Many new hotels have recently opened their doors in Northern Thailand during the last year or so. These new hotels range from Banilah, a budget boutique hotel in Chiang Mai to the deluxe Four Seasons Tented Camp in Chiang Rai Province, a resort modeled after the luxury tented camps in East Africa. I will be visiting three of these new properties on my upcoming trip to Thailand in November. Here’s a capsule review:

Banilah

Located in Chiang Mai, Banilah is a small hostel which caters to the budget traveler. From the images on the website, it appears to be a very stylish but simple boutique hotel. With room rates of only $9.00 including daily breakfast, it sounds too good be true. The hotel is located about 15 minute taxi ride from the center of Chiang Mai in an area very popular with the student crowd.

Nan Boutique Hotel

Heretofore, the city of NAN - an off the beaten track destination in Northern Thailand that few tourists have heard of - was lacking a legitimate first class hotel. That has all changed with the opening up of the Nan Boutique Hotel. From the look of their website, this hotel appears to be very stylish and upscale with rates starting at very reasonable $40USD.

Bo Klua View

About a 90 minute drive from the city of Nan is Bo Klua resort, a small nature lodge of about 12 rooms. Overlooking an ancient salt well village and situated not far from the Doi Phu Kha National Park, this hotel is for nature lovers. Priced at $50USD night including breakfast, the rates seem to be a little on the steep side for accommodations of this type in Thailand, but then again I have yet to visit the property.

I will be splitting my stay in Nan at Nan Boutique Hotel and Bo Klua View.

Four Seasons Tented Camp

Further afield in Chiang Rai Province is the Four Seasons Tented Camp, the first of its kind in Thailand - sort of Africa meets Thailand. According to the publicity, this resort is popular with people who’d like to see the elephants. It is rated as a luxury establishment’ with rates that start at $1370 per night/per tent including daily breakfast, the price is a little steep for most people but apparently they have found a market with “the so called jet set and celebrity types”.