Top 6 best hotels in Chiang Mai’s old city

Chiang Mai is one of the most popular cities in Thailand where tourists come to taste delicious Thai food, experience the culture of Lanna people and explore the mountainous surroundings. Chiang Mai Old City is the most convenient area to stay in Chiang Mai as from there you can easily reach city’s main cultural attractions, shops and restaurants. If you are looking for the best place to stay in Chiang Mai, check the list of best hotels in Chiang Mai Old City and choose the right place for you.

Pak Chiang Mai

This small upscale Chiang Mai guesthouse embodies everything that’s great about the capital of the north, comfort, style, friendliness and a relaxed atmosphere. Rooms are simply designed but elegant and comfortable. The on-site restaurant and small spa get consistently high marks. There is friendly service, complimentary and organic breakfast and Wi-Fi top off the experience.

Dhara Devi

Located outside the walls of the city center, the Dhara Devi Hotel feels more like a small village than a hotel. The luxury resort was designed as a self-contained ancient city, offering breathtaking architecture and scenery. Visitors can take their pick from two-story villas, colonial-style suits or signature residences, set up much like palaces.

Aside from its magnificent rooms, the Dhara Devi is home to some of the city’s best restaurants. The most notable is Falang Sed, meaning French in Thai, which provides an unforgettable dining experience. Dhara Devi can hardly be described in words and has to be seen to be believed. Feel like a member of the Thai royalty when wandering around the extensive garden areas.

Makkachiva

With a stay at Makkachiva in Chiang Mai (Old City), you will be a 5-minute walk from Wat Chedi Luang and 8 minutes by foot from Chiang Mai City Arts and Cultural Center. Featured amenities include complimentary newspapers in the lobby, a 24-hour front desk, and luggage storage. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available on request).

Read more: The holy temples you can visit in Chiang Mai

137 Pillars House

Retaining a tasteful balance between the elegance of former times and modern elements, the structure of the 137 Pillars House dates back to 1889. With its magical setting close to the heart of the city, visitors will have a hard time leaving the place.

Shrouded in jungle-like gardens with dark wooden houses, this place has truly managed to capture the essence of the Lanna culture. The home-style residences offer all sorts of comforts and the spacious rooms have been decorated with colourful themes. This is not only one of Chiang Mai’s best places to stay, but one of the best in the country.

Estia Chiang Mai

Estia Hotel is located in the heart of Chiang Mai near the Chiang Mai City Arts and Culture Centre, and Three Kings Monument. There are many room types available at the hotel, including superior rooms, deluxe rooms and family rooms with full facilities. There is also a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, coffee bar, restaurant, and spa massage. That is all you would need for a comfortable stay in Chiang Mai.

Parasol Inn

Just around the corner from the Pan Tao temple is this small, personal hotel. Rooms are clean, bright and simply furnished but have little extras such as in-room refrigerators and televisions. There is plenty of space to relax and enjoy a cup of local Northern Thai coffee at the adjacent restaurant.

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Top 5 hot springs in Japan

Japanese has enjoyed bathing in the island’s natural hot springs for centuries. Here are the best and most beautiful places to enjoy hot springs like a local.

Kusatsu

About 3 hours from Tokyo, Kusatsu is situated in scenic Gunma prefecture, with an actual hot water field in the town center. This is Japan’s most prolific source of geothermal waters, with 100 hot springs gushing 34,000 liters of water every minute.

This water reportedly helps heal a variety of human ailments, including indigestion, arthritis, and poor circulation. For the full rotenburo (outdoor bathing) experience, visit the spacious Sainokawara onsen. Not far from the town’s water field, two bathhouses offer the traditional jikanyu experience, where bathers sit in an extremely hot bath (118 degrees Fahrenheit/48 degrees Celsius) for exactly three minutes.

Beppu

Cannot make a decision as to what kind of hot spring you would like to experience? Well if that is the case, then Beppu is certainly the place you should go to! Located at the Oita prefecture, this resort promises you an abundance of options and high standard hot springs.

