Chiang Mai, a land of misty mountains and colorful hill tribes, is located 700 km (435 miles) north of Bangkok in a verdant valley on the banks of the Mae Ping River. The city is most famous for its beautiful ancient temples, but the striking mountainous landscape around the city provides many wonderful natural attractions. There are also unique museums, fantastic spas and beautiful gardens and parks to enjoy. There are numerous street markets selling many unique handicrafts.
There is an excellent choice of restaurants, from first-class fine-dining restaurants with international menus to little local joints specializing in the area’s unique and tasty cuisine.
The weather is warm to hot all year round, and, as a result of rapid development, air and water pollution, waste management problems and traffic congestion, the city now runs a non-motorized transport system.

Here are the best luxury hotels and resorts in Chiang Mai together with the best deals and best rate guarantee.

 Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai

This resort is set within 32 acres of lush, landscaped gardens with romantic views of terraced rice paddies, lakes, waterfalls and lily ponds in the Mae Rim Valley. It is located about 30 minutes north of Chiang Mai, with elephant camps and hill-tribe villages right on the doorstep.

It is a sanctuary of well-being.

Location

1-hour drive to Chiang Mai City
4.8mi/ 7.7km from Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden

Pavilions, villas and residences

The resort has 99 pavilions, each with its own outdoor Thai sala complete with a swing sofa. Some are set among the tropical gardens, others with views over the terraced rice paddies and the gently rolling hills. All contain a generous open-plan walk-in wardrobe and bathroom with a separate shower and a bath.

Surrounded by water, the villas give complete privacy and a connection with nature. They have a private pool and traditional outdoor Thai sala.

All accommodation is decorated with original paintings and Siamese art pieces and has polished teak floors and rich Thai cotton fabrics.

Food and drink at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai

Khao by Four Seasons takes guests on an expedition through northern Thailand, Burmese and Yunanese cuisines, giving heirloom recipes contemporary upgrades.

North by Four Seasons specializes in the age-old tradition of fire-grilling, with delicious recipes cooked on open flame using farm-to-table ingredients and premium cuts.

The Rim Tai Kitchen, the resort’s cooking academy, offers Thai cooking classes, where guests can make their way around the stations, and make their own dishes.

There is a full buffet breakfast on offer, but guests can also enjoy a private breakfast in the Rice Barn, which is set amongst the emerald green paddies and overlooking the lake.
Ratree Bar and Lounge, named after a variety of jasmine, serves cocktails and light snacks.

Amenities and services

There is an endless list of activities, including river rafting, temple visits, tennis, golf, rice planting, nature trails, use of mountain bikes and an outside pool.
The Wara Cheewa Spa, which means “a celebration of the gift of life,” offers treatments and therapies that have been crafted to bring about the unification of body, mind and soul. A range of massages is available, along with early morning yoga sessions.
There is also a state-of-the-art health club and Kids Club with a daily activities program.

Distance to the airport

10.5mi/16.9km from Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)

* Compare prices from several booking engines and pick the best deal at this luxury hotel in Chiang Mai.

 Raya Heritage, Chiang Mai – Luxury Boutique Hotel

This resort is located on the banks of the River Ping, and traces of northern Thailand’s Lanna culture can be found everywhere, in hand-carved teak mirrors, ceramic tiles, woodcuts and naturally dyed fabrics.

Location

20 minutes from the city center
1.4mi/2.3km from Chiang Mai Lanna Golf Course

Suites

There are 38 spacious suites situated on three levels and set in lush gardens just steps from the banks of the tranquil Ping River. They feature comfortable outdoor terrace areas and many have private pools.

The décor is luxurious based on simple, natural beauty, enhanced by handcrafted artisanal touches such as handwoven textiles, baskets, pottery and woodcarvings from northern Thailand’s unique heritage.
Suites on the ground floor have a private plunge pool, and those on the second and third floors have private balconies.

Food and drinks at Raya Heritage

There is one restaurant at this resort that uses fresh locally-sourced ingredients and a blend of local and international recipes.

The cuisine at Khu Khao is inspired by the rice-based culture of the north and showcases dishes from Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and China.

The Laan Cha Tea Terrace, a cosy, outdoor roofed terrace, is the perfect spot to relax, lounge and enjoy afternoon tea, herbal teas and fresh juices.

The Baan Ta Lounge offers pre-dinner cocktails, including the Baan Ta made with local Mekhong rum, Thai herbs and passionfruit, and light evening meals of soup, sandwiches and local specialties.

