Pioneering Sustainable Food in Chiang Mai In the vibrant heart of Chiang Mai, Thailand, Meliá Chiang Mai sets a shining example of sustainable tourism by championing eco-friendly culinary practices. Recently, the hotel’s Executive Chef, Suksant Chutinthratip, affectionately known as Chef Billy, received the esteemed Chiang Mai Green Kitchen “Green People” Award. This accolade recognizes his pioneering efforts to promote a resilient and responsible food system across Asia’s culinary landscape. Recognitions for Green Excellence Meliá Chiang Mai’s dedication to sustainability extends beyond individual achievement. Their renowned restaurants, Laan Ha Kitchen and MAI Restaurant and Bar, have each earned the prestigious “Chiang Mai Green Kitchen” certification for the fourth consecutive year. This honor underscores the hotel’s ongoing commitment to the Thailand Green Kitchen project, supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation. The initiative encourages organic and sustainable food concepts among 44 local restaurants and hotels, fostering eco-conscious travel experiences. Chef Billy’s Vision for a Sustainable Future Chef Billy’s leadership is rooted in collaboration—working closely with local farmers, chefs, educators, and the wider community. His innovative approach includes co-designing crop calendars aligned with seasonal cycles and market demand, reducing food waste and production risks. By advising farmers on food business planning and marketing, he helps transform them into “food system entrepreneurs,” empowering them with a deeper understanding of costs, value creation, and market dynamics. Engaging the Next Generation Further reflecting his commitment to sustainability, Chef Billy advocates for youth involvement through the “Young Chefs” program. This initiative educates university students about organic vegetables, food origins, and environmental responsibility—nurturing a new generation of eco-conscious culinary professionals across Asia. Recognized Excellence “I’m humbled to receive this award and share it with Thida Woranet from Rimping Supermarket,” Chef Billy remarked. “This accolade is a testament to our hotel’s management, culinary team, and local farmers who work tirelessly towards a more responsible food system.” Experience Sustainable Travel in Chiang Mai For travelers seeking authentic, eco-friendly experiences in Thailand, Meliá Chiang Mai offers more than luxurious accommodations—it’s a gateway to responsible tourism. To learn more or book your stay, contact reservation.chiangmai@melia.com or visit Meliá Chiang Mai.

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High above the bustling streets of Chiang Mai, on the 21st floor of the Meliá Chiang Mai hotel, Mai Restaurant & Bar is redefining what it means to dine sustainably. Blending the bold flavors of Northern Thai cuisine with Mediterranean finesse, this intimate venue isn’t just about food—it’s about mindful dining with purpose. And the panoramic views over the city and Doi Suthep temple add a touch of magic to every meal. The 360° Cuisine Concept At the heart of Mai Restaurant’s philosophy is Meliá’s 360° Cuisine concept, a thoughtful approach that reduces food waste and lowers the kitchen’s environmental footprint. Executive Chef Suksant Chutinthratip (Billy) and Sous Chef Karn Phojun partner with ethical, chemical-free farms such as Rong Khum in San Pa Tong and SEED in San Sai. Every ingredient is used to its fullest—leftovers are composted back at the farms, and even cooking oil is recycled into biodiesel. It’s a closed-loop system that keeps the farm-to-table connection alive while championing sustainability. A Menu that Tells a Story The newly unveiled menu offers a vibrant range of dishes: Appetisers like Hoi Shell Samunprai—seared scallops with turmeric chips and chili—or a refreshing Khao Soi Salad with organic produce. Main courses that highlight local flavors, from the juicy Cheeva Pork Chop with wild peppercorn sauce to Neau Yang Nam Prik Kha, featuring Thai-Angus ribeye with galangal gravy. Seafood delicacies such as Kanom Jeen Nam Prik Goong Pao with tiger prawns and curry sauce. Vegetarian delights like Yum Makeua Yao, a grilled eggplant dish with chili-soy dressing. To finish, diners can indulge in creative desserts like the Lum Yai Pudding, made from organic longans grown at the innovative Rong Khum Farm Lab—a project dedicated to regenerative farming and soil healing. Dining in Style The setting is as memorable as the food. Guests step through an arch inspired by Chiang Mai’s temple architecture before entering a dining room that pays tribute to the city’s artistic heritage. Ceiling installations resemble umbrella ribs from Bo Sang Village, while antique textile artworks and patterned carpets echo Chiang Mai’s cultural tapestry. The 38-seat restaurant sits just below MAI The Sky Bar, the highest rooftop bar in the city, making it a perfect spot for a romantic dinner followed by cocktails with a view. A Model for Sustainable Travel Mai Restaurant & Bar doesn’t just serve exquisite dishes—it offers travelers a chance to support responsible tourism in Thailand. By choosing a meal here, guests contribute to local farms, reduce environmental impact, and experience a culinary journey that blends tradition, innovation, and sustainability. For travelers passionate about eco-friendly experiences, this is more than dinner—it’s a statement. Plan Your Visit For reservations, call +66 52 090 603, email fb@meliachiangmai.com, or visit Meliá Chiang Mai’s official website.

