travelmom13

We are looking at staying at the Four Seasons in Chiang Mai. I have few questions:

1. How much is it usually for low season (May)?
2. Are there any good websites for getting a good deal (How much would a good deal be?)
3. How much time would you spend in Chiang Mai?

Thanks!

Kathie

The Four Seasons outside of CM is always expensive. I don't know of any websites with disounted prices. Also note that the Four Seasons is a half an hour outside of CM, so you'll have to make an effort to see CM. There was a recent review here where the reviewer noted that there was lots they wanted to do in the CM area, and felt they sort of wasted their money staying at the Four Seasons. If you are going to pay that much, you'll want to spend most of your time there, therefore you won't see much of CM or the surrounding area. Depending on how much time you have, you may want o spend part of your time in CM and part of your time at the Four Seasons.

travelmom13

Thanks, Kathie! We will plan to do exactly that--two nights in Chiang Mai at the Yaang Come Village or the Baan Orapin (bed and breakfast), then one night at the Four Seasons.

Many thanks!

jkgourmet

I'd pass on the Four Season's entirely and enjoy the time in CM. You can go to a Four Season's anywhere - why bother and lose the precious little time in one of the most interesting, unusual cities in SE Asia?

Hanuman

Certain company have very good corporate rates with the Four Seasons hotel worldwide and you can get a good deal by booking through them. For example, if you're a client of a private bank your banker can arrange a room for about 1/3 the price of the rack rate.

Also you can try directly approaching the owner of one of the residences at the Four Seasons Chiang Mai. They sometime give out good deals.

Another hotel choice in the same class as the Four Seasons is the Dhara Dhevi Mandarin Oriental. You can find a villa there for about US $500 per night. This property is much closer to Chiang Mai, only about 15 minutes away from the centre of town(the Four Seasons is about 30 - 40 minutes away).

Lindsey

Sorry but I have to disagree with jkgourmet. I have stayed at Four Seasons hotels and resorts all over North America and Asia Pacific and I can assure you the one in Chiang Mai is unique. It's what's known as a "destination resort," worthy of a stay just to experience the ambiance and service of the resort itself.

I think your plan to stay a few days in town and then a night at the FS is an excellent "best of both worlds" solution. Kathy is correct that if you pay that much you will want to just spend the time at the resort and soak up the atmosphere. It is one of the most tranquil and relaxing places I have ever been. Enjoy a bike ride in the surrounding countryside followed by a luxurious spa treatment (the spa there has been ranked as one of the best in Asia.) Lounge around the amazing pool. (It will be very hot in May.) Take a cooking class. Feed the pet water buffalo. Gaze out over the rice paddies as the sun sets. And enjoy every indulgent minute of it!

dorendan

I dont't know the Four Seasons. But two weeks ago we where in Chiang Mai for the first time and we combined three night in town and three nights at a lovely place called the Baan Rai Lanna, 45 minutes north of Chiang Mai (found it at another Thailand forum). I will post my complete report later, but I can highly recommend this resort. In town you do the temples and markets. At the Baan Rai Lanna we dit elephant camp, waterfalls, hot springs, biking and relaxed at the wonderfull pool, had the best massages of our three week holiday in Thailand, the best service and the food was also superb. Prices very, very reasonable: 2000 bath a night for one of the very nice decorated (new) bungalows build upon a hill with all wonderfull views. Best experience we had in whole of Thailand. We are used to staying in upgrade hotels throughout the world and we really had the best time here. I enjoyed waking up and see the sun coming up from sitting in the window. It's a small resort but with all the beauty and services you could possibly need. We were really impressed.

CFW

Another suggestion for a hotel in town is the Rachamankha. It is a low-key upscale boutique type hotel in the old city near Wat Phra Singh. I really liked the atmosphere. The buildings are two stories surrounding a series of courtyards with lovely Asia antiques here and there, and a pool area in one of the courtyards. We booked through Sawadee.com, I think and paid about $150 per night. We went to Chiang Mai last year & again this year& stayed at Rahamankha last year & Yaang Come Village this year. My husband liked Yaang Come better (bigger rooms & bathrooms) and I liked Rachamankha better because of the decor & I liked being in the old city.

As far as things to do in CM, there have been lots of trip reports, including mine from last year. Some highlights are

Doi Suthep - I think the most beautiful temple in Thailand. On a hill overlookig CM.

The Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang, about an hour south of CM

The Walking Street on Sundays -- a fabulous out door crafts market with lovely items and a very festive atmosphere.

Oasis Spa - If you like spa treatments, this was the best. I like the original location with separate treatment rooms set in the garden with private outdoor shower & bathroom attached to each.

Doi Inthanon - If you are interested in natural beauty, waterfalls, & gardens. We went with Sergeant Kai & he also took us to local country market that was amazing (we were the only Farangs) & also an off-the-beaten track hilltribe village where he knew a number of the residents. It was a wonderful day.

