Nimmanhaemin, or just Nimman is one of the most popular areas to stay in Chiang Mai beside the old town, the night bazaar, and the riverside area. This is the modern part of the city, packed with trendy cafes/restaurants, contemporary malls, boutique shops, and upscale bars.
Nimman is a popular area for expats, long-term travelers, and digital nomads. In this article, I will help you to find some of the best places to stay in Nimman, including the best areas and hotels. I’ll also explain the pros and cons of staying in this area.
I’ve traveled around Thailand extensively and Chiang Mai is one of my favorite destinations in the country. I’ve also stayed in several areas in Chiang Mai including Nimman, so I hope to give you some helpful advice based on my personal experience.
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Where is Nimmanhaemin?
Nimman is the small area that is centered around the 1.3km long Nimmanhaemin. The road stretches from Highway 1004 (Huay Kaew Road) to Suthep Road.
Nimman is located north west of Chiang Mai Old Town, around 1.5km away. Nimman is close to popular points of interest like Chiang Mai University, Doi Suthep, and Chiang Mai Zoo.
Within Nimman, you can find two major shopping malls (MAYA and One Nimman), trendy boutique shops, cafes, bars, and restaurants serving both local and international dishes.
Why Should You Stay in Nimmanhaemin?
Nimman is a good area to stay in Chiang Mai, especially for young travelers and digital nomads. It’s also a great location for returning visitors, as well as first-timers who are already staying in the Old Town and want to extend their stay in Nimman to experience both the modern and historic sides of the city.
This is because it has a modern atmosphere, close proximity to the major attractions like the old town, and easy access to a wide range of restaurants, bars, and shops.
1. Modern, trendy atmosphere
Nimman is one of the hippest neighbourhoods in Chiang Mai. It has lots of stylish cafés, boutique shops, art galleries and lifestyle‑driven spots. If you like wandering through creative spots, grabbing great coffee, seeing a modern side of a Thai city, Nimman is the place to go.
2. Convenient location, close to everything
Nimmanhaemin has a pretty central location, close to the famous old town and the Doi Suthep area. This allows you to visit the cultural attractions in the historic city and get into nature at Doi Suthep easily within a short Grab taxi/ bike ride.
Nimman is just 10-15 minutes drive from the Old City, 10 minutes ride to the head trail to Wat Pha Lat for hiking, and 15 minutes taxi ride from Chiang Mai International Airport.
3. Good range of amenities and Western comforts
Nimman has a wide range of tourist amenities like restaurants, bars, shops, fast food chains, and co-working spaces. It is a relatively small area, so you can easily walk or take a short Grab taxi ride to these places from your accommodations.
The area has big modern shopping malls like MAYA Lifestyle Shopping Center & One Nimman that offers everything including clothes, accessories, electronics, and even a food court.
As a popular area for expats, Nimman also has many restaurants serving a wide variety of both Thai and international cuisines. You can find Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Vegetarian… restaurants. There are also many convenient fast food chains like MC Donald, Pizza Hut, and KFC.
Nimman has a very good cafe scene with beautifully decorated cafes and delicious coffee. If you’re a fan of coffee, you must check out this neighborhood.
The Downside of staying Nimmanhaemin
Besides the good side, Nimman has some downsides, such as traffic congestion, lack of historical atmosphere, and high living costs.
1. Lack of historical attractions
As the modern part of Chiang Mai, Nimman doesn’t have as much historical atmosphere and traditional charm as in the old town. However, you can travel for 10-15 minutes to get to the old town to explore the ancient temples and ruins.
2. Busy traffic
The traffic on Nimman Road and the surrounding areas is often congested. I experienced sitting twice stuck in the car when traveling from Nimman to Chiang Mai to Bus Terminal 3, and from Wat Doi Suthep back to Chiang Mai old City passing the Nimman area.
I almost missed the bus from bus terminal 3 to Pai because of the traffic. So if you are staying in Nimman, you should make extra time to travel to places such as Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 2 & 3, Train Station, and Airport. This makes sure you get to your buses, trains, and flights on time.
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- Chiang Mai Old Town or Nimman?
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Best Areas to Stay in Nimmanhaemin
Nimman is a relatively small area, centering around the 1.3 km long Nimmanhaemin. The central area of Nimman is the lower-numbered section of the street from Nimman Soi 1 (near One Nimman) to Nimman Soi 17.
This area is packed with malls, boutique shops, co-working spaces, cafes, restaurants, bars, fast food chains, on the main road and on the side streets. Most hotels, hostels, condos, are located on the lower part of Nimman.
The upper-numbered area of Nimman Road from Princess Mothers Health Garden to Suthep Road is less crowded. This area is home to a big park, several facilities of Chiang Mai University like Convention Center, Art Center, and Lanna Traditional House Museum.
If you want to be in the middle of the action, I recommend booking your hotels somewhere between Nimman Soi 1 and Soi 17. You can also stay nearby in the area in Santitham.
