Chiang Mai has long been known as the Rose of the North, a city of forested hills, cool mountain air and quiet hospitality. Founded in 1296 as the new capital of the Lanna kingdom, it flourished in the fertile valley of the Ping River, becoming both a spiritual center for Theravada Buddhism and a crossroads of trade between Burma, southern China, Laos and the Siamese heartland.
When Baan SaranTaya and its adjoining Petite Maison were conceived, the owner wished to honor the Wat Ket Karam neighborhood and the spirit of old Chiang Mai. The house blends modern comfort with the architecture of the late 19th century — carved colonnades, open verandas, stucco mouldings, golden teak, hand-made local ceramics and fine ironwork — each a trace of the exceptional craftsmanship of Chiang Mai's artisans, past and present. Its design welcomes guests with serenity, letting soft light and natural ventilation move through the house all day.
The grounds hold a century-old tamarind tree and an ancient stone well. Legend has it that dragons watch over the well from its depths, ready to rise and protect the house at any moment.
The villa's name is built from three words. In Thai, Baan simply means house. Saran, from Sanskrit, means refuge or shelter. Taya is short for Anantaya, also Sanskrit, meaning something that transcends time and space — the eternal. Saran and Anantaya are also the names of our two children.