The Gad Lanna and Kam Lobby Lounge — Restaurant in Chiang Mai Province

This is a review for their Christmas Set Menu Dinner 2024. We first contacted the hotel in mid November for this booking as one of us is allergic to gluten and we wanted to make sure that they could not only accommodate but also that any substitutions were not going to be sub-par as can happen in many places. You often find the "substitution" is simply removing the item that has gluten. We were assured by the Executive Chef that - for a fee (to justify the extra gluten free ingredients and separate preparation of the food) the menu could be completely replicated. This was the main reason we booked with this restaurant - given that it was a special occasion we wanted to make sure we had a good experience. We were more than happy to pay the additional fee of 1000 Thai Baht for this (for context the price per person was approximately 1500 Thai Baht). They were even able to specify (see photos) what substitutions would be made. Whilst the decor and vibe was great these are our comments on the gluten free food: The "homemade toasted brioche" was served as what can only be described as large breadcrumbs. There was no pancetta on the potato gratin (in the gluten free version and the non-gluten free version). Rather than the gluten free Christmas Yule log we were presented with the smallest of creme brûlées as the gluten free option.

When we questioned this was not what we had ordered we were simply told "sorry, this is what the chef made for the gluten free person and you will not have to pay the extra fee".

In our view this is unacceptable. It is understandable to have to accept what a restaurant has to offer on the day when you simply turn up and request a gluten free meal. However we made contact with over four weeks notice and impressed on the team that we were looking for the meal to reflect the occasion, and were reassured that it would that is different. We would like to highlight that at no stage were we told that the gluten free elements would be made only if there were ingredients available or alternatively if there was enough uptake from other bookings. The booking was: pay extra and you will get what you are looking for. We feel the restaurant simply forgot and the easy way out was simply to say "you won't spend as much". This is not the service we would expect of any hotel in the IHG group. It is an assumption that the customer will accept something subpar because they are paying less. For those who are restricted by food allergies the price is often not important when compared to the experience. A note on service: please consider training your staff to be attentive but not hover in such a way as it becomes uncomfortable and you cannot enjoy a conversation with your party. Whilst our server tried to be attentive he literally stared at us from a metre away and the minute we put our cutlery down our plate was whisked away before we could even take a breath. At one point one of us was asked why we hadn't started eating...

The Intercontinental is a posh hotel chain and the Chiang Mai iteration is no different. From the driveway fountain to the lobby and throughout the first floor, it is beautifully appointed with both hints of modern while still being elegant and classical.

For some reason, we ended up at the lobby lounge restaurant but it did not disappoint. The service was attentive, polite and friendly while not being intrusive. The food was excellent despite our requests for the Thai dishes to be non-spicy. This was due to the 3 younger kids not being able to stomach any level of spice. But even so, the food satisfied the adults, a few who fancy themselves as Thai food connoisseurs.

The food that really hit the spot was the pad thai, crab fried rice and the shrimp pancakes. The kids (and I) shared some fish and chips, which was in the kids menu but totally hit the spot after four days of Thai food. Not all the dishes were great but overall it was very good.

Lastly, as it was the lobby restaurant, there were few people at dinner which made us less nervous about the young kids being...well... young kids.

Overall the experience was excellent. The setting was luxurious, the service was top notch and the...

Here at the Intercontinental Chiang Mai during August 2025…live family vacation and our first experience in Thailand. Have to say that the entire team at the Intercontinental have been amazing! Welcoming, accommodating, attentive and, above all, incredibly warm. Goi, Pui and Game in the Gad Lanna helped us enjoy a delicious and lovely final meal at the hotel. They were super kind and friendly to our young children, and the food was delicious! Noon went above and beyond by reaching out in advance of our stay to ensure our room need were clarified and ultimately more than met. The team in the Club Lounge were amazing. And the concierge, Yohan, helped map out some awesome and memorable experiences for our family…Grandma’s Home Cooking school was great fun for the whole family! Overall, we absolutely loved our stay here and sincerely appreciate the staff’s...