Amenities and services

The Ai Waan Spa focuses on traditional Lanna healing techniques applied in private treatment rooms. Treatments include the Bamboo Massage, and the Au-Mann Thai Burmese Massage.

The fitness room offers a combination of free weights and cardiovascular equipment.

The resorts offer various activities, including temple and market trips, village and national park visits, elephant experiences, jungle walks, rock climbing and rafting, and visits to local artisan studios.

Distance to the airport

5.8mi/9.3km from Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)

* Compare prices from several booking engines and pick the best deal at this luxury hotel in Chiang Mai.

 Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai

Built to resemble an ancient Lanna kingdom or Burmese temple complex, this resort is one of Chiang Mai’s longest-established, most beautiful luxury hotels.
It is surrounded by rice paddies and hidden behind high white walls on the eastern outskirts of Chiang Mai.
The interior is adorned in rich jewel-like colors, with hand-crafted furniture and traditional Southeast Asian art.

Location

6.5mi/10.5km from the center of Chiang Mai by complimentary shuttle bus
2.4mi/3.9km from Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

Villas and residences

There are 69 two-story teak villas and signature residences, all of which are enormous, with separate living rooms, bedrooms and private terraces, and decorated with tasteful oriental fabrics and furnishings.

The more extravagant villas also come with pianos, private plunge pools, whirlpool tubs, steam rooms and stilted balconies and overlook working rice paddies.

The Colonial Wing of the hotel houses 54 plush suites with separate living rooms, period furniture, huge, jetted bathtubs, and floor-to-ceiling terrace doors looking out onto the gardens and pools.

Food and drinks at The Dhara Dhevi Hotel Chiang Mai

There are eight restaurants, bars and cafes on the grounds of this resort that serves delious thai food and a varity of international food.

Amenities and services

There are plenty of activities available, including complimentary fitness classes in the mornings, children’s pony and water buffalo rides, a day at culinary school, and visits to the arts and crafts center.
Bicycles are available for free transport around the grounds, and there are tennis courts and a state-of-the-art fitness center.
There are two large swimming pools.
The Dheva Spa resembles a Burmese temple complex and houses 25 treatment rooms that have heated marble scrub tables as well as steam showers.
The resort also hosts elaborate Lanna wedding parties.

Distance to the airport

4.8mi/7.7km from Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)

* Compare prices from several booking engines and pick the best deal at this luxury hotel in Chiang Mai.

 Cross Chiang Mai Riverside Resort

This 5-story resort is situated along the tranquil banks of the Ping River and incorporates unique designs with modern and traditional Lanna elements.
Its courtyard is interspersed with leafy 100-year-old tamarind trees, and most of the facilities overlook the river.

Location

0.6mi/1km from Wat Gate
1.1mi/1.8km from Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

Suites

The resort has 30 tastefully-decorated suites, each fully-equipped with modern room amenities. Each has a private bathroom.

Food and drinks at Cross Chiang Mai Riverside

Oxygen is the resort’s fine dining restaurant that specializes in international cuisine.
The Library Bar & Café also offers refreshing drinks, cocktails and guests can relax and enjoy a chess game and magazines in the lounge.

Amenities and services

The resort has a rooftop gym, a pool and a poolside bar that overlooks the river.
The resort spa has two treatment rooms and services include Thai massages, facials, body scrubs and body treatments. A variety of treatment therapies are also provided, including aromatherapy.
Free bicycles are available for on-site transport.

Distance to the airport

3.4mi/5.5km from Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)

* Compare prices from several booking engines and pick the best price and the best deal at this luxury hotel in Chiang Mai.

 Anantara Chiang Mai Resort

* Best Rate Guarantee for this hotel

This luxury resort is located on the banks of the peaceful Mae Ping River and very convenient for exploring the temple-filled old city, Lanna heritage, artisan villages and mountain hill tribes.

Location

City center, 0.4mi/0.6km from Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
1mi/1.6km from Chiang Mai Gate

Rooms and suites

There are 52 rooms, 32 suites and 24 serviced suites at this resort.

Deluxe rooms are spacious, with sleek contemporary designs soaked in natural sunlight. They have a balcony or terrace overlooking the river or the gardens and bathrooms have a separate bathtub and rain shower.

Suites are open plan and enjoy over double the space. They have garden or river views and space for indoor and outdoor lounging and dining.

Serviced suites are ideal for families and long-term stays.

