Quirky and Eclectic: Pingnakorn Huaykaew Hotel Chiangmai

I was on a fieldwork in Chiangmai, in Thailand’s upper north, and the organisation I was monitoring did all the hotel and restaurant arrangements. I probably will not book myself in this hotel for at least two reasons – the name is hard to pronounce, and I am not familiar of its location.

But I was too glad that I was led to this place. I just found it eclectic and quirky.

First, how the interior designers decided to dress up the place is very interesting that it puts you in the center of the love-it or hate-it scale. Some people may like it, others may find it distracting. I tip myself to the former in the continuum. Take the case of the entrance and the lobby:

The door reminds me of a Rajasthani palace, the elephant and bluish jar beside it are like Chiangmai and China combined. But as you enter the reception area, you are greeted by Victorian furniture, Turkish rags, and a Balinese inspired door that leads to the back office.

The dining area has pool at the centre, reminiscent of Roman baths, and a Roman statue at the edge of what seemed like a whirlpool. The highlight here is the open space fronting the pool with trees of various kinds obstructing your view of the concrete buildings across.

The bedroom does not disappoint. The bed is topped by a spread of muted coloured flowers. The sitting area has that velvet avocado chair over granite greywash tiles, and yes Turkish carpets. The bedroom tiles of aqua blue make prominent the gold-trimmed edges of the vanity mirror.

Finally, the hallways are like a gallery of various paintings – from peacocks (oil on canvas) to Chiangmai local life of long ago (watercolor on paper). These pieces made me skip the elevator every time, though I was staying at the 6th floor, because the art pieces are just amazing to watch!

The highlight of my stay was the farewell lunch on the last day of fieldwork. We were ushered into this long table of Victorian chairs and sculptures overlooking green trees. And to complete it with local flair, we enjoyed a meal of Chiang mai sausage and the world’s favorite noodle Khao Soi.