Maladee Rendezvous Hotel – Chiang Mai

Maladee Rendezvous Hotel – Chiang Mai

Words: Monica Tindall
Photos: Han Sen Hau

Chiang Mai is blessed with a variety of accommodations for all preferences and budgets, and the recently opened Maladee Rendezvous Hotel offers a new addition to the collection. It boasts the feel of a luxury boutique hotel with a contemporary makeover while honouring the rich heritage of the area.

Nods to the owners’ stationery supply business are found throughout the hotel. Antique typewriters, abacus, fountains pens, wax seals, staplers and various other memorabilia bound to rekindle memories are displayed throughout. A paper crane installation softens a stairwell, and depictions of the old store are framed on the walls. It’s done tastefully, recognising the past while keeping the style of the present.

Maladee Rendezvous Hotel Location

On a charming old street shaded by giant tropical trees, Maladee Rendezvous Hotel is across from the river and within walking distance to the Old Town. Restaurants, boutiques, salons, massage parlours and temples are scattered along the street. The vibrant life of the city is easily accessed, while the slight separation affords the property quiet and tranquillity. The airport is less than a 30-minute drive away, even in traffic.

Rooms & Suites

Formerly a family residence and stationery warehouse, the property has been converted into a stylish, beautifully outfitted luxury hotel. From standard rooms to suites essentially offering dual living spaces, all are thoughtful in curation and a pleasure to stay in.

We’re in a suite that is both stylish and exceptionally well thought out in design. The bedroom can be privatised from the living room by large sliding doors. An extra bed can be made from the lounge, which also has its own bathroom inclusive of toilet, shower and washbasin. This is wonderfully convenient for colleagues or friends travelling together, or even couples with different sleeping schedules.

The bedroom opens to a balcony overlooking the pool. It also comprises a walk-in wardrobe and bathroom with double basins, a separate toilet, a shower and an attractive round bathtub reminiscent of a Japanese onsen, only ceramic.

Wonderfully scented bath products are in refillable pumps, and the robes and slippers are fantastic – soft, comfortable and stylish. I’m not a shopper, but the thought did cross my mind to buy a robe to take home. The beds are heavenly, being just the right mix of soft and supportive, and blackout curtains encourage sleep long into the day if you so choose.

Han Sen and I are excited about the minibar. Refreshments are complimentary (beer, soy milk, soft drink, milk), but it’s the coffee that most entices. Rooms are supplied with a jar of whole roasted beans and all the tools necessary to make your own drip coffee, from a hand grinder to a specialty kettle and drip paper.

Beyond the standard features of a luxury property, attention to even the smallest of details is evident. Alongside the usual postcard and hotel-embossed stationery, Maladee Rendezvous Hotel includes an old-school stamp and ink set. Menus are creatively displayed on QR-code-printed paper lanterns, and guests are supplied with maps highlighting must-sees with directions in Thai that can be given to taxi drivers to get you back to the hotel.

Lounge

Suites come with lounge benefits, which are especially convenient if you arrive prior to check-in or depart after check-out. It’s rare for the hotel to grant a late check-out so the lounge is equipped with showers, light refreshments and snacks. We freshen up before departure and nibble on some fruit, a few sticks of satay with a luscious peanut sauce. We also have fun making our own herbal tea mixes with the dried fruit, herbs and leaves provided. I think my mix of chamomile, ginger and roselle is a winner.

Food & Beverage

Rosemary Café & Bistro

Rosemary Café and Bistro is the hotel’s all-day-dining restaurant. Walled with glass, it expands to pleasant views of manicured gardens and the pool. In fine weather, outdoor tables are popular seating. The menu is a mix of approachable Thai delights, some western recipes and a decent selection of Chinese dishes. Additionally, they serve a daily afternoon tea and run regular specials such as their Thai set meal for two. Read more about the menus here.

Many room rates at Maladee Rendezvous Hotel include breakfast at Rosemary Café and Bistro. It runs on a smart system that allows diners to be immediately satisfied, order as much as they want, but also indulge in high-quality dishes directly from the kitchen. There’s a small buffet of salad, fruit, cheese, bread and cereal in one corner and a list of Western and Asian favourites that are ordered ala carte. Portions are purposely small, avoiding waste and also allowing guests to try several items in one sitting.

