Luxury Hotels - Chiang Mai advice

Flyertalk oracles,

Currently planning a 4-5 day trip to Chiang Mai in late October. The hotel candidates are Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons and the Chedi. I am a big MO fan with limited FS and GHM experience.

Both MO and FS look stunning in their own way. However, I get a slight feeling that they - and particularly the MO - may be a little too "constructed" giving a "theme park feel". The Chedi is off course very different both design-, price-, and location wise but the property is consistently getting good reviews. A little bit worried that the central location may be a bitt too noisy.

Any experiences or input would be much appreciated. Could it be an idea to split the stay?

Hi Ezeiza - All of those are AMAZING options! The MO is constructed in a traditional Thai design and community format. MO and FS you would receive Virtuoso/FS Preferred Partner/MO Fan Club amenities as upgrades, VIP status, spa credits, breakfast and more. A Virtuoso advisor can always consistently collaborate to help you choose the best hotel in Chiang Mai. PM me if you would like a referral!

Thanks LHATravel! Virtuoso properties are duly noted and I have my invaluable DavidO. I always like to do a little research beforehand, though.

My wife and I stayed at the Four Seasons about 3 years ago.
It is a great hotel set around rice paddies. Since it like the MO is a bit outside of town, we found that it was somewhat inconvenient for exploring Chiang Mai.
Next time I would chose the Chedi.

I'd like to go back and see if I did a mini-review at the time...but I stayed at the MO and visited the FS. Both were remote. The FS seemed older or at least with less private accommodations than the MO for some of the room categories.

We stayed in the Chedi in April this year. It is a lovely smaller property in the heart of town, close to restaurants and markets.
We love Chiang Mai and have been there many times.
The rooms at the Chedi are lovely and spacious, we stayed in a club suite, and the food is very good although the breakfast does not have as many options as many Asian hotels.
We dined in both the club room and the main restaurant and both were lovely, but we preferred the ambience of the main one next to the river.
Room service was always quick, hot and delicious.

We would stay there again.

The Mo is stunning. It is a bit theme park-ish, but you would have to be a bit of a grinch not to be impressed by it all. You need a car into Chiang Mai but its not far.

We booked our 2 stays via Amex FHR and got very good upgrades, once into a ludicrously huge villa which even had a piano in it.

Considering the Chedi for my parents; but it appears that the room choices only offer queen or twin beds.. they much perfer a king bed.. any recommendations for a place within walking distance of town with king beds?

FDW

The MO is constructed in a traditional Thai design and community format.

Its actually a mix of designs.... prime style is 13th century Lanna Kingdom. A new GM starts here on 1 September, from MO Landmark HK.


PM me if you would like a referral!

A referral to yourself? :confused:

I suggest the OP take a look at the Pool Suites at Four Seasons. Newly built suites (within last 3 years) and also rather private

We went back and forth between booking the Chedi and MO for our very recent stay.
Finally, we decided on the MO because it was so unique and we looooved the resort! It was nice being outside of the city with easy access and we enjoyed
returning there to lay by the pools, ride around on the bikes, and relax in the fabulous spa after days of touring.
David O got us a great rate and we were upgraded through Virtuoso.

Considering the Chedi for my parents; but it appears that the room choices only offer queen or twin beds.. they much perfer a king bed.. any recommendations for a place within walking distance of town with king beds?

FDW

Really? We stayed in a Club Room and it had a kingsize, so I am not sure where this info came from. Maybe the standard rooms have queen-size beds.

It's a very central location, but also right on the river, so it is quiet, too, as the rooms all face that way. Club Floor food presentations are cook-to-order, with a full breakfast upon request, so very good value.

Really? We stayed in a Club Room and it had a kingsize, so I am not sure where this info came from. Maybe the standard rooms have queen-size beds.

It's a very central location, but also right on the river, so it is quiet, too, as the rooms all face that way. Club Floor food presentations are cook-to-order, with a full breakfast upon request, so very good value.

interesting.. maybe it's just a reservations error but when I try to book a room, it only lists twin/queen options...
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/members/flyingdoctorwu-albums-pics-picture4501-screen-shot-2012-08-28-9-30-11-am.jpg

However, if you look under the accomodation tab it does list a king bed...

FDW

interesting.. maybe it's just a reservations error but when I try to book a room, it only lists twin/queen options...
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/members/flyingdoctorwu-albums-pics-picture4501-screen-shot-2012-08-28-9-30-11-am.jpg

However, if you look under the accomodation tab it does list a king bed...

FDW

How weird! We definitely had a King, so I guess the answer is to request one!

Any thoughts on the Rachamankha (R&C) or 137 Pillars House as an alternative to the Chedi?

FDW

137 Pillars House
same mgmt as hotel de la paix, and works with trisara >
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1023061-luxury-hotels-forum-presidential-suite-lounge-all-welcome-post18661303.html#post18661303
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1023061-luxury-hotels-forum-presidential-suite-lounge-all-welcome-post18672222.html#post18672222

same mgmt as hotel de la paix, and works with trisara >
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1023061-luxury-hotels-forum-presidential-suite-lounge-all-welcome-post18661303.html#post18661303
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1023061-luxury-hotels-forum-presidential-suite-lounge-all-welcome-post18672222.html#post18672222

Thanks!
Looks Like 137 Pillars and Chedi are both available via Visa Signature...

Anyone have any experience booking through them?

FDW

My wife and I stayed at the Four Seasons about 3 years ago.
It is a great hotel set around rice paddies. Since it like the MO is a bit outside of town, we found that it was somewhat inconvenient for exploring Chiang Mai.


