Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, Thailand

The 98 spacious pavilions, villas and residences are luxuriously appointed in a traditional Thai style. Garden Pavilions feature plenty of living space amongst the gardens, whilst the Lanna Pavilions offer views over the gardens and mountains beyond. From Rice Terace Pavilions and you can observe the working rice paddy fields, or the Suthep mountain range from the higher-floor rooms.

Sala Mae Rim serves specialist Thai cuisine accompanied by sweeping valley views, whilst Terraces is a poolside restaurant serving international cuisine. Dine at Rice Barn for a private dining experience with five-course candle-lit dinners set at the edge of the picturesque rice paddies, or practice your skills at Chef's Table -the resort’s Thai cooking school. Have a drink at the Elephant Bar or the Ratree Bar and Lounge for drinks and snacks.

The resort is home to a palatial spa villa complete with massages, wraps and scrubs for families and children alike or unwind in the resort pool. Besides relaxing in the tranquil setting of the resort there is plenty of options to experience Thai lifestyle, from guided gardens tours, join the farmers and learn how rice is planted or join a birdwatching tour around the verdant grounds, borrow one of the resort mountain bikes and explore the local area or join a cookery class.  Beyond the resort visit one of the nearby villages for a sample of local hill tribe life or visit on of the elephant parks and spend the day discovering these magnificent creatures.