Looking for hotel or apt complex where other expats live?

[JAKARTAMOON]

Yes I fell in love with the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movie and would love to know if there are places in Chiang Mai where other expats live giving me a way to get to know and make friends a little faster. I know there is the expats club with more formal meetings, etc. Will be arriving Chiang Mai in a couple of months and will stay for a month or two to decide if I have found my home away from home. Thanks for all advice, jakartamoon

[Oscar2]

looking to come here to stay in a farang ghetto would be my idea of hell! why bother?

[NancyL]

I'm not aware of places in Chiang Mai like the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel that are fairly small and the management and expats are so involved in each others lives. As mentioned, the residents would soon be at each other's throats! The closest thing is Dok Kaew Assisted Living Center where the residents have problems like dementia.

Instead, I'd suggest you check out a serviced apartment or fully furnished condo that is close to restaurants, etc, so you don't have to do your own cooking and laundry and can call on the management of the building if you have problems. On the high end, there's Kantary Hills http://www.kantarycollection.com/kantaryhills-chiangmai/

mid range is The Dome http://www.thedomechiangmai.com/

I'd suggest you stay away from AirB2B rentals of private residences. Immigration has been cracking down on people who rent this way (and their tenants) because usually the owners don't report the presence of foreigners in their units and don't pay taxes on the income they earn from rental.

[anto]

Every Condo complex within the City area will have a proportion of Farang .The more upmarket and expensive the more Farang .

When i lived in a Condominium i tended to make friends outside the complex .Within the complex i just wanted to be left in peace .

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Actually traveller guesthouses are pretty much like that. Can pick one where people tend to stay a bit longer time.

Probably the vibe changed a bit from years ago when it was mostly Westerners staying; true backpacking and really long stays are definitely less common now, and likely more Chinese people who only stay a couple days. Doesn't hurt to try though.

[PostmanPat]

Trying to replicate the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel?! Rather than finding the likes of Maggie Smith, Judi Dench and Bill Nighy, youre more likely to find the likes of Boris Karloff, Count Dracula and Frankensteins Monster !!!

Good luck with that !!!

[arunsakda]

Agreed. And the most ridiculous idea about the movie is that divorced and and widowed old people are having frequent romances and constantly boning eachother.

[sfokevin]

Rent a condo in Hillside Plaza/Condotel and hang out in Kad Suan Kaews food court...

[TheAppletons]

Agreed. And the most ridiculous idea about the movie is that divorced and and widowed old people are having frequent romances and constantly boning eachother.

Ha, ha....apparently you've never heard of "The Villages" retirement community in Central Florida, USA.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2657325/Ten-women-man-black-market-Viagra-thriving-swingers-scene-Welcome-The-Villages-Florida-elderly-residents-Sex-Square-cocktail-honor-woman-68-arrested-public-sex-toyboy.html

[Derek JM]

Krtiz guest house on 50 Moonmeung road is pretty well located, fairly central easily accessable by foot to chiang mai gate and Thapae gate, both are 5 mins walk. fan or air con.. up to you. Good sized room, hot shower, satelite TV in various European Languages. Internet, weekly cleaning for 6,500/month

inc all bills (fan room) 6,500 +10bahts / KwH electricity for air con. Not noisey at all fairly quiet and 5 mins walk to bars and clubs of Loi Kroh road (red light district). Few westerners staying there year round, all of whom seem quiet and mind their own business. The owner, Kritz does report your stay to immigration (TM 30) for you immediately upon your arrival! Quiet guest house, Bars nearby on Moonmong soi 1 are generally occupied by expats, and serve as good meeting points.

A more exact location is End of, very end of Moonmeaung road Soi 2. at the corner of Mit Pranee lane.

Similar price details at Mit Pranee guest house right next to Kritz guest house, but noisier (from their bar).

IF you want to stay in guest houses I suggest book a room for few nights, when/if you find one you like as their price for long term stay/

[naboo]

Rent a condo in Hillside Plaza/Condotel and hang out in Kad Suan Kaews food court...

Death seems the better option.

I think the OP needs to specify budget.

Edited October 31, 2015 by naboo

[flyDelight]

Did you try PP Condo?

