CITY GUIDE · CHIANG MAI
Three Chiang Mai hotels compared by location: a riverside base near the Night Bazaar, a rice-terrace resort in the Mae Rim valley, and a hotel beside the Old City gate.
The three hotels here sit in two very different settings. Anantara and the InterContinental are both in the Chang Khlan area on the city side, one on the Ping River and one by the Old City gate, so you can reach temples and markets in a short ride. Four Seasons is in Mae Rim, north of the city, about a 30-minute drive from the airport, and it is a resort stay set among rice fields. Choose the city side if you plan to explore on foot or by tuk-tuk, and Mae Rim if you want to stay put.
Reference rates: nightly, 2 adults in one room, before tax, across four dates a year; from about US$144 a night.
Chang Khlan, Mueang Chiang Mai · near Old City gate
We like the position of this hotel on Sridonchai Road, beside the historic Old City and about 5.5 km from the airport. The design draws on Lanna style, with local woodwork, textiles and teak architecture, and the restaurants include Chinese dining with a rooftop sky bar and a Northern Thai restaurant. Facilities include a Lanna-inspired spa, a fitness centre and a kids club. A good fit for families and first-time visitors who want to reach the Old City quickly.
Reference rate: US$144–272 / night (2 adults, before tax) · Perk program: IHG Destined
Chang Khlan, Mueang Chiang Mai · near Night Bazaar
We find this resort on the Ping River on Charoen Prathet Road, close to the Night Bazaar. It stands on the grounds of the former British Consulate, and a century-old colonial residence on the property now serves as a restaurant with nightly khim performances. There is a long pool facing the river, a private pier for river cruises and a spa built around Lanna healing traditions. Worth a look if you want a riverside base in the city rather than a countryside retreat.
Reference rate: US$266–519 / night (2 adults, before tax) · Perk program: Virtuoso
Mae Rim, north of Chiang Mai · near Mae Rim-Samoeng Old Road · 98 rooms
We would call this a resort first and a city hotel second. It sits in Mae Rim about 30 minutes by car from Chiang Mai International Airport, on 13 hectares of gardens, rice terraces and a working rice farm with its own water buffalo. The 98 rooms are 64 pavilions, 12 pool villas and 22 private residences, and there is a cooking school, a Lanna-inspired spa, two infinity-edge pools and a yoga barn. A good fit for travelers who want a slow, countryside stay and are happy to leave the resort only for day trips.
Reference rate: US$765–983 / night (2 adults, before tax) · Perk program: Four Seasons Preferred Partner
The InterContinental is on Sridonchai Road beside the Old City gate, and Anantara is on Charoen Prathet Road by the Ping River, close to the Night Bazaar. Both are on the city side.
Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai is in Mae Rim, north of the city, with pavilions around a working rice farm. It is about a 30-minute drive from Chiang Mai International Airport.
The InterContinental is about 5.5 km from Chiang Mai International Airport, which is the shortest transfer of the three.
Each rate is the nightly pre-tax price for 2 adults in one room on 2-night stays, checked on four dates across the year (February, May, August and November). We drop the most expensive date and show the lowest to the second-highest, in US dollars. Peak dates can cost more; we re-check live rates for your dates before booking.
Typically daily breakfast for two, a hotel credit (often US$100), and a room upgrade and early check-in / late check-out when available, at rates in line with booking direct. Perks vary slightly by hotel and we confirm them before you book.
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