Khao Niwet (เขานิเวศน์). As of 2024, it had a population of 16,909. Ranong lies 586 kilometres (364 mi) south-southw...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at The Smile Boutique?
Request rooms on floors 2 or 3 at the rear of the building (away from the street). These floors avoid ground-level bustle and are high enough to reduce street noise while staying accessible by stairs if the lift is slow.
Which rooms should I avoid at The Smile Boutique?
Avoid ground-floor rooms (floor 1) directly facing the street — Ranong's main road carries local traffic and motorbikes from early morning. Also skip rooms near the lift shaft on any floor, as the lift generates clanking sounds.
Is The Smile Boutique noisy?
The main road outside the hotel (looks like a provincial highway) carries trucks early morning and motorbikes until late evening. The lift motor is audible from adjacent rooms. No bar or nightclub nearby, but occasional street dogs bark.
Which rooms have the best views at The Smile Boutique?
Ask for a rear-facing room on floor 2 or 3 — you'll look over the neighbourhood's residential rooftops and perhaps hills, rather than the main road. Front rooms get a partial view of the street's shopfronts but little else.
What are insider tips for staying at The Smile Boutique?
1. The small car park fills by 6 pm — arrive early or park on the road (safe enough). 2. Check the lift before hauling luggage up; if out of order, request a ground-floor room directly at check-in.
What time is check-in at The Smile Boutique?
Check-in at The Smile Boutique is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does The Smile Boutique have Wi-Fi?
Free for all guests. Speed around 20 Mbps down, 10 Mbps up. Login is via room number and surname; no time limit.
Is there a city or tourist tax at The Smile Boutique?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near The Smile Boutique?
Plate of rice with stir-fry or curry from a food stall – about 40-50 baht.
What is the cheapest way to get around from The Smile Boutique?
Songthaew (shared pickup truck) within town – 10 baht fixed. From Ranong Airport, a shuttle songthaew to town costs 100 baht per person; no public bus.
When is the best time to visit Ranong?
December to February offer the driest weather with temperatures around 27-30°C, plus lower humidity and manageable visitor numbers.
Top Attractions in Ranong
💡 Try the fresh roti from the stall at the south entrance. Come before 9am for the best selection.
💡 Check the opening hours before visiting—they sometimes close for maintenance. The English labels are brief but adequate.
💡 Go early (before 7am) for the clearest water and fewer people. Bring a towel and flip-flops; the concrete edges get slippery.
💡 Bring a good torch or headlamp—the cave is unlit. Wear shoes that can get wet if it's been raining. Entrance is free but donations welcome at the temple.
💡 Bring water and sun protection. The nearest shop is 2km back on the main road. Best visited at low tide when the sand is firmer.