Baan Suan Residence

We stayed in a five-bedroom villa with a kitchen, a good base for day trips to Mae sa and Mon Jam. It’s midway between the old city and Maerim, so a bit of a getaway from town. The showers were hot enough, though the water pressure, like at most places here, wasn’t great. It was cold while we were there, so we didn’t need the aircon. Staff were friendly and helpful. They got floaties for the kids when we went swimming and accommodated our requests. The breakfast choices were the same three each day, but all were delicious: Western (toast, croissant, eggs, bacon, ham, hotdog), Thai (congee/porridge with fried dough stick), or Chiang Mai (sticky rice with grilled pork, spicy northern sausage and pork rinds). Yogurt and generous servings of fruit/Thai dessert were included too. There’s a convenient restaurant of the same name across the road with an extensive Thai menu. One staff member spoke and understood English well, which was a plus. The free airport transfer was great too, in a clean, new, comfortable MPV.

There’s a one-way free ride to Nimman Road if you want to visit the old town during your stay. I took Grab from Central Festival, where the 60 baht discount for pickup or drop-off brought my ride to the hotel to about 60 baht. The hotel has a lot of property, but I didn’t understand why so much of the room space was wasted. I rented an autobike there for about 300 baht for 24h, then had to pay another 50 baht in pick-up fees, which I didn’t find acceptable. There are some national parks just a few hours away by car. I was lucky not to see any other guests during my stay, so I had the pool and breakfast to myself.

The place has a peaceful, artistic vibe, though it’s a little way out of the city. The staff were amazing, kind, and helpful. My reservation hadn’t gone through because I booked via a 3rd party, which wasn’t Baan Suan’s fault, but they still managed to find me a room.

For three consecutive years in Chiang Mai, we chose this place as our second home. I love its peaceful atmosphere, even though it’s quite far from the city center. The spacious, comfortable room has an artistic style that feels valuable, almost like staying in an art museum. The staff are lovely and helpful, and breakfast is enjoyable too.