All you need to know about the land of silk and smiles
Siripanna Villa Resort
Every time you turn around in Chiang Mai another boutique-style resort has opened. One of the latest is the Siripanna Villa Resort, the first property in Centara’s boutique collection brand, which began operations at the end of 2009.
At a time when tourism it at is lowest level in years, you have to wonder which of these new hotels will succeed. On a recent visit to Chiang Mai I stayed at three different boutique-style properties - this was not one of them – and on several nights I was the only guest the hotel had. And this was in high-season. The rates I paid were delightfully low. When there were other clients they were mostly Thais who stayed for one or two nights. Any hotelier will tell you that it’s impossible to make money on short stay guests who are paying a low rate. Since this hotel is aligned with the Centara chain with its large marketing network this has the best chance of success.
If all these resorts are to succeed, it won’t be on the Thai traffic alone. Somehow they need to get into the more lucrative European, or 
eat returns. To achieve this they have to look outside the Thai market and provide the services that foreigners expect.
These comments do not apply to the Siripanna. There has been serious European training here – like all the Centara hotels. This property has 74 rooms and villas and is well located next to the Gymkhana Club. All the accommodation has top-of-the-line amenities which include flat screen televisions with lots of English-speaking channels, your own Jacuzzi and a choice of one king size bed or two double beds, refrigerator, minibar, Internet access and IDD telephone. They are charging for Internet access although some packages include 30-minutes free per day. Most of the rooms have their own private garden or balcony and there are far more hard-working employees than guests.
Other facilities here include a 300 square-meter swimming pool with 50 sun loungers, a fitness centre, spa, Thai cooking classes, a library and art gallery, business centre and a shuttle service to Gymkhana Golf Course and Sport Club, Alpine Golf Resort, and the Night Bazaar.
The main function room is located on the second floor of the hotel and can hold up to 200 guests. There is also a boardroom available. There is a traditional Thai house that can accommodate 100 visitors for a Lanna khantok dinner and the extensive gardens have space for 500. Look out for the best deals on the resort’s website.
Contact details:
Taraburi
This is a splendid boutique resort located in an upmarket residential community. Plus points here are the luxury suites, rich in Thai teak, lush landscaped gardens and a crew of well-trained staff who are both professional, friendly full of helpful information about Chiang Mai and the surrounding area. The Internet prices are attractive for this high-quality resort. And you may do even better by calling the front desk direct. Since Chiang Mai has an abundance of quality resort rooms you may be able to negotiate an attractive if you are looking for a longer stay. The prices here include a full American breakfast. If you are flying into Chiang ai make sure airport transfers are included. The rooms are fully equipped with flat screen televisions with satellite news and movie channels, tea and coffee making facilities, in-room safe, minibar, modern bathrooms with separate bathtubs and showers, luxury linens and lots of space. There are only 24 suites but each one is impressive. Th
ere is one design feature that I didn’t like. There are small steps between the living and sleeping area. It looks good but it also does provide a potential problem. There is a large pool in the center of the property surrounded by a sundeck and more of the lush landscaping. The residential neighborhood has a quality food store with lots of imported goods and the prices are not excessive. In fact I found some imported liquor cheaper here than at Tesco or Big C. Most items, however, are a few Baht higher than at the chain stores. There are several restaurants nearby include a new inexpensive Mexican restaurant which adjoins the food store. There is also a reasonably priced beauty salon, laundry and dry cleaners and ATMs. This resort is quiet, perfect for reading and relaxing, and a little cut off from the city. The 24-hour front desk can arrange for trips into Chiang Mai and transfers to the nearby Chiang Mai International Airport. Contact details: 225/147 Moo 13, Tarndong Village, Chiang-Hod Rd., T. Baanwan A.Hangdong Chiang Mai, 50230 Tel. +66 5343 5180-7 Fax. +66 5343 5188 E-mail : info@taraburi.com www.taraburi.com
Baan Saen Doi
This is a small boutique resort for those seeking quiet and quality. There is a handful or rooms in a complex located in the upmarket Baan Nai Fun 2 residential area at the foot of 
ooms here are spacious and immaculate in teak and decorated with the finest art and handicrafts of
Look for rates around 5,000 Baht a night, reasonable for the quality offered here. Longer stay guests will find it advantageous to talk directly to the English-speaking front desk
The complex consists of a sports area with a large saltwater swimming pool, tennis courts, world class spa and beauty center and a restaurant.