Food and drinks at Anantara Chiang Mai Resort

There are two restaurants here, both housed in the original colonial building at the center of the property.

The Restaurant serves northern Thai specialties, as well as Indian and Peruvian dishes.

The Service 1921 Restaurant and Bar serves contemporary Thai, Chinese, Szechuan and Vietnamese cuisine, alongside cocktails.

Amenities and services

There is a pool that overlooks the river and a fitness center.
Personal trainers are available. Other exercise opportunities include yoga ball, ab core, fitball, box step and aerobics, Tai Chi and Muay Thai kickboxing.

There are a range of activities offered that include a sunset river cruise, elephant experience, early morning hot air balloon rides, helicopter flights, temple visits, and a hill tribe trek.

The spa has five individual treatment rooms with a steam shower and terrazzo bathtub, where a variety of massages and treatments are available.

Thai massage lessons are also available.

Distance to the airport

5mi/8km from Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)

* The best rate guarantee is direct with the hotel. If you find same kind of room to a a better price somehwere else, the hotel will reward you, guaranteed!

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 Na Nirand Romantic Boutique Resort

This resort is a charmingly romantic, luxury property that opened along the Ping River in 2016. The design is inspired by the late-19th century, with colonial-style. Elephant details are found throughout to reflect the area’s history with them.

Splendid rooms in colonial Lanna style are clustered around a pool, along with four sumptuous faux-colonial suites, all in the shadow of a giant 100-year old rain tree.

The resort is built around a beautifully restored teak Lanna-style house.

Location

20-minute walk from the Old City walls.
0.3mi/0.5km from Anusarn Night Market

Rooms and suites

There are 39 spacious rooms beautifully furnished with dark Lanna-style teak and rattan made by local artisans.

Four stunning colonial-era suites are housed in a separate building right by the water’s edge and fronted by their own small pool.

All accommodation has its own furnished terrace either facing the pool, adjacent buildings, or the river.

Food and drinks at Na Nirand Romantic Boutique Resort

The TIME Riverfront Cuisine & Bar is open all day offering a la carte Thai and international dishes.
Buffet breakfasts have a variety of Asian and Western hot and cold fare, and afternoon tea is available.
The Lanna Rice Barn and Pool Bar is constructed entirely from teak wood.

Amenities and services

There is one outdoor pool that acts as the centerpiece of the resort.

The Na Nirand Spa has two treatment rooms and a steam room and offers a range of treatments.

There is some state-of-the-art exercise equipment by the pool and bikes are available to borrow.
Cooking class can also be arranged.

Distance to the airport

2.6mi/4.2km from Chiang Mai International Airport

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 137 Pillars House Chiang Mai

This property, located on the Ping River’s east bank, was originally built in the late 1800s as the headquarters of the Borneo Company Limited. It is a beautiful teak wood building that has been carefully restored to reflect its 19th Century origins.
The entrance is flanked by vintage tuk-tuks, and stone pathways lead through a lush corridor of birds of paradise and indigenous flowers and plants.

Location

Riverside Wat Gate quarter
10-minute drive from city center

Suites

There are 30 enormous opulent, colonial-inspired, yet contemporary suites. All have a private balcony or patio area with daybed and rocking chairs and views of the tropical gardens.

Bathrooms have an elegant dressing area and dual marble sinks, freestanding, roll-top baths, and indoor and outdoor showers.

The suites in the highest category have a private pool.

Food and drinks at 137 Pillars House Chiang Mai

The Dining Room serves a variety of à la carte Thai, Lanna and international dishes using organic ingredients in an alfresco or restaurant setting.

Palette seats only 24 guests which makes it a much more intimate dining experience.

Classic high tea is available in the Parlour Lounge with a variety of tea blends, coffee and Thai sweets.

Amenities and services

There is one pool which is dominated by a jaw-dropping vertical plant wall.

There is a golf course nearby, and other activities can be organized by the resort staff, such as elephant safaris, shopping trips, tuk-tuk rides, and use of a chauffeur-driven car.

The resort runs a small cooking school, where visiting chefs often host meals or give culinary demonstrations.

There is a 24-hour gym. Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates sessions are available.

The luxurious resort spa offers a pampering experience that aims to restore and energize.

Distance to the airport

3mi/4.8km from Chiang Mai International Airport

* Compare prices from several booking engines and pick the best deal at this luxury hotel in Chiang Mai.

