The Chiang Mai Riverside

The Chiang Mai Riverside is definitely noticeable -- it’s the only hotel in the neighborhood with stylized teak columns nailed up on its exterior walls, not really supporting anything but looking stylish anyway. Inside, the hotel is an upscale monochrome affair, decorated with white marble and creamy leather sofas, and dark wood accents. Out by the pool, the hotel’s bar sits under a pergola supported by hefty wooden beams, with dark rattan furniture and a brushed concrete floor. The pool itself is divided into two parts, with a deeper lap pool for swimming and a shallower area for kids to splash about in. The pool is set in a garden with views over the Ping River. 

Sat on the banks of the muddy brown Ping River, the Chiang Mai Riverside is out of the way, which gives it an air of seclusion. The neighborhood is a quiet one, with little in the way of amenities or tourist attractions in the immediate vicinity. Although the ancient city of Wiang Kum Kam is a 10-minute drive away, on the other side of the river. The hotel runs a free shuttle service to and from the old walled city, as well as the Night Market. Expect transfers to and from Chiang Mai Airport to take around 10 minutes by taxi.

The 14 apartments at the Chiang Mai Riverside are vast and opulent affairs with shining marble floors and sleek modern furniture in rich creams, glossy polished woods, and touches of glittering gold. Apartments have either one or two bedrooms with either a king-size bed or two twin beds, and huge open-plan kitchens. Kitchens are kitted out with sleek, white gloss countertops and have large fridge-freezers stocked with a variety of (free) drinks. Other kitchen elements include electric hobs and microwave ovens, as well as marble-topped dining room tables. The furniture in the lounge area has a definitive mid-century modern twist. There are couches and armchairs set around a coffee table and on top of a dark wood sideboard is a flat-screen television hooked up to Apple TV. Wi-Fi is free. Bathrooms are clad in gleaming marble, and have walk-in shower cubicles, as well as Molton Brown toiletries. Some units have Ping River views from furnished balconies. 

The hotel offers a range of amenities to tempt guests out of their upscale rooms. Hourly shuttle bus service is available to the center of town, which acts like a communal taxi in that guests can specify where it drops them off. Guests are divided on the quality of the hotel’s breakfasts, which are ordered off a set menu each morning, but most enjoy having it delivered to their apartments by a butler. Meanwhile, the restaurant serves a mixture of Thai and Italian food throughout the day. Guests can book Thai cooking classes and guided tours of the local market (for additional fees). Outside is the small lap pool, with a separate, shallow pool for kids to splash about in, while the pool bar serves a variety of drinks and snacks. The hotel has a gym but it is admittedly meager, with only a treadmill, a cycle, and a cross-trainer. Though there isn't a spa, guests do get preferential rates at a nearby hotel’s spa. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.