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A cart brimming with Thai-inspired chocolate bars, featuring unique flavours ranging from ‘Mango Chili’ and ‘Massaman Peanut Curry’ to ‘Thai Tea’ and ‘Khao Soi Curry’, has trundled into Meliá Chiang Mai in support of local sustainable farmers. The hotel has joined forces with award-winning boutique chocolatier Siamaya, a Chiang Mai company that makes bean-to-bar chocolate from locally sourced organic Thai cacao beans and ingredients and that pays farmers higher prices to ensure they receive a living wage. The chocolate-laden cart is permanently stationed at the entrance of the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant Laan Na Kitchen. Its eclectic selection of dark chocolate varieties range from ‘Hill Coffee and Pomelo’ and ‘Thai Bullet Chili’ to ‘Tom Kha Coconut Curry’. In addition to milk chocolate bars such as ‘Durian’, ‘Orange Cranberry and Almond’, ‘Banana’ and ‘Masala Chai’, the cart also offers ‘Pumpkin Pie’ white chocolate. A unique option is the ‘Khao Soi Curry’ bar that pays tribute to the creamy, slightly spicy yellow curry noodle dish from Northern Thailand. The milk chocolate bar is flavoured with hints of crispy noodles, spices, and fried shallots. “By making chocolate from scratch in a responsible, compassionate and eco-friendly way, reducing waste across their production process and using recycled paper and soya-based inks for packaging, Siamaya Chocolate is a welcome part of our hotel’s network of ethical and chemical-free suppliers that is a central plank in Meliá Chiang Mai’s ‘360° Cuisine’ program,” said Meliá Chiang Mai’s general manager Marc Selinger. The partnership with Siamaya is part of the hotel’s network of ethical and chemical-free suppliers, which includes gourmet farm SEED in San Sai District, organic gourmet farm Rong Khum in San Pa Tong, Jartisann’s Original Thai Cheese, which crafts artisanal cheese made from high-quality, locally sourced raw cow’s milk, and SUPHA BEE FARM, a local honeybee farm in Mae Rim. “We support sustainability practices so our partners will continue to farm long into the future and we pay around 2-2.5 times as much as fair trade programs usually pay farmers for the cacao, often going on field trips to make sure the cacao is grown sustainably and with respect for the nature around the cacao plantations,” said Siamaya’s co-founder and chief executive officer Neil Ransom. “With this higher payment we require pesticide free farming and a strict no-burning policy. As in other regions of Southeast Asia, pollution caused by agricultural burning is an issue in Thailand, and by introducing a no-burning policy we aim to contribute to a better and greener world,” added Siamaya’s co-founder and chief operating officer Kirstian Levinsen. The hotel’s guests are also welcome to participate in Siamaya Chocolate’s chocolate making workshops and learn about what it means to have social awareness and sustainability as small business key values. Meliá Chiang Mai’s ‘360° Cuisine’ program is designed to reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint and promote healthy eating. Under the program, the hotel sources ‘farm to plate’ organic produce that travels only a short distance. As much of each ingredient is used – roots, leaves, stems, stalks and more – in a ‘thoughtful cooking process’ before ‘plate to farm’ food waste returns to the farms as fertilizer in a truly 360° concept. Leftover cooking oil is sent to be recycled into biodiesel. To contact Meliá Chiang Mai or to make a booking, email reservation.chiangmai@melia.com, call +66 52 090 699 or visit https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/thailand/chiang-mai/melia-chiang-mai/index.htm To contact Simaya Chocolate, call +(66) 065 050 1649 or visit https://siamayachocolate.com/

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A clutch of guest bartenders, a live pop band, drag show performers, DJs spinning the decks and more will converge on Meliá Chiang Mai on November 1 for an exhilarating poolside celebration. Situated on lively Charoen Prathet Road by the River Ping and Night Bazaar in the heart of Chiang Mai city, the urban hotel will host ‘Pool Party Bar Takeover’ from 5-11pm at its picture-perfect swimming pool area on the second floor. Anchored by the swimming pool, the hotel’s Tien Pool Bar, will welcome six local bartenders to concoct their signature creations for pool party-goers. In addition to Meliá Chiang Mai’s top bartender Francisco, bartenders Pom from The White Rabbit, Foam from Bar Not Found, Pim from Gladwell Cocktail Bar, Ploy from Art Mai Gallery Hotel and Benz from Anantara Chiang Mai’s Brit Bar will spend the afternoon and evening shaking and stirring all sorts of cocktails at Tien Pool Bar. Live band Multipolar will perform