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If you are planning a trip to Chiang Mai in 2025 the first question you will be asking is where do you stay? In this article we will review the best areas to stay in Chiang Mai and recommend some awesome hotels.
Chiang Mai is a large city in the north of Thailand. It is well known for temples, markets, wonderful food, waterfalls and mountain jungles.
Getting the right area in Chiang Mai is one of the most important parts of planning an epic trip. We have lived in Chiang Mai and explored the city. So we have decided to write this delightful guide to help you plan your trip. We will also share some of the worst places to stay in Chiang Mai as well – just so you don’t get it wrong.
Don’t miss our guide to the best hidden gems in Chiang Mai. You may also be interested in our epic step by step Chiang mai itinerary.
Best areas in Chiang Mai – Getting to grips
Chiang Mai has an old town section (surrounded by city walls and a moat). The old town is around 1.5km in length and width (roughly 1 mile) and it takes around 15 – 20 minutes to walk across the old town. It is a few kilometers north of Chiang Mai airport. The old town is packed with temples, boutique hotels and coffee shops. It really is a lovely area. The streets in the old town are small and quaint. Many of the buildings are bursting with character and charm.
There is also a river running through Chiang mai – the Ping River. In general we recommend staying in or near the old town in Chiang Mai. This is best for culture, experience, transportation and food. The old town is also home to a beautiful bustling night market (every saturday) running along Ratchadamnoen Road and the surrounding streets.
In this article we will recommend a few popular suburbs outside the old town as well. We will review each of the old city gates and some other popular areas around Chiang Mai – to help you find the best area to stay.
GETTING TO YOUR HOTEL – Don’t miss our guide – Airport to the Old City
Chiang Mai attractions in brief
To the north of Chiang Mai: Sticky waterfall is amazing but a few hours by road. The Mork Fa waterfall is very impressive – also a few hours north of Chiang Mai. To the west of town: Walk up the monks trail to Wat Pha Lat (west of the old town). Don’t miss the Pong Yang Adventure Park (an hour or two northwest of Chiang Mai). The Siam Insect Zoo and the Mae Sa waterfall are also well worth a visit – also northwest of Chiang Mai.
To the east of Chiang Mai: Don’t miss the Sankampaeng hotsprings (east of Chiang mai) and the Muang On cave. To the south of Chiang Mai check out the epic Grand Canyon water park, the botanical gardens and the Wat Phra That Doi Kham hill temple. Also check out Wiang Kum Kam ancient temple complex (take a horse and cart tour). We also loved the Chai Lai elephant hotel located several hours south of Chiang Mai. And of course the iconic pagodas on a hill – also know as the Grand Pagoda Napamathanidol. It may be hard to believe but there is even more than this to see and do around Chiang mai.
Map of the best areas to stay in Chiang Mai
THE best areas to stay in Chiang Mai – Summary
| Area | Summary | Best hotels |
| Thapae Gate – old town (East gate) | Busiest area of the old town. Lots of coffee shops & temples in the area. Good vibes. | Ed Hostel – cheap and awesome, the Aksara Heritage hotel – up market and beautiful. |
| Warorot (West of Thapae Gate just outside the old town) | Lots of street food, temples and shops. Good area for cheap accommodation. | The Ghee House – cheap, simple and great value for money. Also don’t miss De Chai the Deco Chiang Mai. |
| Chiang Mai Gate – old town (South gate) | Lovely markets in the morning and evening. Busy and beautiful. Nice temples nearby. | Phor Liang Meun Terracotta Arts and the Wealth Boutique Hotel are amazing places to stay near the south gate. |
| Chang Phuak Gate – old town (North gate) | Quiet and beautiful part of the old town. Nice hostels in the area and a few beautiful temples. | Stay North Gate Bed and Breakfast for great value for money. The Little Guest House hotel is also fantastic and very affordable. |
| Suan Dok Gate – old town (West gate) | Quieter gate. Nice area. Near park and main temple. Some good street food in the area. Some of the BEST high quality and unique accommodation can be found in this area. | One of our top pick hotels in Chiang Mai is the Inside House. Don’t miss the Lee Chiang Hotel. For an amazing luxury heritage hotel check out the Rachamankha hotel. |
| Nimman area (North west) | Good buzz, lots of coffee shops, craft and galleries. Loads of hotels. Short walk from the old town. | Check out the charming Cozy Home by Nan for great value for money. Also, the U Nimman Chiang Mai. |
| Changklan Road & the Ping river (South east) | This area has less character and charm – but there are some nice temples and the river bank is pretty. There are some big expensive hotels in the area. | Maladee Rendevous Hotel is one of the best luxury hotels in Chiang Mai. Also don’t miss the impressive Empress Premier Chiang Mai. |
FULL reviews of the best areas to stay in Chiang Mai
1 Thapae Gate – old town (East gate)
Thapae Gate is one of our favorite areas to stay in Chiang Mai. This charming area is probably one of the busiest areas in town. Thapae is a great choice if you are looking for hustle and bustle and good vibes. The Saturday night market runs from Thapae Gate and into town. You don’t need to walk far from Thapae gate to find small quiet backstreets with boutique hotels and quiet coffee shops. There is plenty of street food and shops in the area.
