Readers' Choice Awards 2021
The glittering temples of Chiang Mai’s moated Old Town are enchanting, and the buzzing Nimmanhaemin district is on the pulse when it comes to artisanal coffee and local designer boutiques—but leafy Wat Ket, delivering a bit of both, remains one of the loveliest spots in the city. Here, rootsy art galleries line the streets and restaurants on the banks of the Ping river dish up khao soi noodles and cocktails under banyan trees lit up with fairy lights. This is also where some of the most charming boutique stays are found, taking over villas from a bygone era.
The Ping Silhouette, however, is inspired by an even earlier time when this part of the city was still a thriving multicultural merchant district dotted with Chinese-style warehouses. Behind a façade of glazed tile roofs and antique French shutters lies a stone-paved courtyard where large glassless windows frame manicured bonsai trees and cosy tea nooks. A long, goldfish-filled pond is a zen antidote to the frenetic markets, while ancient artifacts from China (ornamental doors, stone horses) extend the theme. Rooms are done up in white and teal, and most have terraces overlooking weeping willows and an inky-blue lap pool in the riverside garden.
The café, where walls are stacked with chinoiserie teapots and blue-and-white ceramics, prepares breakfasts of Thai rice porridge and sweet treats such as pa tong go doughnuts served in bamboo steamer baskets. A striking standout on the teakwood-dominated local scene, and a perfect fit for this curious corner.