a medley of pop and variety tunes for guests to dance to. Blow Entertainment’s dazzling drag queens will take to the stage for colourful performances and life DJs will ignite the atmosphere with infectious tunes. The event’s pop-up partner Smash Daddy’s will serve hand-smashed burgers. Tickets are priced at 400 THB net per person and include one drink of choice; -196 Freeze, Kakubin Highball or a beer. Priced at 1,999 THB net per person, a ‘Special Tasting Package’ entails sampling a total of six cocktails from all six guest bartenders in addition to a welcome drink. Jim Beam, -196 Freeze Technology, Roku Gin and Suntory Whisky Kakubin are the event’s sponsors. To contact Meliá Chiang Mai or to make a booking, email fb@meliachiangmai.com or call +66 52 090 602. About Meliá Hotels International  Founded in 1956 in Palma de Mallorca (Spain), Meliá Hotels International has more than 400 hotels open or in the process of opening, in more than 40 countries, and a portfolio of nine brands: Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts, ME by Meliá, The Meliá Collection, Paradisus by Meliá, Meliá Hotels & Resorts, ZEL, INNSiDE by Meliá, Sol by Meliá, and Affiliated by Meliá. The Company is one of the world’s leading hotel chains in the leisure segment and its experience in this area has allowed it to consolidate itself in the growing market of urban hotels inspired by leisure. Its commitment to responsible tourism has led it to be recognised as the most sustainable European hotel company in the world (chosen as “Sustainability Yearbook Member” in 2024 by S&P Global), as well as being a “Top Employer 2024” brand in Spain, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Italy, Germany, France and Vietnam. For more information, please visit www.meliahotelsinternational.com

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Meliá Chiang Mai has clinched a coveted spot in the well-respected Australian magazine Holidays with Kids Readers’ Choice Awards, recognised as among “Thailand’s Best Family Resorts”. Situated in the heart of Chiang Mai city in Thailand’s mountainous north, Meliá Chiang Mai rounded out the list of 12 Thailand hotels and resorts and was the only property in Chiang Mai to make the cut. Nominations for the Holidays with Kids 2024 Best Family Resorts Awards were open for 12 months and came from the magazine’s vast readership of more than 600,000 parents. “The competition has been fierce, with so many kid-friendly resorts not just meeting expectations but smashing them. From creative kids’ clubs and family focused dining, to kids-centric facilities and activities, the winning resorts and hotels are raising the bar for families,” the publication said. Holidays with Kids described Meliá Chiang Mai as “beautiful”. “YHI Spa pampers guests with massage therapy, scrubs, wraps and facials, while the gym ensures your fitness goals stay on track,” the magazine said. “There are three dining venues serving up culinary masterpieces, and the resort even facilitates the Meliá Farm 360 experience, immersing guests in the eco-farming program that fills their plates. The rooftop bar has fantastic views of the surrounding landscape, the pool is the perfect place to cool off after a day of exploring Chiang Mai, and the kids club will keep the little nippers safe and sound when parents need a romantic evening for two.” Meliá Chiang Mai’s general manager Marc Selinger said he and his team were honoured that the hotel had been recognised as among Thailand’s leading family properties in the awards for the second year in a row. “We’ve got so much to offer the young and the young at heart including our Family Rooms with puzzles and board games, children’s tent, toys and more, and our vast kids and teens club with a program packed with activities such as Thai boxing, umbrella painting, and arts and craft with recycled materials,” he said. “Our large outdoor swimming pool with a shallow pool area for kids replete with two water slides, a rain curtain, water fountains and a giant tipping bucket is popular with families, and our hotel is a great base to explore Chiang Mai’s many attractions ranging from famed temple Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep to the Chiang Mai Night Safari and novel Elephant Poo Poo Paper Park.” View the full list of winners here: https://holidayswithkids.com.au/best-family-resorts-awards/ and the full list of the ‘Best Family Resorts in Thailand’ here: https://holidayswithkids.com.au/best-family-resorts-thailand/ To contact Meliá Chiang Mai or to make a booking, email reservation.chiangmai@melia.com, call +66 52 090 699 or visit https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/thailand/chiang-mai/melia-chiang-mai/index.htm

