Silk Air

Advantages: A quiet respite from the noise
Disadvantages: A little light

...Hidden away down a side street or Soi there is a hidden gem of a one of the best private collections of Asian art and artifacts in Thailand. Welcome to the Jim Thompson House Museum. James HW Thompson is the man who is generally recognized as the man who saved the then dwindling Thai silk industry and created the Jim Thompson Silk Company that is world famous today. About 10 minutes walk from National Stadium BTS station and Mahboonkrong ( MBK ) shopping centre on Soi Kasemnan 2 – off Rama 1 - hides the tranquil Jim Thompson House Museum. House museum? Well, yes, because this museum used to be his home. Using the profits from the silk company he bought as many old paintings, statues and porcelain as possible when the market did not appreciate the beauty and value of Asian art. In 1967 on holiday in the Malaysian Cameron... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: This hotel is in the centre of the capital and you can walk to most areas. There is also a free boat that takes you into the city.
Disadvantages: The only disadvantage I would about this hotel is that the taxi drivers charge you twice as much as they assume you can afford it.

...I had the pleasure of staying in this hotel for two nights last year. The interior is stunning and the smell of fresh flowers that hang from the majestic ceilings and chanderliers fills the reception area. The service is impeccable and all staff are wear traditional clothing of the highest quality. There is an air of an era long passed with this hotel, when Britain ruled the waves and gentlemen retired with a cigar and port after dinner! The room was large and furnished with the highest quality wood and silks. The bed had the most fantastically luxurious brushed egyption cotton sheets and every night our bed was turned down and a poem and flower were laid out for us. Every day a bowl of local fresh exotic fruit was put in our room with a card explaining how to eat and the exquisit flavour and texture we could expect. Its... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Very cool, nature-loving city; Night Bazaar
Disadvantages: limpet-like tribeswomen

...Chiang Mai is known as the Capitol of the North and is the biggest city in the north. Unlike Bangkok, Chiang Mai has trees and clean air, and the main areas are relatively uncrowded. There are many Wats (Buddhist temples) in the city, but the best one, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, is on a nearby mountain (Doi Suthep) a short songathaw ride away. You should see it just for the 300 step Naga staircase leading up to it. The view of Chiang Mai from the Wat is unmatched anywhere else in the city. The real action in Chiang Mai, however, is the Night Bazaar. It's shoulder to shoulder here, but you can get some of the best deals in the country here, especially on Northern crafts. The stall owners seem to start out asking at least double what the item is worth, so make sure your first offer is about half what they asked. Some items are even... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful