Greetings from ChiangMai, Thailand

The hour and fifteen minute flight up from Bangkok got me in at 16:15, providing plenty of time for the four kilometer walk up to the Furama Chiang Mai Hotel. This time mindful of my heavy pack and heeding suggestions from my favorite nag, I relented and hired a taxi for the fifteen minute ride... cost about $7.

Long experience with the excellent Furama Silom Hotel in Bangkok prompted me to try the Chiang Mai Furama. What a mistake that turned out to be. The building is old and dated, plus located west of the old city moats far from everything. As I had booked a prepaid room for three nights, I resolved to make the best of a bad situation. The wonderful Furama Executive Club enjoyed in Bangkok is a scruffy shadow in Chiang Mai. Naturally, I immediately used the time to start the hotel shopping hikes of explorations, logging three days of thirty thousand steps against a daily target of ten thousand. The extra exercise is very welcome as I continue to struggle with high diabetic blood glucose levels despite daily insulin shots.

I remembered the great hotel found during my last visit to the city in 2003 and checked old notes for the details. The hotel I remember was attached to a major shopping complex near the north-west corner of the old city moat. A bit of Internet research and I soon found the $44.50 Lotus Pang Suan Kaew Hotel behind the Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Complex right where I remember it and booked a deluxe room for four nights hoping to spend much longer than that in the place. However, the Lotus could only confirm four nights necessitating alternatives starting 1 May.

The Lotus still is a bit remote from all the action, so I focused attention on finding hotels in and around the Night Bazaar area. There I discovered the Dusit Princess Chiang Mai Hotel. An inspection convinced me to book a couple days trial and then extend that another two days. At $71.50 for the Deluxe rooms it seemed extravagant, but then I'm worth it, right? After the first night it became clear I needed to keep looking for my perfect Chiang Mai abode.

Several inspections later I found the 15th floor luxury rooms in the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel at $64.00 and booked the initial few nights. None of the booking agents, like Agoda, list the Luxury class rooms in the hotel. Deluxe is the highest advertised class. The receptionists at the hotel revealed this secret and noted the better 15th floor luxury rooms could be booked at the same rate as the booking agents' deluxe rooms, if done in person at the hotel. The rooms on the 15th floor include access to a very nice semi-private lounge as well as offering slightly better views of the surrounding city. Based on my four days in this house I can say it is the best value of the four hotels I've sampled here.

Pondering onward itinerary possibilities, I decided the problems of Internet access in China are just too onerous for this stage of my life and the allure of Iceland more compelling. So, I'll divert to Turkey on the way to the frozen realms, skipping China this time around. Istanbul is one of my favorite cities and a place where I know there are good value hotels. Better flight choices start in Bangkok, so I'm heading back there for a few days of final preparation... in the great Bangkok Furama Silom, of course.

Peace,

Fred L Bellomy

Chiang Mai: Three Kings sculpture inside the old city surrounded by the moat.

Chiang Mai: This is the impressive exterior of the Furama Chiang Mai Hotel one sees from the highway on approach.

Chiang Mai: Main entrance to  the Furama Chiang Mai Hotel.

Chiang Mai: Exterior shot of the Furama Chiang Mai Hotel.

Chiang Mai: Another shot of the busy main entrance into the Furama Chiang Mai Hotel.

Chiang Mai: Another exterior view of the Furama Chiang Mai Hotel.

Chiang Mai: Elephant stands guard by the entrance into the Furama Chiang Mai Hotel.

Chiang Mai: This is the large Maya Lifestyle Shopping Center located across the boulevard from the entrance into the Furama Chiang Mai Hotel.

Chiang Mai: Flowers in the landscaping near the entrance to the Furama Chiang Mai Hotel.

Chiang Mai: A closer look at that Elephant guarding the entrance to the Furama Chiang Mai Hotel.
 

Chiang Mai: Colorful foliage spotted near the entrance to the Furama Chiang Mai Hotel.
 

Chiang Mai: Replica of ancient musical instrument on display in the lobby of the Lotus Hotel.

Chiang Mai: View from my 12th floor room in the Lotus Hotel.

Chiang Mai: Another view from my 12th floor room in the Lotus Hotel.

Chiang Mai: This is breakfast one morning during my four night stay in the Lotus Hotel.

Chiang Mai: Inspirational poster seen along the side of the moat surrounding the old city not far from the Lotus Hotel.

Chiang Mai: Western side of the moat surrounding the old city not far from the Lotus Hotel.

My Chiang Mai Hotel reviews:

Furama Chiang Mai 3 nites $55.00 - Not recommended

Remote location inconvenient for independent travelers

Staff friendly and helpful throughout hotel

Welcome fruit and letter: Executive Club

WiFi O.K. in room.

Large Chinese group with bad manners at breakfast

Mediocre breakfast with stale bread & cold eggs tray

Executive Club poorly implemented and staffed; uses lobby space and unavailable refreshments @ happy hour.

Building is old and of dated design; needs maintenance.

Sleeping room too large, poorly furnished and uncarpeted

Two separate A/C units cool, but with high humidity

Large bathroom with separate shower & tub

Kitchenette w/o microwave, but big refrigerator.