Your welcome at Joy's House will be warm-hearted. It is your base station for explorations in and around Chiang Mai. Friendly guest rooms (air conditioning, warm shower, TV, and mini bar) surround Grandmother Yai's traditional but neatly renovated Thai house. You can voice individual wishes and book trips and programs locally: a trip to the Palai hill tribe-village, for instance; the inhabitants are friends of Joy's family. Or go see the elephants bathe in the river early in the morning; or to the golden triangle or to Mae Sai and the Burmese market of fake upon fake products.

What you can't expect at Joy's House: a hotel machine that works like clockwork; a humble family that exists only to take care of your wishes; a constant, high-quality banquet or a breakfast buffet like in the best hotels. But everyone will do the best with hervt, soul and a long experience.

However, what you generally can do successfully: Tell somebody if you are missing anything or you have any wishes. Family is family - at Joy's House. It will usually listen to you. You slowly feel the change. You are no longer just a guest but have become a member of the family with hundreds of relatives. It may be that you will soon talk about "our children" and "our family" and want to come back as soon as possible. And that is appreciated.