 Chandra Residence Boutique Villa Hotel

Chandra Residence is a boutique family home spread over 800 square metres of land and filled with art, style and fun, that is open to rent as a private villa. It is nestled in the foothills of the Doi Pui National Park, and within walking distance of the Chiang Mai Night Safari.

Location

0.4mi/0.6km from Royal Park Rajapruek
3.5mi/5.6km from Wattana Art Gallery

Rooms

The residence has four double bedrooms, five bathrooms, a full kitchen next to a swimming pool with a swim-up bar, living room and library, and is surrounded by gardens lined with old trees and swaying bamboo.

Each bedroom is individually designed and furnished and decorated with a mix of local handicrafts and quirky design pieces.

Bathrooms include separate bathtubs and showers with deep soaking bathtubs and rainfall showerheads.

Food and drinks at Chandra Residence

The fully-equipped kitchen, allows guests to cook their own meals with its modern utensils and a portable barbecue grill, although there is also an on-demand chef.

Breakfast is included and all meals are taken in the open air at a long, driftwood-style dining table.

Amenities and services

There are two outdoor pools with swim-up bar that opens straight out from the kitchen.

There is also a children’s pool and 24-hour fitness center.

Distance to the airport

3.2mi/5.1km from Chiang Mai International Airport

* Compare prices from several booking engines and pick the best deal at this luxury hotel in Chiang Mai.

 Akyra Manor Chiang Mai

This is an intimate, luxury, five-star hotel located in the city of Chiang Mai, in an area renowned for its alfresco coffee shops, independent boutiques, food trucks and live music venues.

The architecture was designed to reflect Chiang Mai’s ancient walls and the interiors are decorated with unique contemporary artworks.
The resort has been single-use plastic free since 2019 and locally-produced, recycled paper is used throughout.

Location

City center
0.1mi/0.2km from Museum of World Insects and Natural Wonders
0.2mi/0.3km from Nimman Haemin

Suites

There are 30 suites arranged over eight floors, all spacious, smoky-hued sanctuaries with hardwood floors, mirrored walls and sumptuous beds.
Each one has an outdoor courtyard-style bathroom with a floor-to-ceiling window and pebbles underfoot.

Food and drinks at Akyra Manor Chiang Mai

There is one on-site restaurant here.

Italics serves a deli and pizza menu during the day, but transforms into a fine dining experience in the evening, offering a contemporary take on traditional Thai and Italian meals.

Rise, the rooftop bar, is ideal for ending the day sipping on cocktails and fine wines, watching the sun set over Chiang Mai’s twinkling spires and rooftops.

Amenities and services

This hotel has the only rooftop pool in Chiang Mai.

A variety of cultural activities and experiences can be arranged by the staff, including the elephant experience, local food shopping with the hotel chef, private art lessons, a Yoga chat program and meditation retreat, and cooking classes.

There is a small gym and spa treatments can be arranged in rooms.

Distance to the airport

2.1mi/3.4km from Chiang Mai International Airport

* Compare prices from several booking engines and pick the best deal at this luxury hotel in Chiang Mai.

 RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort Chiang Mai

This resort sits on the bank of the Ping River, in the heart of Chiang Mai, surrounded by the city’s top attractions and beautiful views of the Mae Ping River.

Location

City center, 0.2mi/0.3km from Mengrai Bridge
1.2mi/1.9km from Elephant Care & Grand Canyon Jumping

Rooms

There are 75 rooms arranged over four floors.

All rooms are elegantly decorated to emulate Lanna’s culture heritage and traditional way of life, showcasing the beauty of Lanna’s traditional art, architecture and craftsmanship.

Food and drinks at RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort

There are two restaurants at this resort.

The Mira Terrace specializes in Thai cuisine and international dishes with a touch of authentic northern Thai flavor. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner alongside a panoramic view of the river.

The Rio Restaurant and Wine Bar specializes in buffet and barbecue dinners using high-quality meat and seafood.

Private dinners can also be arranged that include a romantic sunset trip.

Amenities and services

There is an infinity pool, a library with a wide selection of books and magazines, and cooking classes are available for guests to learn how to create authentic Thai dishes.
There is a well-equipped gym, and the spa services include Thai massages, facials, body wraps and body scrubs. The spa is equipped with a sauna and a spa tub.

Distance to the airport

2.3mi/3.7km from Chiang Mai International Airport

* Compare prices from several booking engines and pick the best deal at this luxury resort in Chiang Mai.

 Chiang Mai luxury hotels map