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Meliá Chiang Mai turned two this April, celebrating the milestone with new dining and spa experiences. Meliá Chiang Mai debuted April 10, 2022, signalling a huge vote of confidence at the time in the future of Chiang Mai. Towering over the Ping River and the Night Bazaar in the heart of Chiang Mai, it was the first five-star hotel to open in the mountain city since the onset of the global pandemic. In celebration of its two-year anniversary, the hotel’s Ruen Kaew Lounge is offering its “Gourmet Leaf Tea Set” pairing organic tea with a sticky Chiang Mai longan pudding served with homemade fresh coconut ice cream. The organic tea selection features ‘Mediterranean mandarin’, ‘Rose with French vanilla’ and ‘Blueberry and pomegranate’. The longan is sourced from sustainable and chemical-free gourmet farm Rong Khum in San Pa Tong. Priced at THB 599 net per set for two people, it is available from 2-5pm daily until June 30 this year. YHI Spa is offering an indulgent 60-minute Mangosteen scrub, which gently buffs away dead skin cells to leave the skin softened and glowing. Priced at THB 1200 net per person, the natural body scrub is on offer until June 30. To mark the second anniversary, on the morning of April 10 this year there was almsgiving to monks and a Brahma Shrine and spirit house ceremony in front of the hotel, as well as a monk’s blessing and Lanna life-prolonging ceremony, and offerings to monks at the hotel’s Khom Room. From 1.30pm that day, hotel staff volunteered at Agape Home Orphanage, and presented a donation following a recent fundraiser. The orphanage is a loving home for more than 100 children who live with, or are at risk of being, HIV positive. Many of them have lost their parents to AIDs, and there are no other options for their care. Since its debut, the hotel has clinched coveted awards and widespread recognition for its sustainable tourism services including its ‘360° Cuisine’ program, under which the hotel works closely with local farmers to help them improve sustainability and encourage ethical production to ultimately make the overall food system more resilient. Ranked among the Top 10 “Best Upcountry Hotels in Thailand” in the 2023 Travel+Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific and the Top 10 Best Family Resorts in Thailand in the 2023 Holidays with Kids Readers’ Choice Awards, the hotel has also been awarded the Thai Hotel Standards Organization’s “Five-Star Hotel of the Year 2024”. In 2022 it was certified as a “Zero Carbon Emission Hotel” by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. With a design that pays tribute to Chiang Mai’s charming history and culture with a contemporary flair, the hotel cut the ribbon on a host of world-class facilities. Its rich dining landscape comprises two restaurants, two bars including the highest bar in the city, a spectacular 360-degree rooftop bar, and two lounges such as an executive lounge on the 21st floor with a panoramic view of Chiang Mai. Meliá’s signature YHI Spa with seven treatment rooms, swimming pool, a vast kids and teens club, a kids pool, a fully equipped fitness center, ballroom and four other meeting spaces are among facilities for leisure and business travelers alike. To contact Meliá Chiang Mai or to make a booking, email reservation.chiangmai@melia.com, call +66 52 090 699 or visit https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/thailand/chiang-mai/melia-chiang-mai/index.htm

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Meliá Chiang Mai has unveiled a social enterprise that promotes talented Thai designers, artists and craftsmen to ultimately help communities in need and preserve Thai culture. Underpinned by the concept of “Giving Art, Art of Giving”, The GALLERY, situated in the hotel’s lobby, sells an exquisite array of accessories such as handbags, wallets, silks, children’s toys, and home décor items including ceramic bowls and cups made by Thai designers and artists. All profits from the sale of the handmade items contribute to further artistic endeavours in disadvantaged communities and help preserve and promote local culture, particularly the skills indigenous to over 40 communities across Thailand. The communities surround properties owned by Thailand’s leading integrated lifestyle real estate group Asset World Corp Public Company Limited (AWC), which established The GALLERY. Some of the items on offer are accompanied by a “Meet the artist” story behind the piece. A handbag with a striking floral pattern, for example, includes young female artist Fhasai’s story: “Fhasai was born with Autism Spectrum Disorder and she finds peace and joy in painting beautiful floral choreographies.” The GALLERY also includes other products crafted by local artists in Northern Thailand communities such as ‘GHOM LANNA’, a home decoration