Chiang Mai is a hotbed for travelers. Because of this there are so many unique places to stay in Chiang Mai! One of the things I’ve noticed in my travel evolution is a desire for a little more comfort in accommodation. On my last backpacking trip I was all about budget, budget, budget. While that was perfect for a girls trip, while traveling long-term with my husband I’ve found that I want more out of a room than just a place to collapse after a long day of sightseeing. During our 15-day stay in Chiang Mai we tried out 5 different mid-budget hotels to give my readers an insight. Now, prices change daily based on deals and prices change during different seasons. We traveled during low season, but I’ll share the going rate when we visited.
i Lanna House *
i Lanna House is a beautiful example of Lanna-style hotels. i Lanna house has a limited number of rooms which means that it’s super peaceful. The bed’s incredibly comfortable and the rooms offer a great home-away-from-home feel.
My favorite feature in the hotel, though, is the beautiful outdoor space. Their pool is perfect for an afternoon dip and features a gorgeous waterfall. This is the thing that makes this one of the more unique places to stay in Chiang Mai.
In addition to the pool there are a few different locations to sit outside and relax. My favorite was poolside. It’s just so peaceful. i Lanna House offers laundry service for an additional fee and breakfast is included with each room. The staff was extremely helpful and this beautiful family-run hotel is in Chiang Mai’s Old Town.
What I Loved About i Lanna House:
The location is great because everything in Old Town is within walking distance (at least by our standards of walking distance). The pool was the perfect mid-day haven to beat the heat. The beds at i Lanna House were incredibly comfortable and the bathroom was clean, modern and has one of the best showers I had in Chiang Mai. Breakfast is included as well which always helps with the budget! Going Rate was $45 for a Standard Double Room 9/2017.
BOOK A STAY HERE!
Leechiang Boutique Lanna
Leechiang Boutique Lanna is where we ended up staying the longest on our journey through Chiang Mai. It sort of became our Chiang Mai home. Every member of the staff that I met was extremely sweet. The beds were super cozy and we truly felt so welcome here.
What I Loved About Leechiang Boutique Lanna:
The location was perfect because it was right in the heart of Old Town. I cannot rave enough about how comfortable the bed and pillows are. The complimentary breakfast was the best that I’ve had in Southeast Asia so far. Plus, when I broke my arm, I was staying here. They helped me with everything from knowing which hospital to go to, helped me delay our trip to the border and made sure I had everything I needed. Going Rate was $26 for a Standard Double Room 9/2017. It was a great value.
BOOK A STAY HERE!
Poonpetch Chiang Mai
Poonpetch was another little slice of heaven. The beds were super cozy, the restaurant downstairs had delicious food and the decor of the room was great as well. Plus, our room came with a balcony that had a view of the mountains. The biggest con about this place was the location. This location is closer to the airport and far away from any of the stuff that Chiang Mai was known for.
We stayed here the day of a tour that picked us up at our hotel, which was perfect and had a couple of work days here.
The bathroom was amazing. One of the best I’ve had in Southeast Asia. Plus, that sunset view was one that I didn’t have to go to a different place to get that view.
What I Loved About Poonpetch Chiang Mai:
The room was so cozy. The bed and pillows were like clouds. It was perfect. The bathroom was spacious, had an amazing shower head. Plus, the restaurant is so delicious. If you’re needing to rest up or get some work done. This place is perfect! Going Rate was $24 for a Standard Double Room 9/2017.
BOOK A STAY HERE!
Norwind Hotel
Norwind Hotel is just outside of the city center, but still close enough that you can easily walk there. I was comfortable enough, but not quite up to par with the three hotels I listed above this. The nice thing is the proximity to Old Town.
What I Loved About Norwind:
I loved the bathroom. It was cozy and they had some of the best bathroom products. We also loved going to the top floor fire escape for sunset. Going Rate was $30 for a Standard Double Room 9/2017.
BOOK A STAY HERE!
Rainforest Boutique Hotel
Rainforest Boutique Hotel is quite popular and sits outside of the popular parts of town. We selected this place to stay for Matt’s birthday. The photos we saw made it look amazing luxurious and perfect for a celebration. We were a bit disappointed by the room though. We found the bedding to be dingy and the room to be very basic. We had selected a balcony room with a “city view” but it was just a view of the wall of the restaurant.
The best view in the hotel was to go to the top floor and walk to the end of the hall for sunset (right photo). A bit disappointing.
There was also a lot of construction going on within the hotel, which is great that they’re renovating rooms, but unfortunate for the people currently staying there when the work starts at 8AM. My favorite thing about this place was, hands down, the pool. It was a really pretty pool with umbrellas to sit under during the peak heat. Their restaurant is also quite good. We loved their cashew chicken.
What I Loved About Rainforest Boutique Hotel:
I really loved their outdoor space. The pool was big enough that several people could enjoy it without being in each other’s spaces and the lounge chairs were super comfortable and also had umbrellas. Breakfast is included, but no one made that clear until our last day there. Going Rate was $36 for a Standard Double Room 9/2017.
BOOK A STAY HERE!
Chiang Mai is a tourist hotspot, so hopefully this post will help you find the perfect place to stay!
Did You Enjoy This Post? PIN IT So Others Can Too!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you book a room with Booking.com or a tour with GetYourGuide.com through For the Love of Wanderlust, you will help me stay on the road + keep my site running at no additional cost for you.
