Cross Chiang Mai Riverside — Hotel in Chiang Mai Province

The newly opened X2 Riverside is a beautiful gem of a resort nestled on the river bank amongst soaring trees with views of the distant mountains. Whilst there is no shortage of lux hotel accommodation in Chiang Mai one of the things that sets this resort apart from the crowd is the food and beverage offering in the outstanding Oxygen dining room. Five star hotels these days often seem to try to outdo each other with buffet tables laden down with huge quantities of food from every corner of the globe.

At the X2 Riverside however, you will find food that would genuinely not be out of place in a Michelin starred restaurant, the quality of the ingredients, the care with which they have been chosen, assembled and presented is nothing other than superb and is a credit to the chef an the management who have chosen to offer something truly different to their competition. I'd recommend the restaurant to anyone visiting Chiang Mai even if they were not staying at this hotel, however if you were staying anywhere else I rather think you will kick yourself (or your travel agent) for not staying here, when you see the quality of the product on offer.

The rooms at the X2 offer a similar level of quality, tastefully decorated and beautifully lit, offering a very high level of comfort and luxury. The pool suite in which I was staying was equipped with a high quality Geneva sound system as well as the latest LG smart TV alongside fast high speed internet, which is complimentary. A nice touch was the mobile phone provided with the room which you could take with you when outside to call the hotel as well as use for navigation or making local and international calls within ASEAN countries. A complimentary mini bar and Nespresso machine was supplied with the room I was in and capsules were replenished twice a day.

There is a beautiful pool on the roof within the tree canopy which is a wonderful place to relax with a book and enjoy a cocktail and a fully equipped gym. I didn't get the chance to try the newly opened Spa, I'll have to save that for my next visit

It's not that unusual to have wonderful staff in 5 star hotels in Thailand and I've been fortunate to stay in those operated by all the big chains as well as a few of the smaller boutique hotels, however the staff at X2 Riverside really do knock it out of the park. This was my second visit and without fail staff referred to me by name and nothing was too much trouble for them. I'd booked an airport transfer on departure in their beautiful Mercedes limousine and carelessly forgotten my kindle reader in my room but housekeeping alerted the driver and I we returned to collect it within moments, really impressive service. I can't wait for...

I was one of the first international Test & Go travellers to stay at Cross Chiang Mai Riverside in mid-Feb, and it was a great experience. The hotel is beautifully clean, huge room, right next to the Ping river with a beautiful view and fresh air. Only downside due to the river is mosquitoes, so just bring repellent! The swimming pool was well-maintained even though I think not many people use it. The reception staff (Sarah and team), the Oxygen restaurant staff, were all warm, welcoming, and helpful. During my stay there were many little gifts/little touches left around the room that I appreciated - these things count. With the hotel breakfast, you get a full pastry assortment/toast/fruit spread brought to your table for free. Staying here is not cheap, but definitely worth the price.

I especially would like to commend Ms Samittra Wannalaphot, the reservation manager, for her excellent support before and during my stay. When I first made my booking there was some confusion as the government had just announced compulsory pre-paid PCR tests on Day 1 and Day 5, but Ms Samittra very quickly helped to: Refund my Agoda booking (which would NOT have met the Test & Go requirements), Prepare a package that included all measures to meet the Thailand Pass requirements including bundled PCR tests at Lanna Hospital on Day 1 and 5 + airport transfer on Day 1, and Ensured that all arrangements, including the PCR tests, were at timings that suited my schedule. She also very patiently answered all my questions about requirements, PCR test results waiting time, check-out and more. After the Day 1 PCR test, there was some confusion by the hospital staff - so for the Day 5 test, she actually turned up in person at the hospital to make sure that all went smoothly and take me back to the hotel. I was very impressed by this.

Overall, I travelled during a difficult time when the Thai government imposed strict regulations at short notice, but the Cross Chiang Mai staff were responsive and handled all the arrangements well + made me feel so comfortable that I didn't mind the inconvenience....

Family vacation -mixed experience

Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Breakfast: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Afternoon Tea: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Room Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

WiFi: ⭐⭐ (Difficult to log on, only worked in the lobby. The front desk staff kindly connected me to the office network.)

Overall, I would rate this hotel as a 3-star experience at best.

We booked three rooms (403, 404, and 405) and stayed in Room 403 with a 4-year-old child. The hotel provided a rollaway bed for a reasonable additional cost. The rooms were fairly clean, and turn-down service was excellent. However, the rooms felt somewhat worn, particularly in the bathroom, and the walls were very thin, making it easy to hear noise from neighboring rooms. I highly recommend packing earplugs.

Major Issue: Strong Sewage Smell

Our biggest concern arose on the first night when we turned off the fan and woke up in the middle of the night to a strong sewage odor. Initially, I assumed this was a common issue in hotels, but our other two rooms did not have this problem. I reported it to the front desk the next morning, and they assured me they would look into it while we were out for the day. Upon returning, the smell had improved slightly but was still noticeable.

That evening, however, the odor became significantly worse. We informed the front desk again the following morning. They checked with the manager and offered to switch rooms, but since we only had one night left, we opted to stay. Moving with a young child is not easy.

Would I Return?

Personally, I would not stay here again. Given the price we paid, there are better options in Chiang Mai that offer a more comfortable experience.

Highlight: The Restaurant

The on-site restaurant was a standout. We enjoyed the daily breakfast (included with our stay), afternoon tea, and room service. The service was exceptional, and the food was delicious. If you’re looking for a high-end dining experience, I would definitely recommend the restaurant.

While the staff was kind and accommodating, the sewage issue, thin walls, and worn-out rooms made for a...