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:
What becomes a city best?

Text : Jim Messenger
Photos: Apirak

For long-time residents, the city seems to be reinventing itself. Building projects abound. Superhighway underpasses are being grubbed out of the earth. There is talk of a new train system, and a new convention center, while the inner city moat is finally being paved for walking. Chiang Mai is in the throes of rebirth. Some of the most beautiful additions to this city are the many charming hotels, both small and large that begin to grace the skyline.

One of the latest of these is the new The Sofitel Chiang Mai, which sits on a magnificent sweep of road, as the river winds its way down past the various weirs and reaches Wiang Khun Khum. Founded by King Mengrai, some twenty years before Chiang Mai itself came into being, that city was to be the capital of his new dynasty. However, some severe flooding and a shift in the river's direction made the king move to higher ground on the other bank.

The Sofitel Chiang Mai has a strong river focus. Turning its back on the mountain to the west, the hotel faces the Ping River with its history of boat journeys right down to Bangkok, as well as the business of ferryng people and produce in myriad crafts from one side to the other. There was an especially lively trade which brought foodstuffs overland from distant Yunnan, and then repacked goods in Chiang Mai's busy harbourage for the long journey south over difficult and dangerous rapids that frequently required porterage, as well as assistance from horses and human management, until the calmer waters of Nakorn Sawan were reached. It was there that the last stage of the journey was commenced, on the larger boats that would go all the way to the capital.

Sofitel Chiang Mai has in a sense reawakened these memories by offering first time visitors to the North an unprecedented opportunity, the chance to become better acquainted with Lanna culture and history. Should they wish for it, after debarking from their plane, guests can be transferred to an outside guest-relations office, next to the river next to the river and across from Wat Chedi Liem, the gateway to this 'ancient city'. There they can check in, watch their baggage being taken on to the hotel, and then go across the river by ferry to visit the temple with its magnificent Lopburi-style chedi, Chiang Mai's first' 'stupa or pagoda', created by the king for his beloved wife. Then the guests move on to tour the 'ancient city' before re-crossing to land at the hotel wharf and begin their stay.

Once inside, they are in a world all to themselves; an enclosed paradise where their every whim is taken care of. First the boutique hotel offers two kinds of accommodation, 56 deluxe rooms and 17 deluxe suites, all with river views. The rooms have everything you could think of to make your visit enjoyable. The decor is modern-Lanna with all western amenities. Beautifully grained wood competes with Thai silk pillows and Lanna-themed art edged in gold leaf. The large balconies invite relaxation. All is luxury. Bathroom amenities include separate showers and TV, while each suite has its own Jacuzzi. Each room features its own build-in LCD television and home theatre system, the latest from Select TV in Malaysia, featuring local channels, pay per view movies, Internet access, an in-house juke box with 79 albums and totally automated 24 hour room service.

Downstairs dining presents you with two choices. The Mira Terrace offers 'all day dining', either al fresco next to the river or in the comfort of air conditioning. The European chef offers fare ranging from modern western fusion food to traditional Thai dishes peppered with an international twist. Of especial interest is the hotel's new South American addition to Chiang Mai: the Rio Restaurant and Bar. Here guests can get an authentic taste of Brazil's 'churracaria'; barbecue with a difference. It's an evening restaurant, opening at 6:30 pm, with smoking permitted for guests after 10:30 pm. There's also live entertainment Tuesday through Sunday.

Day time in-house activities might find the guests being pampered in one of the six therapy rooms of the Aspara, the award-winning South East Asian spa brand. This branch is enticingly situated in its own valley of foliage and cascading water. The six therapy rooms are designed with the decor and iconography of the six main hill tribes of Thailand as source. A whole bouquet of possibilities awaits: lavender sugar scrub, therapeutic hot stone massage, Indonesian body massage, and Javanese Lulor body scrub all sound inviting; as does the signature Aspara treatment, combining Chinese Yin and Yang, in a combination of western aromatherapy massage styles.

Next door, the well-laid-out fitness center easily accommodates sixty. The equipment is TRUE and comes with an efficient looking fitness coach.

The hotel pool is a quiet oasis, whose glistening surface mimics the nearby slow-moving river. Early morning risers will soon be able to stretch and bend to the guided directives of a master yoga instructor. Early-rising guests can also participate in another chapter of river culture: the age-old ceremony of alms giving, called bintabat - almost unique in this case in that the monks paddle up from the nearby temple to receive alms at the hotel's river gates.

The Function and Banqueting facilities are quite magnificent and primed to receive guests. One hundred and ninety to 300 participants can be accommodated in each of the four facilities. Perfect for wedding receptions, conferences and the like. MICE anyone?

So there it is. Along a lonely curve of the river rises a lovely addition to the Chiang Mai scene. Welcome to Sofitel Chiang Mai!