Beppu is famous for housing the largest number of hot springs in Japan, which offer treatments that deviate from the typical hot water baths. Here, visitors can explore steam baths, sand baths and even mud baths, all of which have their positive healing properties! It’s time to broaden your onsen experience at this resort as you try the myriad of treatments available here.

Noboribetsu Onsen

It is recognized as the best Onsen in Hokkaido as far as access, notability, history, and quality goes. Hot spring quality includes sulfur and hydrogen sulfide which soften and lighten your skin, and also includes iron spring which has tremendous effect on your fatigue.

See more: Top favorite summer dishes in Japan

Minakami

You can get to Minakami in a few hours’ time from Tokyo, but this hot spring destination feels worlds away from Japan’s high-energy capital. Nature surrounds everything here, and guests can enjoy the scenery while lounging in one of the many rotenburo, or outdoor baths.

Highly recommended is the Takaragawa Onsen, where there are both shared gender (and women only) facilities. Hoshi Onsen Chojukan offers drop-in bathing passes, but it is wise to take advantage of the ryokan’s elegant Japanese-style accommodations. There is also a bath here that is over a hundred years old.

Yurari in Kawaguchiko Onsen

Located just two hours from Tokyo by bus, this onsen hub sits at the base of the legendary Mount Fuji. The hot baths, as well as the accommodations, are designed to give guests a clear view of the mountain at all times. The baths at the Yurari facility are unbeatable. It is a complex that is home to over 10 different hot spring baths, but the main drawcard is the large outdoor bath, which boasts a panoramic view of neighbouring Mount Fuji. There are also relaxation spaces and shops inside, too, so it is easy to spend an entire day relaxing here.

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Things to do in Causeway Bay

You could easily spend days in Causeway Bay, one of the busiest neighborhoods on Hong Kong Island. It’s jam-packed with restaurants and shops, and also features Hong Kong’s main library and the Island’s largest public park, so there’s something for everyone here.

Go shopping in SOGO

For many, Causeway Bay represents one thing, and one thing only: shopping. From gigantic shopping malls to local retailers, and from high-end fashion to affordable high-street offerings, Causeway Bay has it all. Visit SOGO, Hong Kong’s largest Japanese-style department store, or check out some local designers at Fashion Walk. It’s not just about clothes either; those on the lookout for electronics or household items are sure to find their fix, too.

Visit Times Square at night

It’s not as big as the other Times Square, or as famous, but it’s a sight you should not skip when exploring Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay. The square wasn’t previously part of Causeway Bay, but due to some moving of notional borders, most guidebooks now agree that it’s part of the area, if not one of its prime attractions. Why go at night? Because the glass-walled malls and high-rises filled with shops look so much prettier lit up. Plus, where else are you going to find shops that welcome you until well after midnight?

Try out the street food on Houston Street

Whether you’re hungry or not, Houston Street – or Food Street – is a great place to check out. Tucked away in the crowded shopping area, it’s a little street with some of the best al fresco dining options in the city. Cuisines range from Italian to Thai, with most places open for both lunch and dinner. If you aren’t quite ready for food, just stroll around and peek into the side streets. You might catch groups of fashionable girls using the brightly painted walls as backgrounds for their Instagram photoshoot.

Stop by Hong Kong Central Library

Lovers of literature should flock to this building. Featuring an innovative overhead book carousel that automatically catalogs hundreds of books and transports them to their rightful sections, the establishment redefines libraries, using technological advancements to appeal to the younger generation. There’s a designated area where children can come to read and enter a fantasy world of castles, faraway lands, and mythical creatures.

Take a stroll through Victoria Park

Named after the former British queen, Victoria Park is the largest public park on Hong Kong Island. It features a fountain, some ponds, large grassy areas and plenty of benches dotted along its winding paths. Depending on the time of day, and of course the weather, you’ll find people having a picnic, practicing tai chi or doing a lap on the dedicated jogging trail. It won’t top any lists of the world’s most beautiful parks, but it’s a welcome bit of green in the middle of Hong Kong.

Read more: Top street foods in Hong Kong you need to try

Source The Culture Trip