The Old Town Chiang Mai
For the best service, rooms, amenities and one of the best locations in the city, look no further than the Old Town Chiang Mai. It may be a bit on the pricier side, but its very worth it. Here’s my thoughts:
Location: B+
This type of outdoor space int he dense old town was very pleasant (and rare)
It’s not quite as SMACK in the middle of the action of Chiang Mai’s historic center, but its within a 15-20 minute walk to all the attractions. Plus, its on the west side, which means it is a bit closer to the airport, Nimman and Doi Suthep, so that is a plus. And, the fact that its on the edge of the old town, while it means your a further walk from the sites, its much easier for cars to get in and out of the hotel.
Rooms: A-
Aside from the almost shocking lack of natural light, these rooms were awesome. All the finishes and decor was beautiful, the bed was way too comfortable, and the bathroom was also huge. For a hotel in such a prime location, I was more than impressed with the size of the room overall (plus, it was about $100 a night - you put these rooms in the middle of, I don’t know, any European old town and its easily $400).
Amenities: A
Look, this is a city hotel. You’re not coming to stay at the hotel, but even with that said, this little property provides a lot. A nice little gym, beautiful pool and a solid sized spa all smack in the middle of this historic city center was a surprise to say the least. Plus, add in a library, a couple bars and restaurants, and you’ve got all you need. To my surprise, I ended up just relaxing at the pool, spa and bar one afternoon (I had been traveling non stop around the country for nearly 2 weeks at this point, I was tired man).
Food: B
The breakfast situation was weird. You didn’t get your own menu to choose what you wanted, instead you had to pick what style of breakfast you wanted. If memory serves me right, they had two types of Thai breakfast, English breakfast, continental breakfast, vegan breakfast and I think a Vietnamese style breakfast as well? The food was very good, don’t get me wrong, I just wasn’t a big fan of the style in which they served it. But hey, it was included, so not a peep from me! I also ended up ordering a room service pizza from the on-site Italian restaurant and it was actually surprisingly good for Thai standards of pizza.
Service: A+
These guys were great! The front desk staff knew me by name, were always helpful with tips, and even provided me with a baggie for breakfast on my last morning to take to the airport. They were all very pleasant, and I thoroughly enjoyed each member of this very professional but also personable staff.