Siripanna Villa Resort and Spa, Chiang Mai, Thailand with kids

Chiang Mai is a beautiful city and wonderfully evocative to visit with kids. Packed full of history, animal experiences and flavoursome food it’s a lovely place to visit. We stayed here on our family holiday to Thailand and checked in to the Siripanna Villa Resort and Spa, Chiang Mai for a long weekend of fun. Set just outside of the old town it’s the perfect location to feel away from the busy centre but still be close enough to get into the main sights.

Chiang Mai, often referred to as the cultural capital of northern Thailand, offers a very different pace of life compared to Bangkok. Surrounded by mountains and dotted with over 300 temples, it is an ideal destination for families wanting to combine culture, relaxation and gentle adventure. A stay at Siripanna Villa Resort and Spa in Chiang Mai provides a calm and comfortable base for exploring the region with kids, or without.

👩‍💻 About the author – Nichola is a family travel expert and has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, Lonely Planet Magazine and Wanderlust, amongst many others. She’s spent over a decade travelling the world with her children, finding the best places for you to explore too.

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Siripanna Villa Resort and Spa, Chiang Mai: Location

Set just ten minutes drive from the great Night Market, this hotel is tranquil and beautiful. There are a few restaurants near the Siripanna but otherwise, this is a quiet location.

It’s really quick and easy to get in to the centre and all of the main sights though so it brings the best of both worlds.

The famous Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is one of the city’s most vibrant areas, filled with street food stalls, handicrafts and live music. Being just outside the old city walls means you can dip into the energy of Chiang Mai and then retreat back to the peaceful surroundings of the resort.

The hotel has a lovely, traditional Thai feel to it with plenty of plants and green foliage and lots of pools.

The architecture reflects the traditional Lanna style of northern Thailand, with teak wood features, intricate detailing and open-air spaces that allow the tropical greenery to become part of the design. It feels immersive and authentic.

Staying at the Siripanna Resort

Siripanna Villa Resort and Spa, Chiang Mai, Thailand

There are a whole range of different accommodation options at the Siripanna Resort. We stayed in two of their interconnecting deluxe Lanna plunge pool access rooms.

This was a great space for a family of five and we had so much room to spread out into.

Each room had a large bed and also a chaise lounge overlooking the garden and plunge pool. This space opened up onto the private pool area which was a great benefit.

There was a large bathroom with bath and separate shower. I love that they have non disposable products in the bathroom.

It was so nice to have the rooms interconnecting, it gave us great space.

For families travelling to Chiang Mai with kids, interconnecting rooms or direct pool access rooms can make a huge difference. The ability to step straight into the water during the heat of the day makes downtime much easier and more enjoyable.

The Facilities

Across the hotel grounds the wonderful outdoor pools are a calming and pleasant space to take a dip into to escape the heat. Don’t let the bright green waters deter you from jumping in, these are well looked after swimming spots where you can gently float and gaze up at the trees and greenery around you.

The colour of the water reflects the surrounding trees and planting, adding to the tropical feel rather than indicating anything unusual. In the heat of northern Thailand, the pools quickly become the centre of family life at the resort.

After taking a dip in the pools or the outdoor jacuzzis which back onto the rooms the grounds are well worth taking a stroll around, with traditional Thai buildings and well planted trees and lawns to enjoy.

The resort also has its own rice field where you can try your hand at planting rice and discover more about the process. Taking a step barefoot into the water filled muddy field is a sensation you won’t forget but this is a really fun family activity which we all enjoyed.

Rice farming is central to Thai culture and daily life, and giving children the opportunity to see and experience this process first-hand adds a fantastic element to your stay. It’s messy but very memorable.

There are other activities to take part in including making traditional crafts. It’s well worth talking to the hotel about the things you want to do at the start of your visit.

Workshops can include fruit carving, umbrella painting and other Lanna-inspired crafts, offering hands-on insight into local traditions.

Kids will love the table football. Don’t miss the crescent moon-shaped seat which lights up in the evening and is perfect for late-night selfies

Eating in at Siripanna Villa Resort and Spa, Chiang Mai

The resort caters for a truly global audience and is as popular with Thai guests as it is with visitors from around the globe. So meals have a good selection of Thai, Asian and western dishes.

Northern Thai cuisine is known for its distinctive flavours, including dishes such as khao soi, a rich coconut curry noodle soup. Trying local specialities alongside familiar western options makes dining easy for families with varied tastes.

Breakfast

At breakfast we loved the egg station which produced delicious omelettes. Along with bubbling Thai soups for something a little different.

Their continental-style breakfast complete with pastries, breads, exotic fruits and cereals is more than adequate.

Fresh tropical fruits such as dragon fruit, papaya and pineapple are a highlight and a refreshing way to start a warm day in Thailand. And set us all up for a day’s exploring around Chiang Mai.

How child friendly is Siripanna Villa Resort and Spa, Chiang Mai

The staff at the Siripanna Villa Resort were some of the friendliest we met on our trip with great advice. They were lots of help to make sure we got to see the best of the city, from temples to local attractions like the Chiang Mai night safari.

The hotel reception team were great in helping us arrange transfers to and from the airport. And sorting out taxis to take us on day trips and visiting the more remote temples.

All across Chiang Mai you will spot Songthaews, bright red pick up style taxis. The Songthaews work as both private hire taxis and public transport where you share the ride (a bit more like a regular bus service).

They are a great inexpensive and fun way to get around the sprawling city and escape the heat or the rains. The hotel can help you book a Songthaew for short or long excursions.

This was a great way for us to get out to the temples at Doi Suthep.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep sits high on a mountain overlooking Chiang Mai and is one of the most important temples in northern Thailand. The drive up is winding but manageable, and the views across the city are spectacular. Visiting early in the morning helps avoid both crowds and intense heat.