We arrived at the Four Seasons Chiang Mai in the House Car from the airport after about a 40 minute luxurious (complimentary) drive. The General Manager, Anthony Gill, and Ashok Nair, Assistant Director of Rooms and Residences were there to greet us. Ashok gave us an introduction to the resort and to Chiang Mai. The Housekeeping Director, Tux (Kittipop Chalermkitpanich), took us to our room and showed us around all of the features that had been customized for us (based on the information that the Four Seasons Koh Samui and the Four Seasons Bangkok had provided them). Our upgrade to a pool villa was fabulous! We have more than absolute privacy—we had an endless tropical view and, on our deck, we had water on 3 sides. We had a dining table and 2 chairs brought so we could sit in Western comfort to have our lunch outside on our deck. With Southern exposure, we got great warmth in the afternoon after a cold (59˚ F) start to the day (when our pool would steam!). Between the inside and outside we had 4000 sq. feet in which to luxuriate. Inside there were numerous skylights to bring more light indoors.
In our villa, there were Welcome Treats from the Four Seasons: a World of Chocolate collection, the signature of the pastry chef of the Four Seasons Chiang Mai (with all kinds of chocolate confections). In addition, there was a huge fruit plate, a lime/mint water drink that was great. There were 2 cold chocolate drinks too as well as two coconut, chia puddings. Before we did anything else, we had something to eat. We had told the Four Seasons Koh Samui and Bangkok that Dimitri doesn't like typical American desserts. So our treats had been without chocolate up to Chiang Mai. Audre loves chocolate so she was very happy when Chiang Mai disregarded our stated preference! She conserved the chocolate delectables in the fridge so she could savor them slowly during our stay. While we were having our snack, Housekeeping brought a big bouquet of orchids. Wow, Audre loves fresh flowers and this bouquet was magnificent.
The next thing to arrive were two Trek mountain bikes. The one for Audre was small enough (13.5") for her (yeah!) and on our first day, we went on a bike excursion with Pan from the Fitness Center (THB 2000). Our excursion was about 1 ½ hour and went on quiet roads around Mae Rim, the area of the hotel. We got in about 12 km and so it was great for us after we had been sitting for days. On our second day at the Four Seasons Chiang Mai, we went on a tour of the grounds with Pan (THB 1000) and learned all about the plants and flowers and the facilities.
Then we glimpsed the Jacuzzi near the main pool! We climbed the stairs from the path and felt the temperature of the water! It was about 40 ˚ C - our favorite outdoor hot tub temperature! We went to the Jacuzzi later that day; Dimitri had found paradise on the grounds of the Four Seasons Chiang Mai.
The Jacuzzi amenity was not on the hotel’s official website so we had had no idea that it was on the property. All during our stay in Thailand, we had wanted to relax in a hot tub/Jacuzzi but neither Koh Samui nor Bangkok had one. To discover one in the Chiang Mai property made us ecstatic!
It wasn’t until our FOURTH DAY in our pool villa that we tried the pool and hot tub/Jacuzzi at our villa. It was heavenly and maybe 1 ˚ C too hot in the afternoon with the sun warming it up—if you can believe that. Then we really, really had found Our Paradise. We could use the Jacuzzi at our villa and then our outdoor shower without putting on a stitch of clothes! WOW! This Jacuzzi at our pool villa in Chiang Mai is the best Jacuzzi we have ever experienced, including the one Dimitri designed in his Manhattan Beach house!
The indoor décor of our villa was in the Lanna cultural
tradition and very formal and very gorgeous. We loved the red-colored wood and
all of the satiny drapes. We had enough storage to put all of our clothes away
and to stow our suitcases too.
Tux brought in an extra desk so both of us could sit at our laptops. The Internet speed was high (as it had been in Koh Samui and Bangkok) and we were happy campers!
Each morning we ride our bikes to the breakfast buffet on our bikes. At first, we ate indoors because we thought it was too cold to sit outside. As we have become acclimatized and the sun is hitting the tables outside, we have started sitting outside and have enjoyed that. Either inside or outside, the view of the mountain, Doi Suthep was special.
And whether we sit inside or outside the service was fantastic. All of the staff are attentive, even when it was busy over Christmas and New Year's. But Alisa has taken special care of us since we arrived. She is kind, professional, and delightful to talk to. The breakfast buffet is extensive and you could also order anything you wanted. This buffet has a chef to make soups, eggs and another station has a chef to make the special souffle pancake. It is about 5 inches high and very light and delicious. That chef will also make very crispy waffles just the way we like them. Some mornings we have Thai breakfast off the buffet and some mornings we have Western breakfast made to order. Usually, Pok, the Restaurant Manager, stoped to talk to us. He has suggestions for restaurants we should try. Ashok, the Assistant Director of Rooms and Residences also came to chat. We love all of that attention.
We have used the main pool and the main Jacuzzi but, as Tux predicted, we love our private pool and Jacuzzi best! We never did use the Fitness Center because the weather was too good and we wanted to bike around the area.
We were treated very well and loved our stay at the Chiang Mai Four Seasons. It was made even more special when the General Manager Anthony Gill and his wife, Oanh, together with Ashok Nair, treated us to a delicious dinner at North, the restaurant at the Four Seasons Chiang Mai. We had eaten at North before and had been impressed. We thought the food was terrific and the company that evening was even better!
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