Looking For A Mountain View Apt.

[LJW]

I may have to leave my beautiful house in six months

The only option I would be interested in is a mountain view apartment.

Anywhere in, and around, Chiang Mai.

It should be at a high-level

But it must have a very clear view of the mountains

Edited July 5, 2011 by LJW

[meadish_sweetball]

In town, Nakorn Ping Condo and Floral Condo are the first two fairly high condos that spring to mind, but you probably know those already. I think the condos around the Nimmanhemin area are all susceptible to night-life related noise, but there are one or two condominiums in the area between the canal road going out towards 700 years stadium (the ones VIBE was referring to?).

[Drew Aitch]

There are a fair few condos buildings and apartment blocks on the other side of canal road as you head up towards Doi Suthep. The mountain is almost in your back garden once you get into this neighbourhood.

Just nip in and our of the sois around the area and you'll find all sorts, including some new projects and serviced apartments.

Aitch

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

This condo is back from the dead and should be nice when they finish it.

It's one of the best locations in CM. North of the university and still south of the new convention center.

What was this place called? They built it too tall and didn't pay enough bribes so it was empty for years.

Now it's called Star Palace.

Star Palace

[Yelly]

In town, Nakorn Ping Condo and Floral Condo are the first two fairly high condos that spring to mind, but you probably know those already.   I think the condos around the Nimmanhemin area are all susceptible to night-life related noise, but there are one or two condominiums in the area between the canal road going out towards 700 years stadium (the ones VIBE was referring to?).

Our condo (in 103 Condo, Project 2)has a nice partial mountain view, but we are on the wrong side of the building. There are quite a few condos in our building that have BREATHTAKING views of Doi Suthep. Also, want to note that we live off of Nimmanhaemein and it's actually very quiet. We live rather close to the Warm Up (a block away) and we've never been bothered by it. We do have the airport take-offs flying over our building, but got quite used to 3-4 planes flying overhead in the morning and evening. They never wake us up, and I'm a very light sleeper.

....in fact, the loudest and most annoying thing living here so far was a bird nest off of our balcony/bedroom while the babies grew up. They're gone, now, and it's smooth sailing.

A view is why we chose a condo We overlook the agricultural fields for CMU, and our corner unit provides panoramic views.

Basically, I highly recommend the Nimmenhaemin area.

[Julaluck]

I used to live in Link Mansion. Serch it out on google.

It's nice and clean.

[NancyL]

The first year we lived here, we had a west-facing unit at Nakorn Ping condo on a high floor. The view of the mountain was breathtaking. Our kitchen was basically the enclosed balcony and it offered a good view of Huey Kaew Rd. Unfortunately, the was also hot as an oven and we kept the heat-reflecting curtains closed most of the time. I soon tired of preparing meals in a Thai kitchen. I couldn't enter the kitchen to prepare dinner until dusk most days because of the heat. Our electric bills were astronomical as we tried to cool the oven that was our home.

Everyone we know who rents a "mountain view" condo says what initially attracted them was the great view and what caused them to leave were the heat and electric bills.

Edited July 5, 2011 by NancyL

[Gladiator]

A few years ago, I rented a 'corner' L-shaped Studio at the Riverside Condo - 11th floor. I only had partial view of the mountains but an amazing view of the Ping River and the Studio was not overlooked by any other unit.

If a full mountian view is the priority than there were other Studio and Appartment Units more towards the centre of the block.

The floors go up to at least the 17th, as I had a friend who also rented on that floor.

Good Luck !

[LJW]

Thanks for all of your good suggestions

But I don't want to be close to the mountains. A place on the Ping is preferrable, and my budget is between 20k and 40k a month

Edited July 6, 2011 by LJW

[NancyL]

Thanks for all of your good suggestions

But I don't want to be close to the mountains. A place on the Ping is preferrable, and my budget is between 20k and 40k a month

Oh well, why didn't you say so initially? With your budget and desire to see moutains off in the background, then you'll have many choices at Rim Ping, Flora, Riverside condos. You might want to stay away from the many condos sprouting up along Canal Rd. They're probably too close to the mountain to give you a good view.

[LJW]

Thanks for all of your good suggestions

But I don't want to be close to the mountains. A place on the Ping is preferrable, and my budget is between 20k and 40k a month

Oh well, why didn't you say so initially? With your budget and desire to see moutains off in the background, then you'll have many choices at Rim Ping, Flora, Riverside condos. You might want to stay away from the many condos sprouting up along Canal Rd. They're probably too close to the mountain to give you a good view.

Because, Initially, I was not thinking much about specifics

[shepsel]

If you have six months to search for a condo with a west exposure on a high floor, go into the management offices of the higher buildings and ask what rentals are coming up within a month or two. Look at the units to get an idea of space. Cutting the heat during the hot months on western exposures can be done relatively inexpensively by applying tinting to the windows (the same stuff that is used on automobiles) and it will cut the temperature by about 5 degrees celcius. You can further help cool the room by applying the silver coloured heat reflector material that you can purchase in a fabric store and apply it as a lining to draperies.