I’m excited for the Avocado Smash on wholegrain bread with crushed avo, a poached egg, cherry tomatoes, seeds and salad, as well as Mango Sticky Rice! I can’t seem to get enough. Han Sen takes our server Jeff’s recommendation for the Pad Thai and is not disappointed (evidenced by repeat orders). The second morning, the Hint of Maladee, a poached egg on toast topped with crab meat and red curry, and Thai Breeze, yoghurt with mango, honey and seeds takes my fancy. The yoghurt is too sweet for me, which Han Sen finds hilarious, considering I had no problem polishing off mango sticky rice the previous day. On day two, Han Sen gives the Egg Noodle Soup with Pork Balls and Sunny-side-up Eggs two thumbs up. 

Furthermore, and possibly the thing we appreciate most about breakfast at Maladee Rendezvous Hotel, is the barista-crafted drinks from the double-boiler espresso machine on artisanal Chiang Mai beans. Too often, fancy hotels scrimp on what I consider the most important component of my morning (coffee), with those one-push-of-a-button machines. But that’s not the case here at Maladee: every cup here is handcrafted with care.

Tiger Bar

Besides the café and bistro, Maladee Rendezvous Hotel is also home to a bar. Set against the pool backdrop, Tiger Bar, inspired by the Thai saying “The Running Tiger,” boasts a menu of artisan beverages. From traditional local refreshments to custom cocktails, this retro-style bar is tops for unwinding by the outdoor pool and jacuzzi. 

Guests who book directly through Maladee Rendezvous Hotel’s website are welcomed with two cocktails. They can choose from a page of classics or a page of craft creations (THB 300). Mana and Chom Orn come highly recommended. The former has a base of Thai spirit, homemade clove syrup, and lime juice and is topped up with soda and served on a wooden board with a bowl of pickled snacks. The latter is just as its Thai name suggests: pink! Featuring a gin base with rose syrup, lychee liqueur, honey and lime juice, it’s topped with frothy egg white, dotted with bitters and has a striking line of crushed rose petals down its side.

On top of the printed menu, the bartenders create weekly specials. Bartenders Gor and Chom shake up some gin and tequila recipes for us. Tom Yum Tequila looks dangerous presented with lime leaf, red chilli lemongrass and a menacing-looking deep-orange powdered rim. The mix of Tequila, Tabasco, chilli powder and salt is not for the faint-hearted.

The Rose Gin Smash, on the other hand, is also highly photogenic but a mouthful of sweetness. Gin, apple juice, rose syrup and lime juice come in a gorgeous bowl glass accented by floating rose petals and a garnish of star anise and a cinnamon stick. Cocktails at Tiger Bar are ideal for holidaymakers who love to take photos and those who enjoy a sweet tipple poolside.

Facilities

Besides the handsome pool plenty long enough to do laps, there’s also a shaded jacuzzi and rows of sunchairs protected by umbrellas. A small gym is stocked with three cardio machines, mats and some light weights (1-10kg).

Service

We can’t leave without mention of the incredible service. The team at Maladee Rendezvous Hotel literally run to meet our needs. Help with transport, opening doors, storing luggage, bringing leftovers to the room, explaining menu items, recommendations for hair salons, tourist maps, calling businesses and explaining ahead in Thai what we’re after – there seems no limit to their grace, kindness and helpfulness. 

Reasons to visit Maladee Rendezvous Hotel, Chiang Mai: brand new boutique hotel honouring the past while providing quality furnishings and facilities firmly planted in the present; quiet location but with quick access to the river, Old Town and sights; best hotel coffee in Thailand we’ve come across; exceptional service; wonderfully comfortable beds; suites that come with club lounge extras; did I mention the coffee?

Maladee Rendezvous Hotel
150/1 Charoen Prathet Road, Chang Klan Sub-District
Muang District, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
+66 53 270 081
maladeehotel.com

Find more recommendations for luxury travel in Thailand here and stay up-to-date with our latest gourmet travel finds here and here.