made from bamboo and inspired by traditional Lanna lanterns. “Our team feels rewarded to do our bit to help increase much-needed opportunities among Thai artisans to showcase their artwork to a broader audience and promote arts and culture among our hotel’s guests,” said Meliá Chiang Mai’s general manager Marc Selinger. Based on the mission of “Building A Better Future”, The GALLERY was established by Meliá Chiang Mai’s owner AWC to showcase Thai artisans’ work. AWC’s efforts are in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8 to “promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”. In addition to Meliá Chiang Mai, AWC has rolled out The GALLERY at 17 more of its hotels including the new INNSiDE By Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit, which debuted in July 2023 in Bangkok’s emerging On Nut neighbourhood. Towering over Chiang Mai’s River Ping and bustling Night Bazaar in Thailand’s mountainous north, Meliá Chiang Mai is situated six kilometres from Chiang Mai International Airport on vibrant Charoen Prathet Road, close to a broad spectrum of tourist attractions, markets and Buddhist temples. With a design that pays tribute to Chiang Mai’s charming history and culture with a contemporary flair, the hotel comprises a striking 22-floor tower fronted by an adjoining seven-floor podium building. Its jewel in the crown is rooftop bar Mai The Sky Bar – the highest in the city – sitting majestically on the 22nd floor with a glass bridge commanding 360-degree views as far as the eye can see. To contact Meliá Chiang Mai or to make a booking, email reservation.chiangmai@melia.com, call +66 52 090 699 or visit https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/thailand/chiang-mai/melia-chiang-mai/index.htm.

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Meliá Chiang Mai, a 22-storey luxury hotel located in the heart of the northern Thai city, was last week presented a Thailand Tourism Gold Award, only one of four hotels in Thailand to receive the accolade and the only one outside the Thai capital. The Thailand Tourism Awards – also known as the Kinnaree Awards – was initiated by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in 1996, and recognises quality and excellence in the country’s tourism and hospitality sector. This year’s awards were held at the Samyan Mitrtown Hall in Bangkok on 27 September and were presided over by Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana who conferred prizes on the winners. In addition to Meliá Chiang Mai, the other recipients of Thailand Tourism Gold Awards were: Millenium Hilton Bangkok; The Sukosol Bangkok; and The Okura Prestige Bangkok. According to TAT, this year’s bi-annual award “strengthens awareness for responsible and sustainable tourism with two new categories – tour programmes, and low-carbon and sustainability – in addition to attraction, accommodation, and health and wellness tourism.” The achievement of a Kinnaree Gold Award is all the more remarkable for the fact that Meliá Chiang Mai only opened its doors to guests in April 2022. “We were very proud to receive this honour,” said General Manager Marc Selinger. “The fact that TAT recognizes that we can provide top-class facilities not just for leisure visitors but business travellers too, enhances the hotel’s prestige and helps put Chiang Mai firmly on the map.” Towering over the city’s famous Night Bazaar and the Ping River, this 260-key hotel is arguably the freshest addition to the Chiang Mai skyline in years. Its jewel in the crown is the rooftop bar Mai The Sky Bar – the highest in the city – sitting majestically on the 22nd floor, and with a glass bridge commanding 360-degree views as far as the eye can see. Facilities at the resort include Meliá’s signature YHI Spa, a fully equipped fitness centre, swimming pool, ballroom, a kids’ club, and three restaurants with a dedicated focus on Mediterranean and Lanna (Northern Thai) cuisines. Owned by Thailand’s leading integrated lifestyle real estate group Asset World Corporation (AWC) and launched by Spanish hotel group Meliá Hotels International (MHI), Meliá Chiang Mai is the first five-star hotel to debut in Chiang Mai since the onset of the global pandemic. Meliá Chiang Mai brought home two coveted accolades in July 2023 when it won “Best Hotel Lobby Interior-Thailand” and “Best Hotel Spa Interior-Thailand” at the prestigious Asia Pacific Property Awards 2023. The hotel was also recognised recently by Australian travel magazine Holidays With Kids, when it was named No 10 in the Thailand’s Best Family Resorts category for 2023. To contact Meliá Chiang Mai or to make a booking, email reservation.chiangmai@melia.com, call +66 52 090 699 or visit https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/thailand/chiang-mai/melia-chiang-mai/index.htm

