Maraya Hotel & Resort

Decorated in the same traditional Lanna-style as many hotels across the north of Thailand, the Maraya Hotel is an elegant place. The hotel has sweeping views over the muddy Ping River and the grand pagoda at Wiang Kum Kam, the ruined capital of the ancient Lanna Kingdom. The hotel’s restaurant and lounge both sit inside airy pagodas built without walls and with vaulted roofs soaring high into the air. Both spaces are decorated with handsome mid-century furniture made out of solid wood and comfy couches and armchairs upholstered in shades of cool gray. Little Thai ornaments add some local color. Outside, Balinese beds sit on the riverbank, and sun loungers are lined up beside a small lap pool. The hotel attracts guests looking for a country spot that's a convenient distance from the heavily-touristed Chiang Mai.

The Maraya Hotel’s location is what gives the place its charm, but at the same time, it is its greatest drawback. Sitting on the banks of the Ping River, the hotel has a quiet, almost sleepy, air, but it's far from the center of Chiang Mai, and there's little to do in the neighborhood. That said, the ancient city of Wiang Kum Kam, visible from the hotel, is only a six-minute drive away. While the hotel runs free shuttle services to the old walled city and to the Night Market, the drives can take 15 minutes, and guests who miss the bus are reliant on local taxis or tuk-tuks. Guests looking to head to the artsy Nimmanhaemin Road should expect a 20-minute taxi ride. Transfers to Chiang Mai Airport take around 10 to 15 minutes by car, and the hotel offers free transfers during the day.

The 18 large guest rooms are kitted out with luxe touches, but can feel somewhat cheap due to plasticky wood veneer furniture. The rooms have either a king-size bed or two twin beds, as well as a desk and chair, and a dining table that seats two. All rooms have a flat-screen TV, a safe, a minibar, and free Wi-Fi. The bathrooms are far more lavish, with tasteful pale tiles, deep soaking tubs, and walk-in shower cubicles with rainfall heads. Many of the rooms have stunning views of the Ping River and the pagoda at Wiang Kum Kam. 

The Maraya Hotel offers a decent list of amenities, including a spa that offers traditional Thai massages and wellness treatments, and a small lap pool set in an attractive garden with views of the river and Wiang Kum Kam’s ancient pagoda. Guests speak highly of the hotel’s breakfast, a mixture of Thai and Western options cooked-to-order from an a la carte menu. The restaurant serves a Thai fusion menu throughout the day and well into the evening. The hotel runs shuttle bus services to and from the old walled city throughout the day and, by evening, to and from the Night Market. Staff can also arrange free airport transfers during the day, although guests with flights at late night hours will have to pay a supplement. There are bikes available for hire from the front desk, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.