Anantara Chiang Mai Resort review: discover one of Thailand’s most quietly elegant riverside stays
Slow living on the Mae Ping.
For visitors looking for design-led hotels in Chiang Mai, the options are many, thanks to the northern region of Thailand’s colourful history. And if a riverside stay that invites guests to slow down and recharge sounds like you, then Anantara Chiang Mai Resort should be on your radar.
We review Anantara Chiang Mai Resort
Arriving at the hotel
Chiang Mai likes to keep its pulse low, and the Mae Ping River shows you how. It drifts past Anantara Chiang Mai Resort with a steady, unbothered flow that slows your own stride the moment you arrive.
Stepping into the resort’s long, open-air lobby, I felt the calm settle. The lobby had no walls on one side, just floor-to-ceiling openings framing the gardens, mirror-like ponds, and the old consular house beyond. We were guided to the built-in daybeds facing the water for check-in. No queue, no desk, just cold towels, a welcome drink and staff who handled everything while we watched the gardens settle into view.
Acclaimed Australian architect Kerry Hill’s restrained hand shapes the entire property. Low buildings wrap courtyards and reflecting pools, timber screens absorb the light, and shaded walkways turn the tropical climate into comfort. At the heart sits the restored early-1900s British consular house, a quiet anchor of heritage in the middle of the modernist layout.
The rooms
The resort’s 84 rooms and suites in low-rise buildings are wrapped around the central garden courtyards. With sleek contemporary design, balcony with courtyard or river views, each boasts a feeling of space and serenity.
We stayed in a Kasara Riverfront Suite of more than 100 square metres, which unfolds like a private apartment. Sliding doors opened to a balcony furnished with a daybed that quickly became our morning base. One sunrise delivered a water monitor gliding along the riverbank; another brought a blue kingfisher perched on a half-submerged branch.
Inside, the suite stayed true to the resort’s calm design story: warm teak, soft fabrics, pale walls, and clean lines. The king bed encouraged late starts. A long indoor daybed became our retreat when the terrace grew too hot. The bathroom offered a rain shower and a deep tub with three bath salts that I treated like treasure. Kasara benefits include private check-in, lounge access, and flexible breakfast options, too.
Resort dining
The Bodhi Terrace sits under a vast Bodhi tree right on the riverbank. The buffet is generous without tipping into excess, mixing northern staples like khao soi and sai ua with dim sum, western dishes, fruits, and pastries. Chefs handle hot dishes at live stations, keeping things smooth even when the deck fills.
By evening, the terrace becomes the resort’s Thai restaurant, the lawns dotted with low lights that lend a soft romantic glow. We started with miang kham, each cha-plu (betel) leaf wrapped around palm-sugar tamarind relish with coconut, peanuts, lime, ginger and chilli. The pad kaprao wagyu carried a good hit of heat beneath its onsen egg, while the grilled Phuket lobster came with a bright seafood sauce that tasted like the Andaman in miniature. Dessert was a crisp apong itim kai kem Chaiya (pancake) paired with coconut ice cream.
The Service at 1921 House, once the British Consulate, is now the hotel’s steakhouse. The two-storey teak building, with its verandahs and shuttered windows, still carries its early-twentieth-century character.
I chose my steak knife from a felt-lined presentation box, as if selecting a duelling pistol at dawn. The theatre of it all shouldn’t work, but it does. My dry-aged Black Angus ribeye arrived with the perfect char from the Josper grill. The Cajun-spiced cauliflower proved just as compelling, and my guest and I traded bites across the table.
Spa time and the art of slowing down
Anantara Spa sits at the centre of the grounds. While the reception is at garden level, the treatment rooms lie below, illuminated by a long skylight that pulls in natural light, avoiding any sense of being subterranean. I booked the Lanna Ritual, a 60-minute treatment using warm plai oil with Thai, Burmese and Chinese techniques. The therapist moved with easy confidence, and the session ended with gentle singing-bowl vibrations.
Experiences that make the river matter
Anantara excels at guest experiences that connect you to place. We joined the Spice Spoon cooking class, beginning with a tuk-tuk ride to San Pa Khio market. Our chef guide pointed out specific herbs, curry pastes and chillies. Back at the resort, we chopped, fried and stirred our way through four dishes that tasted distinctly Chiang Mai. Chef’s recipes and the Spice Spoon commemorative apron remain a go-to in my home kitchen.
The following morning, we took a slow river cruise on Nam Jai, the smallest of the resort’s three vessels. The crew guided us past river houses and under city bridges, with historic Wat Ket Karem as our destination. Here, our hotel guide provided insights into Buddhism and how local people make merit at these temples. The boats operate from the private pier, including Dibba Yana Chitta, a new dinner vessel designed as a floating golden sculpture. Its seven-course Thai tasting menu might be the most glamorous way to experience the Mae Ping.
The verdict
Anantara Chiang Mai is where design, stillness, and hospitality fall into a natural rhythm. Nothing feels forced, everything feels intentional, and the river sets the pace. Few places capture Chiang Mai’s mood so clearly.
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