Taking it Easy at Holiday Inn Chiang Mai

There are times during long trips that we would only like to stay in our room and be a bum. We are so lazy to move and get out that when we open the window curtain, we’ll just realize that the day is already about to end. Moments like these often lead in missing plan of visiting some notable tourist sites. Even so, we still feel delighted and contented about it, because that moment that we’ve become idle gives us the relaxation that we’ve been yearning.

That situation was someway my scenario when I went to Chiang Mai.

It was after completing my journey in Myanmar when I flew to Thailand and visited the northern part of the country. As a treat to myself, I’ve stayed in a graceful hotel in Chiang Mai and spent most of my time lounging around and just making the most out of what the hotel where I was staying has to offer.

Holiday Inn Chiang Mai

Coming from two flights with four hours of layover in Bangkok, it was already nighttime when I had reached the city of Chiang Mai.

Holiday Inn Chiang Mai was my home while I was in the city. As we all know, the hotel is one of the world’s most recognized hotel brands with a global reputation for service, comfort and value. Looking through the images of its hotel rooms and amenities online, I’ve found the hotel very elegant and calming; hence I’ve chosen to stay on this hotel. It is ideally located on the banks of the Mae Ping River with easy access to tourist attractions, shopping venue, historical places with easy access from the main highway. By staying on this hotel, it made it easier for me to get to few places that I had paid to visit like the city’s famous night market.

From airport, one can reach the hotel easily by taking a taxi but if you’d like more convenience, then the hotel offers transport services for a fee. I rode a taxi from the airport to get to the hotel, which only took me about 15 minutes and costs THB 120.

The Sumptuous Buffet

Aside from its great location and its status of an excellent hotel situated on the northern bank of the city, the hotel also boasts about its restaurants and their various offerings of savoury cuisines. The hotel has two resident restaurants; namely, River Terrace Restaurant and China Palace Restaurant.

River Terrace Restaurant is located next to the lobby area. It has indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the city’s Mae Ping River. The restaurant offers several selection of International cuisine, including Northern Thai dishes, as well as traditional Thai Favorites. It is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet. What’s delightful about the restaurant is that, it has 7 days’ Theme International Buffet Dinner that starts from Japanese, Chinese, Steak, European, BBQ Seafood and Pizza Pasta Cuisine that are available 7 days a week.

China Palace Restaurant is another resident restaurant that is said to be one of the city’s premiere Chinese restaurants serving authentic cuisine including delicious Dim Sum. The restaurant has 5 private dining rooms. It is open daily for lunch and dinner both for buffet and a la carte menu.

The hotel also has a lounge bar named as 318. The place is ideal to meet people or maybe relax with an evening set of a cocktail or any drinks and a selection of snack.  This place is simply the perfect place to loosen up after a long day.

I was so glad that I was able to try one of the hotel’s restaurants when I had dinner and breakfast. It was when some executives of the hotel welcomed me on my first night and took me for an extra indulgence during my stay by taking me to a dinner buffet at River Terrace Restaurant. It was Friday and the theme was Barbecue Seafood. As a fan of such gastronomy, I had consumed a lot, which were plateful of seafood, rice meals, meat, local Thai favorites and desserts.

A stay in the hotel also comes with a free breakfast in buffet that can be availed in the River Terrace Restaurant. Breakfast is being served as early as 5:30 AM, which is good for those guests who leaves early to get around the city. The complimentary breakfast can be availed until 10:00 AM.

My Two Nights Stay at Holiday Inn Chiang Mai

Holiday Inn Chiang Mai has 526 refurbished guest rooms and suites and 25-storeys that offer beautiful view of the river, the city and the mountain. The hotel has several types of room available for accommodation, which are grouped into three classes: guest rooms, executive club level rooms and suites. Amenities in each room vary, wherein the suites type of room obtains the most number of features.

All rooms are furnished with LCD televisions, Wi-Fi Internet access and dedicated working desk. Bathrooms has bathtub and separate showing area. Complimentary toiletries and drinking water are also available. A humble courtesy that moreover surprised me were the free fruits and local desserts placed inside my room when I got in.

Hotels of Holiday Inn across the world are praised because of their admirable pillows, which are soft and firm. And I attest that! How about the bed? Oh well, comes with the pillows, it gave me a soothing sleep.

Holiday Inn Chiang Mai provides its guests more than the basics. Aside from the essentials that a typical hotel room has, each room in this hotel has more than the regular facilities. I was surprised that they have iron and ironing board. Room also has a separate hanging closet. Each room also has coffee maker, mini bar, mini refrigerator, plates and glassware and tea maker. The hotel also provides electrical adapters and power converters as per request.

I stayed in a Superior River View Room on my first night whereas I stayed in a Premiere Room on my last night. I both adored my room. They are both spacious that I even posted in my Facebook Page that I could do a cartwheel there. I spent most of the time in my room by taking some photos, watching movies in TV, going online to check my social network that all of a sudden it made me so lazy to go out, that eventually made me decide to ditch off my plan of visiting some prominent attractions in the city.

Aside from staying in two types of room during my stay in the hotel, I was also able to see what a suite type room looks like. It has two rooms. It has a separate living room, and also has a dining table.

The Amenities

A cozy room may serve as a great treat already when having a vacation, but a hotel furthermore providing great amenities to its guest definitely brings added luxury.

Holiday Inn Chiang Mai offers several amenities for guests to enjoy and unwind. The hotel provides different amenities and facilities from business services, fitness, Internet service, entertainment and recreation, housekeeping and laundry services, and other miscellaneous things.

I was so fortunate that during my stay, I was able to visit the hotel’s Executive Lounge. This lounge area can only be used by premium guests and guests staying in any of the hotel’s executive clubrooms. Access to the lounge area gives guests benefits like personalized check out service, continental breakfast daily, daily extensive selection of premium drinks and beverages, complimentary laundry service, complimentary use of private meeting room and complimentary Wi-Fi internet.

Other facilities in the hotel that can be used by its guests are the outdoor pool, fitness center, spa area, computer area and internet services, lounge bar, live entertainment, recreation and sports court, concierge services and other things.

The hotel also provides free shuttle transport to some of the city’s famous landmarks like Night Bazaar Market, Nimmanhemin Road and Weekend Market. This complimentary shuttle service comes with a schedule.

I’ve been wanted to visit Chiang Mai since then because of its laid back atmosphere, and I was right when I had visited the city. My stay in Holiday Inn as well as its people’s hospitality and kindness gave me the cozy feeling that the city is essentially known for.

As soon as I had entered into my hotel room the very first night, it straightaway gave me the thought of why not just take it easy and not ever worry about not being able to explore the city as planned. After all, it gave me contentment as I had able to take some time to rest and relax. My stay suddenly became a staycation. It was my Holiday Inn Chiang Mai experience that undeniably made my vacation in the largest city of Northern Thailand worthy and notable.