Amanor Chiang Mai Hotel

The location was great, and the bed was comfortable. That’s about where the good points end. For a hotel described as five-star, this room was awful, three stars at best. It was small, though the layout and lack of basics were worse than the size. The bathroom felt like a fishbowl, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing outside and the room, plus a glass-enclosed shower. To get any privacy, we had to close the outside shades, the useless glass door to the room, and a separate curtain outside the bathroom. The result was a dark, windowless-feeling room. The lighting was dim, and we couldn’t turn on the bathroom lights without also lighting up the bedroom. There wasn’t a single towel hook or bar. Storage was one low drawer for two people, so I lived out of my suitcase in the doorless “closet,” leaving the mess in full view. The slippers were flimsy and open-toed, the robes thin, and there was no full-length mirror, only one that showed me from neck to knees. My glasses kept falling off the tiny round nightstand, and the Wi-Fi was basically unusable. Breakfast was just okay, and it wasn’t even in the hotel. We had to go to the restaurant next door. The rooftop featured in the ads is also reached by walking through that restaurant while people are eating. Housekeeping missed details too. We were left without a bathmat and had to use a bath towel and call for more towels. The scale had no batteries; we pointed that out, but it was never fixed. Hilton should be ashamed to include this hotel in its SLH collection. Whoever designed the room clearly hasn’t stayed in a hotel.

The people made our stay especially lovely. Panda, Ann, Iyu, and Preaw were wonderful at the restaurant, while Goi and Pang at concierge were amazing and so helpful. They suggested sights, booked my cooking class, and helped with our questions. Everyone was caring and attentive, and we’re very grateful for the experience. Our room at the Amanor hotel in Chiang Mai was neat, with a super comfortable bed. We enjoyed the pool and the excellent evening cocktails at Arise bar. Lumi had a great breakfast selection with good portions, and its Italian lunch and dinner dishes were delicious, especially the truffle gnocchi and mushroom volute soup. We’d definitely look to come back.

The front desk and restaurant staff took very good care of us. Note deserves a special mention for helping us from the time we arrived all the way through to dropping us back at the airport. Our room had been upgraded to a spacious suite, but it was still missing some basic conveniences. There was no fridge, and the one brought after we asked didn’t work. Lighting was insufficient, the controls weren’t easy to reach, and there was no bedside table. Housekeeping was inconsistent about replacing towels, and turndown service left sweet snacks only once. That’s why I’m giving four stars.

The bed was the standout. I’ve slept in more than 30 beds over the last couple of years, and this was easily the best. There’s even a pillow menu; I tried a couple and every one was ridiculously comfortable. I’m already thinking of buying one of their pillowcases because I know I’ll miss it. I found this place by chance on my credit card site, booked without researching, and somehow got a real five-star experience. I only wanted a quick reset, with no plans beyond sleeping, resting, and chilling out. The staff were lovely, everything felt calm and clean, and the whole stay was easy. They took care of laundry, brought food from a great restaurant, kept the water coming, and everything worked with a few taps on my phone. If you want a comfortable, no-stress place to reset with airport transportation, this is it.