Palette Luxe Elephant Camp Maerim

This is a nice place in the countryside. It is in a beautiful and peaceful part of Chiang Mai. I probably got the best sleep here than anywhere else in Thailand so far! The pictures do match the property, but there is not a restaurant there yet. However, breakfast is covered. We stayed nine days and had a different dish for breakfast almost every day. Chen, who is the main staff member, does a WONDERFUL job maintaining the property. He went out of his way to make sure we were more than comfortable, so if you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to ask him! He is very thoughtful and will definitely make your stay an enjoyable one! The pool was lovely. A bit chilly at times but still refreshing. I loved sitting outside and watching the butterflies. 😊 Also, please go into the little town there! The locals are so welcoming and kind, and the food at the two restaurants we went to was so good! Try the BBQ from the lady grilling on the side of the road. If you're looking for more of a traditional restaurant, check out the place at 3009 Saluang (well within walking distance). Everything we ate there was delicious and the view at sunset was lovely. Having said all that, the main issue is how far away from downtown Chiang Mai it is, and it was really only an issue because we didn't realize how far it is. If you don't have your own transportation (like we didn't), it can be a bit challenging. Bolt and Grab don't accurately reflect how much it will cost to get a cab to take you there from downtown Chiang Mai, so in reality, expect to pay 1,000 Baht one way, give or take. It does make sense, though, because it's about an hour away. However, the property does have a reliable taxi guy who will take you around, including to/from downtown Chiang Mai (for a little cheaper into downtown than Grab/Bolt); just give the property a heads up that you'll need transport. I recommend using him. If you have an international driver's license, I do believe they have a scooter you can rent just to get around the local area. We just walked. Overall, we still very much enjoyed our stay. It was nice to get away from.the city for awhile and it got us to step out of our comfort zone a little, which was nice. Especially if you have your own transport and are looking for a little peace and quiet, I'd recommend it 😊

The current version of this hotel is different than the photos and Google reviews- no restaurant on site and a very limited breakfast option (ham sandwich only- no fruit, eggs, etc). We drove 15 minutes to a great local market for our meals, but this was unexpected. The place felt a bit overpriced given the lack of amenities. The rooms were clean, and the pool was great. All in a peaceful rural setting. One other thing to note, the 2 bedroom villa is actually just 2 separate hotel rooms with a shared front porch. (No adjoining/internal doors.)