This well-meaning family has set up a 'resort' a few miles out of Pak Chong. Taxi drivers charge exorbitant fees in Thai baht to get you there, then are reluctant to come pick you up. Grab does not work in this part of Thailand. There are no restaurants or markets within walking distance.
The worst part of the experience was trying to check in. Though I had prepaid for the room on Expedia, the proprietor was concerned that Expedia hadn't transferred funds to her and wanted me to pay again in cash. She spoke little English, and apparently had no understanding of how the transaction through Expedia was supposed to work. No one else in the family spoke any English. They let me and my travel partner into our rooms, but the payment conversation lasted over SIX HOURS. We finally angrily prepared to leave and walk back into town at dusk, since no taxis would come get us, and they finally relented and allowed us to stay (in the fully prepaid rooms).
The rooms themselves were typical for low budget. (the only ones left available. Don't wait to make reservations over Christmas and New Year's!) the vinyl mattress had one sheet that slipped out from under me so that I ended up on the vinyl surface most the night. The hot water box did not work and I had a cold shower. I had to do some unfortunate pantomiming to get them to understand that there was no toilet paper in the room.
This place was the most frustrating hotel experience I've had. Never again.
