14 Charoenraj Road, Wat Kate, Chiang Mai, Thailand | (888) 252-0567
Located along the less touristy side of the Ping River
Rooms with huge balconies or direct pool access terraces
Unique spa with hydrotherapy pool and onsen
Large outdoor pool and deck
Deck 1 Restaurant serves high-end Asian fusion dishes
Free buffet breakfast
Old traditional Thai wood house for conferences
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Restaurant located across a busy street
Spa is expensive
Situated on the east side of the Ping River, a 10-minute walk from downtown Chiang Mai, RarinJinda Wellness Spa Resort is an upscale 35-room boutique resort with a one-of-a-kind spa. Stylish rooms have huge balconies and some have direct pool access. The hotel's main attraction is its spa, which comes with an onsen-style hot spring pool, and there's also a fitness center, a library, and a high-end restaurant, Deck 1. Room rates are high, and those shopping around for a good value may want to compare rates at the Siripanna Resort, which is on the same side of the river but lacks the impressive spa facilities found at RarinJinda.
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Scene
Small boutique hotel with peaceful grounds and more happening restaurant
Popular with couples, the RarinJinda is a quiet, smallish resort with an excellent spa and upscale Deck 1 restaurant that draw in a number of outside guests. The rest of the grounds stay quiet. The lobby is smallish and features dark-wood floors and ceilings and a few clusters of sofas and easy chairs in muted earth tones. Just outside the gym is another lounging area, with cushioned chairs and benches and a few tables laid out with magazines and puzzles. The grounds feature a large variety of lush plantlife, creating a jungle-like atmosphere. The most happening spot is arguably the hotel's Deck 1 Restaurant across the street, which draws in a young, well-dressed crowd and the occasional Thai celebrity.
Location
On the less touristy east side of the river, a 10-minute walk to the Night Bazaar
The RarinJinda is located on the east side of the Ping River, which is the less touristy side of town. That said, it's still only 10 minutes or so on foot across the bridge to the Night Bazaar and downtown Chiang Mai, and the airport is a 20-minute drive away. While the resort itself is set back from the road and feels tranquil and peaceful, the street in front of it has some of Chiang Mai's worst traffic and can be perilous to cross. The resort has crossing guards to help guests get across the street to get to Deck 1 for breakfast, but it's still an unpleasant situation and puts a bit of a damper on the otherwise pleasant atmosphere.
Rooms
Spacious rooms with polished wood floors, rain showers, and large balconies or pool-access terraces
The rooms at the RarinJinda Wellness Spa Resort are elegant and classy and feature polished wood floors and large balconies or -- in some -- terraces with direct pool access. Big bathrooms have rain showers and separate soaking tubs and come stocked with high-end toiletries. All rooms have free Wi-Fi, wall-mounted flat-screen TVs, minibars, safes, writing desks, and big closets. Suites and Villas with whirlpool tubs are also available. However, one of the buildings only has a single elevator, which can be inconveniently far for guests in some rooms.
Features
Upscale restaurant with free breakfast, elegant spa, pool, fitness center, and a library with a computer
On the banks of the Ping River just across from the hotel, Deck 1 Restaurant serves up a free buffet breakfast in the morning along with sumptuous high-end Asian fusion cuisine at lunch and dinner. The space is popular with hotel guests and local diners alike, and is particularly atmospheric at night when it's lit up.The RarinJinda Wellness Spa offers signature massage and wellness treatments. Perhaps the most outstanding is the Elements of Life package, which includes a massage on a bed of warm sand. The spa has a large hydrotherapy swimming pool as well as several Japanese onsen-style hot spring baths with minerals, a feature not found in other spas in Chiang Mai.The resort has a large swimming pool with fountains set under a large lychee tree that has been shaped like a dragon. There's a modern gym with cardio and weight machines and a library full of books that also has a computer for guest use along with a giant flat-screen TV, games, and lots of comfy chairs and polished woodwork. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.