The spa across the street is full of artwork and offers a complete range of treatments. The Saen Kham Terrace Restaurant is also full of Thai artwork and specializes in Northern Thai cuisine. There is an air-conditioned dining room and an outdoor terrace with views over the rice paddies and nearby hills. 
The resort has a fully equipped conference rooms that can accommodate 30 guests and wireless Internet access is available everywhere.
The property is close to the Royal Flora Exposition grounds and Chiang Mai Night Safari. It is a 10-minute drive south-west of
The friendly 24-hour front desk can arrange for tours, tee-times and car rentals. The tropical gardens and water features that abound throughout the property make this a place where it is easy to relax and enjoy the best service that
Contact details: 199/135 (Baan Nai Fun 2) M. 3, T. Mae Hia, A. Muang, Chiang Mai 50100. Tel: 053 839 260, fax 053 839 263.
E-mail: info@baansaendoi.com, www.baansaendoi.com
Four Seasons Chiang Mai Resort and Spa,
Out of town and out of this world. This was the most luxury you could find in 
d then to the glorious countryside that Chiang Mai has to offer.
Minimum size of suites is 750 square feet and they are elegantly decorated with traditional Thai fabrics and art. Each room with teak floors has an adjoining private sala, large bathroom with oversize sunken tub and separate shower overlooking a secluded garden. The resort has sixteen clusters of Lanna style pavilions each housing four suites. Some of the suites have their own private plunge pool and others have adjoining children’s bedrooms. These are some of the benefits each pavilion offers: 100% cotton oversized bath towels,, CD player, complimentary newspaper, computer modem jack, choice of down or non-allergice pillows, DVD player, fresh fruit daily, hair dryer, high-speed Internet access, in-room safe, iron and ironing board, make-up mirror, refrigerated private bar, satellite TV, tea and coffee making facilities and twice-daily housekeeping service.
There is a 10,000 square-foot spa, two swimming pools, two flood lit tennis courts and superb restaurants. There are only 77 rooms but everyone is a winner.
The Thai cooking school is highly acclaimed and the 24-reception desk can organize tours to attractions in and around the city as well as help you plan visits to Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle. Children 16 and under can be accommodated free of charge in their parents' pavilion or residence, and families can be especially well-accommodated in the two- or three-bedroom residences. Pavilions and residences for non-smokers are available.
This is top quality accommodation with service that is hard to fault. It is country living at its finest and not suited for those looking for loud and lively nightlife. Fortunately traffic in Chiang Mai is rarely congested and transfers to the city center are not expensive should you wish to visit the bustling night bazaar or dine away from the hotel.
Chiang Mai Gate Hotel
If you want to be in the heart of the things and are on a budget this might be the perfect place. This inexpensive 160-room hotel is 100 meters from the Chiang Mai Gate in the center of the old city.
You can still get a room here for less than 1,000 Baht ($29) including breakfast. Last time I checked things were even better. Stay for four nights – and you only pay for three. There are more expensive rooms, in the new wing, but all the accommodation is
air-conditioned, and comes with a bathroom with a choice of shower or tub, IDD telephone, satellite television, minibar and a refrigerator.
The Palm Restaurant, open for lunch and dinner, provides quality Thai and international cuisine at an affordable price and there is live music every night.
The hotel has a 24-hour front desk, 24-hour room service, a pleasant swimming pool, pictured here, and an inexpensive beauty salon. It is a 10-minute tuk tuk drive away from the night market and there is plenty of action within walking distance of the property. The employees here are friendly and helpful. Many lack good English but they make up for it with big smiles.
Contact details: 11/10 Suriyawong Road, Haiya, Muang, Chiang Mai 50100
Amari Rincome Hote
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This is a hotel with a little bit of history. Before the glitzy Thai palaces and modern day boutique hotels appeared on the scene, the Amari Rincome was THE place to stay. It had one of the first swimming pools in
Today, the Amari remains a popular, reasonably priced hotel in a relatively quiet area, 500 meters away from Kad Suan Kaew, the largest shopping center in
This 158-room hotel is in a garden setting with an interior décor of Thai antiques and handicrafts. More popular with tourists than business clients, this hotel is noted for its fine swimming pool, pictured here, huge grounds and a variety of restaurants. All the rooms are well equi
pped and have balconies. Look for rates starting at $110 but you may do better with a package deal from the hotel’s website.
The La Giritta Restaurant has the best in Italian cuisine and there is an international lunch buffet. The Lanna Terrace is the place for an open-air breakfast and the lobby bar is great for drinks before or after dinner.
