A stay at InterContinental Chiang Mai The Mae Ping by IHG
Room Type: Classic, Premium + Club Lounge Access
A side of luxury in the northern city
Situated in Mae Ping, just outside the Old City area (the one with a square road surrounding it, if you are looking at the map), the InterContinental is a great choice for those seeking a luxury stay in Chiang Mai.
In short, it is the level of standard one would expect from an InterContinental hotel. Luxury feel, immaculate service, clean room and facilities, and polite staff, Intercontinental Chiang Mai captures these elements well.
Main Aspects
The Room (review for both Classic and Premium room types)
A stylish, modern Thai luxury room is probably what sums it up. Generally, the room is clean and well-kept, with the exception of some stains on the couch. Amenities are higher quality standards, with the addition of dental floss, which is great, free drinking water, and a price tag on everything else, as one would expect from a major hotel chain.
Tips: The bathtub is situated right in front of the sink, so expect a wet floor afterwards. Kindly ask the staff for a couple more shower mats in advance.
The Experience
A welcome drink upon check-in and some snacks and fresh fruits waiting for you in your room go a long way when it comes to experience, and this hotel does not miss. An additional cake will also be provided if informed, prior to your stay, of any celebration. The hotel’s pastry chef did a solid job in this area, with macarons and chocolate praline, as well as the cake is all nicely done–note that these might be subject to seasonal changes. The quality that qualifies for a treat rather than merely being a soulless gesture.
The Service
From the front entrance to your room’s door, the service is consistent, from unloading your luggage and delivering it to your room upon checking in and vice versa for when you check out, the kind staff will gladly offer the service with a smile. Depending on the staff, some will also add the quality of friendly and playful politeness when welcoming you, which is highly appreciated by us.
The Breakfast
Overall, a recommended choice for those who want to take their morning slow. For a breakfast variety is good, but do not expect much from the additional menu. Taste is good for most items, but pastries seem to shine the most compared to other items. Fresh-made juice, additional order dish selection, and a cook-to-order egg station are also part of the buffet.
The price, compared to what you can find on the streets of Chiang Mai, is bound to be much more expensive; however, by the standard of hotel breakfast, it is worth it.
Club Lounge Access
The Club Lounge is an add-on service for around +2,000 baht (rate during our stay). A newly built, 2025 private check-in and dining/bar area is available with this package. Included in it is an all-you-can-eat/drink style afternoon tea and evening cocktail, plus an additional free cocktail at the hotel bar.
The quality, taste, and selection of food are appropriate for the price. Depending on how many sweets you eat, it is worth it. For those who are looking to make the most of the deal, as we do, we had the afternoon tea for a late lunch and evening cocktail, which serves a full meal, for our dinner
Afternoon Tea Items: Selection of tea, soft drinks and juice, macarons, tiramisu, cold cuts and cheese, cake, small savoury items, and other delicacies
Evening Cocktail Items: Cocktails, mocktails, and wine, selection of local Northern Thai and general Thai cuisines, cold cuts and cheese, and desserts.
All in all, we are satisfied with the quality and variation, some dishes are a hit and some are a miss, but in general, l good quality food. Although it is not a must to enjoy your stay here in the InterContinental Chiang Mai, and it is probably not for someone who is looking to explore what the vast city has to offer, it is not a bad choice if you are looking to spend more time in the establishment and relax.
The Closing
InterContinental Chiang Mai The Mae Ping by IHG was a great deal for a stay at a five-star hotel. In relation to the price, especially in the lower season, and the experience, the service, the welcoming staff, and the room that you get, the stay was outstanding.
Review Summary:
Style of review: Urban, City-center
Do note that under this criterion, our evaluation will assume public transportation as the default form of transportation, depending on what the city has to offer. The criteria will also be set for a city’s convenience, which will mark the lack of a convenience store or nighttime activity as a minus (subject to the unique nature of each city).
Our scoring has also taken into account the price point: 3000-5000 THB per night (standard room rate for up to 2 people)
Our recommendation: A Preferred Choice
Our preferred choice of accommodation in the area, but it might not yet be a returning stay for the experience specifically!
*Hand-Picked → 1, Preferred Choice → 2, Selective Choice → 3, Subjective Choice → 4
The hotels that fall into these ratings are all satisfactory experiences; the categories capture how exceedingly it went over our satisfaction level, and are not a ranking that implies which hotel is good or bad. The rating is highly reliant on our preferences and personal experience.
Overall atmosphere:
Room type: King Classic and King Premium
Very Clean 9/10
Location 8/10
Convenience of the stay 9/10
Ambience 8/10
Concept 8/10
Additional scoring:
Good Amenities +
Stains on the couch –
Special consideration
*This section does not affect the overall recommendation scoring.
A hotel from a major chain will be compared to the hotel under the same name in the chain’s house of brands portfolio in other cities/countries.
Considering the price and the experience, this hotel has a slight edge over what you can get from InterContinental Auckland.
Why do we take this into comparison?
So that those looking for a specific experience or hoping to experience a standard a brand has to offer for the first time, or for a more special occasion, can use it as a comparison to aid in the decision-making of whether this particular hotel under the name should be their choice, or they should save some money for another day.