Home Away From Home
As full time travelers we see more than our share of accommodations ranging from basic hostels and guest houses to massive luxury resorts and intimate boutique hotels plus everything in between. However once in a while we have the pleasure of experiencing a place that we would love to call home. The Chiang Mai Riverside Hotel is such a place and it is a rare find, especially in Chiang Mai.
This new all suite hotel is family owned and as such they have set high standards for themselves to offer an accommodation unmatched in privacy and luxury with a priority on personalized service. In the owners own words they offer “hospitality from the heart” and being from Chiang Mai themselves they want to share their love of Lanna heritage and culture with all their guests as if they were welcoming dear friends.
Location
As the name implies this lovely residence style hotel sits on the quiet banks of the Ping River on the edge of Chiang Mai city. Don’t let the fact that the Chiang Mai Riverside Hotel is not located in the center of the city prevent you from making this your home when visiting. There are so many benefits to staying here that the short distance to all the action is far from an issue.
In fact we found that staying at the Chiang Mai Riverside Hotel gave us the best of both worlds. We were close enough to all the sights and sounds to enjoy everything we wanted to and yet were able to look forward to a peaceful retreat after a busy day exploring the temples and markets of Chiang Mai. Plus there is a hotel shuttle that will whisk you wherever you want to go. They even drove us to the nearest grocery store and waited while we shopped for supplies to stock our well equipped kitchen.
Rooms
The Chiang Mai Riverside Hotel believes in personal 5 star service and therefore chose to limit themselves to 14 suites, each and every one spacious and luxuriously comfortable. The abodes display the special touches and attention to detail that only a professional interior designer can create and the effect is an impressive balance of elegance and style with a feeling of coming home.
The hotel owners also own a high end furniture distribution and all of the beautiful furnishings come from their own stock. This means that when clients fall in love with the stunning decor they can actually purchase the items to have shipped to their residence. We were told that within a month of opening one lady loved her suite so much that she purchased duplicates of everything in it to recreate the look in her own home.
From the heavenly beds and pillows that hug you back to the crystal chandeliers and mirrored tables the rooms exude taste and comfort. This along with the efficient kitchen made us want to host a dinner party for four…and so we did!
Amenities
The theme of The Chiang Mai Riverside Hotel is to be a luxurious ‘home away from home’ rather than a resort, therefore the focus is on the suites and service as opposed to masses of amenities. However what they do offer in amenities are top notch. Guests can enjoy a lovely outdoor pool with a soon to be opened poolside bar, a relaxing green space overlooking the river and a fitness facility with top of the line equipment.
In keeping with their focus on service the Chiang Mai Riverside Hotel goes above and beyond with their exclusive butler service. This team of service professionals are just a call away and ready to help with whatever you need. In the case of the small dinner party we had our butler offered suggestions for a menu, sent a driver for the ingredients and set the table for our special dining experience. We didn’t ask if they would actually cook it for us as we were too excited to have a kitchen to play in after months of traveling.
Food and Drink
As we were guests during the soft opening of The Chiang Mai Riverside Hotel there were a couple of things not quite ready completed. One was the poolside bar and the other was a restaurant. Both of these are scheduled to be open by spring 2016 and we have no doubt they will be fabulous. How do we know? Well we did get a preview of the gourmet experience that is to come as they do already have a kitchen and a top chef on staff who prepared us a gourmet breakfast every morning.
Until the restaurant is completed breakfast is the only thing available for order and it is included in the stay. Every evening our butler provided a menu for us to select breakfast. We were offered four choices and we tried them all over the three days.
My favorite was the vegetarian meal which consisted of a spinach and feta frittata and the most delicious stuffed eggplant I’ve ever tasted. Nathan’s top choice was the American style breakfast which offered eggs, potatoes and bacon. They were both served with breads, pastries, fruits and fresh jams served on a china tier.
If the breakfast is any indication of what will be served at the restaurant then future guests are in for a treat and likely won’t want to miss out by cooking themselves.
Our Thoughts
We’ve experienced other hotels who claim the concept of “home away from home” but we would say The Chiang Mai Riverside Hotel is the best example we’ve come across for completely fulfilling that promise. For digital nomads like ourselves it was a real treat to have a “home” again if only for a couple of nights and I would say that business travelers would also love the concept.
That’s not to say however that The Chiang Mai Riverside won’t appeal to other types of travelers. We could see this property as being a huge hit with families due to the spacious 1 and 2 bedroom suites with large, comfortable living and dining areas and massive flat screen Apple TV’s. Oh did I forget to mention that they imported Apple TV’s for each suite? It’s also perfect for a romantic couples getaway as they can enjoy a special private dinner in their elegant dining room before snuggling up in the luxurious bedroom.
All in all we would rate the Chiang Mai Riverside Hotel as 5 star luxury stay perfect for anyone visiting the beautiful and historic city Chiang Mai who wants comfort and service away from the busy city center but with easy access to everything.
Hotel and booking information
The Chiang Mai Riverside Hotel
111 Moo 7, Padad, Muang, Chiang Mai
Phone: +66 (0) 53 447 211
Email: [email protected]
By booking directly with The Chiang Mai Riverside you will have the added perk of getting complimentary private transportation to and from the airport. You can also find the Riverside on your favorite booking site. We always use Agoda when booking in Asia.
*We would like to thank The Chiang Mai Riverside Hotel for hosting us and making us feel so at home. It is a pleasure to share our honest opinions with you, our readers, and have no hesitation in recommending this luxury accommodation.
Born in England, Sarah developed her wanderlust at a young age as she traveled around Europe with her parents. As a young adult she spent every penny she could on experiences as opposed to possessions. Eventually she found a way to earn a living doing what she loved: traveling, writing and capturing images of the wondrous world we live in. When not on the go Sarah enjoys time in her “sometimes home” of Vancouver.