The Riverie Chiang Rai Review: Is This the Best Family Hotel in Chiang Rai?

If you're looking for the best family hotel in Chiang Rai, The Riverie is probably one of the first hotels you'll come across.

When we were planning the northern Thailand section of our trip, we wanted somewhere that would make sightseeing easy but still feel like a resort for Joshua, our 8 year old son. We were visiting the White Temple, Blue Temple and Giant Buddha, so location mattered, but after moving around quite a bit during our Thailand itinerary, we also wanted a hotel where we could relax and enjoy some downtime.

Quick Answer: Is The Riverie Chiang Rai Worth It for Families?

Yes. For families visiting Chiang Rai, The Riverie is one of the best all-round hotel options we found. It combines a great location for Chiang Rai's main attractions with genuinely family-friendly facilities, including a large pool, waterslides, lazy river and indoor play areas. It was one of the easiest hotels we stayed in during our Thailand family holiday because everything simply worked.

This review is for families deciding where to stay in Chiang Rai with kids. I'll cover the location, family facilities, rooms, dining, who the hotel is best suited to and whether it's worth the cost compared to other family-friendly hotels in northern Thailand.

If you're still planning your route, you may find this guide useful Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai With Kids: A 3-Day Northern Thailand Itinerary

Just a quick note: some links in this review are affiliate links. This doesn't cost you anything extra, and we only recommend hotels and travel services we have used ourselves or would happily book again.

Should Families Stay at The Riverie Chiang Rai?

If you're trying to decide where to stay in Chiang Rai with kids, The Riverie is one of the easiest recommendations I can make.

After travelling through Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket, we'd reached the stage of the trip where we wanted sightseeing to feel straightforward. We didn't want long transfers, complicated logistics or the need to entertain Joshua every minute of the day.

The Riverie worked because it balances two things that don't always come together:

• Easy access to Chiang Rai's main attractions

• Resort-style facilities that children genuinely enjoy

That meant we could spend the morning exploring temples and attractions, then head back for pool time without needing to plan a second activity. For families visiting northern Thailand for the first time, that's a huge advantage.

If you're looking for a hotel that makes Chiang Rai easy with kids, The Riverie is one of the first places I'd check. The combination of family-friendly facilities, a great pool and easy access to the main attractions is hard to beat in Chiang Rai. If The Riverie sounds like the kind of hotel you're looking for, you can have a look at the rooms and facilities here.

Location: One of the Best Bases for Exploring Chiang Rai

One of the biggest reasons I'd choose The Riverie again is its location.

Many of Chiang Rai's most popular attractions are within a short drive:

• White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) – around 20 minutes

• Blue Temple (Wat Rong Suea Ten) – around 10 minutes

• Wat Huay Pla Kang (Giant Buddha) – around 10–15 minutes

During our stay we combined all three temples into a single morning. We also visited Lalitta Café, which made an easy stop between attractions.

If you're planning temple visits, I'd strongly recommend heading out early. By starting first thing, we managed to see all the main sights before the larger tour groups arrived and before the midday heat became uncomfortable.

For more information on what to prioritise, see: Chiang Rai Temples With Kids: Which Ones Are Actually Worth Visiting?

The Riverie's central location makes this type of half-day sightseeing plan very easy to manage with children.

Family Facilities: Why This Hotel Stands Out

For us, the facilities are what elevate The Riverie above many other Chiang Rai hotels. The swimming pool complex was one of Joshua's favourite hotel pools of the entire Thailand trip.

It includes:

• A large main pool

• Small waterslides

• A lazy river

• Plenty of space to spread out

Unlike some family hotels where the pool is little more than an afterthought, this felt like a genuine resort facility.

We found:

• Plenty of loungers available

• Lifeguards on duty

• Good maintenance throughout the stay

• Enough variety to keep children entertained for several hours

That made afternoons easy. Instead of feeling like we constantly needed to find another activity, we could simply return to the hotel and relax.

Joshua loved the lazy river and slides, and it gave us a chance to relax rather than constantly looking for the next activity. If you're travelling with younger children, the pool alone could easily justify choosing The Riverie over a smaller city hotel.

This is one of the hotels we'd happily stay in again, so I've included a link here if you'd like to see more photos and room options.

Kids Club and Family-Friendly Extras

The pool is the main attraction, but there are several additional features that make The Riverie particularly family friendly.

The indoor kids' club includes:

• Soft play areas

• Play equipment

• Trampolines

• Air-conditioned indoor space

This was especially useful during the hottest parts of the day.

The hotel also has:

• Riverside walking paths

• Gardens and outdoor space

• A gym

• Games in the lobby area

One unexpected favourite was the lobby lounge, where Joshua happily stopped for cake while we enjoyed a coffee after sightseeing.

Rooms: Comfortable Rather Than Luxurious

The rooms were clean, comfortable and well maintained throughout our stay.

One thing worth knowing before booking is that our "double bed" was actually two single beds pushed together. We found this fairly common while travelling around Thailand, but it's worth being aware of if you usually sleep all together as a family. We travelled with an inflatable bed for Joshua, which fitted comfortably in the available space. The hotel can provide additional beds, although there is an extra charge.

