Meliá Chiang Mai, a 260-key urban hotel that towers over the River Ping and bustling Night Bazaar in the heart of Chiang Mai city in Thailand’s mountainous north, is slated to open its doors for business in the fourth quarter of 2021. 

Owned by Thailand’s Asset World Corporation (AWC) and launched by Meliá Hotels International, the five-star hotel is part of the Meliá brand’s roll-out plan in key destinations across Thailand. Meliá Koh Samui debuted in January 2020 with a nautical theme underscored by boat suites made from refurbished merchant vessels. INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit, the first property of its brand in Thailand, housing 176 guestrooms and located close to the Suvarnabhumi Airport, is due to open in 2022.

Meliá Chiang Mai will be situated six kilometres from the Chiang Mai International Airport on the vibrant Charoen Prathet Road, located near a broad spectrum of tourist attractions, markets, and Buddhist temples.  

With a design that pays tribute to Chiang Mai’s charming history and culture with a contemporary flair, the hotel will comprise a striking 22-floor tower fronted by an adjoining seven-floor podium building. 

Two restaurants, two bars, two lounges including an executive lounge on the 21^st floor with a panoramic view of Chiang Mai, Meliá’s signature YHI Spa with seven treatment rooms, a fully equipped fitness center, swimming pool, ballroom and four other meeting spaces will be among the hotel’s host of facilities for business and leisure travelers alike.  

Of the property’s room portfolio, 38 rooms and six suites will belong to ‘The Level’, an upgraded level of service and benefits that affords exclusive access to The Level executive lounge, an intimate area for indulging an upgraded breakfast and afternoon delicacies that is also suited for casual business meetings.  The epitome of elegance, ‘The Level Presidential Suite’ will command 113 sqm of the tower’s top floor with unrivalled city vistas.  

Meliá Chiang Mai’s jewel in the crown will be a 360-degree rooftop bar – the highest in the city – on the 22^nd floor. Featuring two bars connected by a glass bridge, the bar will offer spectacular views of the River Ping to the city’s east and famed Doi Suthep Temple on the mountaintop to the west. 

Drawing on Meliá’s Spanish origins, the hotel will pay homage to Spain’s famed gastronomy and quickly place itself on the city’s culinary map with two exquisite dining options. Perched on the 21^st floor, the hotel’s signature restaurant will specialize in contemporary Northern Thai dishes with Mediterranean influences, with chefs preparing each dish à la minute from an open kitchen. The all-day-dining restaurant Mosaic will offer authentic Mediterranean cuisine in a vibrant marketplace setting.  

An idyllic venue for events and weddings, the property’s extensive conference facilities include a 358-sqm ballroom and three function rooms on the tower’s second floor above the lobby and a 175-sqm multi-purpose function room on the podium building’s top floor.  

The ballroom’s 173-sqm pre-function area is connected to an outdoor swimming pool and poolside bar, aptly named Poolside. The Power Lounge, one of the three function rooms that also afford access to the pool deck, will feature a pool table and coffee area suited to down time between meetings. Adjacent to a secret garden, the seventh-floor multi-function room opens to a 223-sqm outdoor terrace that also lends itself to events. 

“With its exceptional location in the heart of Chiang Mai and an unparalleled array of facilities, Meliá Chiang Mai is a landmark project of our strategic roll-out of the Meliá brand in Thailand, in line with AWC’s growth-led strategy,” said Mrs Khun Wallapa Traisorat, Meliá Chiang Mai’s owner and AWC’s CEO and President. “Partnering with Meliá has allowed us to set a new benchmark for Thai hospitality and together, we aim to build a better future for Thailand’s tourism landscape and economy.” 

“Following the hugely successful opening of Meliá Koh Samui, ranked TripAdvisor’s number one hotel in Koh Samui, Meliá Chiang Mai will be another flagship property for Meliá Hotels International in Thailand,” said Mr Ignacio Martin, Area Managing Director South East Asia of Meliá Hotels International. “As we continue to strengthen our growth strategy with our key partners, AWC understands and shares our strong service and hospitality philosophy — a fundamental factor in ensuring the quality, reputation, and sustainability we strive for.”