I would HIGHLY recommend that you contact Sergeant Kai (Do a search on this site or google & you will find contact info). He is a lovely man & simply the best tour guide we have ever had. Tell him your interests & he will arrange individualized tours for you with places you might not ordinarily get to without a guide.

Have a wonderful time!

dorendan

We only had lunch at the Rachamankha, but we took a look around and I would definitly book this place when we would return to Chiang Mai (in the city). Oasis was oké, but not the best massage, I must be honoust and say that was my masseuse Tiw, at the Baan Rai Lanna (and less then half the money compared with Oasis). The sunday walking market in the old town was the best market I've experienced in Thailand. We bought most of our shoppings here, more than in BKK! The atmosphere here is really nice and the things tou can buy are more special. Not like the nightmarket (all the same). Have fun!

kimburu

1. Cheapest is usually something under $US400 per night
2. Rates here CAN be bettered but it is consistently a reasonable guideline
http://www.r24.org/goandaman.com/chiangmai/regent/

Bella_Bluebell

I found the best rates through Amex cardholders' travel service for this hotel - but still massively expensive!

Travelux

We stayed at the Four Seasons 4 nights ago. It was truly a Shangri-La. Sawadee got a room for us for $398 per night. The hotel was charing us $550, even though I told them what the Sawadee price was! Naturally, we went with Sawadee. Our room was splendid, the resort divine, and the service and people there as warm, wonderful, and unaffected as can be imagined. We loved it, and we loved getting a better deal. We stayed there on May l0. We also had a terrific tour guide, Waew through Sergeant Kai. She could easily have picked us up at the Four Seasons instead of downtown Chiang Mai--which I did not find attractive.

Travelux

Extra note on the Four Seasons--This is the most exquistie place we have ever stayed--incredibly peaceful and beautiful. You pay much, but you truly get what you pay for. The service, care, detail, and beauty of this place is rightfully costly.

We justified the expense by staying at the really reasonable Baan Oripan for a couple of nights to defray other expenses. The new units at the back is lovely and breakfast is great. It is an authentically Thai in every respect. We also stayed two nights at Yaang Come Village, a lovely new hotel that is well-priced and well located. The price of the Four Seasons well reflects the difference in pure elegance, beauty, and peacefulness. I agree with the other writer--it is a unique experience that should be relished if at all possible. We only stayed one night, but it will always be tops in our memory.

StanKase

We found the rachamanka a disappointment. Tes, it is a boutique resort but they tried to make a 3 year old place look like a restored Northern Thai Estate and in our opinion failed.

Elainee

We loved the Four Seasons in CM. Best spa ever, excellent food, fab service. A very special place. When we were there they had Japanese drummer who was Japanese National Treasure and big hit when he came to NYC. The white water buffalo parade around every afternoon. Our 4 yr old grandaughter had chicken pox there and the hotel could not have been more helpful in everyway for us.

jakinberg

travelmom13- who was your guide in bangkok?
Thanks!

sallyho

I stayed at the Four Seasons a few years ago. The setting is unbeliveable. I still have vivid memories of the view from our deck of the hills looming over the shimering rice fields. I loved biking around, We arrived after we had exusted ourselves in BKK. It was a great place to catch our breath and renew our energy for the rest of our trip. We also went to CM and saw all the must see sights, I was not that impressed with the city
itself, but glad I spendt a night there. Also we arrived in CM during the Water festival so it was hard to get around.

maggie144

WE STAYED AT THE FOUR SEASONS LAST SUMMER AND IT WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE HOTELS HANDS DOWN ANYWHERE. I AGREE THAT IT IS FAR OUT OF TOWN --- AND IT CAN BE A TIME USER GOING BACK AND FORTH. WE ARE CONSIDERING GOING AGAIN THIS SUMMER....IT WAS THAT GOOD! HOW DOES THE FOUR SEASONS IN BKK COMPARE? I KNOW IT IS NOT A RESORT, BUT WE STAYED AT THE ORIENTAL LAST YEAR, AND I THINK I WOULD RATHER BE IN THE CITY (NOT THE RIVER) THIS TIME. THOUGHTS, ANYONE? ONE WEBSITE DESCRIBED THE ROOM AT THE BANGKOK FOUR SEASONS AS NOT UP TO PAR OF OTHER FOUR SEASONS. THANKS SO MUCH. IF YOU STAY AT THE CHIANG MAI FOUR SEASONS FOR FOUR NIGHTS, YOU GET THE FOURTH NIGHT FREE. THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL (NEW, OPENED LAST YEAR) AND CLOSER TO DT CHIANG MAI IS NOT NEARLY AS BEAUTIFUL, UNIQUE AS THE 4 SEASONS.

hobbes

The standard room at the Four Seasons in Bangkok is good, not outstanding. Having said that it is my first choice among Bangkok hotels - I love the location, great service, good food at Biscotti and in the Jap restaurant, Aqua Bar and Lounge is a great place to hang out nightly. Having done the river thing and the Oriental and Pen and exotic thing at Sukhothai (which I did not care for at all) I never want to stay anywhere but the Four Seasons in Bangkok among hotels - for now at least!