Rolling in the green
Chiang Mai is a perennial destination for those seeking a dollop of warm Thai hospitality and engaging culture, without the hustle and the haste of Bangkok. The 42-room North Hill City Resort, a 25-minute drive from Chiang Mai’s airport, is an attractive mix of rural charm with international sophistication. Built on former rice fields, the resort and its accompanying 18-hole golf course is situated in a quaint, rustic setting. In contrast, the sleek and modern resort features all the essential accoutrements of a five-star boutique hotel: 40-inch LED televisions, 500-thread-count bedlinen, marble bathtubs, Panpuri toiletries and overhead rain showers with custom-fitted nozzles with massage functions. Room interiors are presented in calm and neutral tones, composed of wood and stone materials, all of which pay design homage to one of Chiang Mai’s most well-known attractions – the mystical Doi Suthep mountain – located nearby.
The mountain scenery may also be appreciated next door at North Hill Golf Club, popular with locals, expatriates as well as clued-in visitors from around the region who come to stay, play golf and enjoy the area’s fresh air, sunshine and good vibes. The clubhouse features a business centre, pro shop, gym, Cheval Blanc lounge, and karaoke and games rooms.
In the evenings, head to The Zest, the property’s Italian restaurant, for a thoughtfully created meal featuring dishes such as sea crab and avocado salad; spaghetti in black squid ink with Australian mussels, Hokkaido scallops and prawns; and black Gindara cod served with saffron and leek sauce. The restaurant’s vegetable produce is grown at the aptly named The Vege, a sprawling 6,000sqm organic farm located on the property. In the mornings guests can join the hotel’s chef in a fun cooking lesson, the ingredients of which are sourced from the farm. Learn how to pick the freshest chillies, the youngest morning glory stalks and the most succulent mushroom stubs, while uncovering the classic nuances that inform both northern and southern Thai cuisines.
Beyond the hotel, Chiang Mai’s ancient temples beckon, including Wat Ton Kwaen and Wat Intrawart. Avid shoppers gravitate to Ban-Tawai, a street lined with shops manufacturing and selling traditional Thai furnishings and modern art and craft objects. Or head to the city’s night bazaar for touristy purchases of elephant figurines, silver pendants and brightly coloured shawls.
