Staying at the Shangri La Chiang Mai

One of the best things about booking any trip is deciding on the hotels that you are going to stay in. There are number of things on my checklist that I will look out for; comfort, price, location and, of course, a good breakfast. When booking our Thailand adventure, we came across the Shangri La in Chiang Mai. It had everything we could want and, as it was in the sale, cost significantly less than we thought it would! In fact, a night in the 5-star luxury Shangri La cost less (almost half as much) as a night in a Premier Inn… Just let that one sink in. As it turned out, staying at the Shangri La Chiang Mai was one of the best decisions we made.

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We left Bangkok bright and early with big smiles on our faces. Chiang Mai was supposedly one of the most culturally unique places in the South East and we were lucky enough to go there. Our flight departed early in the morning, and as the sun rose above the busy cityscape of Bangkok, we took off into the scarlet sky. We were flying on Thai New Year, otherwise known as Songkran. Chiang Mai is the hotspot for this celebration, and we would be lucky enough to be there as the festivities kicked off. As it was a day of celebration, we were given a rather luxurious breakfast for airplane standards. This included a slice of cheesecake and some fruit which, when compared to the chicken sausage that Thai Airways gave us on our initial flight, was exceptionally tasty. The flight only took an hour or so, and as we got further up North, the cloud and fog beneath us began to get thicker and thicker. This time of year in Thailand is burning season, meaning that the thick smoke congregates in a few areas, most notably Chiang Mai. Fortunately for us, the level of particulates in the air was extensively less than what it had been on previous years. When we finally got off the plane and collected our luggage we were greeted by our guide, Yui. She took us to our car and drove us to the Shangri La hotel, just on the outskirts of the city centre.

As we entered the gates of the hotel, one word stuck out above all others; luxury. The hotel’s entrance was up a large, steep slope which winded all the way up to the lobby. As we jumped out the car, bellmen rushed to welcome us and walked us into the lobby. We were sat down in two comfortable armchairs with a view of the extensive lobby, where we made acquaintance with rich smells of perfume in the air. Around us were large wooden furniture, all decorated with fine pieces of silk or cloth. It truly was a hotel made for the elite and, somehow, we had managed to waltz in. We were served our welcome drinks almost instantaneously and relaxed for a few minutes sipping our drink, taking in the exuberant surroundings. After a few minutes, a young lady approached us and took us up to our room. She opened our door and allowed us to take our first look inside. Whilst the size was comparable to most superior rooms we have stayed at, the décor certainly was not. Again, fine cottons and silks made up the fabrics in the room, whereas the doors were sculpted in a deep mahogany. The bathroom also was something to behold, with marble surfaces, a generously deep bath and all the complimentary toiletries you could ever wish for. We thought that the room could not get any better, until we opened the curtains. We were greeted by a tropical vision, with numerous lush plants making up the hotels gardens. In a clearing lay a large pool, surrounded by a sandy beach. They had mastered the illusion of staying within a jungle when, actually, we were smack in the middle of the city.

Once we had settled in to our room, we thought we would go for some lunch; and where could be better than the pizzeria in the pool area? We walked through the tropical oasis and eventually got to the beach bar. We were promptly shown to a seating area comprising of a luxury sofa, all whilst you could look out over the pool area and garden. Despite being in the middle of a city, the surrounding area was silent. I do not recall hearing traffic or any other street noises, but I do remember hearing a myriad of bird calls in the day, and the high-pitched calls of bats and crickets in the evening. Our pizza arrived shortly after we sat down and it certainly did not disappoint. We liked it so much, we came here twice in our two day stay… Awful I know! After eating a large lunch, and quenching our thirst on Chang beer, the next obvious stop was to go for a dip in the pool. For such a large hotel, the pool area was very quiet. They had split it into two areas, one for people who were strong swimmers, and the other for children. This meant that we could dip into the swimming areas and relax and, when we were done, we could jump out and enjoy a cocktail on the beach. Now, neither Jack or I can spend too long relaxing as we like exploring, so in hindsight we did not really take advantage of this area. In fact, over the two days, we probably only spent a total of three hours here! We didn’t even go on the water slide!

Food at the hotel continued to be mostly good throughout our stay. We did unfortunately have a slightly negative experience in the buffet restaurant one evening. I ordered a pork satay and Jack went for a classic red curry. When they arrived, although beautifully presented, Jack’s was rather tasty, although mine came out quite cold. In their credit, they did remedy this, and the food was delicious. The Shangri La’s secret weapon however came out the next day. We had decided far in advance that we were going to indulge in some Khai Soi, so on the final night, we treated ourselves to a bit of room service. About half an hour later, a knock came to the door. When opened, we were greeted by a large table, chairs and our lovely looking dinner. Even the table was brilliantly presented, with a superior-looking tablecloth and cutlery decorating it. The food itself was heavenly and I can honestly say I have never had Thai food as good as that night. It was simply outstanding. Our stay in the Shangri La ended with a dip in the pool at night, where we were surrounded by bats and other jungle wildlife. It was a shame to be leaving such a tranquil place. The next morning, we awoke thinking that nothing could match the previous night. On the contrary, the Shangri La still had another curveball for us; breakfast. There were platters upon platters of tasty food, ranging from classic oriental breakfasts to European continental. There was even an American section, laced with pancakes and waffles, with all the chocolate sauces and jams you could ever imagine. And, it was all you could eat. Because we had an early flight, and the day before was an early start to see the elephants, we missed out on taking full advantage of this, which remains a massive regret.

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We are now currently sat at home planning our next big adventure, and we have a thirst to go back East. One place we want to go again is Chiang Mai and one of the main reasons for this is the Shangri La. I would go as far as saying it was one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in; the service, food, decor and general all-round atmosphere, combined with the price, made up for an unforgettable stay. Would I say that we will be going back in the near distant future on holiday? Possibly not, as that could be seen as boring, but on the way to somewhere like Malaysia or Indonesia? Abso-bloody-lutely.

Here’s a sneak peek at what else we got up to in Thailand:

My Travel Tips and Recommendations

Flights

My usual go-to for booking flights is Skyscanner, the flight search engine. What I love about Skycanner is that you have various options depending on your situation. If you know where you want to go it’s easy – all you need is to search for your destination and dates, and you are provided with all flight options to choose from. If you haven’t decided on your next trip yet, you can use the Everywhere tool for inspiration and to find the cheapest places to fly to.

Accommodation

Whenever I plan my travels Booking.com is my best friend. The website is super easy to use and provides a whole range of accommodation from fancy resorts to budget hotels. Jack and I also regularly use Airbnb – in particular, for staycations in the UK.

Things I can’t travel without

As a travel blogger and keen photographer I never travel without my trusty technology. Always packed are my

Canon EOS M3
GoPro Hero5 Black
I’m also saving for a DJI Mavic Pro

Travel Insurance

It is so important to be prepared for all possibilities when travelling and you simply shouldn’t travel without insurance. When looking for cover I would personally recommend World Nomads or the Post Office – both are affordable and certainly won’t break the bank.

Staying at the Shangri La Chiang Mai

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