Kantary Hills, Chiang Mai  

The facilities and service is good

This place is incredible! From the moment we walked into the lobby and were handed welcome drinks, until we checked out two days later, our stay was extremely enjoyable. Kantary Hills Chiang Mai is a brand-new facility that just opened in December of 2007, but the staff and management perform like seasoned veterans, taking care of everything their guests want or need. This hotel is definitely 5 stars, and it shows in the little details- like the fact our suite had four air-conditioning zones! Swimming pool: Very nice, almost room temperature- it was about 35 degrees Centigrade outside, and the pool was barely cooler than that. It's got a nice deep end, and is long enough to do comfortable laps in. Plenty of deck chairs, too- each with an umbrella and side table for holding your drink (which can be ordered from the poolside and will be delivered with a bow). Large covered hot tub with jets, perfect for when you get hit by a rain shower while swimming! Fitness centre is large and has a good selection of equipment for training, but I have to admit I wasn't there to keep fit! I spent more time in the pool and sauna; there's a great steam room as well if that's your thing. We had a two-bedroom suite, which was absolutely huge. The master bedroom had a king-sized bed, and the second bedroom had two doubles. Both bedrooms had their own bathrooms with all amenities, and were very comfortable. The master bedroom and the livingroom had flatscreen televisions, as well as CD players. A very large balcony was accessible from both bedrooms as well as the livingroom, and looked out towards the pool. The only negative thing I can say is that as we were a group of two couples, it would have been nice to have king beds in both bedrooms, but I am sure if we'd asked, they would have fixed that for us, especially if we'd been staying more than two nights! There is free wifi Internet in all the public areas (lobby, restaurant, poolside), and they provide wired outlets in the rooms as well (not sure if you have to pay for that or not, since I was able to easily get the wifi signal anywhere I went, including our room). Unlike the hotel we stayed at in Bangkok (Grand Diamond Suites), the Internet at Kantary Hills was fast and reliable, easily being equivalent to a broadband connection back home in Canada. The Restaurant: I'm sorry, but this is going to be a bit lavish. This place is mind-boggling in its quality and service. The wait staff are amazing in their attention to detail, making sure you have anything you might desire, without appearing to hover around you. Coffee and drinks are refilled quickly, and they don't assume that you'll want another mai tai just because that's what you had last time! The breakfast buffet is very good, with an excellent selection of Western and Asian dishes, as well as an egg station where you can custom-order omelets or eggs done to any style you like, with a wide range of stuff you can add like peppers, ham, cheese, and all that. Fresh juices, cereals, yogurt, fruit (have the pineapple!), noodle soup, French toast, bacon, pastries, and more. I'm going back just for the food, believe me! Breakfast buffet was included in our room price, which was a great value. We liked the restaurant so much that we didn't even bother eating anywhere else while we were there- their chef is absolutely amazing (I recommend the filet mignon, and have the local beef, please!). The prices are incredible, and the service like I said, is top-notch. They also have a good dessert menu, so leave room or come back later in the evening for that. Communication with the staff was fairly smooth, except for trying to get housekeeping to bring us something. It worked much better to speak with most people directly rather than over the phone, as the level of English proficiency was a bit lower than in Bangkok. However, the manager and the sales manager both speak excellent English, and the restaurant staff are fluent enough to take orders without one having to point to the menu items. Getting around: Kantary Hills is a bit out from the centre of Chiang Mai, so it's a 150thb taxi ride to anywhere in the city (only about 65thb from the airport, though). You need to call for a taxi, which the front desk will do for about 35thb. Or, you can walk out to the main road and flag a tuktuk, if you're the kind who likes tuktuks! They'll go pretty much anywhere for 100thb, but only carry two passengers and are not air-conditioned. There's a lot of nice little boutiques along the main road the hotel is near, and walking is a nice way to see stuff. If you're looking for markets, go into town proper and see the night markets, or the sidewalk vendors, for some great deals on silk and fake Rolex watches. People in Chiang Mai seem to be a lot friendlier than in Bangkok, and we really enjoyed our stay there. We're already planning our next stay at Kantary Hills, even though it'll likely be after their introductory rates have expired. Having stayed there, however, I can say that even if you are paying full rates at high season it's still worth it! Booking: Obviously we booked through AsiaRooms, and there were absolutely no problems. When we walked into the hotel lobby, the concierge had our booking ready and waiting, and there were no hidden charges or surprises when we checked out. We definitely give Kantary Hills Chiang Mai an enthusiastic recommendation.

this has indeed been a pleasant experience. Staff are friendly and the whole ambience has been a truly luxurious experience. I'll recommend this place to anyone who goes to Chiangmai.

Nice hotel, good location, good service. I'd stay there again.

comfortable stay with its new, good design and clean building. very good location which is just a short walking distance within nimman road. the room size is designed to be bigger than general hotel and equipped with all required facilities. it's over qualified for the budget spent. p.s.nice outdoor swimming pool.