With your budget, you should have very little trouble in finding a suitable space.

[kilvingtono]

Have a look at "The Embassy House" Condo on Charoenrat Road near the Rama IX Bridge. Great view of river and mountain.

[invex]

Riverside Condo has the best views in town. Try to get a room on the west side. Nice rooms (46 sqm) starting at about 10.000 a month.

Google for the website

chiangmairiversidecondo

[Yelly]

I can vouch that Riverside is very nice. Dual-action mountain and River Ping views!

[el jefe]

This condo is back from the dead and should be nice when they finish it.

It's one of the best locations in CM. North of the university and still south of the new convention center.

What was this place called? They built it too tall and didn't pay enough bribes so it was empty for years.

Now it's called Star Palace.

Star Palace

Is that the old Lilly Condo? I've heard from several Thais that it's haunted. That might have a significant effect on sales and resale values. (Less buyers; not that ghosts are tough negotiators.)

But the question is if it was too tall 15 years ago, 5 years ago, and last year, how is it not too tall now? One would think that paying off the right people wouldn't work 15 years later.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

This condo is back from the dead and should be nice when they finish it.

It's one of the best locations in CM. North of the university and still south of the new convention center.

What was this place called? They built it too tall and didn't pay enough bribes so it was empty for years.

Now it's called Star Palace.

Star Palace

Is that the old Lilly Condo? I've heard from several Thais that it's haunted. That might have a significant effect on sales and resale values. (Less buyers; not that ghosts are tough negotiators.)

But the question is if it was too tall 15 years ago, 5 years ago, and last year, how is it not too tall now? One would think that paying off the right people wouldn't work 15 years later.

Yes the Lily. That sounds correct.

The story I heard was that the "people in charge" changed and they wanted more money for the height variance. They were given the choice back then of removing the top floors or paying the new fees. Evidently they didn't comply with either and it sat mostly empty.

It's been quite a while so perhaps the officials have changed again or maybe a new variance has been granted. Could be the new developers have more connections and pull.

Maybe someone else has heard what has allowed them to reopen.

It's a great location and one can only wonder if this means the ghosts will be evicted or allowed to stay.

[jko]

This condo is back from the dead and should be nice when they finish it.

It's one of the best locations in CM. North of the university and still south of the new convention center.

What was this place called? They built it too tall and didn't pay enough bribes so it was empty for years.

Now it's called Star Palace.

Star Palace

Is that the old Lilly Condo? I've heard from several Thais that it's haunted. That might have a significant effect on sales and resale values. (Less buyers; not that ghosts are tough negotiators.)

But the question is if it was too tall 15 years ago, 5 years ago, and last year, how is it not too tall now? One would think that paying off the right people wouldn't work 15 years later.

Yes the Lily. That sounds correct.

The story I heard was that the "people in charge" changed and they wanted more money for the height variance. They were given the choice back then of removing the top floors or paying the new fees. Evidently they didn't comply with either and it sat mostly empty.

It's been quite a while so perhaps the officials have changed again or maybe a new variance has been granted. Could be the new developers have more connections and pull.

Maybe someone else has heard what has allowed them to reopen.

It's a great location and one can only wonder if this means the ghosts will be evicted or allowed to stay.

-Andrew Bond commented on this condo (formerly known as Lily Valley) in Citylife magazine (Vol. 17 No. 5 May 2008) and it's remained an intriguing mystery for years. Amongst the ghost stories there were also whispers that the building was unsafe, hence it has remained eerily empty until now

Whatever, assuming there are no ghouls, and that this huge building is sound structurally, the mountain views from higher floors must be impressive, and the location is good, even if the name unfortunately sounds a bit like a night club.

Worth having a look.

[NancyL]

If you have six months to search for a condo with a west exposure on a high floor, go into the management offices of the higher buildings and ask what rentals are coming up within a month or two. Look at the units to get an idea of space. Cutting the heat during the hot months on western exposures can be done relatively inexpensively by applying tinting to the windows (the same stuff that is used on automobiles) and it will cut the temperature by about 5 degrees celcius. You can further help cool the room by applying the silver coloured heat reflector material that you can purchase in a fabric store and apply it as a lining to draperies.

With your budget, you should have very little trouble in finding a suitable space.

I will never again live in a high-rise condo with west facing windows and aircon inadequate to handle the afternoon heat. What is the point of having the great view if you have to apply automotive tinting to the windows or totally enclose them with heat-reflecting curtains?

I sewed heat-reflecting lining into all our curtains when we lived at Nakorn Ping Condo and all our houseplants died. At least as a fomer plant nursery owner, we knew they died because of lack of sunlight.