For my fifth day in the Test and Go system, I booked Akyra Manor hotel located on Nimmanhemin street soi nine. I live in Chiang Mai, so this whole story of suddenly moving from my house to a hotel on day five of my return, and being locked up again until the answer to the PCR test comes, is somewhat absurd.
But that was the rule until the first of March. Now it has changed in the new Test and Go / Thai Pass, so you “only” need to isolate the day of arrival for PCR. On day five, you must do your ATK test. Implementation of this system will begin on March 7.
Akyra Manor matches the trendy atmosphere of Nimmanhemin
Anyway, I had initially chosen a very cheap hotel, but communication with that hotel broke down, and I have always been curious about Akyra Manor. It matches with the other modernist, stylish hotels in the always equally trendy streets of Nimmanhemin. I have previously stayed at U-hotel and Kantary hotel. Here, boutique precedes tradition, but at the same time, there are elements of Lanna – tradition integrated for those who look closely.
And there is great food..
Akyra Manor has a happy and service-oriented team. The hotel has one of Chiang Mai’s best Italian restaurants, Italics, that makes incredible, thin and crunchy pizzas.
Try their Six Cheese pizza or Carbonara pizza; they also offer an exciting fusion between Northern Thai food and Italian.
It does not get any worse that outside the hotel is one of my new favourite restaurants, Chai n Thai @ Nimman.
It is something as unusual as a restaurant specialising in South Indian cuisine. We were there with the family when they opened a few months ago, the cuisine was solid and exciting and yes there were lots of coconut in the food.
Not to forget, soi nine offers several trendy cafés and also Craft Beer bars.
Waiting for the result of the PCR
Now I was stuck in the hotel room for about eight hours. Lanna hospital was somewhat slow in its handling.
Luckily, the bed was a pure pleasure, with soft, inviting duvets sheets. Air conditioning was just perfect, calm and quiet. I ordered a Carbonara from the room service from Italics restaurant and enjoyed an excellent Doi Tung coffee in the room.
My goal was to get out to get the sunset from the eighth floor by the pool. At six o’clock in the evening, some young Western couples were already sitting by the pool, so I hurried up and I ordered a suitable cocktail for the occasion; One night in Chiang Mai, of course. Ingredients? Rum, amaretto, Frangelico liqueur, honey and fresh pineapple!
The pool closed at seven, and now, instead, a hearty meal was waiting at Italics with the family. We ordered calamari, Ceasar salad, two different pizzas, fried ravioli and gnocchi. I washed it down with some excellent Italian Sangiovese wine.
The breakfast was also up to standard. You could choose several options from the a la carte menu, and in addition, there was a smaller buffet for it. Of course, you got roasted coffee as well. I ordered two cafe lattes, beetroot yoghurt and egg benedict.
This hotel suits young couples better than families
Akyra Manor is, in my opinion, a suitable hotel for those who like the modern. The pool is not that big, it is a fish tank-style pool adapted for cool Instagram updates. But the bar serves excellent cocktails. It may not be so much a family hotel. But the hotel’s location is superb for exploring Chiang Mai’s own mini-New York, Nimmanhemin. And as a romantic hotel for couples, it works perfectly.
It may not be relevant to stay at Akyra Manor for me as I live in Chiang Mai. But I will for sure be back to Italics and the Rise rooftop bar.