* Although I received a complimentary stay at i Lanna House, all opinions are, as always, my own.
20 Comments
Lois Alter Mark
November 4, 2017 at 1:22 pmTotally swooning over all of these budget-friendly options, especially that pool at i Lanna House! It’s so lovely to see a list of affordable hotels that don’t compromise on comfort and convenience.
Linda de Beer
November 4, 2017 at 3:53 pmThese are really great rates for great hotels in Chiang Mai. I think I would choose I Lanna House because of its size and relaxed pool area. Pity you were a bit disappointed by the Rainforest Boutique Hotel.
Indranii
November 4, 2017 at 9:47 pmWow that is a good list of budget hotels there. Each of them look super cosy. For me the winning point would be a comfortable bed and lavish breakfast. Life will be set there. 🙂
Koen
November 5, 2017 at 3:27 pmThis is great detailed information for Chiang Mai. Thailand is on our travel wish list. I love it how you describe the places in detail, even with some pictures of the food. Its always good to know food options inhouse as well. Great post
bherron80
November 5, 2017 at 5:01 pmgood beds and good pillows are SO important-plus the walkability if you don’t have a car. I’d say I have close to the same definition of walkability as you guys so I’d probably take these suggestions when traveling here! Hope hope to make it to Asia in 2018!
SkyeClass
November 6, 2017 at 5:34 amThis just isn’t fair. I spent five months in Chiang Mai and didn’t see any of those. Now I really need to get back. I love the pool at the i Lanna House, and the Norwind Hotel has an amazing view. Then again, I don’t think I could choose which one to stay at first. I’ll just have to try them all out when I return.
Valerie Wheatley
November 6, 2017 at 4:28 pmI really wish I would have had this guide a few years ago when I visited Chiang Mai – I was not a fan of my hotel room and it was way more than I wanted to pay. Leechiang Boutique Lanna sounds like an absolute dream! My husband and I are hoping to move to Bangkok in the near future so I’ll have to bookmark this as I’m sure we’ll be making regular trips to Chiang Mai. Thanks for testing these out to provide us with such valuable info! (side note I am in LOVE with your logo!)
carolcolborn
November 6, 2017 at 4:29 pmSuch great reasonable prices for a budget trip….some even with pools and great restos. Good list!
Tami
November 7, 2017 at 12:09 amYou had me at i Lanna House. I loved that pool — looked so refreshing (and even romantic for a couple!) I can’t believe how inexpensive all these places are!
Christopher
November 7, 2017 at 10:06 pmThis is such a great list of accommodations. It’s heard to choose a favourite here. So modern and stylish. I mean even the views are equally gorgeous but I think I’m leaning towards the Poonpetch Chiang Mai just for its view
TravelTheGlobe4Less
November 18, 2017 at 5:33 amGod I am sorry to hear you broke your arm there. How on earth did you do it? This is a great selection and I am impressed you remember all the names. I stayed at a tiny place down one of the alleys but cannot recall the name. I would opt for the first one with the fab pool though.
Mellissa Williams
November 18, 2017 at 8:20 amWow you can certainly get a lot for your money in Chiang Mai. I’ve just come back from New York and in central Manhattan it’s hard getting a room under $300 a night
Niels Thomas
November 19, 2017 at 6:19 amIt is crazy how much luxury you can get in Thailand for so little money. Will you also review any other cities in Thailand? Also maybe a small piece of feedback. Is it possible to use slightly bigger font? Maybe I am just getting old but the letters are a bit small when reading. 🙂
louise2812
November 19, 2017 at 6:27 amI found this just at the right time as I’m heading to Chiang Mai in January! Thanks for the great tips – I particularly like the sound of Poonpetch, sounds perfect for what I need 🙂
Jackie Sills-Dellegrazie
November 19, 2017 at 7:31 pmYou’ve got some really great finds in Chiang Mai! First-time visitors might be surprised for all you can get for even $45 a night. Breakfast included is always a plus. Not only do you save money, you can start the day off without having to search for food. The i Lanna House and the Leechiang Lanna Hotel would be my picks. I love the pool of i Lanna house, but both of them are in an ideal walking distance to the sights of Old Town.
Mizhelle
November 20, 2017 at 8:34 amNice! Thailand is one of the places I want to visit and this post helps. Those prices are cheap!
Anita Hendrieka
November 20, 2017 at 8:53 amI would love to stay at the i Lanna House, looks like my sort of place! The best thing about Thailand is the affordability and the quality of accommodation you can get with so little! Chiang Mai was one of my favourite places too. Such a happening places and the food mmmmm…
Penny Sadler
November 20, 2017 at 7:45 pmIf I do visit Chiang Mai, I would definitely take any of your recommendations. I love the small pool of the iLanna House. I would also choose the Rainforest Boutique Hotel for the food! Hopefully by then they will be done with the construction work.
Jitaditya
November 21, 2017 at 10:14 amWhat a great selection of properties. I like it how almost every room has a great window view. It is almost as if you can get all your holiday pics from the hotel room itself! And I was surprised to see that the rates are pretty reasonable.
Sara Broers (@TravelWithSara)
November 21, 2017 at 1:01 pmWhat a fabulous resource of lodging with amazing amenities at very affordable pricing. This looks like luxury at its finest at a price that’s worth bragging about.