Chiang Mai Update

A few posters have mentioned there hasn't been an update on CM lately and since I'm been here a few weeks now I thought I'd pass on some info.

First off, if you've never been to CM don't come here thinking it's got the boys, bars and massage that you'll find in Bkk or Pattaya. If it's sex you're after this wouldn't be high on the list. Why come here then? Well, the city for one is quite nice, incredibly easy to navigate around and while my experience in Thailand is limited it has a nice mix of being a bit more "authentic" Thai with a good dose of the amenities a tourist would want. Great choice of restaurants, tours, sights, sounds and did I mention the great Thai food? That and it wasn't til I got here that I actually saw why Thailand is referred to as LoS. The people are gracious, helpful, friendly and incredibly accommodating. Another plus is outside of the Thapae Gate area the city isn't overrun with farang, I live just north of the old wall and in my area I think I'm the local white guy.

So what are the bars, go go clubs and massage like? Well, everything is incredibly spread out and whatever place you're going to is pretty much the place you'll be. There is limited options for going from one go go to another short of taking a tuk tuk or baht bus. I was at Adam's Apple opening night, nice club, quite small, cute boys, not a bad show and has the requisite annoying mamasan. This one is (and I'm not sure if this term is used still) but he's quite the muscle Mary. 5 ft and a few inches and built like the proverbial brick shithouse. Also will tell you "boy do everything, boy do everything" which the one I brought home, didn't so have your list of questions ready for the boy and pray he answers and least 1/2 of them honestly. Another downside is the music is the same style and almost the same volume you'd hear at DJ Station.

The open bars near the climbing wall are a write off, there are 3 left I believe and the area is just a disaster. It's slated for redevelopment and it can't happen soon enough.

Lastly, massage I've had 4 so far. First off River House has the nicest facilities and the manager with the biggest attitude. My Thai friend said ever since she got her hair extensions she's been thinking she's all that. I won't go back, she obviously doesn't care about customer service and neither the massage or after massage sex was anything I couldn't have done myself by rolling around on some marbles I threw on the floor and then jerking off to porn.

Marn Mai Chaai Khaa the facilities were, uhm, well, just don't. Massage was poor but luckily the boy was cute and I've had worse sex. Finally Classic House. I would recommend this one highly. I've been twice, the manager knows how to treat his customers. Spends time chatting, has a good selection of boys and on my second visit remembered my name, the last boy I had, why I was in CM etc etc etc. The first time the boy gave a great massage but not so great sex, the second time two thumbs up for both.

Remember that they are charging in most cases almost the same prices you pay in Bkk and I'm basing my expectations going in on this.

So that's it for CM, I'll be hitting a few more places over the next few weeks and if anything of note happens, I'll keep you posted.

[Beachlover]

Thanks Liam... interesting report.

Hahaha, "but luckily the boy was cute".... this often solves a lot of problems.

Hope someone gets a chance to check out some of the gay discos I've heard about... Mandalay and such.

Tried CM once - never again.

More action in a geriatric nursing home.

:hello1:

Thanks Liam... interesting report.

Hahaha, "but luckily the boy was cute".... this often solves a lot of problems.

Hope someone gets a chance to check out some of the gay discos I've heard about... Mandalay and such.

Huh, Mandalay can be fun, but you have to pay 300 bht as a farang to enter. Go there only with friends to share your whiskey :hello1:

[Brad the Impala]

Some further Chiang Mai Updates are at Gay Tintong.

Adams Apple (http://www.gaytingtong.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5607)

Power Boys (http://www.gaytingtong.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5618)

There does seem to be something in the water in Chiang Mai that makes posters from there "sensitive", Liam is a welcome exception.

The gushing I'm hearing about AA and Power smells like something an owner would say.....or patrons who don't get out that much. I'll be hitting Power Boys hopefully this week, I was planning on tonight but had a late night last night. Wound up at the bars near the Night Bazaar, I really wouldn't recommend them unless you're in the market for underage ruffians from Burma and the Hill tribes. I don't know if there was a broken bottle being brandished about at one point but there was a big kerfluffle going on just before we left. I was there with a Thai friend and he basically said he'd prefer I didn't go there on my own.

