I will be arriving in March 2013 for a 6-7 day look around from Las Vegas. I am considering Chiang Mai as a retirement location.

I have been to Thailand before on port visits, (Pattaya and Bangkok) but never up north. Need some recommendations on

places to stay for a newbie. My budget for accommodations is 1000-1500 Baht and would like to stay near the center.

I don't plan on renting a motorbike so I need a place where I can walk to restaurants and tourist places.

Renting some studio room apartment in the city area in the Tapae road area

Edited February 11, 201313 yr by ARISTIDE

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I suggest staying at a medium price hotel such as the Chiang Mai Gate (800 to 1200 baht/day) and then walk around from there. Sooner or later you will want to rent a scooter just to spread your wings a little. The Chiang Mai Gate is only a block outside the moat area on the south side of town. There is also the Smith Residence nearby which is a bit more expensive but quite nice. March is the middle of the dry, smoky season and many tourists (and locals) will have left by then. And, if you are actually planning on retiring here then visiting during the smoky season will give you a good idea of what the worst is like.

Thanks all for the helpful comments and suggestions!

Robert

If you are only here for a couple of weeks, and base your experience with Patters etc, then you may want to be a bit closer to the night life than CM Gate (its a fair walk to Loi Kroh / Night Bazzar or old city bars etc from there - songtaews available of course - 20 baht day time - but easier to just trot out the hotel and around the corner). There are loads of hotels around the Night Bazaar area ranging from 4/5 star down to el-cheapo. Your budget (presume per day) is fine for most medium hotels and even for some of the better ones - Empress for example.

Is Downtown open again yet? - if so, unlikely to get the same issues (erm guests dieing myseriously) now, but may well be underpriced.

Edited February 11, 201313 yr by wolf5370