3 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.

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.