Wangburapa Grand Hotel

This place may have been good 20 years ago, but now the price feels high for what you get. Our first room had a bad smell in the bathroom. We moved, and the next room had broken tiles, a shower curtain held up with tape, and a shower head so clogged that the water pressure was almost gone. We probably should have stayed in the first room. Breakfast was very meager, with no vegetarian options beyond white bread. We thought the staff were friendly until departure: on arrival they let us leave our suitcase in a secure room, but when we left it was placed in an unsecured corner. I wouldn't recommend the hotel. There are better and cheaper options in Chiang Mai.

The staff were polite and kind, but the rest didn't feel worth the price. The rooms are old, and the bathroom in ours smelled so bad that we asked to change rooms. The replacement was smaller. The shower wasn't clean, and the hot water didn't work properly. Breakfast was especially disappointing. We asked twice for a vegetarian meal, but got only bread and jam for all three days. The breakfast kitchen wasn't helpful.

The only real advantage is the location. You can walk to the old town and night markets, and to one of the best local Thai restaurants, "Garden to Table" in the old town. The hotel itself is very dated and poorly maintained. The showers didn't work, and the safe was out of action with its locks jammed. Breakfast was terrible, with very little choice.

It's a sensible option if you want somewhere central and affordable and aren't expecting luxury. The location makes it easy to explore, with the old city and markets nearby and some tourist spots within walking distance. The room was simple and fairly clean, though the design and amenities felt a little dated. Food was okay, nothing special, but enough to get the day started.