The Empress Hotel Chiang Mai

The pool is big, the location is convenient and the breakfast is basic. We had a very good stay at this charming old property, with attentive, helpful service. The rooms are spacious, clean and well equipped. The air conditioning is a bit noisy, and the soundproofing could be better, but it’s very good value for money.

The west-facing view was lovely for catching sunsets, and the pool was clean. Bar service was attentive and prices were decent. I liked the upgraded room with a king bed and welcome treats, and having four elevators meant there was rarely a delay. The gym could use an upgrade, though it’s functional and a bit dated. The saunas are separated by gender, which seemed odd, but wasn’t a big deal. I liked this place quite a bit.

The staff were consistently very nice to us, and the location was okay, but it wasn’t close to everything. We took 15 to 20 minute cab rides to the places we wanted to visit. The hotel feels outdated, like the whole place is stuck in the 80s. Our biggest problem was the bed: it was extremely hard, almost like sleeping on a boxspring. Both my husband’s and my shoulders were hurting by the end, and we each had just one sad pillow. Breakfast was another letdown. We’d been glad it was included, but neither of us ate much and we went to other breakfast places for the rest of our time in Chang Mai. The Empress premiere seemed much nicer. If you book here, make sure it’s with Empress Premier. It’ll probably be worth the money.

For the price, it’s just great. The rooms were spotless, the beds comfy and the amenity kits good. I’d recommend it. They could improve the breakfast coffee, though. Instant coffee doesn’t really count as coffee.