8 Best Hotels in Chiang Rai, Northern Thailand

Large, tastefully furnished rooms, vast bathrooms, secluded terraces, an open-air gourmet restaurant, and unrestricted views of the distant mountains make it easy for The Legend to live up to its name. Furnishings are in an eclectic Asian-fusion style, with the Lanna look of dark woods and stucco walls offset by delicate examples of local Thai handwork. For real seclusion, book one of the villas, which have their own private pools. One of the restaurants is in a garden along the Mae Kok River, the second is on a breezy terrace, and the third—a combination wine bar and trattoria—is inside.

Hiding in a quiet soi within walking distance of the night bazaar, this budget hotel has small but clean rooms with hot showers, refrigerators, and air-conditioning. The airy open common spaces are decorated with plants and a bubbling fountain, perfect for recharging your batteries before or after a day out. The owner and staff are kind and attentive.

This quiet guesthouse feels like a hotel, with bright clean rooms that have hot showers, refrigerators, work desks, televisions, and fans or air-conditioning. The knowledgeable English-speaking staff can tell you everything about the nearby attractions, as well as wash, iron, and fold your clothes. Free instant coffee and bananas are provided at the communal space near the reception.

A large glass-enclosed lobby with high ceilings and a permanent art gallery sets the stylish tone at this riverside hotel. From here, guests can wander out to an elegant terrace with an infinity pool and dramatic views of Chiang Rai. Rooms are a tasteful fusion of Thai and European style, with dark stained woods and pastel silks.

Large and luxurious, this hotel commands a stretch of the Mae Kok River and views of the northern mountain range. While the exterior design is influenced by the graceful Sukhothai style, the interior decor features a modern Asian-fusion style, employing sleek dark woods and fine fabrics with discreet use of Thai traditional crafts. Rooms are large and romantically lighted. Gardens reaching down to the river have an attractive, sinuously shaped swimming pool.

Only the tropical vegetation hints that this highly stylish, modern hotel is in Thailand and not a boutique establishment in central Milan or Munich. Rooms are furnished in a sleek Italian style, with retro-looking primary colors, crisp white linens, and claw-footed, stand-alone bathtubs in some of the suites. Most rooms are grouped around a secluded pool and a large wooden sundeck.

Rich hues, warm lighting, and grand Moroccan architectural flourishes set a distinctly exotic tone at this boutique hotel well away from the city center. The North African touches continue in the rooms, which have plush furnishings and heavy velvet drapes.

In the heart of downtown, this sleek, modern hotel is among the best in central Chiang Rai. Spacious rooms are decked out in dark woods and fine fabrics. Public rooms are in "Grand Hotel" style, with fat pillars and well-upholstered sitting areas. Outside is a large pool and spacious terrace. The Golden Teak restaurant serves Thai, Chinese, and other fare. The hotel has a fun, plush karaoke room.