Chiang Mai Hotels

Set in the centre of the city and with easy access to the main sights, this upscale retreat on the banks of the Ping River offers chic Thai and colonial-style rooms, all with balconies or courtyards. Facilities include a riverside pool, a spa and a fitness centre, and activities include cooking and Thai boxing classes. The hotel has two restaurants, including the eccentrically-themed The Service 1921 bar and restaurant.

This tranquil colonial-era hotel set in tropical gardens has just 19 rooms featuring elegant hand-crafted teak furniture, rain showers and a pillow menu; some have balconies overlooking the garden. Amenities include a swimming pool, a spa and a restaurant serving authentic Thai cuisine. A breakfast buffet is complimentary.

Set in a grove of longan trees, this family-run guesthouse feels intimate and private, despite its location just off a fashionable street. There are just a handful of large, well-furnished rooms, decorated with teak and rattan furniture. The best rooms have balconies and four-poster beds and there's a small swimming pool in the garden.

Centred on a leafy courtyard, this comfy hotel in Chiang Mai is crammed with antiques and northern Thai bric-a-brac, and the tasteful rooms have air conditioning and hot showers. The restaurant serves a popular evening vegetarian buffet, and the owners run a Thai cooking course in their village home. No advance reservations are taken.

Spacious, air-conditioned and simply furnished rooms are set in three blocks, and there's a small swimming pool in the garden too. Breakfast is free, and there's also a small cafe serving meals. Set along the Ping River near Saphan Lek (Iron Bridge), the hotel is also five minutes' from the night market.

The riverside setting is the big draw at this long-established, family-run guesthouse. Upmarket, comfortable rooms with air conditioning and hot water overlook a shady, peaceful lawn that leads down to an appealing covered restaurant on the banks of the River Ping.

The most popular backpacker haunt in Chiang Mai, this agreeable guesthouse has a relaxing garden full of exotic plants, a roof terrace full of hammocks, a popular travel agency offering adventure tours, and a terrace restaurant that is always full of travellers swapping stories.

Set on a quiet side street, this hotel offers excellent value. The simple, spacious rooms all have balconies and are furnished with small fridges, microwaves and balconies. Breakfast isn't offered, but there are plenty of options nearby.