Santitham is an up-and-coming neighborhood of Chiang Mai located close to Nimman, offering more local atmosphere and cheaper accommodations. It is also a popular spot for long term travelers and digital nomads.
My top hotel picks in Nimmanhaemin:
- Luxury: U Nimman Chiang Mai
- Mid-range: Eastin Tan Hotel Chiang Mai
- Budget: The Craft Nimman
10 Best Places to stay in Nimmanhaemin
1. U Nimman Chiang Mai
This 5-star luxury hotel is located in prime location of Nimmanhaemin Road, right at number 1. You can easily walk to Maya Mall, One Nimman, and The White Market, as well as all the best restaurants, cafes, and shops in the area.
The hotel offers spacious and comfortable rooms, and good breakfast with varieties of food. Other facilities include onsite spa, fitness center, rooftop pool. It has rooms for solo couples, and families with kids.
2. Hotel Sensai Nimman Chiang Mai – Adults Only
If you want a quiet atmosphere for couples, you can check out the beautiful 5-star hotel Sensai Nimman. It is set in a good location near Nimman Soi 17, close to all tourist amenities.
The hotel has good hospitality with lovely welcome drinks at arrival. It has a heated pool, comfortable rooms, and plenty of choices for breakfast.
3. AMANOR Hotel Chiang Mai
This 5-star hotel is a hidden gem in Chiang Mai. It is located on Nimman Soi 9, which is one of the popular areas of Nimman. You can easily walk to all malls, shops, cafes, and restaurants.
You can choose to stay in the rooms on the higher floor for stunning views of the city and Wat Doi Suthep. The hotel has an onsite Italian restaurant, rooftop pool and bar, and good selection of food for breakfast.
4. Art Mai Gallery Nimman Hotel Chiang Mai
This is a good hotel in a range of 4-5 star hotels, set in the central area of Nimman, on Nimman Soi 3. It is close to everything, lots of shops, cafes, bars, restaurants are located within walking distance from the hotel. You can easily book a short Grab taxi ride to get to the old city of Chiang Mai.
The hotel has an onsite roof top bar, restaurant, and pool on the 8th floor. You can enjoy the cool arty atmosphere all around the hotel. The rooms are good size and nicely decorated.
5. Kantary Hills Hotel, Chiang Mai
This is a popular 4-star hotel located on the Nimman Soi 12 of Chiang Mai. It is within easy walking distance to many boutiques and restaurants.
The hotel offers apartment style rooms with beds, kitchenette, good aircon, sofa and table. Like many other hotels in Chiang Mai, Kantary Hills has a pool, fitness center, and onsite restaurant.
6. Eastin Tan Hotel Chiang Mai
This 4-star mid-range hotel is located on Huay Kaew Road, which is very close to the Maya Mall and Nimman area. The hotel has a fitness center, onsite bar, and pool.
It has spacious and clean rooms with good mountain views. There are options for one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom, so you can choose one that fits your preferences. The rooms often come with bathtubs.
7. Moose Hotel Nimman
Moose is a good mid-range 4-star hotel located on Nimman Soi 2, which is a central location of Nimman. You will be within walking distance from everything, including two big shopping malls, and many boutiques and restaurants.
This hotel has good amenities with spacious rooms. The beds can be a bit hard for some but like many hotels in Thailand and Southeast Asia, local people prefer hard beds. You can enjoy stunning views on the roof of the hotel.
8. Hotel MAYU Chiang Mai
This is a great 3-star budget friendly hotel near Nimman. It is close to Maya Shopping Mall and within a short distance from the central area of Nimman Road.
The hotel offers a simple room but is clean and comfortable. They also have a pool and a gym, which are bonuses for those who are active. If you want a good room with standard amenities, this place is a good choice.
9. The Craft Nimman
This is a 3-star budget boutique hotel in the central area of Nimman on Soi 9. It is close to everything, so you can easily walk to good shops, cafes, 7/11, and restaurants.
The hotel is simple but stylish and beautifully decorated. It offers quality breakfast, spacious rooms, and a quiet location.
10. ALEXA Hostel
I stayed at this hostel for a couple of nights. It is located in a prime location of Nimman, within an easy walking distance to some famous cafes, restaurants, as well as the White Market and One Nimman. It was very convenient for me to explore the most popular places of Nimman on foot from this hotel.
I was a solo traveler on a budget, so I chose female-only dorm rooms. It was comfortable and clean. They also have options for private rooms for those have little more budget.
See more:
- 23 Things to Do in Chiang Mai
- My 4-5 Days In Chiang Mai Itinerary
- Best Places to Stay in Old City Chiang Mai
- Best Places to Stay in Night Bazaar Chiang Mai
- Best Places to stay in Riverside Chiang Mai
Nimman is overall a good area to stay in Nimman, especially for long-term travelers and digital nomad. The area also has hundreds of hotels, apartments, and hostels for all budgets. If you already have experience staying in the old town, you can consider staying in this area for the change of scenery.