Chiang Mai is the former seat of the Lanna Kingdom, one of the first significant rulings in Thai History. Although a bustling city, the neighbourhood surrounding 137 Pillars House feels like a sleepy countryside town. Chiang Mai is enveloped by wild verdant countryside and ancient rainforests peppered with picturesque waterfalls and their refreshing pools.
Steeped in romance, luxury, glamour and history, the multi-award-winning 137 Pillars House has a vivid colonial past. The heart of the small boutique resort is the original colonial teak homestead ‘Baan 137 Sao’, which dates back to the late 1800s and its previous owners Louis Leonowens, son of Anna (of Anna and the King movie fame). The eclectic resort is the modern-day articulation of its history, heritage and culture.
Today’s Bangkokian owners have restored the romance of the wooden house, making it the ideal destination to celebrate wedlock and love. The house is quietly tucked away, a mere stone’s throw from the shores of the Ping River. Residents will enjoy chatty birds at dawn, the sweet fragrance of frangipani, monks chanting from the historical Wat Gate Temple, an eclectic art gallery, boutique shopping and divine coffee shops.
137 Pillars House is a fairy-tale wedding venue that embraces local Thai traditions that will create memories to last a lifetime. Choose to exchange your vows in a traditional Thai ceremony with local dancers, a water ritual, floral garlands and a moving monks blessing, or tie the knot the Western way and walk down the flower-strewn aisle and exchange rings under a beautiful canopy of fragrant flowers followed by a delightful wedding breakfast. A dedicated team is always on hand to assist you from initial enquiry to the day itself.
In the centre of the house’s immaculately manicured grounds stands a century-old sacred banyan tree, a clear emerald-green pool and a 15-metre vertical wall of green plants. 137 Pillars House is the aspirational destination wedding venue in Thailand. The 30 lavish suites are havens of tranquillity and include every imaginable convenience as well as privacy luxurious suite accommodation with romantic outdoor garden showers, privacy, delicious food offerings and personalised butler services throughout your stay. For those travelling with family and friends, taking over the entire resort for your exclusive use is also a wonderful option.
A must-dine-in venue is The Dining Room in the classic wooden house, with Loy Kratong-inspired turquoise ceiling lanterns, shaded with wooden shutters, and surrounded by an open-air veranda. A second restaurant, Palette seats up to 24-guests in the intimate private dining room; its walls are lined with local works of art. The chef picks organic veggies and herbs from the hotel’s farm and then uses them in the delicious western, Lanna or Thai cuisine. Budding gourmets can pick up hints, tips, and tricks in the 137 Pillars cooking classes.
The spacious suites feature a vintage-inspired outdoor veranda overlooking the tropical gardens with comfy, hand-crafted teak and rattan furniture, an oversized daybed and the signature 137 Pillars House rocking chair. Inside, the high ceilings provide a sense of cool with large four-poster beds with 400 thread count linens, walk-in wardrobes, separate indoor and garden showers and a decadent antique clawfoot Victorian bath. The colour palette is neutral to give a sense of calm.
Expect to be entirely pampered at 137 Pillars House. The jaw-dropping vertical plant wall towers over the narrow lap pool in one of the resort’s quietest corners. The gardens are dotted with lady palm, mimosa trees and relaxation salas with gossamer-fine silk curtains to afford you privacy. Butlers will serve up homemade refreshing sorbet, chilled mineral water and cold towels to keep you cool and hydrated throughout the day.
Relax in the Nitra Serenity Centre, practise calming yoga and poolside meditation as you prepare for your wedding day. Try their perfect pre-wedding warming Nitra Siam signature treatment with an aqua thermal warm water bolster, herbal hot compress application on your back, shoulders, neck, arms and legs, an aromatherapy full oil body massage and a luxuriously relaxing and detoxifying facial. In the spa, allow therapists to make your skin glow with various treatments that enhance your state of mind and wellbeing.
137 Pillars House, 2 Soi 1, Nawatgate Road, Tambon Watgate, Muang Chiang Mai 50000, Thailand, +66 (0)53 247 788, info@137pillarshouse.com, https://137pillarshotels.com/en/chiangmai.