[Microwave]

Viangbua Mansion has a number of long-stay foreigners living there. It costs 12,000 baht/month for a room with a fridge and maid service 3 days a week. It's a bit north of the Chang Puak gate and a 1 minute walk from a large (and the cleanest!) fresh market in Chiang Mai.

Here's their website: http://www.viangbuamansion-chiangmai.com/

Happy travels!

[arunsakda]

Agreed. And the most ridiculous idea about the movie is that divorced and and widowed old people are having frequent romances and constantly boning eachother.

Ha, ha....apparently you've never heard of "The Villages" retirement community in Central Florida, USA.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2657325/Ten-women-man-black-market-Viagra-thriving-swingers-scene-Welcome-The-Villages-Florida-elderly-residents-Sex-Square-cocktail-honor-woman-68-arrested-public-sex-toyboy.html

omg that was Hillarious. Never woulda' knew!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bangmai]

Verachai Court is popular, and has farang guests, who have come back many times. Older crowd...close to the backpacker/Tha Phae Gate/Night Bazaar area....Pretty much in the middle, price-wise. They have their own mini-market and tables......good selection of food nearby.

http://www.veerachaicourt.com/

Edited November 1, 2015 by bangmai

[northernjohn]

Verachai Court is popular, and has farang guests, who have come back many times. Older crowd...close to the backpacker/Tha Phae Gate/Night Bazaar area....Pretty much in the middle, price-wise. They have their own mini-market and tables......good selection of food nearby.

http://www.veerachaicourt.com/

With the restrictions he is placing on it I am wondering why he even wants to come.

Yes Verachai Court would be a good place for him. I believe they have three different rates. Also it is next door to Sunie's restaurant. The only place in Thailand you can get real fried potatoes with your breakfast along with other great foods. She learned western cooking in Hawaii.

[true blue]

With the restrictions he is placing on it I am wondering why he even wants to come.

Yes Verachai Court would be a good place for him. I believe they have three different rates. Also it is next door to Sunie's restaurant. The only place in Thailand you can get real fried potatoes with your breakfast along with other great foods. She learned western cooking in Hawaii.

mad dog has fried spuds with its large breakfast,be warned have to be hungry to enjoy it,

[mikemac]

looking to come here to stay in a farang ghetto would be my idea of hell! why bother?

I agree. I could not think of a worse place to be.

My wife and I lived in a condo in Chiang Mai for five years before moving into our own home.

Although I did meet a few good guys over the years from other countries, a couple of Americans, Englishmen, etc. most of the farangs who stayed there for any length of time were sexpats, drunks or drug addicts. The rest of them snobbed you and would not even give you the time of day.

We stayed there for so long because it was cheap and in a great location, but definitely not for the company of the neighbors.

[bangmai]

KSK area is very convenient, and somewhat ideal for a first timer, but IMO, too many who want to pretend they live in the west. A very high percentage of "best hamburger" and "where to buy Kraft Mayonaise" TV posts, originate within 500 meters of KSK. For a few months of the year as a snowbird; the MM vicinity would be just as good. For the long term, step out of your western shadow and find popular Thai oriented locations. Your wallet will thank you. The other foreigners are either friendly or not friendly, and it doesn't take long to figure out, but don't expect some kind of planned community for retirees....

[NancyL]

Agreed. And the most ridiculous idea about the movie is that divorced and and widowed old people are having frequent romances and constantly boning eachother.

Ha, ha....apparently you've never heard of "The Villages" retirement community in Central Florida, USA.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2657325/Ten-women-man-black-market-Viagra-thriving-swingers-scene-Welcome-The-Villages-Florida-elderly-residents-Sex-Square-cocktail-honor-woman-68-arrested-public-sex-toyboy.html

Thanks a lot -- not! I read this article and then chewed up another couple hours reading other articles about The Villages. Of course the Daily Mail plays up the sexcapes aspect of the place, just as they do when they do articles about retirement in Thailand.

