Most of us love Bangkok for the shopping, but Chiang Mai is better for some low key chilling to get away from the daily grind. We round up three cool new hangouts—a hotel, a restaurant and a cafe that will give your trip some oomph.
Chalnatt Hotel
Located between a shophouse serving noodles and a newly-renovated coffeeshop, the Chalnatt Hotel is decked out to look like a loft. What makes the hotel distinct are its pipe-lined ceilings, brick-lined walls and hanging lights. There are three rooms to stay from—the superior king, superior twin (about $50 each for both suites) and the deluxe king ($57). This includes an American breakfast, a large sofa and a walk-in closet.
One Day Drip
Chiang Mai is also now home to One Day Drip, a cafe that you may miss if you are not observant enough. This hideaway is wedged into a small alleyway that is close to the city’s North Gate Jazz establishment.
The owners profess to take their coffee seriously, and their beans reportedly come from different regions of Thailand (and around the world, too). Right now, the owners are into brewing single-origin drip coffee (as you can tell from the name). If you’re going cold turkey from caffeine, you can also try the pastries with homemade strawberry or pineapple jam, or some baguette sandwiches.
The Service 1921 Restaurant & Bar
This restaurant can be found in a restored colonial mansion that used to be Chiang Mai’s British Consulate. Drawing inspiration from its history, The Service 1920 Restaurant and Bar is filled with spy paraphernalia and other artifacts that were from British teak logging companies in the North. The furniture is also from colonial times. There are Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese dishes, with the recommended dish being the duck breast salad with green apple, goat cheese, ginger, mint and chili lime dressing ($9). There is a whiskey and lounge bar that also serves cocktails.
