The location of Fondcome is really out...
The location of Fondcome is really out of the way from the city centre but is near the Night Zoo if you are interested in the Night Zoo or being away from the crowds. A taxi ride from the city or even the airport is going to cost you a bomb! Saw the rate of airport taxi to Belle Villa which is nearby is a whopping 600 bahts! so i guess it should also cost as much to get to Fondcome from the airport. Have also tried asking tuk-tuk and was quoted a price of about 500 bahts for just one way from the city to the resort! The resort itself provide more "reasonable" transfer rate of 100baht per person per way between city/airport and resort comparatively.
The service is excellent, from the personal touch by the sales manager Noi in welcoming us by meeting us personally at the city centre when we requested for transfer to the resort to check in. The reception and service staff are also efficient although most are not so proficient in English, hence a little problem getting your message across at times, else not much of an issue with the service staff, they are alway servicing with a smile.
Was allocated the "Chief" room for the "Mlabri Wild House" room type as requested for the first night. The room interior was as expected, very gorgeously decorated! Like the room a lot! Bed is soft, bath in a uniquely-shaped tub and a separate standing shower. There is ample hot water but is a little difficult to control the water temperature. Towels are fresh smelling which is great! Room is a little dark depending on what you want? Functionality or Ambience? I would a few more lights to be turn ON/OFF as needed. International TV channels are rather limited. One complaint for this room is "Mosquitoes"! There are quite a fair number of mosquitoes inside the room which is very disturbing for a good night sleep! There are also many mosquitoes outside the room in the resort ground!
Was allocated a Sibsongpanna room on the second floor for the second night. The room is bright and romantic enough but now the bath room is a little dark! The toilet cum bath room does not seem to be enclosed at the top (i.e. sharing a similar hight roof top) hence i am suspecting that when one is doing their business in the toilet, any smell will also "float" into the sleeping area? This room surprisingly does not have any mosquitoe problem although the bed has a mosquitoe net.
In both room type, there seems to have a common "problem" of slight sewer smell coming from the bathroom? Maybe the resort can do something about it?
The breakfast on first day was standard American Breakfast (ABF) which is enough if you are not a big eater. The breafast for the second day was also ABF but with a very small buffet spread. No exciting or sumptious breakfast, just the normal fare.
The dinner at the resort restaurant was deliciously good and not too expensive compared with the city centre price.
Overall the resort is compact and beatiful. One small note about the swimming pool which is very rustic looking to blend with the surrounding. It looks like a pond (as intended i think) rather than a usual swimming pool. The water is cold and does not seem to look clean enough, hence i dont have the urge to want to jump in to swim. Maybe when the pool is heated in winter and looks much cleaner, i would not hesitate to swim in there?
In short, i would want to stay here again if coming to Chiang Mai once again.
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