There are a ton of articles about the social aspects of 100,000 retirees with something like 40 free golf courses, over 2000 special interest activities, etc. Those articles make it sound like a lot of fun and people do decide to plop down $200,000 for a house after enjoying one of their seven-day "try it out" vacations. Got me to thinking, "gee this sounds like a good place to check out as "retirement next".

Then I got into reading the few articles about the "darker side", like all the rules and regs about living there, how the developer is a reclusive billionaire who makes money over-and-over every time the residents want to do simple things like home repairs and how he's gotten questionable tax breaks on municipal bonds for infrastructure -- tax breaks that the residents may someday have to pay back. Oh no, I just can't help myself! Why am I drawn into thinking "these poor people need someone to help them out" (stop it, Nancy, you're suppose to be retired)

[connda]

Actually traveller guesthouses are pretty much like that. Can pick one where people tend to stay a bit longer time.

Probably the vibe changed a bit from years ago when it was mostly Westerners staying; true backpacking and really long stays are definitely less common now, and likely more Chinese people who only stay a couple days. Doesn't hurt to try though.

I've got to agree. A number of friends of mine show up in CM and spend extended periods of time at a guesthouse. They have food, some a bar, and a steady flow of guests if you're looking to interact with other farang.

Condos and apartment frequented by farang: sterile dude. Same goes for Condos and apartment frequented by Thais, which is where I've lived for years, but the same. People come home to hunker down in private.

Go the Guest House route. You'll find it more enjoyable, and really no more expensive. Lots of people to talk with, compare notes, hang out with, and maybe even tour with. Try it for a month or two. You can also look for condos after you arrive if you decide that you need your own place to come home and hunker down in private. Lol

Edited November 1, 2015 by connda

[connda]

Agreed. And the most ridiculous idea about the movie is that divorced and and widowed old people are having frequent romances and constantly boning eachother.

Ha, ha....apparently you've never heard of "The Villages" retirement community in Central Florida, USA.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2657325/Ten-women-man-black-market-Viagra-thriving-swingers-scene-Welcome-The-Villages-Florida-elderly-residents-Sex-Square-cocktail-honor-woman-68-arrested-public-sex-toyboy.html

Thanks a lot -- not! I read this article and then chewed up another couple hours reading other articles about The Villages. Of course the Daily Mail plays up the sexcapes aspect of the place, just as they do when they do articles about retirement in Thailand.

There are a ton of articles about the social aspects of 100,000 retirees with something like 40 free golf courses, over 2000 special interest activities, etc. Those articles make it sound like a lot of fun and people do decide to plop down $200,000 for a house after enjoying one of their seven-day "try it out" vacations. Got me to thinking, "gee this sounds like a good place to check out as "retirement next".

Then I got into reading the few articles about the "darker side", like all the rules and regs about living there, how the developer is a reclusive billionaire who makes money over-and-over every time the residents want to do simple things like home repairs and how he's gotten questionable tax breaks on municipal bonds for infrastructure -- tax breaks that the residents may someday have to pay back. Oh no, I just can't help myself! Why am I drawn into thinking "these poor people need someone to help them out" (stop it, Nancy, you're suppose to be retired)

Old retirees have sex in the confines of gated communities? Say it ain't so! And I thought they just hung out by the pool and played bridge, board games, or lawn darts.

Edited November 1, 2015 by connda

[purushanti]

KSK area is very convenient, and somewhat ideal for a first timer, but IMO, too many who want to pretend they live in the west. A very high percentage of "best hamburger" and "where to buy Kraft Mayonaise" TV posts, originate within 500 meters of KSK. For a few months of the year as a snowbird; the MM vicinity would be just as good. For the long term, step out of your western shadow and find popular Thai oriented locations. Your wallet will thank you. The other foreigners are either friendly or not friendly, and it doesn't take long to figure out, but don't expect some kind of planned community for retirees....

MM vicinity? Where is that?

[bangmai]

East side...Moon Mueang...

[uptheos]

Rent a condo in Hillside Plaza/Condotel and hang out in Kad Suan Kaews food court...

Yup, get there when it opens otherwise the best tables are taken by regulars.

[HooHaa]

looking to come here to stay in a farang ghetto would be my idea of hell! why bother?

to start, one can be sure to avoid your ilk.