The Empress Premier Chiang Mai — a 5-Star Hotel with Big Rooms in Chang Khlan That's Still Affordable

Let's start with the big picture · The Empress Premier Chiang Mai is a 5-star city hotel that opened in 2019 under The Empress group, which has run hotels in Chiang Mai for decades · The Premier is the newer building, separate from the original The Empress Hotel that many people know by name. This matters because when you search booking sites, two names often come up and cause confusion — if you want the new building, the bigger rooms, and the refurbished pool, you need to pick the one with the word Premier at the end · The hotel has 138 rooms and suites, and the main selling point reviews consistently mention is rooms that are larger than average at a price that's still reasonable for five-star standards, which keeps it on the comparison list for people who want comfort without paying luxury-resort prices.

So who is this hotel right for · From real reviews across several platforms, the people who come away happiest are families traveling in larger groups who need plenty of room space, couples who want five stars without blowing the budget, and shopping-minded travelers who want to walk to the Night Bazaar · Rooms starting at 40 square meters mean an extra bed or a child sharing the room still won't feel cramped · The people who might not love it are design-focused travelers looking for a chic boutique hotel that photographs well from every angle, because the decor here leans classic business-hotel rather than sharply modern — and anyone set on basing themselves around Nimman or in the Old City might feel this location is a bit far from where they actually want to spend their time.

On location and getting around · The hotel sits on Soi Charoenprathet 12 in the Chang Khlan area · It's about 1.5 kilometers from the Night Bazaar, an easy 10–15 minute walk, or a few minutes by songthaew (red truck) or Grab · Anusarn Market is even closer, under a ten-minute walk, while Wat Chai Mongkhon and Mae Kha Canal are also nearby · One thing to understand is that the soi the hotel is on is fairly quiet, which is a plus for rest, but it also means that if you want to head out at night you may need to call a ride · It's about 6–7 kilometers from Chiang Mai Airport (CNX), roughly a 15-minute drive — close enough to swing by the hotel before or after a flight · The Old City and Tha Phae Gate are about a 10-minute drive, and Nimman is around 15–20 minutes, so it's not far but not walkable either · One more note for people who don't drive themselves · The Chang Khlan area makes it easy to find a red truck or Grab all day, and a ride into the Old City or Nimman is only a few tens of baht, so the hotel not sitting right in the middle of the tourist zone isn't a big problem for most people · The upside is that the quiet soi means you come back to a restful night, with no noise from bars or late-night music like at some hotels that sit right on the walking street · If your plan is daytime trips out to temples, the mountains, or cafes and then strolling the markets at night, this location works out just fine.

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Now to the star of the show here — the rooms and the decor · The standard Premier Room and Premier Deluxe start at around 40 square meters, clearly larger than the entry-level rooms at many five-star hotels in Chiang Mai · The rooms have a sofa, a work desk, a coffee table, and many have a bathtub separate from the shower; plenty of reviews praise the abundant space — easy to spread out your luggage, room for the kids to run around · Step up to an Executive Suite and you get around 80 square meters, while the Royal Premier Suite is as big as around 130 square meters, suited to large families or anyone who wants a separate living room · A common observation in reviews is that some of the decor and furniture looks classic, leaning older than the year it actually opened — some even say it gives off an older-era hotel feel — so if you're expecting a modern minimalist room you may need to adjust your expectations, though on cleanliness and size most people pass it easily · Something else worth knowing is that the difference between the Premier Room and the Premier Deluxe isn't really about room size, since both are around 40 square meters, but the Deluxe usually gets a higher floor, a better view, and slightly more complete in-room amenities; the price gap is only a few hundred baht, so it's worth it for anyone who wants a room that feels newer and brighter · The rooms have a small fridge, a coffee/tea maker, a safe, a flat-screen TV, and bathrooms that in many rooms separate the wet and dry zones · What reviews especially like is the comfortable bed and clean linens, a basic that some hotels at this price still don't get as right.

