IHG Hotels & Resorts will open the InterContinental Chiang Mai Mae Ping in Thailand next year. Located in the heart of Chiang Mai’s historic district, the property will effortlessly blend modernity and tradition across a design by PIA Interior Company. The main concept is inspired by “the hierarchy of Lanna architecture,” says PIA president Khun Rujiraporn Pia Wanglee. “The guests are meant to fill like they’ve stepped back in time to experience the rich cultural history of Chiang Mai while being in the lap of modern luxury that one would expect to find at an InterContinental Hotels & Resorts property.”
Surrounded by the setting’s majestic landscapes, the 240-room hotel will infuse a contemporary sensibility through Lanna-style décor that highlights traditional crafts from lacquering to metal beating. The Lanna Kingdom will be reinterpreted in three chapters of the narrative, beginning with areas of high density like the lobby and club lounge that embody the Lanna Government Quarters.
Among a lineup of chic amenities, an authentic Chinese restaurant—one of five onsite F&B options—will enliven the opulent lobby lounge alongside an all-day eatery and a sophisticated rooftop bar. Spaces such as the pre-function, ballroom, and meeting room will compose the Lanna Centre as well. A secluded central lawn will function as one of the property’s key event spaces, enclosing Wat Chang Kong, a 600-year-old stupa nestled into the shadow of a centuries-old tree. Finally, the Lanna Vernacular Residences will be reanimated in the second phase of the project, signifying the synergy of architecture and landscape design.
“The plan was to thoughtfully fold modern conveniences into the hotel’s historic bones and skillfully weave local narratives into modern aesthetics to bridge Chiang Mai’s precious heritage with the present and the future,” Wanglee adds. “The goal is to conserve and make new visual and spoken histories to create a fresh story and experiential journey for the guests that allows them to walk in the past and present time simultaneously.”
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