I was travelling from Bangkok to Nong Khai and on to Laos. I had stayed in a range of accommodation, from smart hotels to hostels when, by chance, I was surfing the web and came across Lamai's Homestay/Guesthouse in a rice village in Ko Phet, Bua Yai, Khorat, Isan in North-East Thailand. It was a gem of a place. Situated opposite a beautiful lake, it had beautiful gardens, full of flowers, fruit trees, butterflies and birds. There were picnic tables and hammocks under large shady trees, a barbecue near a small fishpond, and a cool splashpool for resting tired feet. Inside the house was immaculately kept, with a choice of air-con room or fan room or a twin-bedded annexe room whose windows opened out on to the lake. Perhaps the most remarkable thing was the service. Lamai and family give you such a warm welcome. They met me at the local bus stop and took me to the homestay. I arrived in the afternoon so the evening meal was a barbecue cooked and eaten in the garden. Some of the locals came along to say hello and then we walked into the village to meet the rest of the family. They ran village workshops in silk-making, raffia and best of all - food-foraging. I did the latter - 3 days of being an Isan villager. It was amazing. For ambience combined with comfort, I haven't experienced anything like it. Full marks.