Hotel Recomendations Please

[jumpybongo]

budget around 1000-1500 baht per night,smoking room essential.

1st time visitor male 40s.

cheers

[realthaideal]

It's low season right now, so you're likely to find a deal on many of the gazillions of new CM boutique hotels if you just google them. Pools used to be hard to come by in this city, now they're all over the place. Usually prices are higher than you ask for, but I had a friend here 2 wks ago who got his room for about what you're asking - nearly a 50% savings.

If you use the search function in the top right there, and make sure it scans only this forum, you'll find your questions been answered many times in the last few weeks as well. Have fun.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

What kind of action are we talking about? Shopping or kantoke dinner? I'd like to recommend something but would need to have full requirements.

[Lizard2010]

Just avoid the Downtown Inn Hotel.

Unusual things happen with no explanation.

Things that happened were a coinsurance, so say the health authorities

.

[thaimiller]

For that kind of price and requirements I would say the Top North hotel

[dave2]

re ... budget around 1000-1500 baht per night,

try the imm hotel and get a free mc d burger

dave2

[Ulysses G.]

I would suggest the Central Duangtawan Hotel in the Night Bazaar with a pool and a gym. However, the pool is often full of obnoxious brats playing tag and Marco Polo, so swimming laps for exercise is not very convenient.

Edited August 16, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[sfokevin]

I would suggest the Central Duangtawan Hotel in the Night Bazaar with a pool and a gym. However, the pool is often full of obnoxious brats playing tag and Marco Polo, so swimming laps for exercise is not very convenient.

But if you want to form your own Marco Polo Team the Loi Khor is full of seasoned professionals

[basinboy]

UG beat me to it Centara Duangtawan is currently on offer at Agoda for 1032 THB, that will take some beating

[jumpybongo]

thanks for replies so far the centara looks like a winner,just awaiting email confirmation of smoking room availability which is unclear from booking sites.

similar hotels from trip advisor/agoda etc seem to be the mercure,royal princess and the amora tapae all of which will fit the bill if smoking rooms available.

cheers all.

[basinboy]

thanks for replies so far the centara looks like a winner,just awaiting email confirmation of smoking room availability which is unclear from booking sites.

similar hotels from trip advisor/agoda etc seem to be the mercure,royal princess and the amora tapae all of which will fit the bill if smoking rooms available.

cheers all.

I'm pretty sure there are still smoking rooms at the Centara. We have stayed at the Mecure (previously Novotel) and got good deals, but I think you will find the Centara much more central.

[NancyL]

I would suggest the Central Duangtawan Hotel in the Night Bazaar with a pool and a gym. However, the pool is often full of obnoxious brats playing tag and Marco Polo, so swimming laps for exercise is not very convenient.

But if you want to form your own Marco Polo Team the Loi Khor is full of seasoned professionals

Once I saw a guy -- a big, old white whale of a guy -- doing just that one morning. He was surrounded by four young bikini-clad girls; the total of their ages and BMIs may have equalled his. He seemed pleased beyond belief and kept looking around the pool deck to see if he was the object of envious stares. Unfortunately, it was about 9 am, so there wasn't an audience in the deck chairs yet. I was able to avoid the pool that day and observe the scene from behind the glass, on a treadmill in the health club.

Usually, there isn't as much activity in the pool in the mornings and it's safe to swim laps without running into obnoxious brats or bikini-clan bar girls.

[Ulysses G.]

Or the kids who think it is fun to throw rocks and dive for them and are not too careful about their aim.

[NancyL]

Or the kids who think it is fun to throw rocks and dive for them and are not too careful about their aim.

Actually, the kids weren't even bothering to dive into the pool -- it was just a contest to see who could throw rocks the furthest and I got in the way. That created a nasty bruise on my back, which complemented one left on my upper arm by a kid kicking me a few weeks before. This after another lap swimmer broke a bone in my foot with a vigorous kick back in February.

Since then, I've developed a "take no prisoners" attitude toward anyone touching me while I'm lap swimming. I'll stand up and scream bloody murder, even if I am barely touched. Sorry this is necessary, but I can't see very far without my glasses. So, the OP better avoid the rather determined-looking older, female lap swimmer if he stays at the hotel!

