Best Areas and Vegan Hotels in Chiang Mai

Of all the posts on my blog, some of the most visited are those about vegan stays around the world, from vegan friendly ryokans in Japan’s Hakone and Kinosaki, to hotels that’ll feed you a vegan breakfast in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Now, we’re talking about vegan hotels in Chiang Mai.

Clearly, I’m not alone in wondering “where can I stay, and actually eat good food?”

For my other posts, I’ve spent weeks reaching out to hotels, asking about their vegan options, specifying that fish and chicken are not plants, and putting together the best lists I can find, of places I’d actually book myself.

Chiang Mai, however, is a whole different ballgame. When it comes to vegan hotels in Chiang Mai, the list gets so much easier. Here, it’s less “sad banana at the breakfast buffet” and more “how much can I reasonably fit on my plate”. The city is well known for great vegan food, even within Thailand, and to my great delight, there are multiple genuinely vegan hotels in Chiang Mai.

Vegetarian and Vegan Hotels in Chiang Mai

Away Chiang Mai

• Best for: A peaceful, boutique hotel stay with a strong vegan focus.
• Location: 5 minutes walk from the Old City walls.
• Vegan food: Fully vegan hotel. Breakfast, minibar, and onsite restaurants are all vegan.
• Price range: Upper mid-range.
• Standout: Swim up rooms and a resort style stay. You can read about mine here.

Check availability

Vegan Society Homestay

• Best for: A budget friendly, fully vegan stay in the heart of the Old City.
• Location: Old City, near Wat Phra Singh
• Vegan food: 100% vegan restaurant downstairs, and guests get a discount. This was actually one of my favourite vegan meals in Chiang Mai – get the khao soi.
• Price: Budget.
  Getting around: Excellent for exploring the Old City on foot.
• Standout: A truly excellent vegan restaurant onsite, with a guest discount.

Check availability

Best Area in Chiang Mai for Vegan Travellers

If you’re travelling with a mixed group of vegans and non-vegans, or simply don’t want to stay in one of the vegan hotels, then Chiang Mai’s Old City is the best area to base yourself in. You can stay somewhere that suits the whole group, then walk out and find a vegan meal when you need one.

The Old City is compact and easily walkable, so you’re not committing yourself to a taxi every time you want to go grab a bite to eat. When I’m in a group situation myself, I always bookmark a few vegan restaurants around the city, and make note of those closest to my hotel. To get you started, these are my favourite vegan finds in Chiang Mai.

The Old City is also where you’ll find two of the genuinely vegan stays on this list, Green Tiger House and Vegan Society Homestay. But you don’t need to stay at a vegan property to make the most of the area, and you’ll never be far from a good meal.

What to Look for When Booking a Vegan Friendly Hotel

Whether I’m booking a vegan stay for myself, or researching for a post on this site, I always come back to a few core criteria:

• If the hotel is not fully vegan/vegetarian, what do the reviews say about breakfast?
• If I contact the hotel to ask, and they tell me the options are fruit and toast, am I okay with that?
• How close are the nearest vegan restaurants?
• Is there a fridge/kettle if you need something in the room? This is particularly useful in non-vegan friendly places, and I’ve often brought Huel with me as an “emergency meal”.
• Is there a local takeout service like Grab or Uber Eats if I need to order something in?