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Soaring tourist numbers—particularly young Chinese visitors with newly acquired wealth and the urge and freedom to travel—have fueled an unprecedented hotel building boom in recent years. Most of the new properties are in the traditional so-called Lanna style, and the most luxurious of them rival hotels in Bangkok. One, the Dhara Dhevi, justly claims to be among Asia's finest. Except for the high season, from December to February, prices are far lower than in the capital. Charming, modestly priced guesthouses and small hotels abound, and some are right on the water. Watch out for guesthouses that advertise cheap room rates and then tell you the accommodation is only available if you book an expensive tour. Always ask if there's a tour requirement with your room rate. All hotels and most guesthouses accept dollars, but if you are paying in greenbacks check the offered exchange rate carefully; it can be as much as 10% less than what is obtainable in banks and at exchange booths.
Snuggled into Mae Rim's mountains some 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) above sea level, this garden oasis with tatami mats, paper doors, and wood finishes has a 108°F (42°C) onsen, rich in restorative minerals. With only 24 rooms---some with a private outdoor onsen---the atmosphere is always intimate. The on-site restaurant overlooks a magnificent view of the mountains and offers a blend of Thai and Japanese cuisines.
The former grounds of the British Consulate now house this waterfront oasis whose rooms and suites have private terraces overlooking either the Mae Ping River or the verdant gardens. Just steps from the river and one of the city's busiest streets, the consulate building, gleaming again with polished teak, has been restored to its original 1920s appearance in parts, though you'll now find a smart bar and chic restaurant. The rooms' furnishings deftly meld traditional and contemporary styles. Lotus ponds border the 34-meter (112-foot) pool, giving the impression of bathing in a Thai jungle clearing.
A French restaurateur and his Thai wife renovated this sturdy old Chiang Mai residence into a clean and comfortable guesthouse. They describe their accommodations as "small and not-so-small," so don't expect palatial digs, but the rooms have all been furnished in perky Lanna style. The price is definitely right, and the delightful hosts dedicate themselves to making your stay memorable. They'll hook you up with the perfect tour guide, book you a superb massage, advise you about the area's restaurants and nightlife—whatever you need.
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.
A sacred Bhodi tree stands sentinel outside this attractive hotel that looks out directly onto Wat Chedi Luang, one of Chiang Mai's most historic temples. A pond stocked with Chinese carp borders the airy lobby, whose lofty ceiling and plump sofas and armchairs evoke a French-Indochinese mansion. Rooms are similarly styled, with the accent on dark wood and Thai silk.
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.
The magnificent Four Seasons commands 20 acres of tropical countryside above the lush Mae Rim Valley. Its terraces, pools, and 99 huge suites and villas have views of tree-studded mountains, tropical gardens, and its own manicured rice paddies. The accommodations are in clusters of Lanna-style buildings. Each suite has an outdoor sala (gazebo) ideal for breakfast or cocktails, and the villas have private pools. Rooms with polished-teak floors are furnished with richly colored fabrics and traditional art. The two restaurants, which serve beautifully presented Thai and continental dishes, overlook the valley. The spa is superb, with an open-air massage salon surrounded by rice paddies and lotus ponds.
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.
Nature lovers are well catered to at this remote lodge, a simple riverside resort isolated in woodland a 15-minute drive south of Lampang's bright lights. The basic but comfortable rooms are in Thai-style wooden pavilions near a small lake, where you can untie a dinghy from the jetty and row around among lotus blossoms, ducks, and noisy geese. The large airy restaurant is often crammed with tour groups, but you shouldn't have a problem securing a quiet corner. To get away from the crowds, meander over the swaying bridge to the riverside restaurant and bar.
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.
Simple, modern, and relaxing are the words that come to mind when describing the Raya Heritage, where guests can sip evening cocktails while sitting on the bank of the sleepy Mae Ping River. The aesthetic is a contemporary take on northern Thai design, and almost everything here is sourced locally and handmade. The gift shop reflects the ethos of the hotel with an alluring curation of Chiang Mai's best crafts.
Each of the wooden Thai houses on stilts that make up the lodgings at this property have a rustic coziness, making for an utterly enchanting place to stay. Most of the snug teak rooms overlook the Wang River—ask for Room 4, especially attractive for its northern Thai style. The Italian owner, Lorenza, has lived in Lampang for a long time and has a deep knowledge of the area, which she gladly shares with guests.
An extremely hospitable (English-speaking) Thai couple runs this two-story teak-timbered hotel whose main building was the family home before the children left the nest. The rooms, some in a newer structure with the same wood-centric aesthetic, range in size from merely spacious to downright huge—the aptly named Grand Suite takes up 99 square meters (1,065 square feet) and has a Jacuzzi and a sauna. The restaurant serves fine authentic Lanna food, some from old family recipes, that incorporates produce from the couple's organic farm. Just off the Super Highway and handy for getting out of town and to Greater Chiang Mai, the Ruen is only a short stroll from Nimmanhaemin Road, a trendy area popular with young Thais and expats.
Set around a 200-year-old tamarind tree, this serene oasis in the heart of the Old City has white stucco walls and terra-cotta roofs, evoking the image of a French-Indochinese mansion. Rooms are decorated with an emphasis on dark wood and local Thai textiles. It's conveniently located close to Wat Chedi Luang, one of Chiang Mai's most historic temples.
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.
Small and intimate, this guesthouse has the feel of a boutique hotel. Its very simple but immaculate guest rooms are furnished in dark local woods and crisp white linens, and each room has a painting or wood carving hung on the wall above the bed. A courtyard garden offers a quiet retreat with coffee and soft drinks on call.
