THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL, DHARA DHEVI (map?)
51/4 Chiang Mai – San Kamphaeng Rd | 053-888-888 | www.mandarinoriental.com / chiangmai | THB 10, 899+++
In contrast to the intimate Four Dhara Dhevi is built on a scale of magic and ambition that brings to mind a theme park. Were it so, it would be the most luxurious, eyeball-boggling theme park on the planet.
Taking a nod from The Four Seasons, The Mandarin Oriental took the concept of a working rice farm one step further and made the entire resort resemble a massive, self-sufficient and fully-functioning Thai village – only far more stately and tidy. There are daily Buddhist rituals, a “handicraft village” where guests can learn to make their own traditional Thai products, a vegetable field where produce is grown for use in the kitchens of their several stellar restaurants (two of which are reviewed in our restaurant section), and a dizzying variety of timeless, authentic architecture. It’s the best of many worlds, really – residents enjoy the extreme luxury of the colonial suites, free standing villas or opulent residences, but also have the opportunity to learn how to plant rice in the paddy fields, or just stroll around the ancient-looking, tree-lined lanes. What’s more, as the resort has grown since its inception from twenty acres to sixty acres, it practically could be considered its own district of Chiang Mai.
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