Estia Chiang Mai Hotel — Hotel in Chiang Mai Province

The Estia Chiang Mai represents what the old town of Chiang Mai is about, ie, laid back, quiet and cosy. Tucked in a what I would describe as a back-lane of Ratchadamnoen Road, this little gem of a hotel provides a good place for visitors of the city to rest after a long day of excursions. Geographically, this hotel is situated in the middle of the old city, which means going around in the old city so convenient. Furthermore, nothing could really be wrong about the place if its located just opposite of a kindergarten, correct?||||The rooms we were given were clean and the bed linens felt as if it had just been taken back from the laundry. The hotel has gone for a minimalist feel for their room design, doing away with the wardrobe and other miscellaneous bits of furniture that takes up precious space. Instead, at one glance, you can see all your belongings, which makes packing on check-out day a much much efficient task. The beds are comfortable, and we fell asleep easily, although it must be said that after a tiring day out, we could fall asleep standing up.||||The bathroom-cum-toilet is also of a space-efficient design. The shower is standing-up with a shower curtain, with the toilet and wash basin neatly tucked with each other. If there was any negatives, it would be the inconsistent water pressure and the water temperature. If you decide to use the heater, the first rush of water would be really hot, but after a while, the water temperature starts to cool, and that initial gush becomes stream. It takes a bit of getting used to, but not a deal breaker.||||Our stay came with breakfast, and the menu is basic : eggs (scrambled and sunny-side), juices, fresh fruits, ham, sausages, cereals, sliced bread, butter, jam, and of course, coffee and tea. There is also a local corner where, depending on the chef's inspiration, you can have porridge or fried rice. Take note the cafe is small, so when everyone comes down for breakfast, it's pretty noisy.||||There is a small pool within the hotel grounds if you want to soak and do a bit of sun tan. We did see a number of guests sunning themselves.||||The hotel staff manning the front desk are a youthful bunch (one even had braces in her teeth), and the kitchen people are rather materteral. In general, all were helpful to assist your needs. Oh yes, if you leave a review of the hotel on Google, you get a souvenir. We did, and we loved that handmade pouch.||||One thing visitors need to take note is that this being a back-lane, things can get very quiet at night. The local restaurants, bakeries and cafes located at Intrawarorot Road operates until the mid-afternoons. So, if you come back late, the only places for dinner would be those cafes and restaurants along Ratchadamnoen Road. The tuk-tuk drivers we engaged had some problems looking for the hotel, so, don't get too flustered if they keep going around.||||So, all in, this hotel scores a...

We wanted to stay through Jan.1 at our original luxury hotel, but we could not at the time of booking, nor, was there a vacancy during our stay. We looked at google maps and tried all of the places closest. No vacancies. We found this budget hotel that had ONE room left! It is in walking distance to Three Kings Monument, Phra Singh, and other Old City venues, massage spas, etc. Estia has a cottage feeling, like a hotel in rural Europe with Thai surroundings. Everything was clean, large bathroom, hot water, the usual soaps and shampoos. bring your own conditioner and shavers. We always bring our own just in case, but sometimes these budget hotels will give you them if you ask. The wifi was strong. The TV had the usual Thai channels with a few in English. The gardens were sweet with lots of flowers. The pool is clean and more lounge chairs than at some luxury hotels! The indoor dining area is large for groups and you can sit outside but it might not be convenient for toasting bread etc. We only ate breakfast, and, at 149 baht, it was very reasonable. A water jug and clean glasses, an automated americano and espresso machine, fresh milk and cream, cereals including muesli etc. White and whole wheat bread. You choose from menu pancakes or eggs of different cooking methods. Two eggs. You get a small plate of two types of fruit. If you calculate the cost of coffee, this 149 baht price is very fair. A suggestion for certain travelers: you could stay at a luxury resort a day or more for the experience then switch to Estia for the rest of the week unless you are very picky, because if you are a tourist out all day then this is just a place to sleep. We live in Chiang Mai as retirees. Staying in Estia brought me back to my youth traveling around Europe! At $27 a night, Estia may surprise you. It is an older place but we are concerned with cleanliness. Estia is very clean. Grab Taxi easily...

We wanted to stay through Jan.1 at our original luxury hotel, but we could not at the time of booking, nor, was there a vacancy during our stay. We looked at google maps and tried all of the places closest. No vacancies. We found this budget hotel that had ONE room left! It is in walking distance to Three Kings Monument, Phra Singh, and other Old City venues, massage spas, etc. Estia has a cottage feeling, like a hotel in rural Europe with Thai surroundings. Everything was clean, large bathroom, hot water, the usual soaps and shampoos. bring your own conditioner and shavers. We always bring our own just in case, but sometimes these budget hotels will give you them if you ask. The wifi was strong. The TV had the usual Thai channels with a few in English. The gardens were sweet with lots of flowers. The pool is clean and more lounge chairs than at some luxury hotels! The indoor dining area is large for groups and you can sit outside but it might not be convenient for toasting bread etc. We only ate breakfast, and, at 149 baht, it was very reasonable. A water jug and clean glasses, an automated americano and espresso machine, fresh milk and cream, cereals including muesli etc. White and whole wheat bread. You choose from menu pancakes or eggs of different cooking methods. Two eggs. You get a small plate of two types of fruit. If you calculate the cost of coffee, this 149 baht price is very fair. A suggestion for certain travelers: you could stay at a luxury resort a day or more for the experience then switch to Estia for the rest of the week unless you are very picky, because if you are a tourist out all day then this is just a place to sleep. We live in Chiang Mai as retirees. Staying in Estia brought me back to my youth traveling around Europe! At $27 a night, Estia may surprise you. It is an older place but we are concerned with cleanliness. Estia is very clean. Grab Taxi easily...