Oriental Siam Resort

The Oriental Siam Resort is a tranquil, relaxing oasis outside the city center. The resort is family owned, and the warm and friendly staff makes each guest feel special. Small, charming, and intimate, the resort is particularly suited to couples -- there are plenty of private nooks -- but it's family-friendly enough to have a kids' club. Most guests hang out by the quiet pool in the garden, or else at the umbrella-covered tables in the coffee corner, which overlooks the resort's rice field and garden. Guests also gather in the restaurant, where a few close tables overlook a lotus pond. This is not the place for party seekers. It's for those who like to take in nature, while still being close to town.

The Oriental Siam Resort is within a 10- to 15-minute drive of Chiang Mai and the airport, hidden down a quiet side street right off one of the main ring roads that circles the city, yet it feels farther away, as there is no traffic in the small alley where the resort sits tucked away behind a temple. It's within easy distance of shopping malls, markets, golf courses, and art and handicraft villages. Bikes and a driver are on hand for any excursions, and parking is free for guests who come with cars. Otherwise, guests need to rely on taxis to get around, although the resort offers free transport to the nearby Promenade Mall, which is filled with shopping and dining options.

There are only five private villas at the Oriental Siam Resort, and one double room (which is actually the downstairs portion of one of the villas, but it can be rented separately). All the units here are spacious and elegant, especially the larger villas, which are outfitted with lots of polished teak and fine-crafted wood furniture, with Lanna northern Thai decor and design. All have king-size beds, giant LCD flat-screen TVs, huge bathtubs, and large private terraces. Rooms also include safes, mini-fridges, hairdryers, bathrobes and slippers, and coffeemakers, free Wi-Fi, and breakfast. Each villa has its own distinct feature, from the colonial style of the Lotus Family Villa to the private garden terrace with patio furniture of the Honeymoon Suite. Even the standard Double Room has a massive wood dining table sitting out on its front terrace, and there are no end of comfortable spots to settle into. 

The Oriental Siam Resort has a small but picturesque swimming pool in the garden, and an intimate and rather romantic restaurant, which serves Thai and Western cuisine next to a beautiful lotus pond, and breakfast, which is included in the room rate. There is also a coffee corner with cozy chairs, tables, and umbrellas spread out in a two-story outdoor pavilion, with plenty of cozy niches. There's a tiny fitness center with a few cardio machines, and a small kids' club with games and stuffed animals. The resort also has a rice field and vegetable garden with a few chairs and a bamboo platform for picnicking. Bikes are available for guests' use, and Wi-Fi is free.