Would I book The Riverie because of the room itself? Probably not. I'd book it because of the combination of location, facilities and family-friendly setup. The room does its job well, but the wider resort experience is what really adds value.

Breakfast and Dining: Better Than Expected

Good breakfasts make family travel easier. The Riverie gets this right. The breakfast buffet had enough choice to keep both adults and children happy, which removes a surprising amount of stress from busy sightseeing days.

We also tried several dining options during our stay. On our arrival day, we ate in the bar area where simple options such as pizza and egg dishes were ideal after travelling. The standout dining experience was the rooftop steakhouse. The food was excellent, but it was really the location that made it memorable.

From the terrace, you can see the Giant Buddha in the distance, particularly as the sun begins to set. We timed dinner around sunset and stayed through happy hour. Joshua enjoyed a mocktail while we treated ourselves to a bottle of prosecco, and it became one of those unexpectedly memorable evenings that often end up being the highlights of a family trip.

Is The Riverie Chiang Rai Easy for Families Without a Car?

Yes. We hired a car during this section of the trip, and the hotel offers free parking, making it an excellent base for self-driving families. However, even without a car, getting around is straightforward. The hotel's location means taxis and day tours can easily reach most attractions around Chiang Rai.

If you're still deciding how you'll travel around the country, see: Getting Around Thailand With Kids: Flights, Trains, Taxis, Grab & Driving Explained

What Worked Well (And What I'd Consider Before Booking)

What worked well

• Excellent swimming pools and waterslides

• Good kids' club

• Easy access to Chiang Rai attractions

• Strong breakfast offering

• Comfortable family-friendly atmosphere

• Excellent value compared with many resort hotels elsewhere in Thailand

Things to consider

• Bed configuration may not suit every family

• You'll still need transport for most attractions

• Rooms are functional rather than particularly luxurious

None of these were major issues for us, but they're worth knowing before booking.

Final Verdict: Is The Riverie the Best Family Hotel in Chiang Rai?

For most families, I'd say yes.

The Riverie delivers the things parents actually need when travelling:

• A convenient sightseeing base

• Facilities children genuinely enjoy

• Comfortable rooms

• Good dining options

• A relaxed atmosphere

What stood out most for us was how easy everything felt. We could explore Chiang Rai in the morning, spend time at the pool in the afternoon and enjoy a relaxed family dinner in the evening without needing to leave the hotel again.

If you're planning a Chiang Rai itinerary and want a hotel that combines sightseeing convenience with facilities children will actually use, The Riverie is one of the strongest family hotel options we found in northern Thailand. I've included the link here so you can take a look and see if it's the right fit for your family.

For a wider comparison of the hotels we used throughout the trip, see Best Thailand Family Hotels: Where We Stayed & Would Book Again.

FAQs: The Riverie Hotel

Is The Riverie Chiang Rai suitable for young children?

Yes. One of the biggest strengths of The Riverie is how well it caters for younger children. The hotel has a large swimming pool complex with waterslides, a lazy river, splash areas and an indoor kids' club with soft play and climbing equipment. During our stay, Joshua spent as much time in the pool area as he did sightseeing, which made the hotel feel like an attraction in its own right. Public information from the hotel also confirms dedicated family facilities including a kids' club, kiddy pool, water slide and lazy river.

How far is The Riverie from Chiang Rai's main temples?

The Riverie is well positioned for exploring Chiang Rai's most popular attractions. The White Temple is around 20 minutes away by car, while the Blue Temple and Wat Huay Pla Kang (the Giant Buddha) are closer. This made it easy for us to visit several attractions in a single morning before returning to the hotel for pool time. If you're planning temple visits, also see Chiang Rai Temples With Kids: Which Ones Are Actually Worth Visiting?

Does The Riverie Chiang Rai have a good pool?

Absolutely. For many families, the pool will be the main reason to book this hotel. The resort includes a large main pool, lazy river, waterslides, splash areas and children's water-play facilities. This is a standout feature for children.

Is breakfast good at The Riverie Chiang Rai?

Breakfast was one of the better hotel breakfasts we had during our Thailand trip. There was plenty of choice for both adults and children, making mornings easy before a day of sightseeing. It was extensive, varied and one of the highlights of our stay.

How many nights should families stay at The Riverie Chiang Rai?

For most families, I'd recommend two to three nights. That gives you enough time to visit the White Temple, Blue Temple and Giant Buddha, stop at places such as Lalitta Café, enjoy some downtime at the hotel and avoid feeling rushed. If you're still deciding how Chiang Rai fits into your route, see Is Chiang Rai Worth Visiting With Kids?

plan your TRIP TO chiang rai

If you’re planning your family trip to Chiang Rai, these guides will help you pull everything together:

About Plan Family Escapes

We’re a UK-based family sharing real, experience-led travel guides based on trips we’ve taken with our school-age son Joshua across destinations like Lapland, Turkey and India.

Everything we share is based on what we’ve personally experienced — with honest advice on what actually works when travelling with kids, focusing on making family travel easier, more comfortable and genuinely enjoyable.