The few bars left over near the old climbing wall have picked up, we wound up spending a few hours there. The owner of Friendship is a class act, remembering my name, what I drank and really makes the effort to chat with his customers. We also were over at MTVee and as it was the owner's birthday there was the usual raucous Thai birthday party in full swing. There weren't many freelancers around but the ones that were there were damn cute and were much more upscale than what you'd find down the road, plus they look legal and have also had some contact with a bar of soap. Just a word of advice, the bathrooms are not being maintained at all and rank among the most vile I ever set foot in. Who knows how long that area will be around but when it's busy it's fun and it might wind up being my preference for spending my baht and having a chat with a cute guy.

The Power Boys website has been updated to include pics of the facility:

http://www.powerboyscm.com

The massage website has been updated to include pics of the staff:

http://www.lavendersalonandmassage.com

Both of these venues have had a good first week, and we are thankful for the support.

[Beachlover]

Thanks Liam... interesting report.

Hahaha, "but luckily the boy was cute".... this often solves a lot of problems.

Hope someone gets a chance to check out some of the gay discos I've heard about... Mandalay and such.

Huh, Mandalay can be fun, but you have to pay 300 bht as a farang to enter. Go there only with friends to share your whiskey :hello1:

Cool... can you tell us more about Mandalay?... When is it busy? What's the atmosphere like? Who goes there?

Is it reasonably friendly? Is it easy to meet someone there? I go to bars/clubs alone often when traveling and usually have no problems meeting someone but some places are "friendlier" and more open than others, obviously.

Don't mind the entry fee... you pay almost as much (AUD$10) for a beer in Sydney.

Power Boys.....the update. Well, I have to say that was the weirdest experience I've ever had at a Thai go go bar. No 300bht cover charge, it was free to get in. I was escorted to a seat by one of the ladyboy performers who sat at chatted with me and not once asked to be bought a drink. I went to the washroom, wasn't pounced on and massaged by the attendant, just handed a towel, received a smile and was told to have a nice evening. I had a boy sitting with me chatting and a staff member came over to chat and see how my evening was. After she left I asked the boy who that was and he said "that mamasan." Again, wasn't hit up for a drink or the usual sales pitch how the boy was "good boy he do everything".

As far as the club itself, I doubt you'd find a nicer more comfortable place, the sofas are comfortable, they all have good views of the stage and the show itself has professional dancers. The ladyboys could even properly lip sync their songs and there wasn't an ugly one in the bunch.

The gogo boys themselves? Not really to my taste except for the one I offed, most were way to scrawny for me, but they have a fairly large number and it just wasn't the right night for me, I'll be checking back in again. Oh, and the boys are actually expected to dance. No standing there, cellphone tucked into their asscrack, scratching their balls sticking an inhaler up their nose every couple of minutes. Mind you the dancing ranged from good to downright hysterically funny because a few of them had no rhythm and zero sex appeal but at least those ones get an "A" for effort.

It's a very clean, sanitized version of what we usually get in a gogo bar, which has it's good points and bad points. I will confess I occasionally like things a bit sleazier and some nights fighting off the mamasans is a sport unto itself. On the plus side it feels more like a gentleman's club where you get treated well, little or no sales pressure and you can go with a few friends have a drink, watch a show, relax and not feel pressured to off a boy as soon as possible so he can get back to get onstage and get as many customers in as possible.

Off fee 300bht, boys drink was either 150 or 175

Mandalay and Circle Pub this weekend.....

[sjaak327]

How's bubbles these days (porn ping Disco) ? Used to be fun with plenty of gay boys. Not that I ever went with one though :)

Lavender Lanna Hotel: The Powerboys Bar. Like everything in Chiang Mai, it is more polite, laid back, less in-your-face than BKK and venues to the south. None of the thin, femme, questionable-age type boys that Sunee specializes in, but there were several rather attractive straight twinks.

The Hotel is another matter. OPEN TOO SOON. Might be OK in three months time, but at the moment everything is still too new for comfort. I was there 16-19 Oct. First, was given one of the yet-to-be-renovated rooms on the 10th floor. Worth about 200 B per night instead of the 1,000 they were charging. Original 1975 furniture and fittings. Disaster.

I asked for a "nice" room and was shown to the "renovated" Room 806. Still had old furniture, still in need of some touch up painting. Bathroom had new tiles on walls, but the sink, toilet and tub were from 1975. Dimly lit, almost dark in the shower, exhaust fan ancient and noisy. Kleenex box stocked with table napkins instead of facial tissues.

No coffee/tea maker, no electronic safe, no place to use or plug in your laptop. There were 2 computers on the 3rd floor landing, internet at no charge, but both machines covered with dust and only one plugged in, because there were no available electrical outlets for the second machine.