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Meliá Chiang Mai brought home two coveted accolades last week when it won “Best Hotel Lobby Interior – Thailand” and “Best Hotel Spa Interior – Thailand” at the prestigious Asia Pacific Property Awards 2023. Hosted annually by the International Property Awards, and judged by a panel of more than 100 industry experts, Meliá Chiang Mai, which celebrated its grand opening just 16 months ago, scooped two of the leading interior design prizes in the Asia-Pacific region. “We are honoured to receive such international recognition,” said Meliá Chiang Mai General Manager Mr Marc Selinger. “So much of the credit goes to our interior designers, PIA Interior, who have masterfully contributed to what is truly a landmark hotel here in the heart of Chiang Mai.” Lead designer on the project, Mr. Songsak Rungkiattiwong of PIA Interior, said he and his team are “incredibly proud” to have won the awards. “We embarked on a mission to rejuvenate one of Chiang Mai‘s most iconic hotels, previously known as Pornping Tower Hotel, which has stood the test of time for nearly 50 years,” he said. “The hotel’s rich history inspired us to infuse the refurbishment process with an element of fun. My vision was to breathe new life into the space. “In the Lobby, our welcoming space draws inspiration from various sources. The symbol of fortune takes centre stage, incorporating elements from the spiritual journey of Wat Umong. Additionally, we have incorporated the charm of tung, a symbol of good fortune, and the lanterns of the Yi Peng light festival. These elements come together to create an immersive experience that sets the tone for the guests’ journey of discovery in Chiang Mai.” The lobby’s aesthetic centrepiece is undoubtedly the tung sai moo to which Mr Songsak referred, an objet d’art which sits in the centre of the foyer. Its shape will be familiar with many visitors who have experienced the wet and wonderful Songkran festival in Chiang Mai, at which colourful tung flags are on display at almost every Buddhist temple. In this instance, the tung is encased in a solid silver chat, the symbolic umbrella that sits atop temples throughout Thailand, offering protection. Above the tung art piece is a ceiling designed with celestial silk Chinese lanterns, or kom, often identified with the Loy Kratong festival. Meanwhile, the walls surrounding the spacious interior of the lobby are lined with teakwood panels, all engraved with the geometric patterns woven by the region’s hill-tribe peoples. Leading downstairs from the lobby lies the YHI Spa and its seven treatment rooms. With a cool ambience suggestive of an underwater theme, the mazey corridors of the spa pay homage to another Chiang Mai landmark, the ancient Wat Umong or Tunnel Temple, with its arched low doorways seeming to burrow deeper into a blissful netherworld of Thai massage and aromatherapy treatments. “For the Spa, the inspiration struck me during an evening walk at Tha Phae Gate [in Chiang Mai], where I witnessed the captivating contrast between the deep twilight sky and the brick walls of the city gate,” Mr Songsak recalled. “Drawing from this experience, the spa’s layout was intentionally designed to evoke a sense of peace and tranquillity.” Towering over the city’s famous Night Bazaar and the Ping River, this 260-key hotel is arguably the freshest addition to the Chiang Mai skyline in years. Its jewel in the crown is the rooftop bar Mai The Sky Bar – the highest in the city – sitting majestically on the 22nd floor, and with a glass bridge commanding 360-degree views as far as the eye can see. Facilities at the resort include Meliá’s signature YHI Spa, a fully equipped fitness centre, swimming pool, ballroom, a kids’ club, and three restaurants with a dedicated focus on Mediterranean and Lanna (Northern Thai) cuisines. Owned by Thailand’s leading integrated lifestyle real estate group Asset World Corporation (AWC) and launched by Spanish hotel group Meliá Hotels International (MHI), Meliá Chiang Mai is the first five-star hotel to debut in Chiang Mai since the onset of the global pandemic. The group has recently developed luxury properties in several key destinations in Thailand, beginning with the launch of Meliá Koh Samui in January 2020, and closely followed by the opening of Meliá Phuket Mai Khao on the Andaman coast. PIA Interior is also working on the latest Meliá hotel in the country, the 33-storey INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit, which is due to celebrate its grand opening in the Thai capital next month. Meliá Chiang Mai also won an award this month presented by Australian travel magazine Holidays With Kids, in which it was named No 10 in the Thailand’s Best Family Resorts category for 2023. To contact Meliá Chiang Mai or to make a booking, email reservation.chiangmai@melia.com, call +66 52 090 699 or visit https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/thailand/chiang-mai/melia-chiang-mai/index.htm