[ozzydave]

Stayed the Top Northern a couple of times. Found it average (although the staff can usually comprehend english)

Also stayed Montri (Hotel M now ???) - great hotel, but not sure about the pool (if there is one). Not sure if they have smoking area (I'm not a smoker any more so did not even ask) Cost was under 900B (low season) plus breakfast.

There are couple of other hotels that will remain nameless as there quality was less than ZERO - one has a HUGE parking lot - if you see it you will be looking at a hotel with 1960's interior finish and styling, broken lift and over priced, plus its a distnace from the main attractions.

There is a great spot for breakfast just north of the Top North Hotel entry - was 100B for a full english breaky. Not only was it cheap, the food was GREAT, and the service fantastic. Unfortunately I found it on the second last day

If you walk a little further south ( 170 metres) in the evening you will come to Johns Place on the corner. Its OK for a drink - reasonable view from upstairs, and pool tables too.

The above based purely on experience

[chiang mai]

We stayed at the Wangburapa Hotel last month and was well pleased with our choice - a new hotel next to the moat just down from Mad Dogs, clean, good sized rooms, efficient aircon, nicely furnished etc etc, THB 800 per night - ideal for the OP since it's almost across the street from Loi Kro and is just down from the bars near Tapae Gate,

[Tywais]

royal princess

Surprised you can get a room there in the price range you mention. It was a few years ago, but found it to be very nice place. Stayed at the Top North a few times, mainly due to off street parking, and as mentioned quite basic but good pool. Montri is usually my 1st choice but no pool but free WiFi.

[dave2]

ozzydave.

re ... There is a great spot for breakfast just north of the Top North Hotel entry - was 100B for a full english breaky. Not only was it cheap, the food was GREAT, and the service fantastic.

i might be wrong but i think your talking about the gatehouse bar

if so the 100 baht breakfast and the evening food was good but the girl who ran the food / bar bit in the front went home for songkran ( early april ) and never came back

i miss her ( cooking ) and sausage king misses her buying his stuff but your right her food was good

dave2

ps .. mad dog serves sausage kings pies so all is not lost for me : )

[Chiangmai Foxy]

ozzydave.

re ... There is a great spot for breakfast just north of the Top North Hotel entry - was 100B for a full english breaky. Not only was it cheap, the food was GREAT, and the service fantastic.

i might be wrong but i think your talking about the gatehouse bar

if so the 100 baht breakfast and the evening food was good but the girl who ran the food / bar bit in the front went home for songkran ( early april ) and never came back

i miss her ( cooking ) and sausage king misses her buying his stuff but your right her food was good

dave2

ps .. mad dog serves sausage kings pies so all is not lost for me : )

The said girls never went anywhere,just didnt want to work for the (no Comment) owner of the bar(For many reasons),after raising it from the gutters and quadrupling the normal takings through boyfriends/friends/of friends etc(Money in their own pocket as they rented it of the owner).owner trys to run on his own but apparently oblivious to real life. Another clueless retaurant owner in CM,with 0 Personality...som nam na

Edited August 16, 2011 by Chiangmai Foxy

[millwall_fan]

The Centara Dunagtawan is very popular and well priced at the moment. The Raming Lodge, on Loi Korh Rd,is situated in the middle of the Red Light district and is halfway between the Old town and the Night Bazaar. It has a pool , smoking rooms and attentive management and is next door to Chiang Mai's best value Mediteranean Restaurant: Chez Marco and its best value British Pub: The Olde Bell. What more could you want? About 1,200 baht a night (similar to the Centara.)

[limegreenpatato]

My mom stayed at The Castle last time she came over. It's small, but nice. think it was 900 a night and that includes breakfast...a real breakfast not just coffee and muffins. It had a pool...but it was small...more for just sitting in.

[dave2]

jumpybogo.

re .. thanks for replies so far the centara looks like a winner

enjoy .. dave2

chiangmai foxy ... has the gatehouse girl opened up somewhere else do you know ?

[muchogra]

I had stayed in Centara and Mercure (the old Novotel) in the past 6 months. They are good for their prices. I just wish the rooms are not carpeted and I personally avoid looking at the grout around the tubs and the bathroom walls.

Please note that both places do not offer free wi-fi. It's around B150 an hour.

[chooka]

Downtown Inn Maybe. Nooooooooo just kidding satire.