Chiangmai has a few different areas when it comes to finding a hotel to stay, and depending on your idea of the holiday, the prices of the hotels also vary. I prefer to stay in the Old Town area, which is nearer to the night markets and temples, so I began searching for boutique hotels
A charming, intimate boutique property situated in the heart of Chiang Mai’s historic Old City, it is within walking distance of some of the city’s most celebrated temples, cultural landmarks, cafés and local markets. Nestled in a small 4-storey building, the hotel combines contemporary comfort with traditional Northern Thai (Lanna) design, giving a more personal and relaxed experience rather than a large international hotel
It has a small, cosy café located within its ground-floor lobby and reception area, named KonJohn Coffee; it offers an intimate, air-conditioned space for both hotel guests and non-hotel guests. They serve breakfast, beverages and desserts, but this is a different space from the hotel breakfast area
Since we arrived after the check-in time of 2pm, our room was ready for us. The processing took about 15 minutes, and they served us welcome rose-flavoured drinks while we waited. Built in 2015, the hotel offers Wi-Fi, 24-hour reception, bicycle availability and breakfast options. Since there is a cafe open to the public, there is an additional security door for hotel guests to reach the room, and only those with the keycards can enter through the 2nd door to the rooms. The main door is also locked after 10 pm, so only guests can enter with the keycard
We had a room on the 2nd floor with 2 single beds, which were quite firm and provided good support for the night. The pillows were quite soft but ok when stacked together. The room size was quite ok for 2 people, with sufficient floor space for luggage and shopping bags. The toilet was separated into dry and wet areas, with a glass door separating the shower area. All basic amenities were also provided. The entire space was clean, but you can also tell that the fixtures were not well maintained. Some examples include the lights behind the bed falling off, the fixture peeling, the groove lines in the bathroom being dark in colour, and the corners being mouldy but not dirty. I had a ok stay in the hotel and felt relaxed throughout my stay, but OCD guests or guests who are more sensitive to mould might find the hotel not to their standards
They have a swimming pool on the first floor as well as a small gym located just above the pool area. We did take a look, and both facilities were kept clean, but no guests were using them the whole time I was staying at the hotel
Breakfast was located on the 3rd floor of the hotel in a separate dining room with close to seating for about 20 guests at any one time. The view from the breakfast room is the school right opposite the hotel
Available to guests from 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM, breakfast is available, freshly cooked. There was a menu with a variety of continental breakfast items like bacon and eggs, or local breakfast items like fried rice or porridge. The staff will take your order for the hot and freshly cooked items, while you can help yourself to the self-service items
The self-service counter includes items like fruit juices, milk, bread, jam spreads, salad, fruits, cereal and coffee and tea
I tried the pork porridge and also the continental breakfast on different days, and they were pretty generic. The porridge was quite bland compared to the ones I had in Bangkok, so you need to add quite a bit of seasoning to it. The coffee was also generic from the machine. There was also nothing too fancy in the continental breakfast, as it reminded me of something cooked at home
Overall, the stay at Jomkitti was pleasant, although it can get crowded during the afternoons when the kids get off school and all hang around the entrance of the hotel. It was also interesting as pop-up vendors set up shop along the street selling snacks to the kids, and this quieted down after a couple of hours. The location is fantastic when you wish to roam around and visit temples and admire the architecture of the old buildings. The breakfast was generic, but at the rate we were getting, there was nothing much to complain about
Address: QXPP+97H, 100 Ratchamanka Rd Old City Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Room rates from SGD 80 per night
