Sleeping in a diplomatic mission in Chiang Mai

26 Aug 2014  2040 | World Travel News

CHIANG MAI - History, culture, luxury. Formerly the Chedi Hotel, the Anantara Chiang Mai Spa & Resort is one of the top boutique luxury hotels in the old Lanna capital. But more than many other boutique properties in Chiang Mai, the Anantara carries a colourful history. From the exterior, the hotel offers to visitors its minimalist design. Its long blind façade covered by wooden lamela gives a distinctive oriental character. The designer is a Korean and his architectural approach reflects deeply spaces and aesthetics in Northeast Asia. But once within the hotel compound, the main highlight of the property is a charming colonial mansion with its walls of dark teak supported by white arcades built in classical style, providing a nostalgic atmosphere. The hotel is located along the tranquil Ping River, which goes through Chiang Mai on its Eastern side.

The elegant structure used to be the British consulate in Chiang Mai. The Consulate in Chiang Mai was established in 1884, ten years after the Bowry treaty, which –among others- opened free trade between Britain and Siam, including the regulation of teak trade and fixing justice for British citizens living in Siam.

The consulate house was built in 1915 along the River Ping. The house was built as a standard tropical colonial building for the Foreign Office. It housed not only the residence of the Consul but also a court, offices, servant quarters and even a stable for the four elephants that were on the payroll of King George V. The consulate remained open until it was sold in 1978 by the Government of Prime Minister James Callaghan to Chiang Mai Bulakhun family.

The building stood empty for a couple of years before being later renovated into a luxury hotel integrating the old consulate structure into a string of modern design buildings created by a Korean architect. Operated first by the Chedi Hotel, it became the Anantara Chiang Mai with 84 rooms and suite, a restaurant, bars as well as a spa and health centre.

It is only at the end of 2013 that Thailand based Minor Hotel Group (MHG), which invests, owns and operates hotels, took over the Chedi property and rebrand it into the Anantara Chiang Mai Resort & Spa. Careful renovations have since been carried as the hotel remains in pristine conditions due to its classical contemporary style.

The Consulate building has been turned into the “Restaurant”, which offers both a colonial-style bar and an elegant restaurant offering dishes from Southeast Asia, India and European classics. For romantic couples, the Restaurant with its view over the Ping River while part of the area can be privatised and arranged with flowers, candles and even the possibility –after dinner- to let North style lampions to fly out of the hotel...

sourced:traveldailynews.asia

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