After a rather rocky start to the project which saw a majority stake of the original developer (Japanese-Thai real estate consortium Siam Zokei) acquired by Thailand’s biggest consumer products conglomerate (Saha Asia), Peaks Garden was formally launched in January 2008 as the second in the Saha Group’s portfolio of Peaks branded low-rise luxury condos in Chiang Mai. Exhibiting subtle modern-contemporary design inspiration from the Land of the Rising Sun and for all its age, Peaks Garden continues to serve not only as one of the most competently run and best maintained condominiums in the entire municipality but also commands a tough to beat location at the epicentre of the city’s commercial and financial district.

Concealed in part by stands of lush greenery at the far end of a small, private and peaceful soi [lane] off Chang Klan Road in the company of Twin Peaks and Peaks Avenue condos, Peaks Garden truly feels like an escape from the hurly-burly of its urban surroundings yet is no more than a few short strides from the main drag offering expedient access to every conceivable amenity and convenience. Within a hundred metres of the condo lies “The Peak”, a parade of four outlets including, for sightseers in need of a local tour package or vehicle rental, a licensed travel agency. Or, spoil yourself rotten with a discounted signature massage treatment, invigorating scrub or indulgent facial at the sumptuous Peak Spa and Beauty Salon opposite! At the head of the soi is a serviced laundry shop-cum-dry cleaners and, across from which, the fairly priced and loft-like Choei Café & Bistro; digital nomads looking for a separate environment at which to seed or grow their online enterprise will no doubt delight in knowing that Chiang Mai’s newest co-working space, WERK.it, is due to open directly above the Choei coffee shop in the very near future. Situated only a 10 minute leisurely saunter from Peaks Garden is the much celebrated and ever vibrant Night Bazaar; amongst the oldest and most iconic of after-dark shopping, dining and entertainment hangouts in all Thailand and a latter-day legacy of early Yunnanese merchants who travelled caravan routes between China and Myanmar, the Night Bazaar is home to a seemingly interminable throng of open-air and indoor restaurants, food courts, purpose-built shopping pavilions, travel agencies, Thai massage parlours, bars and street market stalls selling an almost unimaginable assortment of wares. Beyond which, the eastern edge of the ’Old City’ symbolised by Tha Phae Gate is mere moments away. Roughly midway between Peaks Garden and the Night Bazaar rises Pantip Plaza, the region’s largest IT and electronics mall now also anchoring an amply stocked Big C supermarket, facing which is the recently established evening flea market, Le Dta’wan. Given its past history, the Chang Klan neighbourhood is occupied by an eclectic variety of ethnic minorities –most notably Tai Yai (Burmese Shan) and Cin Haw (Chinese Muslims)- whose cultural impact is especially conspicuous in the mosques, hilltribe farmers’ markets and halal eateries commonplace throughout the area. For a more progressive retail experience, both of CentralFestival and Central Airport Plaza malls are readily reachable –along with a string of other venues within the city- from Peaks Garden by riding their respective complimentary shuttle bus which operates daily from the nearby five star Shangri-La Hotel or, adjoining which, The Astra condo.

Stationed out of sight just inside the barricade gateway to Peaks Garden is a team of security guards clothed in military fashion monitoring the main entrance round-the-clock; in conjunction with CCTV cameras mounted throughout shared areas of the complex and a biometric fingerprint recognition system controlling admittance to the single condo building, the reception desk is manned by professional and welcoming staff officially on duty between the hours of 8AM and 5PM every day of the week and supported by an in-house engineer on call 24/7. Present on the ground floor is under storey parking enough for 27 cars with separate bays for motorbikes, a roomy and elegantly specified low-impact communal lobby invitingly adorned with comfy scatter-cushioned sofas and tasteful ornamentation, double lifts (elevators), gender-segregated sauna and steam rooms, an excellently equipped gym as well as a good sized and aesthetically appealing outdoor swimming pool; dotted around the water’s edge and shaded by a backdrop of leafy tropical flora are a half-dozen or so padded loungers upon which to withdraw completely from the world and soak up the atmosphere of blissful serenity. Connect to the building-wide WiFi for free or else organise –at your own expense- installation of private home broadband through either of 3BB or Sinet Internet Service Providers.

Set on a little over 1 rai (0.16 hectares) of prime land, the 8-storey Peaks Garden consists of 79 fully furnished, air-conditioned and balconied residential units enclosing a light filled and naturally ventilated central atrium. Arranged with a space-efficient open-plan living/dining/kitchen layout, interiors are wonderfully bright courtesy of full height windows as well as smartly –and snugly- appointed to a high standard. Distributed across floors 2 to 8, 1 bedroom units range in size from 37.78 to 81.28 sq m while the 2 bedroom suites boast 91.76 to 128.90 sq m of useable space.

A predictable but worthy pick of condo for a short-stay holiday let or, as is the norm in view of its popularity, a long-term lease as reflected in the sheer number of westerners and Japanese folk who now call Peaks Garden home. As with its predecessor, the 49% foreign-owned quota at Peaks Garden has long since been met and though purchasable units within the legal limit do emerge on occasion, unsurprisingly they rarely exist for long!

By all means, check out all of our available re-sales and rental units at Peaks Garden.

Are you presently living at Peaks Garden or have ever stayed there? If so, we’d absolutely love to know what you think by leaving us a comment below!