Hotel M Chiang Mai

Hotel M Chiang Mai is housed in an older concrete-and-wood structure and it shares its ground floor with with a Burger King and a branch of Thai chain Black Canyon Coffee. The lobby is small, but bright, with black-tile floors, wooden bench-sofas with purple cushions, and a turquoise tiled reception desk. There's a wooden tree branch carving on the wall, some small wood tables, and several panels of ivy and plants set on the back wall, creating a hodgepodge of color. There are some nicer real couches in another corner, along with a free computer for guests to use. Large sliding glass doors open out to all the action and hubbub around Tha Phae Gate, which is just outside the hotel. In a city that's packed with plenty of charming boutique hotels and even smart upscale properties at reasonable rates, this hotel doesn't make the most memorable impression and offers little more than a functional place to sleep at night and a prime location. Most guests are tourists looking for a convenient base for sightseeing. 

Hotel M Chiang Mai is located in Chiang Mai's old city, just inside the moat at Tha Phae Gate. The area is busy and can get noisy, but the location is ideal and is the best thing going for this property. The Sunday Market starts steps from the hotel's door, and there are lots of shops, restaurants, and cafes within a five- to 15-minute walk, including trendy Street Pizza & Wine Shop, which is a 15-minute walk east from the hotel. The night market is in the same area, and is packed with street food, artisan stalls, and all manner of goods. There's also a kickboxing stadium near the night market. Within the old city boundaries, it will take about 15 minutes to reach major sights like Wat Phra Singh, though there are plenty of temples closer at hand, including Wat Chedi Luang, a 10-minute walk from the hotel. It's about a 15-minute drive to the airport from here, and about the same in the other direction to the railway station and bus terminal.

There are 79 rooms at Hotel M Chiang Mai, all with earth-tone decor including parquet floors and mirrored closets. There's really nothing to write about in terms of decor, as walls are entirely bare and all soft furnishings -- from curtains to bed skirts -- are done in beiges and soft brown hues. What little bit of furniture there is looks generically modern, though this is limited to a desk and chair in many rooms. While none of the rooms have balconies, some have decent city views from large windows. However, windows don't open and rooms on the Tha Phae Gate side of the road suffer from traffic noise throughout the day. Rooms come in Superior and Deluxe configurations, and Deluxe Rooms are slightly larger and come with sofas. All rooms include electric kettles, safes, mini-fridges, air-conditioning, and flat-screen TVs, as well as hair dryers and slippers. Bathrooms are tiny but relatively modern, and those in Superior Rooms have walk-in showers while Deluxe Room bathrooms have shower/tub combos. We did spot dirty grout in some showers. 

Hotel M Chiang Mai doesn't have much in the way of facilities, though there is a breakfast restaurant -- Brixy Cafe -- with both indoor and outdoor seating and views of the city. Breakfast is served here, but it costs extra for guests who don't book through the hotel website and reviews of the buffet are underwhelming. Other facilities at the hotel include a fleet of bicycles for guests to rent and a free shuttle tuk-tuk service to the night market downtown. Taxis to the airport and other sights can also be arranged for a fee. Unusual for this part of town, there's a small parking area behind the hotel. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.