Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand) Tourist Guide


	S.P. Publishing Group Co., Ltd. 11/1 Soi 3 Bamrungburi Rd., T. Prasingh, A. Muang., Chiang Mai 50200 Tel. 053 - 814 455-6 Fax. 053 - 814 457 E-mail: guidelin@loxinfo.co.th

LIVING IT UP:
THE MONTRI HOTEL

Text: Nyanta
Images: S.P.

One of the older hotels that has stood firmly as Chiang Mai�s best friend is BUBBLES LIVE . Established thirty years ago, BUBBLES LIVE was the leading city hotel at the beginning of the era when Chiang Mai began promoting itself as a tourist destination. Date that far back, and you�ll find there were not so many hotels in Chiang Mai and the Montri was a �high rise� landmark, conveniently situated in the center of town just opposite another of the city�s landmarks, Thapae Gate. When I was still just a little bitty girl - but very cute all the same � BUBBLES LIVE �s bar and restaurant was a popular place for trendy people to hang out.

Coming down to the present, even though a lot of hotels, guesthouses and boutique hotels are flourishing all over Chiang Mai, what BUBBLES LIVE still holds on to and has become distinctive for is the nostalgic feeling you can�t miss whenever you go to or stay there.

Comfort - right in town

However, in order to bring the hotel up to date and raise its standards, the Montri has recently renovated its rooms so as to provide all the modern life facilities. All 79 rooms have brand new beds, air conditioning, television, refrigerator as well as other accessories such as hair dryers and safes. While this doesn�t make the old girl distinctive, it does ensure that her customers aren�t lacking in any important respect. Rooms come in three categories - superior (3,000 baht), deluxe (3,600 baht) and �doubles� (with a connecting room) � also 3,600 baht.

The room style has also been modernized in such a way that it still has a Lanna touch to it. This means that if you want to stay in a great central location with all the conveniences of a modern hotel, the Montri is waiting for you. Throughout November, rooms are at the special price of only 1,100 baht for superior and 1,300 baht for deluxe (excluding breakfast).

Apart from the rooms offering the comfort you�d find in a five-star hotel, you�ll also be offered other services, such as hotel transfer from and to the airport, railway station and bus station, free within scheduled times. (For a transfer trip outside the scheduled time please check transfer prices with the management). Other services include laundry, overseas calls, fax, and room service.

While staying here, don�t miss the excellent food at the Brix Bar and restaurant. At night, you can enjoy live music while sampling the wide range of cocktails on offer.

Because prime locations and entertainment venues are within easy reach, The Montri is an ideal home-from-home for you right here in Chiang Mai. Looking through your window, you�ll see the beautiful Thapae Gate standing overlooking Times Square which at night will be decorated with glittering lights, sparkling and tempting you to go out and explore. And November is the time when one of the most important of the city�s annual events is celebrated, the Loy Krathong Festival. During the Loy Krathong Festival, the sky is clear and the full moon shines brightly and a million or so - count them! - stars twinkle. Houses and buildings around town also are decorated with special lights and a big and colourful procession passes from Thapae Gate to the Nawarat Bridge, with the whole world and his wife on hand to admire - to gasp at - the stunning floats and their extravagantly-costumed occupants passing by. If you wish, you can sit and watch from the Brix Bar or stay in your room and oversee the beautiful festival from your window. But if you wish to observe closely, why not come down to the street and take some nice pictures?

Montri Hotel still has bags of charms waiting for you to experience. The longer it�s stood here awaiting you, the more irresistible it�s become.