Golden Bell Hotel

Golden Bell Hotel is an attractive boutique property that opened in 2014. The exterior consists of two matching four-story buildings joined together by a middle section, and the lower floor is hidden by a hedge, which also protects the swimming pool. The lobby is simple, with pleasant earthy tones, with several cushioned rattan chairs, a rattan table with a glass top, and a rack full of brochures. There are large windows and glass doors flooding the area with light, and views to the charming swimming pool outside. Nothing here is overly fancy, and given the location just outside the touristy old city, things do tend to stay quiet. Expect to see plenty of vacationing couples and come small groups of friends.

The Golden Bell Hotel is located just outside the southern gate and moat of Chiang Mai's old city. It's at the end of a dead-end street, which makes it a quieter choice than some of the other properties in the area. There are lots of restaurants, shops, cafes, and tourist services just up the road. Several major temples are within a five- to 10-minute walk, and there's plenty of street food, cafes, and restaurants within a similar walk. The city's most iconic temple -- Wat Phra Singh -- will take 15 minutes to reach on foot, as will the Sunday Market. The city's main night market is a bit farther -- it will take 20 minutes to reach on foot or five minutes by car. The sacred mountaintop temple, Doi Suthep, is a 40-minute drive outside of the city. The airport is 10 minutes away by car, and the railway station and bus terminal will take about 15 minutes to reach. 

The hotel has 30 spacious, modern, and bright rooms with tile floors, white walls, and an abundance of light yellow and brown hues throughout. Despite opening in 2014, the look is quite traditional, and some of the dark wood furniture that we saw was a bit worn. There are a few token pieces of Lanna art on the walls, and silk pillows do a bit to brighten things up. The high, recessed ceilings further add to the illusion of space, and are a stylish touch, with suspended pendant lighting. The Deluxe Rooms have extra walk-in closets and get lots of light through wall-to-wall windows. Unlike the entry-level Superior Rooms, Deluxe Rooms have sofas and chairs plus glass tables, making them feel a bit more polished. All rooms have modern amenities, including flat-screen TVs with cable, safes, electric kettles, and mini-fridges. Bathrooms have walk-in showers, vessel sinks, soap and shampoo, and bathrobe and slipper sets. All bathrooms have an extremely limited amount of counter space. 

Golden Bell is a small hotel, but they do have a few facilities available to keep guests happy. There's a compact swimming pool with lounge chairs in the courtyard that gets sun throughout most of the day. There's also a whirlpool hot tub at one end. Upstairs from here is a small patio for smokers and a small library with left-behind paperbacks. The hotel's intimate restaurant sits right by the pool and has a big bay window with views out to the water. The maroon interior is a cool contrast to the bright sunlight outside. A free buffet breakfast is provided to all guests and there's a coffee machine that makes espresso drinks. Lunch is available a la carte, with Thai favorites along with a selection of pasta, sandwiches, and steak. Dinner isn't available. The hotel also provides ample parking in a lot next door -- unusual in this part of town -- and free loaner bikes (if used for less than four hours; there's a small fee to use them all day). Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.