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Region: Northern Thailand> Province: Chiang Mai> Location: Chiang Dao
Chiang Dao Nest
Simply outstanding
144/4 Moo 5 Ban Tham, Chiang Dao
Chiang Mai Province
Tel: (086) 017 1985, (053) 456 242
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Description
When we visited this outstanding mini-resort the English and Thai owners were on holiday in France, though it is difficult to imagine why you'd ever go one holiday from a place like this! Chiang Dao Nest has a bunch of immaculate wooden and rattan bungalows set in a lovely little garden area amongst a stand of huge trees a couple of kilometres past the entrance to Chiang Dao cave. The rooms are spotless with toasty bedding (that the Ratchamanka in Chiang Mai could certainly learn from), spotless warm water bathrooms and generously sized terraces. While the bungalows are excellent, the food here is extraordinary and wouldn't be out of place in a flash European restaurant in Bangkok. The menu prices may be a shock to a backpacker budget, but believe us, the dishes are worth every single satang. The owners also manage a comprehensive website on the area that is well worth checking out and offer a wide variety of trekking and other activities. They have a second resort, Chiang Dao Nest 2 that is closer to the cave and has a similar layout -- the restaurant there is Thai food -- guests are welcome to eat at either resort. In peak season, reservations are a good idea. Highly recommended.
Bungalow fan private b'room
495 THB (low season)
595 THB (high season)
Added to Travelfish on: 20th September, 2005
Last visited or updated on: 1st February, 2007
Guest feedback
Fabulous! - 
By planetclare ( total comments: 4 
) Stayed here 10/2007
This was, hands down, the best place we stayed during our two-week trip to Thailand. The scenery was gorgeous, the huts were clean and stylishly simple, the beds were super comfortable (Wicha mentioned that she'd special-ordered the mattresses, so I'd guess they're not the same ones someone complained about below), the food was divine, and Wicha and her staff were so friendly and welcoming. Yes, it's a little bit beyond the average backpacker budget (between the room, tours and meals, we managed to rack up a tab of over $100 US in less than 24 hours!), but it's well worth the splurge--especially considering that, back in the States, we would have easily spent that much on the kind of gourmet-style dinner we had. I would go back in a heartbeat!
Detailed Tour Review - 
By Milacku ( total comments: 2 ) Stayed here 6/2007
The family and I signed up for 3 days. The first was the Elephant ride and bamboo raft. Advice is to bring a long handled fly swatter for the elephants as there are tons of horse flies and the elephant will tahnk you. Plus it's fun whacking them.
The first night we stayed at the hut and be warned. It is a HUT! I bashed my head on the low ceiling of the eating area (drew lots of blood too) plus no mosi netting and we met the world's largest grasshopper (18 cm)( on the inside wall. Plus at dawn the roosters (5 of them) compete for 3 hours on who is loadest. Under the hut!
The nearby caves and waterfall are amazing and the walk to the high village is a serious walk 3 hours but what a view when you get there!
Do Check with Wicha what the food will be as they sent chicken (pre-cooked and marinaded) but we never saw it. The last day we gave the 12 km walk a miss and went back to CDN late morning glad we did.
Even considering the giant bug, bleeding head and rooster choir I'd do it again
Detailed Review June 2007 -
By Milacku ( total comments: 2 ) Stayed here 6/2007
My wife and two children just spent 1 week at the CDN. (Kids are pre-teens for what it's worth)
This is not a place for budget travellers but a great place to get away.
We had 2 cabins which were very clean and well kept. No A/C which honestly you don't need since it was quite cool with just the fan.
The food was top notch. Seriously. I am not a big fan of Thai cooking due to some herb they use but here each meal was great. (Try the Spagetti Bolagnese) Breakfast is 100 to 150 per and dinner 300 - 400 per but seriously worth it.
The first day we chilled on the comfy beds but the second day went on the nature trail and nearby monastery. Both nice and a good walk.
The next day we toured on motor bikes and went around the monutains which was wicked fun.
