The Grand Wipanan Residence

I stayed for two weeks last year and came back this year with two friends. The hotel lived up to what I expected, so it remains my favorite place to stay in Chiang Mai. It’s quiet, clean, well located, and the staff are friendly. It’s very affordable too, and even the breakfast tastes good.

The rooms are spacious and well maintained, and the staff are very friendly. It’s a lovely hotel in an excellent location, with everything within walking distance. Thanks for a wonderful stay.

We were there for two weeks with our small family, so I got to see a lot of the place. The friendly staff and the quality of the room cleaning stood out most. The rooms are clean, but outdated, and the side facing the main road can be noisy. There’s a laundromat and several cafes nearby, plus a market across the street. Their cafe downstairs serves really good, inexpensive Thai food and breakfast, though breakfast isn’t free. Every staff interaction was a delight. We arrived around 2am, and a security guard helped with our bags. The same three housekeepers cleaned every day, replacing our sheets, towels and amenities. They took off their shoes to enter, and I remember the last housekeeper mopping her tracks as she left. As a clean freak, I loved that. Front desk staff were always kind, greeted our 10month old whenever we passed, and spoke understandable English. Our suite style room had a separate bedroom, a bathroom with a tub and shower, and strong, cold AC. It was clean but felt old. The appliances were the same as in pictures from 7 years ago. The TV was small, only connected to satellite and was pretty much useless. The phone connected, but it was hard to hear anyone. The safe was locked and unusable, the fan didn’t work, and only 3 devices could join the WiFi. The bathroom was spacious, but the caulking had mold. Smart TVs, support for more WiFi devices, a new phone, lamps with charging ports, and a nightstand with a clock would make the room feel less barebones. The pool looked nice, though we didn’t try it. The gym is small and has no AC. We stayed on the side beside the main road, where louder cars and motorcycles passed at all hours. I can’t say whether the other side is quieter. Being near the road also meant easy access to a nearby laundry mat, multiple cafes and a market. The hotel has a laundry room too, but no dryers, so we preferred the outside laundromats. The hotel asks for a 500baht cash security deposit at check-in, which caught me off guard after we’d already paid by credit card when booking. It would be more efficient to include it in the initial booking. Don’t bring mangosteen or durian into the building because you will be fined. Both fruits can stain or smell. The Grand Wipanan could become a top rated hotel, but outdated electronics and furniture are holding it back. I’d still recommend it for the cleanliness and staff. A couple of older reviews say otherwise, but it seems they’ve improved a lot in that area. Most staff can’t speak English fluently, so confusion or miscommunication could be mistaken for rudeness. If you’re respectful and kind to them and their culture, you’ll get the most from your stay. We’ll truly cherish our time there and wish the staff and management success in the hotel’s future.

The room was spacious and had a microwave, fridge and a few kitchen items for dining in. It’s a cool, quiet hotel with friendly staff.