11 Best Hotels in Chiang Mai, Thailand

The luxurious rooms at this small hotel on a quiet lane near Wat Phra Singh straddle a series of hushed brick courtyards enclosed by triple-eave Lanna-style buildings. The peaceful swimming pool is embraced by a tropical walled garden. All the rooms have DVD players, safes, and free Wi-Fi, and guests can book an in-room massage. The hotel's restaurant—one of Chiang Mai's best and worth visiting even if you're not staying here—specializes in the cuisines of northern Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. Note that Rachamankha is the name of the hotel, but the street is called Ratchamankha.

Elegant for the price, this mid-range hotel with a fantastic location near the Sunday night market and other attractions has rooms to suit most budgets. Polished floorboards, lofty ceilings, gilt-edged mirrors, and northern Thai flourishes lend a sense of grandeur to the public areas. At just 20 square meters (215 square feet), the smallest rooms are snug indeed, though they're reasonably well laid out and have amenities not typical of this category of rooms. The suites are smart and spacious.

Ten minutes by tuk-tuk outside downtown Lampang, this pristine hotel has good air-conditioning, comfortable beds, strong Wi-Fi, and balconies in all guest rooms. Rooms are decorated simply, with plush beds neatly made up with white linens, curtains that keep out the sun, and an IKEA-style photo print above the bed. Family rooms, with one king-size bed and one twin, are a great option for groups of three.

This Lanna-style boutique hotel is ideally located, with many bars and restaurants nearby. The romantic rooms have a distinctly Asian gold-and-scarlet decor, with polished teak floors, teak and rattan furnishings, and luxurious silk cushions and drapes. Lanna-style art hangs on the walls.

Although a bit dated, this overall contemporary hotel makes a complete break from the traditional Lanna style so prevalent in Chiang Mai. Clean lines, brushed-steel-and-glass surfaces, and Cubist upholstery set the tone in the interiors, from the airy lobby to the bright rooms, where a wealth of cushions compensates for the somewhat minimalist look. The hotel abuts the famed Night Bazaar and is surrounded by bars and restaurants.

Adjacent to the Thapae Gate and bordering the moat, this refurbished old favorite has a terrace that hums with activity on the weekend. The hotel is also near the bars and restaurants on Thapae and Loi Kroh roads, and an easy walk gets you to the Night Bazaar. Most rooms lack a view of the moat, but they are quiet.

A showpiece of the Thailand-based Cape & Kantary Hotels collection, this large and stylish complex dominates the glitzy Nimmanhaemin Road district. With washing machines in the one-bedroom suites and ample space in all rooms to spread out, this is a great option for families. Sleeping in the comfortable beds here, you could be anywhere; the hotel decor is standard business hotel and is bland, but the rooms are large, quiet, and offer a good night's rest.

Two old shophouses were renovated into this sleek and modern boutique hotel that's a serene oasis in the heart of the Old City. The design is informed by the property’s name, which means "black" in the local dialect: the color scheme is a soothing black, white, and gray throughout. The rooftop deck has clear views of Doi Suthep, and it's a perfect spot for an enchanting sunset.

Set in a half-timbered building that radiates the charms of old France, this boutique hotel hides in a quiet alley of the Old City, steps from Wat Phra Singh. The natural stone, brick, and terra-cotta elements of Le Charcoa are straight out of a fairy tale, with Tudor-style rooms named after the Lord of the Rings' hobbits. You can use one of the free bicycles to tour the city or enjoy late-night signature pizzas by the pool.

It's hard to believe this stunning riverside property was built in 2009; a masterpiece of colonial-style architecture, it's furnished throughout with exquisite antiques. Massive teak and beveled glass doors open into a marble and white stucco reception area, where a 19th-century wall clock ticks away the hours and sets the leisured tone of the public rooms. Morning coffee and afternoon tea are served in an octagonal conservatory, and a reading room has a wall-to-wall bookcase and deep armchairs for browsing and snoozing. Guest rooms, furnished in dark teak and with oriental carpets, have terraces that overlook a quiet courtyard and swimming pool.

A Lanna-style boutique hotel in the center of the Old City, the U Chiang Mai was built around a century-old teak house, the home of a former governor. The house now serves as the lobby, spa, and reading room. The guest rooms, decorated with traditional Lanna-style fabrics and furnishings, overlook a courtyard swimming pool and shaded terrace. The open-fronted first-floor bar is a comfortable perch from which to view the busy street scene below.