The Empire Nimman is a 72-unit, 7-floor former hotel converted to serviced apartments, built in 2012 with Lanna-inspired architecture. It has a substantial review profile: 8.7/10 on Agoda from 3,666+ reviews, 8.3/10 on Hotels.com from 256 reviews, and 3.5-4.0/5 on TripAdvisor. From reviews across platforms, the consistent positives are the location (5-8 minute walk to Maya Mall, right on Nimman Road), spacious rooms, and genuinely friendly staff who have stayed for years — unusual for Chiang Mai. From an Agoda reviewer: "My mother has been staying at Empire for a few years in a row during winter months, keeps coming back." The consistent negatives are WiFi reliability, noise, aging interiors, and no pool. Based on PropertyScout listing data, it's classified as leasehold (serviced apartment, not condo). Includes WiFi, gym, breakfast, parking, and smart TVs.
Expat Tips
•5-8 minute walk to Maya Mall — confirmed by multiple reviewers. Surrounded by Nimman cafes, restaurants, massage parlors, shopping. The location convenience is the primary value proposition
•Free underground parking is included — not common for Nimman properties
•Rooms are spacious for serviced apartments: 34sqm Superior, 47sqm Deluxe, 65sqm Super Deluxe. Multiple reviewers use words like "super size" and "apartment-style"
•Staff is consistently praised as friendly, helpful, and long-tenured. From a TripAdvisor reviewer: "Top marks for location, cleanliness and staff friendliness"
•Breakfast buffet is available 6:30-10:00 AM at ~120 THB/day. It's 4-5 Thai options that don't change. Useful in the first few days while settling in, boring after a week
•Smart TV in all rooms. Older reviews mention cable channels but no details on streaming apps — bring a Chromecast or Fire Stick to be safe
•1 month deposit only. Move-in is hassle-free: no agent, no landlord negotiation, just book and show up
Gotchas
•WiFi is the biggest problem. From multiple Agoda and TripAdvisor reviews: "WiFi kept disconnecting all the time, had to reconnect more than 10 times in one day" and "WiFi was slow and didn't work most times." You must re-login each time it disconnects. This is a serious dealbreaker for remote workers
•Doi Suthep views are only from the Super Deluxe room (65sqm, ~44,000 THB/month). The 22K Superior and 30.5K Deluxe get "city views." The marketing is misleading if you expect mountain sunsets from a standard room
•No pool — confirmed absent across every source. At 22,000+ THB/month, this is a significant gap vs nearby condos (Hillside, Punna Nimman, S Condo) that offer pools at similar or lower prices
•Noise from two directions: airplane noise (building is under the CNX Airport flight path — "thick curtains because one can occasionally hear airplanes") and Nimman Road street noise (traffic, nightlife, motorbikes). Windows described as "very thin"
•Superior rooms have microwave only — no stovetop, no real kitchen. At 22K/month, you're eating out daily or microwaving
•Interiors are aging. The building is from 2012 and reviewers mention "outdated furniture," "old-fashioned style," and "need for renovations, particularly the bathrooms." One reviewer called it "somewhat soulless" — well-maintained but lacking character. Dark corridors are mentioned specifically
•The breakfast gets old fast: same Thai dishes every day. One TripAdvisor reviewer called it "terrible." It's not a full-service restaurant — their own website directs you to nearby restaurants for real meals
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