As ‘treat-yo-self’ city breaks in the north go, this is Chiang Mai’s finest; a transportative resort stay in idyllic surroundings where blissed out zen comes part and parcel. Onsen @ Moncham’s quintessentially Japanese themed experience doesn’t just extend to their hot spring pool onsen, but in every little detail, from dining to design. For Japanophiles or otherwise, it’s one not to miss.
Why stay at Onsen @ Moncham?
Fulfilling the Japan trip dream after just a 45-minute drive northwest of Chiang Mai sounds impossible but this resort has managed it. Sprawling over their own little valley in gloriously scenic Mon Jam, the mountaintop village that’s 1,200 feet up, Onsen @ Moncham has all the features of a Japanese village but without the flight to get there. It’s green, serene and also delightfully posh, offering an elevated hotel stay (literally and metaphorically) like no other in the region. For many of us, the natural hot spring water at their onsen is the main draw, but for others it’s the cooler temperature, which averages five degrees celsius less than in the city below. But whatever your draw, it’ll be the exquisitely designed rooms, delectable Japanese dining and the ponds full of black swans and oshidori ducks in the bucolic gardens that will have you wishing you could stay for longer. It comes at a price tag but it’s a high-end stay that guarantees switching off from the outside world.
What are the rooms like at Onsen @ Moncham?
True to the ethos of a Japanese ryokan (aka guesthouse), pure homey comfort is everything here, no matter which of the rooms you go for. All part of the experience is donning the pyjamas and yukata provided, to laze around your boudoir and mooch around the property. All rooms have the futon mattress in situ, but given the luxurious nature of the stay, these beds feel more like clouds than cushions. Most of the suites come with their own decadent onsen bath – our favourite is the Imperial Tatami Onsen Suite, the most spacious at the resort with its own zen garden, cosy dining area and colossal TV. But beyond the amenities, each room is decked out in traditional Japanese tatami flooring (mats made from compressed rice straw covered with a woven rush coating) that add to the ‘am I actually in Japan?’ moment when you wake up in the morning. Suites are generally tucked away in a quiet corner of the resort, so stays are even more blissfully tranquil if you can push the boat out.
What are the best restaurants and bars at Onsen @ Moncham?
The main grazing outfit, Mi | Zü, is a classy affair, serving breakfast, lunch and dinners of a top notch calibre. Whether you slink into a table inside or on their al fresco terrace, the views of the resort’s garden surround you from most angles and are a delight to absorb. Being at one with nature is part of the M.O. here and the restaurant is no exception; the eco-focused team earned the Chiang Mai Green Kitchen certificate, part of the Chiang Mai Greentopia initiative led by CMU, and proudly serve produce that’s sourced ‘mindfully’ – how very on-brand.
Behind the noren fabric curtains, chefs prepare Thai and Western plates, but it’s of course the Japanese dining we’re most hyped about. We recommend starting with avocado sushi and a rainbow platter of fish sushimi that included salmon, tuna, ika squid and yellow finned hamachi that almost looked too good to eat. The main course of Northern Thai larb, made with exquisite Australian minced beef served spicy in a cute trolley comes a close second, served alongside a heartwarming miso soup and a plate of delicious blow-torched tofu, seasoned with sesame. With an oh-so-tempting perilla seed mochi for desert, rolling back to the room utterly full and content is often the only option.
The next day, breakfast plates come in perfectly small portions, so you can order a proper platter of treats, should your appetite dictate. Variety is the spice of life, as is avoiding food waste. There’s an extensive morning menu to choose from, including taiyaki pancakes, Japanese congee and chicken or salmon teriyaki. But if you’re craving a Western style start to your day, order those eggs poached. We didn’t leave before trying the immense Wagyu beef ramen for lunch, served at seasonally open cafe Hi De | No Bu – grab it while you can.
What are the facilities like at Onsen @ Moncham?
We can’t lie, the onsen is what we’re here for. Yes, Chiang Mai is home to a swathe of the Japanese-style hot pools of late but these are the original and, given that they’re filled with natural thermal spring water, are the real deal. Entry to their public onsen comes included with your stay and you can visit as many times as your heart desires between the opening hours of 7am to 9.45pm.
The onsen is gender segregated with both zones mirroring each other; an inside infinity pool full of 38 celsius water stares out over the zen garden where pebbles all raked around the five delicately placed rocks. In the bamboo-lined yard there are two bathing tubs, one of cold 16C water and other a warm dunk of 39C. Rotate between these two before soaking in the largest and hottest outdoor pool of 40C, that’s sheltered from sunlight under a wooden gazebo. If you’ve got the minerals, booking the private Onsen in the Garden for an hour comes at an additional fee but having the expansive hot pools and their cascading waters all to yourself is next-level lavish and by far the best way to enjoy it with a loved one.
Other facilities include a pint-sized but well equipped gym and a secret little outdoor foot onsen within the gardens surrounded by pine, spruce and willow trees, as well as a huge lap circuit where you can jog and burn off that after dinner energy.
What’s the area like around Onsen @ Moncham?
Should you wish to leave the premises (although there’s a high chance you won’t) the Mon Jam area is a stunner and actually very fun to explore.
Just a few minutes drive back down the mountain and you’ll find Pong Yang Jungle Coaster & Zipline – a great stopover for groups with kids, or the young at heart. Because who doesn’t love whizzing through the trees at high speed? It’s a relatively tame rollercoaster by theme park standards but riders can dictate their own speed, most of the time at least.
In the opposite direction, further up the mountain, stop at Ban Mai Intersection Viewpoint for one of the most stunning vistas of rolling mountains in the region. The local Hmong villagers run a few food stalls here so grab something to snack on before driving up to one of the copious flower gardens in the area and getting those coveted ‘I’m in a flower field in Mon Jam’ snaps, or make a beeline for Alpaca Sheep Farm Mon Jam, where the handful of resident alpacas are laid back and friendly while the sheep are pretty bullish.
And, if you’re craving some food that’s not Japanese, the Nong Hoi Royal Project Restaurant has a great spread of cheap organic Thai food sourced directly from his majesty’s farms, while Baan Mon Muan’s local cuisine even made it on Thailand’s Favourite Restaurants list 2026.
Why should you book a stay at Onsen @ Moncham?
This resort tops many ‘best places to stay’ lists – it’s high-end but cosy, wellness-focused but unassuming, and ultimately a very relaxing break. The sort of hotel where staff know you by name and note down your eating, sleeping and soaking needs so everything flows seamlessly.
What’s even better is you don’t have to be a guest to visit their onsen at all. Outside visitors are welcome between 8am-6pm for a balmy B500 (B800 for the private garden option), but there’s really nothing better than floating out of their hot pools and straight into your soft futon bed. Restful stays don’t get more luxurious and replenishing than this, so put it on your special occasions bucket list and book in at your earliest convenience – we’re already plotting our next visit.
Address: 293 Moo 2, Tambom Pong Yang Ampher, Mae Rim, Chiang Mai, 50180, Thailand
Price per night: From approx B9,200 per night
Link: https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/onsen-moncham.en-gb.html?aid=2427673