Weekends Away – Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai, the rose of the north, offers an ideal weekend getaway from the buzz and bustle of Bangkok. There are frequent flights between the cities and if you are a senior citizen Thai Airways has special prices. Here are two affordable places to stay;
Baan Deva Montra Boutique Resort and Spa
This is a perfect retreat for country living in the foothills of Chiang Mai's Suthep Mountain that is affordable, comfortable and friendly. If you feel cut off from the world it's only a thirty minute ride into the center of the city and slightly less from the city's airport. Do not expect to find incredible luxury at the prices they charge but do expect spacious, clean cottages with staff whose smiles will brighten the gloomiest of days. The resort has 14 villas with small pools and 11 garden cottages.
The villas are well spaced out in massive grounds that are well maintained, full of fruit trees and ideal for country walks. If you are more adventurous there are bicycles to tour the surrounding countryside. The restaurant provides a good variety of European dishes at low prices.
Room service is swift and dinner in the poolside sala provides an ideal end to a day in the country. Nice touch in the pool villas is an outdoor bathtub. Families with children can offer the young one an exciting nighttime camping experience. The resort staff will gladly convert the sala into a place to spend the night with the aid of mosquito netting and bedding. If you have to keep in touch with the outside world, wireless Internet is available in the resort lobby and each villa has cable television.
There is the Baan Sookjai Spa at the resort which offers a complete range of treatments. Two Chiang Mai attractions are close to the resort and are well worth visiting. Chiang Mai Night Safari houses hundreds of different animals and is just minutes away. Adjoining that is Ratchaphruek 2006, the Royal Flora Horticultural Exposition for the King which provides a fantastic display of flowers and plants from Thailand and over 30 other countries. To book this hotel go to: http://www.baandevamontra.com/.
Novotel Chiang Mai
This a pleasant inexpensive spot ideally suited for the tourist on a budget. Located in the business and shopping district of Thailand's second largest city, the hotel is just 10 minutes from the airport. There are 159 rooms (of which 73 are non-smoking) and one suite. The hotel location makes it an ideal center for touring the area with helpful staff at the impressive hotel lobby to give advice on when and what to visit. Do not expect great luxury - do expect lots of smiles from friendly employees.
All accommodation is neatly furnished and modern. All rooms have good sized bathrooms, air conditioning (which you might not need in the cooler winter weather) cable TV and a minibar. Room service is available 24 hours a day seven days a week.
The Citrus restaurant has a limited but good International menu and is open from 6am until midnight and provides a special children's menu. There are two bars; the Mai Thai open from 8am until 1pm and the Tantawan open from noon until 9pm. Both offer snacks. There is an outdoor swimming pool and fitness center to enjoy after a hard day of touring. The hotel is well equipped to handle business meetings it has five different rooms in addition to well-equipped business center. Book a Room at the Novotel Chiang Mai here