Also Thapae Gate is only a short walk from the Ping River and the Worowort market. There are plenty of songthaew buses and taxis in the area too. There are also lots of convenience stores around. Don’t miss the amazing Coconut Shell restaurant and cookery school. This is some of the best local food you can find.
What are the best hotels near Thapae Gate?
There are also some great hotels close to the Thapae Gate. If your looking for something at the low budget end check out the Ed Hostel – cheap and awesome.
- Reserve the Ed Hostel on Agoda or Reserve the Ed Hostel on Booking.com
If you the Aksara Heritage hotel – colonial, up market and beautiful – lovely outdoor swimming pool.
- Reserve the Aksara Heritage hotel on Agoda or Reserve the Aksara Heritage hotel on Booking.com
2 Warorot (West of Thapae Gate just outside the old town)
Although this area is outside the old town it is still bursting with character. Around this area you can walk around small quaint streets with temples, lovely street food and boutique coffee shops. Warorot is a market located between the old town and the Ping river. But we are referring to the whole area.
This is also the best area in Chiang mai for budget accomodation. You may be able to find cheaper places further out of town – but what these options offer in terms of price they lack in character and location. If you stay in the Warorot area to the west of Thapae Gate there are lots of things to see.
This area is only a short walk from the old town. Also don’t miss Brewginnings coffee shop – Chiang Mai meets hipster. Wat Mahawan is a beautiful little temple in the area. Also don’t miss the Warorot market and Ping river – a beautiful place to explore in the morning.
What are the best hotels in the Warorot area?
Warorot is the best area for budget and great value for money. Don’t miss the wonderful Ghee House – cheap, simple and great value for money.
- Book Ghee House on Agoda or Book Ghee House on Booking.com
Also don’t miss De Chai the Deco Chiang Mai. Comfortable trendy and rocking the Asia Zen aesthetic.
- Reserve De Chai the Deco Chiang Mai on Agoda or Reserve De Chai the Deco Chiang Mai on Booking.com.
3 Chiang Mai Gate – old town (South gate)
The Chiang Mai Gate (or the south gate) is one of the best areas to stay in Chiang Mai. The Chiang Mai Gate is a busy area with lovely markets. In the morning there is a local market selling fresh fruit, vegetables and Thai breakfasts. Monks can also be seen here in the morning collecting alms. In the evening this Chiang Mai gate has a bustling night market selling an array of local and international foods for excellent prices.
This area has a lovely vibe. The streets around the Chiang Mai gate have boutique coffee shops and small beautiful hotels. If you are looking to stay close to a central hub in Chiang Mai this is a great area. You can very easily get transport from here whether it is a songthaew bus (a cheap shared bus) or a taxi. This area is not too far from Wat Chedi Luang – a semi ruined pagoda and impressive temple.
Even if you don’t stay in this area we highly recommend a visit to the night market located at the south gate (the Chiang Mai gate). Every evening plenty of street vendors can be found selling a vast array of local and international food. You can find sushi, fried chicken, noodles, rice dishes and much much more. This area has really good vibes.
There are some seriously cool hotels in the area. Don’t miss the Phor Liang Meun Terracotta Arts hotel – you need to see the pictures to believe this place. It is the epitome of Chiang mai beauty.
What are the best hotels near the Chiang mai Gate?
- Book the Phor Liang Meun Terracotta Arts hotel on Agoda. OR Book the Phor Liang Meun Terracotta Arts hotel on Booking.com
You may also be interested in Wealth Boutique Hotel – clean, beautiful, simple and super cozy.
- Book the Wealth Boutique Hotel on Agoda or Book the Wealth Boutique Hotel on Booking.com
4 Chang Phuak Gate – old town (North gate)
The Chang Phuak gate is located on the north city wall. This is a nice area to stay with a good range of hotels and guesthouses in the area. The north area of the old town is more quiet than the south and east gate. There are several temples in this area. You can also find restaurants, coffee shops and convenience stores around this area.
