Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand) Tourist Guide


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LIVING IT UP:
Sheik Istana Hotel

Text : BB
Images: S.P

Chiang Mai � This city is full of bizarre things well worth exploring, not the least of them the luxurious violet Arabian-castle-like hotel situated by the Ping River, the Sheik Istana Hotel.

Sheik � also commonly spelt as Sheikh, Shaykh or Shaikh - is an Arabic language word means elder of a tribe, a lord or even a royal family member. Therefore, Sheik Istana literally means the palace of a prince.

Well, here we are at the palace, and now let�s look for a sheik to become more closely acquainted with the lavishness of this caravanserai, as well as taste the Moroccan food and munch on date palms.

Interested? Then let me take your highness through the palace.

The hotel is a uni-faced building, each terrace of every room turned to the Ping River. The picture in front of you then is the flowing river and Wat Chedi Liam, an unusually-styled temple of the original capital built by King Mengrai seven hundred plus years back, Wiang Kum Kam. You�ll be pleased by the excellent service in this hotel, and charmed by the intimacy of the atmosphere.

The rooms are divided into superior, deluxe and suite with full amenities, including air conditioner and LCD television. Each room is extensive and comfortable. The deluxe and suite rooms have kitchenettes, allowing you to try your hand at cooking as well. The rooms� d�cor is a combination of contemporary and Moroccan, with a touch of an Eastern scent, and with fancy chandeliers, colored glass windows and Moroccan style fabric cushions on the chairs.

Inside the hotel are steam sauna rooms, two salt-water swimming pools, a fully equipped Fitness Center, and a meeting room for 50 guests. Free wifi is available throughout the hotel. Additionally, there�s a beautiful garden serving as an outdoor function area.

If you are in the mood for aroma therapy then try the Sheik Spa. It has a great range of massage therapies for face, body and foot. The signature therapies are massages called Paradise of the Sheik, Heaven of the Sheik, and Sheik Aromatic Therapy - anything Sheikable, in other words. If those are not relaxing enough, you can turn to traditional Thai massage or the imported Hawaiian version�there�s no shortage of anything at the Sheik.

Probably you are hungry by now. Marrakech - the hotel�s restaurant serving Moroccan, Italian and Thai cuisine - is there for you to choose from. The ingredients often used in cooking Moroccan food are fruit and vegetables such as olive oil, pickled olives, capers, pickled lemons, prunes and date plums, all of them good for your health.

Tajine is their recommended dish. Tajine is a Morroccan dish, slow-cooked inside the cooking vessel, and comprising a rich stew of meat, chicken, or fish, and often including vegetables or fruit. Tajine is typically served from a tajine which in this case refers to a unique type of ceramic or clay cooking vessel used for both preparing and serving. The bottom of the tajine is wide, circular and shallow while the top is distinctively shaped into a rounded dome or cone.

At Marrakech, you can also order Italian and Thai dishes created by an experienced chef who will expertly sustain the freshness and quality of the food.

Tourist attractions are just a few minutes reach from the hotel - the historical town Wiang Kum Kam, the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, the Saturday and Sunday Walking Streets, and Central Airport Plaza Chiang Mai.