We stayed at the Imperial Resort 3 nights in November 2012. We loved the place.
True, it is a bit «dated» as other reviews have pointed out but we actually found it is part of the charm of this hotel. The superb environment, the massive teak wood presence all around and the general hotel design that integrates all local features is absolutely charming.
Mae Hong Son is a beautiful remote countryside location and the Imperial fits very well in this global setting. We have been in other «dated» hotel infrastructures where a lot of services bear the impact of time (loud A/C, broken window or sliding door, etc,). The Imperial does not show these deficiencies at all, on the contrary. All services work very well, from the very efficient A/C to the free Internet service. We only wished that a safe would have been available in our room. That was all we did not find practical.
And our experience with the hotel staff was impeccable, from the dining room to the concierge. Right upon arrival, we checked in and investigated if a car could be provided to us at the hotel by PR Car Rental located downtown. The concierge took care of all details with the car rental company. As a result, we had a car delivered within 60 minutes of our check in. We were ready to hit the road and start visiting. Talk about great service.
As for location, the hotel is located a couple of kilometers south of town. We did not find this to be an issue at all as visiting Mae Hong Son does require some prearranged transportation for all visitors (own wheels, tours or others). Mae Hong Son offers a few sites of interest in town but many sites (long neck villages, waterfalls, Mae Aw, etc.) are located outside of town, as far as 45 kilometers away. So coming to Mae Hong Son without transportation options would be, by definition, a serious mistake.
So if you come to Mae Hong Son, give the Imperial a try. You will experience a perfectly well integrated hotel with a great setting, plenty of charm and great service.