Not too far from the north gate you can walk to Wat Chiang Man. Check out the wonderful Khun Kae’s Juice and Smoothie bar. Also don’t miss the tempting Khom Chocolate Cafe. It’s as good as it sounds.
What are the best hotels near the North Gate?
Stay North Gate Bed and Breakfast for great value for money – clean, simple and stylish with dorm rooms available.
- Book the Stay North Gate Bed and Breakfast on Agoda or Book the Stay North Gate Bed and Breakfast on Booking.com
Also The Little Guest House hotel is also fantastic and very affordable.
- Book the The Little Guest House hotel on Agoda or Book the The Little Guest House hotel on Booking.com
5 Suan Dok Gate – old town (West gate)
The west gate is less of a hub (compared to the south and east gate). The old town area near the west gate is a nice area to stay. The main temple is located in this area – Wat Phra Singh. In this area you can find lots of nice food and coffee shops. This is also a good area to stay for the Nong Buak Haad Public Park. They have a nice kids park here.
What are the best hotels near the West Gate?
There are some charming hotels in the West Gate area. This may be the best area for unique, luxurious and charming hotels. Here are just a few of the wonderful hotel options in the West Gate area of the Chiang Mai old town:
Check out the amazing Inside House – you have to see the pictures to believe it. This place is superlative. We were particularly impressed with the private pool suite.
- Reserve the Inside House on Agoda or Reserve the Inside House on Booking.com
Don’t miss the Lee Chiang Hotel – vibrant Asian designs, clean and comfortable.
- Book Lee Chiang Hotel on Agoda or Book Lee Chiang Hotel on Booking.com
For an amazing luxury heritage hotel check out the Rachamankha hotel – ornate, regal and traditional Asian darkwood interiors.
- Reserve Rachamankha hotel in Agoda or Reserve Rachamankha hotel on Booking.com
6 Nimman area (North west)
Looking for a trendy alternative to the old town, consider staying in the Nimman area. It is only around 1km from the old town. This area is a real hub with many guest houses, boutique hotels, and condos. Nimmanhaemin road is often referred to as Chiang Mai’s coffee street. In this area you can find lots of small galleries, antique shops and craft shops. If you are planning to stay outside of the old town, the Nimman area is a good option. This area is located to the north west of the Chiang Mai old town. There is plenty of accommodation here. It is not the best area for budget accommodation – but it is an awesome location for artistic unique hotels. This is also a good side of town for visiting the Monks Trail and Wat Pha Lat.
What are the best hotels in the Nimman district?
Check out the charming Cozy Home by Nan for great value for money. Clean, light, stylish and comfortable.
- Book Cozy Home by Nan on Agoda or Book Cozy Home by Nan on Booking.com
Also, don’t miss the U Nimman Chiang Mai – fun, trendy, spacious and eclectic. Nice rooftop pool.
- Reserve U Nimman Chiang Mai on Agoda or Reserve U Nimman Chiang Mai on Booking.com
7 Changklan Road & the Ping river (South east)
And finally, there is the south east district. Around 2-3km southeast of the old town is the Changklan Road and Ping River. In this area there are many larger and more expensive hotels and resorts. This area doesn’t have the same character and charm as the old town – but it still has its own nice vibes. There are some impressive luxurious hotels in this area. So if you’re planning to splash out in Chiang Mai, this may be the best option for you.
What are the best hotels in the Changklan area?
Maladee Rendevous Hotel is one of the best luxury hotels in Chiang Mai. Super stylish light wood and pastel interiors. Lovely outdoor pool. Superlative hotel.
- Reserve Maladee Rendevous Hotel on Agoda or Reserve Maladee Rendevous Hotel on Booking.com
Also don’t miss the impressive Empress Premier Chiang Mai – this is a large, grand, regal and luxurious high end hotel.
- Book the Empress Premier Chiang Mai on Agoda or Book the Empress Premier Chiang Mai on Booking.com
Where are THE WORST places to stay in Chiang Mai?
Nowhere in Chiang Mai is really bad, but some areas can feel “out of the way” and disconnected. For example, we stayed in an apartment a few kilometers south of the old city (on Si Chandon Alley). Although there is nothing wrong with the area as such, it seemed to be a long way from good local food options and slightly too far to walk from the old town.
For the unique Chiang mai vibes we recommend staying in or close to the old town – unless you have found a hotel that really interests you.