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Meliá Chiang Mai has clinched a coveted spot in the prestigious ‘Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2023’. Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia, Hong Kong & Macau this week named the hotel, which opened in April last year, with some of Chiang Mai’s most spectacular views and its highest rooftop bar, among the winners of Thailand’s ‘Upcountry Hotels’. Readers of the publication voted the hotel in the ninth spot in Thailand’s Top Ten Upcountry Hotels. Meliá Chiang Mai’s general manager Marc Selinger said he and his team were thrilled that “our remarkable hotel had been recognized by readers of Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia, Hong Kong & Macau so soon after its 2022 debut”. According to Burda Luxury, the publisher of Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia, Hong Kong & Macau, the inaugural Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2023 “shed light on and applaud the places and people that make Asia so outstanding in hospitality” and recognize and bring people together “who are truly making a difference in their fields and sharing best-in-class recommendations for our community of readers”. Towering over Chiang Mai’s Ping River and Night Bazaar, Meliá Chiang Mai’s design pays tribute to Chiang Mai’s charming history and culture with a contemporary flair. The hotel’s dining landscape, that celebrates Mediterranean and Lanna (Northern Thai) cuisine, features restaurants Mai Restaurant & Bar and Laan Na Kitchen, bars Mai The Sky Bar and Tien Pool Bar, and lounges Ruen Kaew and The Level Lounge; the latter a 21st-floor executive lounge with panoramic views of the city. Meliá Chiang Mai’s jewel in the crown is the 360-degree rooftop bar Mai The Sky Bar – the highest in the city – on the 22nd floor. Mai The Sky Bar offers spectacular views of the River Ping to the city’s east and famed Doi Suthep Temple on the mountaintop to the west. To contact Meliá Chiang Mai or to make a booking, email reservation.chiangmai@melia.com, call +66 52 090 699 or visit https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/thailand/chiang-mai/melia-chiang-mai/index.htm

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  Meliá Chiang Maiaims to reconnect families with its “Family is Everything” holiday, combining a stay in its Family Room with fun at its innovative kids and teens club offering the likes of Thai boxing and umbrella painting, anew kids’ pool, sightseeing and more. “Family is Everything” is on offer at the hotel’s double 54sqm Family Room with city views, a sofa bed, separate sitting area, ensuite bathroom, flat-screen TV with Chromecast, puzzles and board games, children’s tent, toysand more. The urban hotel’s kids and teens club Kidsdom offers a program packed with activities such as Thai boxing, umbrella painting, plaster model painting, arts and craft with recycled materials and origami. Kidsdom comprises numerous sections including a ‘gaming zone’ offering Chess, Monopoly, Uno, Jenga, Tic-tac-toe, table fo l otball, and other games, and a ‘teen club zone’ featuring a drawing board, water colours, colouring pencils and crayons, and painted plaster dolls. In addition to a ‘mini club’ replete with Lego, rocking horses, indoor sliders, a ball house and wooden block puzzles, Kidsdom is also home to a library zone, TV zone and nap studio. Adjacent to its large outdoor swimming pool on the second floor, the hotel has opened a shallow pool area for kids. The watery playground is home to two water slides, a rain curtain, water fountains and a giant tipping bucket. Situated in the heart of Chiang Mai city in Thailand’s mountainous north, Meliá Chiang Mai makes for an ideal base to explore Chiang Mai’s broad spectrum of tourist attractions, markets, and Buddhist temples. The hotel offers compelling excursions to attractions ranging from famed temples such as Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep and Wat Umong, to the Chiang Mai Night Safari and novel “Elephant PooPoo Paper Park” that involves an “interpretive walking tour” through lush gardens and eight different pavilions to demonstrate the sustainable practice of making tree-free paper products from elephant poop fibers, from poo collection to rinsing and final product assembly. During the self-guided tour, families are encouraged to pull up a stool, roll up their sleeves and join the park’s artisans and guides to participate in handcrafting the paper used for cards, paper pads, journals and more. “Inspired by the simple yet significant