There were 2 small elevators to service the 10 floors, but only one was working. Breakfast was for the enjoyment of the Asian guests тАУ rice, noodles, rice soup, stir-fried vegetables. For westerners, only toast, jam, coffee and cold fried eggs.

From the advertisements, I had expected Lavender Lanna to be an exclusively gay/lesbian establishment. Instead, I observed only a few gay farang. The majority of the guests were straight Thais, single, or families with children, happy to take advantage of the 450 Baht per night promotion price for locals, and able to stay next door to their relatives hospitalized at Chiang Mai Ram, or able to walk a very short distance to the Central shopping mall at Kad Suan Kaew.

I asked for a ride to the airport when I checked out. They brought my bag outside to the hotelтАЩs lavender colored tuk-tuk. Did I want to arrive at the airport sweaty and choking from car exhaust fumes? No thanks. For the same 100 Baht tuk-tuk fare, I was shown to one of their free lance taxis.

But, if youтАЩre not as fussy as I am (and I would not want to be staying at a place where all 100 rooms were occupied by guests like me), then it really is very convenient to be able to go downstairs and find go-go boys and massage boys in-house. And, yes, the staff at Powerboys and throughout the hotel is very pleasant. They just need a few more months to put the guest rooms in good shape and revise their pricing so that farangs are not paying double what Thais are charged.

[Beachlover]

Sounds like a bit of a disaster.

Sounds positively delightful.

[Smiles]

" ... Lavender Lanna Hotel: The Hotel is another matter. OPEN TOO SOON. Might be OK in three months time, but at the moment everything is still too new for comfort. ... "
That's what was being said 3 months ago, then 3 months before that, and (just speculatin') would not be surprised about the 3 months before that.
Cold fried eggs are the norm in all hotel included breakfast buffets in Thailand. Some colder than others ... :blackeye:

[TrongpaiExpat]

Cold fried eggs are the norm in all hotel included breakfast buffets in Thailand. Some colder than others ... :blackeye:

Cold toast, cold bacon and even the coffee could be warmer. Even if they have an egg station set up, they don't quite get the concept. I was recently staying at a typical Thai resort in Kanchanaburi at the breakfast room one morning as about 8 employees all around the egg station were all involved in heavy chatting. A few dozen cold eggs in a pan and all the rest of the usual breakfast items in pans with all the burners off. Pre made cold toast sat in a big tray.

Then all of a sudden the group scattered like something bad was about to happen. Some high haired lady with a few other hi-so looking ladies took a seat by the river. Might have been the owner. The staff sprung into action and between repeated wais and lowered eyes, burners were lit, pans were greased and this group got warm food including just cooked fired eggs. All 8 employees served this group.

I approached the egg station with trepidation and asked if I could have one of those just cooked eggs? I did not get all the wais but got an warm egg that morning and a few scraps of warmed up bacon.

At PJ's in Chiang Mai breakfast is made to order and served hot.

Cold fried eggs are the norm in all hotel included breakfast buffets in Thailand.

All hotel included breakfust buffets in Thailand? If this is your experience, it is pretty easy to tell what grade of hotel you tend to stay in.

[thonglor55]

It sounds rivetting - no-one to gossip with, no-one to gossip about, nothing to do.

It sounds rivetting - no-one to gossip with, no-one to gossip about, nothing to do.

Rivetting?

You're losing it, dear. LOL.

[Beachlover]

Cold fried eggs are the norm in all hotel included breakfast buffets in Thailand.

All hotel included breakfust buffets in Thailand? If this is your experience, it is pretty easy to tell what grade of hotel you tend to stay in.

I think when you stay at a budget to mid-market place in Thailand you're better of eating a Thai breakfast - fried rice, noodles etc. - and avoiding whatever Western stuff they have laid out because it's usually crap, where as the Thai food is ok.

I think in most cases... the only places with a decent WESTERN breakfast are the high-end 4-5 star hotels.

" ... Lavender Lanna Hotel: The Hotel is another matter. OPEN TOO SOON. Might be OK in three months time, but at the moment everything is still too new for comfort. ... "
That's what was being said 3 months ago, then 3 months before that, and (just speculatin') would not be surprised about the 3 months before that.
Cold fried eggs are the norm in all hotel included breakfast buffets in Thailand. Some colder than others ... :blackeye:

Well it seems that in the last week things have changed from what others have posted about the hotel in my opinion. I have only stayed one night so far and for me the rooms and service has been very good. I will wait until my stay is over and then make a report. However, at first I was also put in a room on the 10th floor that was not refurbished. I simply went to reception and asked the manager Tommy about it. He was very apologetic, and said a mistake had been made. In less than 10 minutes the staff had moved my bags to a different room on the 7th floor which was very nice. I think the Lavender concept will be a winner.

