The Pacific Cool Chic

The staff were fantastic. Any question or issue I had was handled without negativity, and they were incredibly helpful. Being respectful and smiling goes a long way in Thailand. I felt I was treated fairly and couldn't ask for more. This was a good base for exploring the city at a reasonable price. It's within walking distance of the northwest corner of the Old City, and I had no trouble parking my rental motorbike in the private lot behind the hotel. There's a night security guard. The central location made it easy to get around, and a 7-Eleven is about 100 yards away for essentials at any hour. My room wasn't as bad as some of the negative Google reviews had me expecting, though it could've been cleaner. It's a mid-level hotel, so expecting a five-star feel would be misleading. Whether I asked or not, I got bottled water, soap, conditioner and two large towels daily. The water was hot, and the bed was very firm, which I like. A deep clean and fresh paint on the room walls and ceilings would make a big difference. The pool needed cleaning, though the heavy rain during my stay may have made it look worse. The towels could also use fabric softener; Western guests tend to like softer towels. I'll return next time I'm in Chiang Mai. I don't need celebrity treatment or expect to spend all day in my room. I wanted a cost-effective place with friendly staff to use as a base for adventures, and it checked those boxes. Until next time!

The friendly staff were helpful, the lobby had a comfortable seating area, and the location was decent, with several good restaurants and massage shops within a five-minute walk. The large car park was a bonus. Still, after one night I felt I'd had enough. The room was large but nearly empty, with two padded chairs and a low table, but no desk or safe. They provided a kettle, coffee and water. The bed had clean linens, but the mattress was the very firm kind common here. The bathroom had a tub and hot water, though the shower pressure was too weak at head height, so I had to kneel to wash my hair. There was also a dead cockroach on the sink. The air conditioning was set to 20 with the fan on full, and the remote couldn't change the settings. I kept turning it off and on all night, going from too cold to too hot. WiFi was fine for email, not streaming. It's a few years past its best, like many places in the city. They seem to be trying to maintain it with colorful paint and designs, but it's old and fading. The standard room was cheap, so you get what you pay for: not dirty, but not especially clean either. Know what the price buys you. They offer long-term stays, but one night was enough for me.

I spent a month here and found it a nice place for a longer stay. The staff were always kind and caring, the room was big, and the area was good. Some of the furniture was a bit old. The main thing to improve is the internet: it was useless many times, so I had to buy a mobile data card to get online in my room.

We stayed for a month and found it very good value. The staff were brilliant, so helpful and kind. The two drawbacks were weak WiFi, though a hotspot worked fine, and very firm beds. We bought a mattress topper for ours. If you want somewhere quiet just outside the old town, this could be a great choice.