need to escape the stress of daily life and unplug from our mobile phones, ‘Family is Everything’ instead channels our energy into what’s truly important, as family really is everything,” Meliá Chiang Mai’s general manager Marc Selinger said. “There is so much for the young and the young at heart to see and do here in Chiang Mai and strengthen family b onds all the while.” Drawing on Meliá’s Spanish origins and celebrating Spain’s famed gastronomy, Meliá Chiang Mai’s dining landscape includes restaurants Mai Restaurant and Bar and Laan Na Kitchen, bars Mai The Sky Bar and Tien Pool Bar, and Ruen Kaew Lounge. Freshly made classic churros served with warm dipping sauce are a favourite with the youngsters. The hotel’s YHI Spa offers treatments for women, me n and children. For children aged six to 12 years, a 45-minute or 60-minute “Kids Therapy” aims to prevent hyperactivity by starting with stretching and animal yoga poses before a gentle massage with HARNN coconut oils to stop skin irritation. To contact Meliá Chiang Mai or to make a booking, email reservation.chiangmai@melia.com, call +66 52 090 699 or visit https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/thailand/chiang-mai/melia-chiang-mai/index.htm Family Forever is priced at the rate of a Family Room, with complimentary access to Kidsdom and the kids swimming pool. The Family Room starts from TBH 5759 net (USD 166.50) for two adults and two children aged under 12 years. Excursions, dining experiences and spa treatments incur additional charges.

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Meliá Chiang Mai is turning one this April, offering a variety of exciting new experiences to mark the milestone including a purple-themed afternoon tea, roast dinner buffet and spa journey dedicated to coconuts. The first five-star hotel to open in Chiang Mai since the onset of the global pandemic, Meliá Chiang Mai debuted on 10 April last year, signalling a huge vote of confidence at the time in the future of the mountain city’s tourism landscape. A new afternoon tea for two available daily from 2pm – 5pm at Ruen Kaew Lounge will make a splash with purple from 1 April until 30 June 2023. Crispy butterfly pea flowers with purple hummus, lavender mousse with mirror glaze and purple potato mont blanc are among the visually compelling savoury and sweet treats served with a selection of teas or freshly brewed coffee as part of “Summer Purple Afternoon Tea”. Replete with slow-roasted beef tenderloin, whole roast chicken, and braised lamb shanks, Laan Na Kitchen will host the “Friday Roast Dinner Buffet” on 28 April, 26 May, and 30 June 2023 from 6pm – 9.30pm. Anchored by roast carvery stations, the buffet also includes a live pasta station and chemical-free side dishes featuring fresh organic produce from local farmers. During the second quarter of 2023, 21st floor Mai Restaurant & Bar will serve a four-course ‘360° Cuisine’ Thai set menu daily from 6pm – 10pm with new dishes crafted by a thoughtful cooking process that involves sourcing organic produce from the hotel’s nearby farm and using every part of each ingredient possible before food waste is returned to the farm as fertilizer. New dishes include Makreau thed consommé comprising farm-grown tomato with pearl summer squash, Hung Ley curry style pulled pork lasagna with pomelo peeled coconut cream sauce, and a warm, overripe banana cake with mixed nuts butter scotch for dessert. From 1 – 10 April 2023, other promotions to mark the first anniversary include Laan Na Kitchen providing a 50% discount on its breakfast buffet from 6am – 10.30am for walk-in guests, making it THB 383 net per person (the normal price is THB 765 net per person), and a complimentary bottle of Spanish sparkling wine for 10 guests who celebrate a special occasion at one of the hotel’s banquet venues. To celebrate the hotel’s first anniversary, YHI Spa is offering a new package dedicated to coconuts designed to detoxify and rejuvenate the skin. ‘Coconut Pampering’ begins with a 60-minute coconut body polish to exfoliate dead skin cells and soften the skin, followed by a 60-minute aromatherapy massage with virgin coconut oil to prevent dry skin and protect it against aging. A warm cup of YHI’s coconut charcoal tea rounds out the treatment. The 120-minute Coconut Pampering package is THB 2,950 net per person and available daily at YHI Spa from 10am to 10pm from 1 April – 30 June 2023. YHI Spa will also discount its 60-minute aromatherapy massage from THB 1,766 net to THB 1,366 net per person from 1 – 30 April 2023. For more information and reservation, please contact Meliá Chiang Mai on+66 52 090 699 or email reservation.chiangmai@melia.com– Prices are inclusive of 10% service charge and 7% government tax.

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