There are functions rooms for 300 guests. The hotel services include a spa, beauty salon, fax and copying services, tennis and basketball courts, a shuttle bus to both the airport and the night market, and 24-hour front desk and concierge services.
Contact details: 1 Nimmanahaeminda Road,
U Chiang Mai
Latest of the luxury resorts in Chiang Mai is the U Chiang Mai, which opened its doors in June 2008. The four-star property is a 20-minute drive from Chiang Mai’s
The hotel has a policy of allowing its guests a full 24 hours of accommodation, no matter what time they check-in. If you arrive at 4pm – your check out time is 4pm. 
All 41 rooms at the hotel have a private balcony with a day bed, rain shower, IDD telephone, high-speed Internet access, tea and coffee making facilities, satellite TV, electronic safe, hair dryer, iPod with iPod docking station and speakers (See picture on the right). Other amenities include the free use of bicycles, a swimming pool, gym and spa. Hotel guests also have access to the Residents Lounge, which is located in the restored former residence of Chiang Mai’s governor. The lounge has a modern Thai interior design.
The hotel has an introductory offer valid until
The Chedi Chiang Mai
The Chedi Chiang Mai is the only one of the three area top quality resorts – the others being the Four Seasons and the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi that is located in the center of Chiang Mai on the banks of the
The splendid décor of the 84 rooms and suites – all contemporary Asian – is stunning. The outlooks over private courtyards and mountain views are equally enchanting. All the accommodation comes fully equipped with IDD telephone, satellite TV, Internet access, in-room safe, mini-bar and large bathrooms. The club suites at this luxury resort are twice the size of the deluxe rooms with large sitting areas and spacious open b
alconies. All furniture and fittings are the finest.
There is a wide choice of dining at the Chedi and the resort has special menus for younger clients. For Northern Thai specialties, innovative
A diverse range of treatments are offered at the resort’s spa which has a scenic backdrop of scented gardens, water features and quiet interiors. This tranquil oasis features a relaxing area, 10 treatment rooms and suites as well as a manicure/pedicure parlor. In addition to the showers, fitted baths and steam rooms in each of the treatment facilities, two of the five spa suites include built-in saunas. In addition to traditional Thai massage the spa offers warm stone massage and special treatments including body scrubs, wraps, herbal baths, facials and waxing.
Business and meeting facilities: The Chedi offers professional secretarial services and two dedicated meeting rooms with wireless Internet access, video conferencing and audiovisual equipment. Other facilities include: A library, swimming pool, fully-equipped fitness center, yoga and aerobics room, boutique, laundry and dry cleaning, baby sitting and a tour and excursion desk. Car rental (with or without driver) and private limousine transfers and shuttle bus services can be arranged.
Everything at this Chedi – and its sister hotels around the world – is first rate. Long stay guests may find the dining – as wonderful as it is – expensive. Fortunately it is a short taxi ride to a wide range of dining in the city of
Contact details: 123 Charoenprathet Road, T. Changklan A. Muang, Chiang Mai 50100,
RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort
This luxury hotel by the
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For early risers there is the opportunity of merit making by offering alms to visiting monks. There is all-day dining, shows and barbecues in the evenings. And if you check the website you can get packages which include meals, tours and a visit to the resort’s impressive spa.
All the 75 guestrooms feature private balconies, widescreen plasma televisions, home theatre, broadband Internet, in-room safe, minibar. coffee and tea making facilities and bathrooms with LCD televisions and a rain shower. The resort’s spa, The Aspara, offers a choice of Asian and Western treatments.
The dining options here include the Mira Terrace, which is open from 6am until midnight featuring a breakfast buffet with live cooking stations and all-day dining. The Malin Pavilion, open from 10am until 1am, overlooks the Ping River and provides light entertainment, special cocktails and a wide variety of wines. The Rio Restaurant and Bar has a nightly Bra
zilian barbecue and salsa dancing with a live band. If you want something quieter, the Library Lounge is open 24/7 and serves lighter fare and there is a good selection of books and magazines – in English.
Other amenities include an infinity pool, pictured here, which has a swim-up bar, and the Vittoria Coffee Shop, which is open from 9am until 7pm, a business center, fitness center and business and banquet facilities that can accommodate 300 guests.
Being on the river the resort can arrange river cruises, a very pleasant way to view the city. And for shoppers the hotel provides a complimentary shuttle to the famed Chiang Mai night marker.
Contact details: 33 Chang Klan Road, Amphur Muang, Chiang
