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February to April are the best three months to swim in Chiang Mai, and April is the hottest. Four hotels here have a rooftop pool. Only one, Cross Chiang Mai Riverside, states that its pool is for guests only, and none lists day passes.
Cross Chiang Mai Riverside comes first for overnight guests: an infinity pool on the roof facing the river and gardens, open to in-house guests only. Art Mai Gallery Hotel is the one to ask about first if you want a known height: its pool is on the 8th floor, the only floor any hotel here publishes.
Rooftop infinity pool with river views, reserved for in-house guests
Wat Ket, 5-star hotel, rated 4.8 on Google (1,012 reviews)
Sample photo, not Cross Chiang Mai Riverside. Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Book this one if you plan to sleep at the hotel and want an infinity pool on the roof, facing the river and gardens. Cross alone on our list states outright that its pool is for guests only.
This 5-star hotel in Wat Ket has an infinity pool on its roof, looking over the river and gardens. In-house guests only. The hotel doesn't publish the floor, so don't count on a particular height.
Best forGuests who want a river-view rooftop pool included with their stay.
Skip it ifYou're hoping to swim without booking a room.
Nimmanhaemin Suthep, 5-star hotel, rated 4.7 on Google (2,837 reviews)
Sample photo, not Art Mai Gallery Hotel. Hu Totya, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
8thfloor pool
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Choose this one for a pool on a known floor, the 8th, in Nimmanhaemin Suthep. No other hotel on our list publishes its floor. Who can swim isn't published, so ask before planning a visit.
This 5-star hotel in Nimmanhaemin Suthep, near Nimman's cafes and malls, has its pool on the 8th floor. The same floor has a topbar area that used to be a fitness room. The hotel doesn't publish its access rules.
Best forTravelers staying in Nimman who want a pool on a stated floor.
Skip it ifYou need a confirmed visitor or day-pass policy before you travel.
Thirty rooms and a small infinity pool facing Doi Suthep
Nimmanhaemin Suthep, 5-star hotel, rated 4.6 on Google (859 reviews)
Sample photo, not AMANOR. Jvhertum, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Pick AMANOR if you like a small hotel and a compact infinity pool facing Doi Suthep. It has only thirty rooms, so the pool shouldn't be crowded. The hotel doesn't publish access rules or the floor.
The pool is a compact infinity pool on the hotel's rooftop ARISE terrace in Nimmanhaemin Suthep, facing Doi Suthep. MAYA mall is 5 minutes on foot. Floor and access aren't published.
Best forCouples who want a small hotel with a mountain-view terrace near MAYA mall.
Four stars in Chang Phueak, pool details not yet published
Chang Phueak, 4-star hotel, rated 4 on Google (2,306 reviews)
Sample photo, not Furama Chiang Mai. Ori Ackerman, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Consider Furama only if its Chang Phueak location suits your plans. Pool floor, access rules, hours and heating are all unpublished. Treat it as a hotel to call before you book.
This is a 4-star hotel on Huay Kaew Rd in Chang Phueak, outside Nimman. The hotel publishes no pool floor, view, size or access rules. That's the catch.
Best forTravelers who prefer Chang Phueak and will check the pool details with the hotel.
Skip it ifYou need a known floor, view or access rule before you book.
February to April are the best months for a rooftop swim, and April is the hottest. November to January are cooler, at 30.8°C, 29.2°C and 30°C on average. No hotel on our list publishes pool heating, so plan on unheated water in the cooler months.
Three dates fill the calendar: Yi Peng and Loy Krathong in November, the Flower Festival on the first weekend of February, and the New Year countdown on December 31st. Book early if your trip lands on any of them.
Average daily high by month in Chiang Mai
Avg high
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
°C
30
33
35
37
35
33
32
32
32
32
31
29
Where to stay: Chiang Mai's rooftop pools by area
Nimmanhaemin Suthep
Art Mai Gallery Hotel and AMANOR are both here. Nimman is the area for longer stays, next to Maya Mall, with many cafes and coworking spots.
Cheaper ways to swim in Chiang Mai
If you only want to swim, public pools cost less than a room. Looper Swimming Pool, a public pool and onsen, sells a one-day pass for B250, and the Chiang Mai University pool charges non-university swimmers an annual membership of THB 300.
Looper Swimming Pool: B250 (one-day pass). Public pool and onsen. The source gives B250 for a one-day pass but does not say whether it is the adult rate.
Rujirawong Swimming Pool - Chiang Mai University. Swimmers not connected with the university pay an annual membership fee of THB 300, and foreigners must submit a copy of their passport. No adult admission price is stated.
Hotels you might expect here, and why they're not
Two hotels people often expect to find here don't have a pool on the roof, as far as the hotels' own pages show.
Sala Lanna Chiang Mai Hotel. The hotel's rooftop bar page describes a pool below the bar, not on the roof. No source places a swimming pool on the roof or a top-floor terrace. The separate pool page has no text beyond its title.
Hotel Sensai Nimman Chiang Mai. The hotel's site describes an outdoor pool set in lush greenery and evergreen shrubs. No source says the pool is on the roof or a top-floor terrace, so it is not classed as rooftop.
Chiang Mai rooftop pools: questions people ask
Which Chiang Mai hotels with rooftop pools let non-guests swim?
None of the four publishes day passes. Cross Chiang Mai Riverside states its pool is for guests only. Art Mai Gallery Hotel, AMANOR and Furama Chiang Mai don't publish access rules, so contact them before you plan a visit.
Can you use a rooftop hotel pool in Chiang Mai for a day?
No hotel here lists a day pass, so none is bookable as a day visit. For a day swim, Looper Swimming Pool sells a one-day pass for B250.
Are any Chiang Mai rooftop pools heated or open in winter?
No hotel on our list publishes pool heating. Winter highs average 29.2°C in December and 30°C in January, so the water is likely to be usable, but ask the hotel about seasonal closures before you book.
Which Chiang Mai rooftop pool is the highest?
The 8th floor, at Art Mai Gallery Hotel, the only hotel here that publishes its pool floor.
How can you swim in Chiang Mai for the least money?
A public pool. Looper Swimming Pool charges B250 for a one-day pass, and the Chiang Mai University pool charges non-university swimmers an annual membership of THB 300. Foreigners must submit a passport copy there.
Which Chiang Mai rooftop pool is best for a quiet stay?
AMANOR, which has only thirty rooms and a compact infinity pool facing Doi Suthep. Access rules aren't published, so ask before you book.
