Leisure travelers can look forward to plenty of Spanish cuisine and the highest rooftop bar in town.

Billed as the first five-star hotel to debut in Chiang Mai since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Meliá Chiang Mai will be welcoming its first guests on April 10, just in time for Songkran. The high-rise property is the second opening from the Mallorca-based brand in Thailand in recent years, and follows the launch of the nautical-themed Meliá Koh Samui in January 2020.

The hotel’s 260 rooms and suites are housed in a 22-floor tower on Charoen Prathet Road, close to the bustling Night Bazaar. Guests at Meliá Chiang Mai can choose from nine categories of contemporary accommodations that range from 30 to 113 square meters in size. Located on the higher floors of the hotel, the 62-square-meter Level suites feature a round bathtub and sweeping views of Chiang Mai. Guests staying in the 38 rooms and six suites belonging to The Level categories will enjoy private check-in and checkout service at an executive lounge, where an upgraded breakfast is provided as well as complimentary all-day snacks, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails.

Meliá Chiang Mai’s biggest draw card is Mai The Sky Bar, a panoramic rooftop venue that comprises two separate bars connected by a glass bridge. Patrons can take in sunsets over the temple crowning Doi Suthep mountain and views across the Ping River in the east. Fans of Iberian cooking have much to look forward to at the hotel, as Meliá’s Spanish origins are reflected in the culinary offerings on-site. Seating up to 38 diners, the 21st-floor Mai Restaurant and Bar specializes in contemporary Lanna-style dishes with Mediterranean influences. Signature dishes here include baked salmon trout fillet with nam prik oung pimentos, and pappardelle with yellow curry chicken and homemade pickled cabbage. In a marketplace-inspired setting on the ground floor, all-day dining venue Laan Na Kitchen serves up authentic Spanish cuisine ranging from salmorejo, a cold bread-and-tomato based soup hailing from Córdoba, to the Valencian seafood noodle dish fideuá de mariscos.

Similarly, those at Mai The Sky Bar can pair their craft cocktails with tapas and pinchos. More Spanish-inspired snacks await at the open-air Tien Pool Bar on the second floor, whose menu features the classic Sevillian bocadillo serranito sandwich with a hearty filling of fried pork tenderloin, serrano ham, slices of tomato, and fried green peppers. Next to Laan Na Kitchen, Ruen Kaew Lounge promises a wellness-inspired afternoon tea set and healthy bites in line with the My Balance by Meliá program. Much of the fruit, vegetables, and herbs used in the restaurants and bars are sourced from the hotel’s own organic farm in the nearby countryside.

Recreational facilities elsewhere on the property range from an outdoor pool and a kids’ and teens’ club to a gym stocked with fitness equipment from Johnson’s latest Matrix line. Meanwhile, YHI Spa will feature seven treatment rooms designed in an underwater theme, a traditional Thai herbal sauna, and a pedicure salon. Organic, all-natural products from Thai wellness brand Harnn are used in the hotel’s variety of facials and body treatments.

Available for booking through April, and valid for stays until October 31, Meliá Chiang Mai’s opening special offers rates starting from THB 2,499 (US$76) per night for an entry-level Meliá room with breakfast. The deal also includes a 20 percent discount on food and beverage and spa treatments; guests bedding down two nights or more will receive a complimentary round-trip airport transfer, along with a welcome cocktail and one tapas plate per stay. Bookings of four nights or more also come with a guaranteed upgrade to the next room category.

melia.com