Nan Boutique Hotel

Even repeat visitors to Thailand may not be familiar with Nan. Tucked away in a scenic corner of northern Thailand, this is a destination that remains well off the main tourist trail. With spectacular mountain scenery and oodles of local charm, Nan is a rewarding location to visit that can easily be combined with trips to the better-known destinations of Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai.

The charming provincial capital of Nan is the ideal base to explore the city and the lush countryside beyond. If you’re looking for somewhere to stay in Nan, look no further than the superb Nan Boutique Hotel.

Responsible Thailand Awards

In the 2024 Responsible Thailand Awards, Nan Boutique Hotel was runner-up in the Responsible Tourism Accommodation category. It was an outstanding achievement for this small, independently owned hotel. In a category full of excellent nominations, Nan Boutique Hotel impressed all the judges with their support for responsible tourism.

Keeping it local

Nan Boutique Hotel has demonstrated a commitment to employing local staff, sourcing local products and offering opportunities to local students. This ensures that more people in Nan benefit from the tourist revenues the hotel generates.

Through partnerships with small, locally owned businesses and artisans, revenue can be reinvested into the community. These partnerships also benefit guests staying at the hotel. Locally grown organic produce is used for breakfast dishes. Bathroom amenities are also made from organic, locally sourced products, while room furnishings include bed runners woven in Nan and artwork from Nan artists.

The hotel promotes local products to guests and partners with various community projects to assist them in using sustainable packaging. The hotel also supports the local community in a variety of ways. This ranges from participation in local festivals, to contributing to temples in Nan, donating assistance (e.g. for flood relief) and repurposing old mattresses for use in school dormitories.

Almost all of the staff members at Nan Boutique Hotel are from Nan province. Staff regularly participate in workshops and activities that support ethical and sustainable practices. With a turnover of staff close to zero for the 15 years the hotel has been open, it speaks volumes for the way the hotel operates.

Love Green Hospitality, Love Nan

In 2023, the hotel founded the ‘Love Green Hospitality, Love Nan’ organisation. 30 hotels in Nan province joined and are committed to sustainable tourism. Group members regularly meet up to discuss and share ideas and best practices for responsible travel. One direct consequence of this is that an increasing number of coffee shops and restaurants in Nan have stopped using single-use cups and containers.

Nan Boutique Hotel has also established a ‘Green Room’. This is a space where hotel visitors, residents, and businesses in the area can come to learn and exchange ideas on recycling, reducing waste and using responsible packaging. The Green Room is also a shop where people can buy local products.

The hotel has partnered with Thailand’s Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) to assist other tourism bodies in Nan. They have also worked with environmental organisations, including the Big Trees Project and Trees4All. The latter is an initiative to restore the forest ecosystem in Nan province, which is of vital importance to the Chao Phraya River, Thailand’s largest watershed. At the same time, the project also helps build sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farmers in Nan because the farmers can turn single-crop farms into diversified plantations.

The Nan Experience

Sustainable ‘Nan Experience’ tours have been established by the hotel. Led by English-speaking local guides, these small-group tours specialise in community-based tourism and include cooking classes and visits to organic farms.

The hotel actively supports traditional crafts and skills and arranges visits to ethnic villages (Thai Lue, Hmong) where visitors can learn more from the artisans.

Guests at the hotel can participate in sustainable guest activities such as cycling, qi-gong (similar to tai chi), and morning alms giving to monks.

How to get to Nan

There is a small airport in Nan with direct flights to and from Bangkok. However, it’s worth combining Nan with a trip to Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai. You can also combine Nan with a trip to the delightful provinces of Phrae and Phayao.

To enjoy the joys of slow travel, take the train to Chiang Mai and travel onwards to Nan using the comfortable buses operated by the Green Bus company. There is currently no train service connecting Chiang Rai with Bangkok, but that is scheduled to change in 2028 with the opening of a new line that will link Phrae, Lampang, Phayao and Chiang Rai.

Ease into the slow life in Nan