I'll agree that the Tamarind Village is a nice place to stay too - the rooms are a bit on the sparse side, but the place has a nice vibe, definitely feels like you're half a world away from the city centre, even though it's just out the entrance to the hotel (and with the traffic around Chiang Mai it's nice to have that relief ). It's a bit away from the after dark activities for Chiang Mai, but still just a short songtaew ride away, so not too painful if you're heading out at night. Didn't have much interaction with the staff while I was there myself, but they were always friendly and professional when I did have a chat with them.