+1

We did a residence stay at the FS....lovely, bit of a pain to get out & about.

+1

We did a residence stay at the FS....lovely, bit of a pain to get out & about.
Care to elaborate? Have just booked here and am starting to investigate excursions.

FS is farthest from 'downtown?'

MO design elements - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/556968-chiang-mai-experience-post7876314.html#post7876314

interesting sala is opening a boutique property, with 15 rooms and 1 pool villa

Care to elaborate? Have just booked here and am starting to investigate excursions.

You wont be disappointed. The resort is lovely & the management/staff do a great job ensuring that you enjoy your stay. The food & beverage offer was excellent, SWMBO tells me that the cooking school was enjoyable.

The Residence was icing on the cake - huge, tastefully decked out & the maid service was discrete & professional.

The location is peaceful however, the distance from town can be a little annoying if you are not organised travellers!

For all trips away from the resort we used the hotel van.....comfy, air-con'd and happy drivers.

Enjoy your stay:)

Just thought I'd add my thoughts. I've stayed at the FS several times, and it is excellent. Beautiful, tasteful, excellent service, very good F&B.

It is far from downtown but a) they have a shuttle service and b) I would pass on going into Chiang Mai more than once. Our first trip, we went into the night market and then hired a guide twice to bring us to major sites. We'd honestly wished we had just stayed at the resort more. Our most recent visit, the only time we left the resort was when we did the market tour w/ the cooking school. So, for us, being far from Chiang Mai proper was not an issue.

Another suggestion: staying over a night at an elephant camp is a fantastic experience (albeit one very different from the FS). Would highly recommend. There's a camp right down the road from the FS.

I did a 3nt stay at the FS but went over to visit the MO and was very glad I had chosen the FS. The MO did seem very "theme parkish" with way too much concrete for my taste. The FS seemed to fit in more with the landscape and felt friendlier in every way. My room had a sala attached which looked over the rice paddies and was very spacious and luxurious. It is a bit far from CM but it wasn't that inconvenient. The FS tented camp would make a nice addition.

I did a 3nt stay at the FS but went over to visit the MO and was very glad I had chosen the FS. The MO did seem very "theme parkish" with way too much concrete for my taste. The FS seemed to fit in more with the landscape and felt friendlier in every way. My room had a sala attached which looked over the rice paddies and was very spacious and luxurious. It is a bit far from CM but it wasn't that inconvenient. The FS tented camp would make a nice addition.

I enjoyed both FS & MODD ( villas in midst of padi ) - haven't been to hotel side.. MO is more convenient with ' everything ' within the compound & easier to get around to town ,etc.. & FS' in the countryside
Or perhaps the Chedi
So depends on your preferences / needs on this trip.

My comments on all three.

FS is a super classy property and the oldest of the bunch. Service is absolutely top notch. Great Spa. Not nearly as flash as the MO however for many (including me) that is a good thing.

MO looks like Disney came and made a hotel in Thailand. Very good service (although I give the edge here to the FS). I don't like being in the "compound" so to speak although many people love it. Best physical plant of the three. People tend to get very good Virtuoso upgrades here except of course in peak peak times.

Chedi is the ONLY option if you want to stay in town. Great views of the river. Very good F&B. Excellent club lounge. Definitely go club level at this hotel and book a club jr. suite which offer exceptional value for the baht. I like the Chedi a lot- it is a design hotel which actually manages to stay luxury. Best GHM option I have stayed at worldwide. Spa is good as well.

Just back from a weekend at FS Chiang Mai (have not visited Chedi or MO so can't provide a comparison).

Service was excellent. Flawless welcome and check-in process; welcome note from GM but not a personal greeting, however the supervisor on duty did spend a lot of time with us discussing our plans and how best to spend our time. This was fine. Almost all staff knew and used our names throughout our stay.

The spa was very nice, both in terms of hardware and service. Gym fairly small but quality and well-chosen selection of equipment.

We booked an entry level room (through DavidO) and got upgraded to an upper rice pavilion; the views from the sala over the rice paddies set with lamps/candles in the evenings were delightful. I think in general the property does a nice job of authentically showcasing local activity (in this case rice farming, buffaloes etc) without falling into Disney territory.

Had a private dinner in the rice barn one evening, it was a lovely setting, well-executed dinner, perfect accompanying music and very good (Thai) food. A couple of small details from my advance discussions with the concierge had been dropped; when mentioned these were promptly and satisfactorily resolved.

As many others have mentioned, the property is a distance outside the town. This was not an issue for us as we actually didn't go into Chiang Mai at all; we had come for some other activities and knew that we wouldn't be spending any time in the city itself. We will return to spend some time exploring Chiang Mai and I anticipate that - despite the Chedi's central location - we will stay at FS again given then good experience we just had. They do provide regular shuttles into town anyway so I don't believe the distance would really be an issue.

All in all a very nice stay!

I stayed in a villa at the MO back when it first opened and even though half the place was still under construction, I was stunned at how nice and peaceful it was. I went again a few years ago and again was just so happy with the entire property. I don't see how you can say it is "Disney"? First of all if there are any kids there I never saw them in two one-week stays. If there were you wouldn't know thanks to the great layout. There are several very different villa types and they are laid out in a way that they are all quite private as far as I could see. And there is nothing this upscale you will ever find at a Disney resort! But I think the main reason to stay here at least once is that is it one of the most unique resort properties you will ever visit. Even the bar is something pretty special.