On amenities, the pool, and the spa · The outdoor pool is a saltwater system, long enough to actually swim laps — many reviews estimate it at around 25–30 meters, with sun loungers and umbrellas around it, and the atmosphere is fairly quiet since it's not packed with guests all the time · There's a sauna and steam room to use in the spa zone, and massage and treatment services can be booked in-house, so you don't have to go far · The fitness center has all the basics for cardio and weights · What sets this five-star apart from similarly priced hotels is the Executive Lounge for suite-level rooms or packages that include access, with drinks and evening snacks · That said, some reviews mention encountering periods when the lounge was closed, so if you're booking specifically for the lounge perk, check with the hotel clearly before you travel · The pool has one more detail worth mentioning — it's big enough that kids can play and adults can swim laps in turns without crowding each other, unlike the tiny pools at many city hotels where all you can really do is stand in the water · The saltwater is also gentler on skin and eyes than the old chlorine systems, which families with young kids especially appreciate · There's a decent amount of seating and photo spots around the pool, which helps make up for the dated design inside the rooms.

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Food and bar · The main restaurant is La Brasserie, which serves the breakfast buffet, and there's a lobby bar for evening drinks · Honestly, breakfast is where reviews split most clearly into two camps · The happy side says it's complete by hotel standards, with eggs cooked to order and a rotation of hot dishes · But plenty of other voices say the selection is fairly limited and there isn't much Thai or Asian food on offer; some call it plain and edible but not exciting · The upside is that the hotel sits in an area where it's easy to walk out for a meal, with roadside spots around Chang Khlan and food in Anusarn Market, so if breakfast doesn't appeal there's a way out within easy reach · For lunch and dinner, the Chang Khlan area is one of Chiang Mai's good food zones, with everything from famous khao soi shops and Northern Thai restaurants to street food in Anusarn that stays open late · And for anyone who wants to relax in the hotel, the lobby bar is a quiet corner to sip a drink after a market walk — no need to dress up to go in.

On service · This is the side that gets consistent praise and helps pull the overall score up · A lot of reviews mention friendly, helpful staff who communicate well in English, and many name specific staff members who looked after them especially well · There are small touches guests appreciate, like a welcome gift and snacks in the room, the kind of detail that makes you feel cared for · What to watch out for from reviews is getting the room set up to match the booking — some guests mention booking a king bed but getting twins, or expecting certain perks and not getting them as promised · The safe move is to confirm room details and the perks included in your package with the hotel in advance, and keep your booking confirmation handy.

Real reviews, both praise and criticism · On the praise side, the gist is big and clean rooms, a good pool, lovely service, and good value — these are the phrases that show up most often, and many say they got genuine five stars on a budget cheaper than the riverside competition · On the critical side, three main issues come up repeatedly: one is decor and atmosphere that look older than the building's age, with some feeling the hallways or lobby give off an older-era vibe; two is breakfast, with limited and not very varied options; and three is building systems — loud air-conditioning, inconsistent shower water temperature, and noise carrying from the room next door or from activities nearby at certain times · Weighing it all up, the overall picture is still positive — a score of 9.0 from 321 reviews on Trip.com reflects that most people are happy, but it's not a flawless hotel.

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Comparing price and value · The Empress Premier's biggest strength is the room-space-to-price equation · In Chiang Mai, if you want a five-star room of 40 square meters or more with a pool and fitness center, many riverside hotels start at around eight thousand to the low teens of thousands of baht a night · But here the starting price in normal periods runs about ฿2,400–฿3,500 for a standard room, moving up to ฿5,000–฿8,000 for the larger suites, depending on the season and package · During the year-end-to-early-year high season the price climbs, but it still counts as good value when you factor in room size · What you trade for it is dated design and an ordinary breakfast — and if those two things aren't your main priorities, the value here is hard to match within the same area.

Things to know before booking · One, check the name carefully to make sure it's The Empress Premier, not the original The Empress Hotel, because they're different buildings with different room standards · Two, if you're booking for the Executive Lounge perk, confirm with the hotel that the lounge is open during your stay and that your booked room actually has access · Three, if you're sensitive to noise, ask for a high floor and avoid rooms next to the road or common areas · Four, check carefully whether your package includes breakfast, since some rates don't — and if you're not attached to the hotel breakfast, picking a rate without it and eating out may be better value · Five, during festivals like Loy Krathong / Yi Peng and New Year, rooms fill fast and prices spike, so book ahead and lock in free cancellation early.

In summary · The Empress Premier Chiang Mai is a value-focused five-star hotel that stands out for big rooms, a good pool, and lovely service, in a location within walking distance of the Night Bazaar · It's not a hotel for people chasing chic design or a lavish breakfast, and it's not the best location if you want to base yourself in Nimman or the Old City · But if your priority is genuinely spacious rooms, cleanliness, a pool you can actually swim in, and a price that keeps the budget in check at the five-star level — this place does it well for families and value-minded travelers, just as a lot of reviews consistently confirm.