But, if youтАЩre not as fussy as I am (and I would not want to be staying at a place where all 100 rooms were occupied by guests like me), then it really is very convenient to be able to go downstairs and find go-go boys and massage boys in-house. And, yes, the staff at Powerboys and throughout the hotel is very pleasant. They just need a few more months to put the guest rooms in good shape and revise their pricing so that farangs are not paying double what Thais are charged.

Thank you for the nice comments on our staff at Power Boys and the hotel. Also, we are sorry the poster stayed during our renovation period and did not have the experience he desired. We greatly appreciate his comments and welcome the opportunity to improve our services and amenities.

Our room renovations will be completed by November 1. Upgrades to our renovated rooms will include new queen beds and bedding, new sofas and chairs, all new branded materials (all those items with the hotel name and/or logo), in-room safes and hot pots in the Lavender Deluxe Plus and Lavender Deluxe rooms, new TVs including 32inch and 42 inch flat-screens, robes and slippers, upgraded toilet fixtures and toilet items, refurbished carpets, new air-cons and minibars fridges, an upgraded phone system, and more.

We hope our rooms will offer great value for the price paid (our highest-priced renovated room is 1850 and our lowest is 950), especially considering all of the amenties and facilities offered and the location. Our room amenities also include a value-priced minibar in each room, satellite TV with over 50 channels, 24-hour room service, free wi-fi, DVD rental and an extensive gay DVD library (Deluxe Plus rooms have DVD players), a free Thai/Continental breakfast buffet, and more. Also, there is never a joiners fee.

This weekend, we will finally open our pool bar, and on November 1, we will open our upscale rooftop restaurant named Lavender Sky. Also of interest per the review might be that our Internet kiosk has been moved from the first to the third floor next to our new fitness room and is now fully functional and that our elevator repairs and upgrades on the system are now complete. We also offer the guest a chance to upgrade the Thai and Continental breakfast buffet to a full American breakfast (the continental portion of the buffet includes fresh fruit, toast, eggs, and coffee). We also serve 24-hour breakfast and have a new espresso bar in our 24-hour lobby restaurant.

Also, all guests pay the same price for the rooms, no matter the nationality. Our 450 baht rooms are not listed on our website but are available to anyone; however, these few rooms are usually not preferred by Western guests as they are 3rd floor rooms with little upgrades in some time. We hope to convert our third floor rooms into long-stay apartments at the end of this high season. We do not nor will we ever offer double pricing.

We will have all new photos of our rooms and facilities on our website around Nov 1. Thanks again for the feedback as we work to upgrade our hotel and to improve our new business.

Lavender Lanna Hotel Team

[krobbie]

We hope our rooms will offer great value for the price paid (our highest-priced renovated room is 1850 and our lowest is 950), especially considering all of the amenties and facilities offered and the location. Our room amenities also include a value-priced minibar in each room, satellite TV with over 50 channels, 24-hour room service, free wi-fi, DVD rental and an extensive gay DVD library (Deluxe Plus rooms have DVD players), a free Thai/Continental breakfast buffet, and more. Also, there is never a joiners fee.

Lavender Lanna Hotel Team

Dear LL Team,
Please explain that if you do not have a joiners fee what is the meaning of " Extra Person 200 baht per person" ? This is not a dig, I am just curious.

krobbie

Khun Krobbie,

Rooms prices are based on double occupancy. If you want to check into one room with more than two people then the price is 200 baht for each additional person in one room. If you want an extra bed in the room, it also cost more.

There is no joiner's fee regardless of how many guests you may want to entertain in your room after you check into the hotel.

We hope this explanation helps.

Lavender Lanna Hotel

LL will indeed be worth another try if it lives up to the planned refinements outlined above. A few more suggestions: 2 bathrobes per room instead of just one. More than 3 clothes hangers per room (I asked for more but none were available). Printed information to advise guests what is available, eg., who knew that a full American breakfast could be ordered instead of the dreadful buffet? How to contact Reception by phone from the room? I tried dialling both 0 and 9 but got no answer. Tell Reception staff to provide guests with a copy of the hotel bill.

Just as well that I didn't stay in one of those 450 Baht third floor rooms. Vibrations from Powerboys' sound syustem, almost palpable on the 8th floor, would certainly have been annoying.