We did go on the local tours and I will write a separate review of them so you know what to expect. A last note for this post. It is 1.5 hours to the airport. Our plane was at 9, we left at 6:30 and just barely made it. So leave time
I don't get it... - 
By emjay ( total comments: 4 ) Stayed here 3/2007
We stayed 2 nights at Chiang Dao Nest 2 in early March. We seriously comtemplated leaving as soon as we arrived but it was late and we'd just payed $50US for the private van ride up (took the 40 Baht bus ride back to Chiang Mai and it was fine). Some of the problems we had with CDN2 were out of the owner's control - leaf/grass burning in the north resulted in such thick smoke you literally had no view, all the local dogs gathered each night to bark and howl, it was dry season and the ''gardens'' were dry and ugly. We also had many problems that the owners/management could control - the beds were the worst of our 1 month trip, there were critters (birds I hoped) living in the space between the thatch roof and the metal roof, and the hot shower didn't work. The most frustrating thing was the Thursday night BBQ - the kitchen at CDN2 is closed so you have to go to CDN1 for their BBQ dinner (which was very good)...the problem was getting back to CDN2, about 1km walk by ourselves in the complete dark with barking dogs and my active imagination. I thought they would have provided transporation as we had no choice but to go there for dinner. We stayed the 2nd night to try to do some hiking in the area - with their terrible map and unmarked paths and got lost without enough water. I think in rainy season, when it is green, and without the smoke, and with a softer bed and no animals living in the roof...this could have been a good experience. The Thai food at the CDN2 was excellent, but overpriced...not many choices once you get there.
Overpriced - 
By kittenpooh ( total comments: 2 ) Stayed here 2/2007
Perhaps they were just having an off day when we arrived, and we did only stay for one night so this is hardly the definitive review, but I have to say that I was less than impressed with the CDN. The accommodation was, I felt, rather overpriced at 700 baht for a twin fan room; simple and stylish decor, well maintained, immaculately clean, a lovely little room - indeed I cannot fault it but to say that it is rather pricey. Staff attitude was the most off-putting part of our admittedly brief stay at the Nest: the female owner was more than a little condescending when I told her we could only afford to stay for the one night! Catering for a predominantly wealthier type of traveller, I suspect our backpacks marked us out as poverty stricken ruffians (although we are most presentable and not at all destitute mud-encrusted hippy types) and we felt from the moment we arrived that they were keen for us to leave. Which we did, after eating a quite standard breakfast.
The Nest is definitely the place to stay if you have the money to do so (and you will need the money because, as a captive market, you have no alternative but to eat in their restaurant where dishes average at the 300 baht mark) and are interested in package tour style trips on elephant back to go and ''experience'' the hill tribes, and know that on your return you will find relative luxury, be able to drink your expensive G&Ts and kick back with the brat pack. The staff are not averse to giving their patrons the hard sell over their tours, pointing out to one group of americans that it was their ''duty'' as tourists to participate in such trips as it was providing local people with an income. Judging from the gleaming, brand new pick up parked on the drive, it's not the villagers who are benefiting necessarily...
Very Highly Recommended! -
By swenglishdan ( total comments: 1 ) Stayed here 12/2006
Without doubt, one of the best and most relaxing places I have EVER stayed. Accomodation was fantastic and the beds are worth the price itself. Food was glorious (If you do go and stay make sure you try the water buffulo!), and the hosts were very welcoming. Beautiful scenery and the ultimate place to go and relax. We stayed over christmas and they made it one too remember!! Highly recommended and will definatly be going back again, and again, and again! Thank you Stuart and Wicha and the rest of the staff at the NEST.
Nice - 
By riki_nt ( total comments: 9 ) Stayed here 10/2006
We found Chiang Dao Nest a nice and comfortable place to stay. The food, drink and massage is quite expensive though, although you can always go over to Nest 2 for some cheaper Thai food. Was a bit disappointed with Chiang Dao (the area) as a whole though. While it was lovely, it was actually much further from Chiang Mai than we had anticipated (at least 2 hours by bus plus taxi at both ends) and we regretted not going to Pai (which is 3 hours away) instead.
great place -
By lori48oak ( total comments: 1 ) Stayed here 1/2006
stunning area and the bungalows (at nest one, didn't see nest two, but told they are truly excellent too) are very nice--the food, though pricey by certain standards, is well worth it wichha is a excellent trained european cook (she is one of the proprieters) and uses great ingredients to their best , the staff are great and go to great lengths to make sure your stay is wonderful, Wicha's sister cooks excellent northern thai Cuisine at nest two--her take on morning glory is really nice...
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