Chiang Mai, Thailand is a city well known for culture and creativity. With its rich Lanna heritage and a new generation’s eye-catching talent for mixing traditional styles with modern amenities, there’s no shortage of beautiful hotels in Chiang Mai. Over the past 8+ years I’ve lived here, the number of hotels has seemed to quadruple and new […]

Chiang Mai may not be the first honeymoon destination that comes to mind but in the past few years a number of darling boutique hotels have popped up that are surprisingly beautiful…and surprisingly expensive for a town where you can still find a guesthouse for $10-15 a night. Perhaps not the most practical on your […]

Chiang Mai isn’t the first place that comes to mind when thinking about renting a villa. Instead, holiday hotspots like Koh Samui, Phuket and Bali offer more villa options. That said, Thailand’s Rose of the North still boasts a select handful of extra-special properties, made even more exclusive and unique due to their rarity. If you’re […]

After years of travelling through Southeast Asia I still believe that Thailand’s accommodation options offer the best value for money. Wherever you go in the country you can find a range of options that fit different budgets and preferences. If you’re trying to stretch every baht, you can opt for cheap guesthouses and hostels (you […]

Where you find great coffee, artisanal goods and kitschy boutiques, you’re sure to find hipsters, and Chiang Mai is chock full of all the above. While Chiang Mai’s prime hipster hangouts are centered around the trendy Nimmanhaemin neighborhood, you’ll find exposed brick, old-school filament bulbs, and eclectic decor all over the city. If Portland meets Brooklyn […]

For being so small, Chiang Mai has a lot of different areas and about a million hotel options.  If you’re visiting Chiang Mai for the first time, I usually suggest staying in the Old City (find hotel recommendations here), but the riverside is great for people who have spent some time in Chiang Mai before […]

Chiang Mai was once the seat of the ancient Lanna Kingdom, home to important temples and institutions, and a trading hub and melting pot for the ethnic groups of the region. The Lanna legacy makes “The Rose of the North” a great place to explore the cultural and artistic side of Thailand. Even though Chiang […]

While the Old City of Chiang Mai is a great place for first-time visitors and remains a firm favorite of the backpacking crowd, if you’re looking for something a little different, head slightly west to Nimmanhaemin. Also known by the shorthand “Nimman,” this ultra-trendy neighborhood of Chiang Mai was once the hangout of hip university […]

Chiang Mai is home to some of Thailand’s best luxury hotels and an astonishing variety of boutique accommodation, but even those traveling on a budget will be spoiled for choice. When I first moved here there weren’t many hostels and cheap accommodation was found mainly in the form of basic guesthouses without much personality. In […]

Bangkok is hands down one of the best places I’ve been for staying in beautiful boutique hotels and getting a ton of value for your money. The design, service and decor of a lot of boutique hotels in Bangkok rival those of any other major world city – but are often cheaper. Really – it’s […]