Condo Suggestions In Nimman Area, With Kitchen? 10-20K Thb/month

[jimi]

Hi all,

I'm a new member here, but not new to Chiang Mai, having visited the lovely city almost yearly for the last 12 years. But my visits so far has been more of a vacation visit, and now I feel it is time to try and stay for a bit longer.

So, my current plan is to visit for 3 months at the end of this year, during which I will do remote work and thai studies, and just get a better feel of how it is to live in this city. But I feel like I am having some problems finding the perfect place for me to stay during these 3 months. My budget is about 10-20K THB per month, where the lower would be ok for a "good enough" place, and the upper number would be for a "wow" place.

I really love the Nimman area, and it is the area I know the most. So this is where I want to live. With that i mean the area in read in the attached picture, more or less.

I think I would prefer the upper/northen parts of this area, since it is a bit further away from the airport, considering they noise from the planes.

I will definately rent both a mountainbike and scooter, but I am a walker at heart, and want to be able to walk to for example Nimman Rd with ease. So for example, I am not interested in a place that requires crossing or traveling on the super highway or other roads that are not suitable for walking. So this rules out for example Green Hill Place and Sky Breeze Condo (at least from what I can tell by using the street view function on google maps).

Regarding the apartment, I don't need anything luxurious, but not budget feeling either. Not to small, but I don't need a multi bedroom suite. Maybe 40+ sq m (~450 sq f). If I have to choose between a fresh-looking, newly renovated 35 sq m studio and a more run-down suite, I would definately go for the smaller but fresher one. What I definately don't want is a house. I am an apartment guy all the way.

It must be furnished, and preferably serviced as well. Ie I would like bed linens and stuff included, and cleaning maybe a few times per month.

A kitchen/kitchenette with hot plates is a must, since I want to cook my own food from time to time (not a budget issue, I just like some dishes that are impossible to find in Chiang Mai as far as I know).

Since I will do computer work in the apartment, and also probably getting private thai lessons there, the apartment should preferably be quite light (ie good lighting, and maybe good size windows). Consider the fact that I might spend up to 8-12 awake hours in there during the course of one day (not every day though)...

It must be a multi story building, and I'm not interested in the ground floor. Bugs and insects are usually more frequent closer to the ground, and I hate those dam_n things. Also the street noise is less of a disturbance higher up. On the 4th+ floor would be optimal, with elevator of course.

Speaking of noise, I would really, really like the place to have at least moderatly sound isolated walls/doors. I don't want to wake up 6am just because my neighbor started his morning ritual by using the bathroom or turning on the TV.

Good speed internet must be included, or available at a reasonable extra charge.

Resonably soft bed. Ie not thai style hardness. This is a rather important issue for me, although if everything else is really nice and the price is good, I just might be OK with getting a mattress topper myself to put on top of the bed. I might be able to borrow one from some people I know, or just buy one and ask them to keep it for me until my next long trip when I can use it again.

A balcony would be nice. Not a deal breaker if there is none, but I would most likely choose an apartment with a balcony over one without one, even if it would mean paying a bit more.

A swiming pool would also be nice, but I would consider that just a bonus. I can just as well head over to the one at the Lotus hotel when I feel like soaking in the sun and having a swim.

And speaking of bonuses, if the apartment in question would have a oven, that would be a bonus as well. But I am well aware of that such a thing is quite rare in Chiang Mai, and I am not really prepared to pay premium for it.

I would very much prefer renting from a company/agancy, compared to renting from a private person. This is because when renting from a company I feel that it is less personal and more business, and it is easier to visit an office and talk there compared to phoning someone on their mobile and they might be at work or in the super market when they answer. Also I would feel much more uneasy with saying no to a private person after he has taken time to show me the place, while I don't feel the same way saying no to a company.

I have already checked out a few places either IRL or on line, and here are my comments on those:

Chiang Mai Lodge

Rather nice location, spacious 48 sq m suite, kichen area with hot plates. Clean and moderatly fresh, but still a bit "budgety" feel to it. Two balconies, but both very very small (right next to each other, but separated by a wall). The bed felt rather hard. Overall I would say it is in the "just OK" region, and definately over priced at 18.500 per month.

The Empire

Good location, really fresh and seems very new. It would basically be like staying at a mid-luxury hotel. But the small and medium size rooms doesn't have cooking options (they actually have smoke detectors that would go off, and I don't feel like using a portable hot plate on the balcony, frying smelly food). If I want cooking options I would have to go for the super delux suite, for 36.000 per month. If I could just have he smallest room, but with cooking options, then this would be great... And throw in a swiming pool in the building, then this would be just perfect...

Baan Thai B

Good location (just across the street from The Empire), reasonable prices (I think it was around 7000), nice swimming pool, cooking is possible. The down side is that it feels a bit sleezy, too simple and a bit run-down. And I read one post in this forum about problems with mosquitos and poor sound isolation.

Green Hill Place and Sky Breeze Condo

As I said before, doesn't seem to be walking friendly.

Hillside 4

Seems really interesting, although I have not seen the inside of any apartment IRL, and I have not had the time to contact Perfect Homes, who seem to be the place to go to for apartments in this building. Several apartments seem to be rented out by private persons, but I rather deal with a company/agent.

P.T. Place

Also seems really interesting, although I have not seen the building nor the inside, and one can not always trust pictures. Will try and get a look tomorrow, incidently the last day for me here in Chiang Mai this trip, before I go back to the cold Sweden...

OK wow, this posting ended up being much longer then I first enticipated. Sorry about that, I didn't mean to write a detailed wish list like that, it just came naturally when I started thinking of what type of place I want. Feel free to come with suggestions, tips and comments even if they don't tick all the boxes in my list.

Regards

/Jimi

Edited January 24, 2013 by jimi

[mascarakatze]

you certainly do not have an economy of words

[CMweb]

I didn't read all this as I have no time

I answer to your title, you can find some nice ones on our site http://www.buyrentchiangmai.com

[masuk]

Hmm. so buyrentchiangmai is too busy to read your requirements. That's not a good sign.

I lived near Nimman for 6 months, before moving out of the city.

You commented about aircraft flight paths. Bear in mind that the planes fly due north over Nimman before banking to the south, so being in the north part of the Nimman area won't help you a lot.

I used to walk every day around that area, and there's quite a few interesting places to look at, both from a rental point of view and also design etc.

Now that Nimman is going to be a one-way road, it will be interesting to see what happens, esp with the huge shopping complex being built on the super highway intersection. The intersection is bad enough now.

Shopping in that area will also be expensive, but you no doubt know that.

Good luck.