The Riverie by Katathani — An Island Resort on the Kok River, Rebuilt from the Old Dusit Island
Ask anyone who has known Chiang Rai for a while about the big riverside hotel, and they'll point to the property on the island in the middle of the Kok River — for years it was the Dusit Island Resort. In 2019 the Katathani group (the family behind the well-known Phuket resorts) gutted and rebuilt the whole thing and renamed it The Riverie by Katathani. What guests come back to talk about is the same two things: an island position wrapped on all sides by the Kok River, and the riverside lawns and a pool with its own waterslide that run wider than anything else in town — yet it's still only a few minutes' walk to the Clock Tower and the Night Bazaar.
The resort sits on an island in the Kok River, reached by a single bridge, so the moment you cross over the city noise mostly falls away. The Katathani group rebuilt all 271 rooms and suites from scratch in a Lanna-contemporary style — warm timber, northern Thai woven fabrics, and full-height glass framing either the garden or the river. Standard rooms start around 36 sqm, noticeably larger than most city-centre hotels in Chiang Rai. Guests who stayed after the renovation consistently single out the new bathrooms and the soft beds as the first things they noticed.
The star of the property is the riverfront. A wide lawn runs all the way down to the bank of the Kok River, with a seating terrace and garden umbrellas that make a good spot for morning coffee. The pool is a large outdoor one with a waterslide and a separate kids' water-park zone, which means families travelling together actually get their own space rather than competing with lap swimmers. Several reviews describe children spending an entire afternoon in the water while parents watch comfortably from the shade.
Guests recall: "The kids spent the whole afternoon in the water park while the parents sat with a coffee watching the Kok River from the shade — the children were thrilled and the adults got to rest. It just worked for a family trip."
There's a real spread of places to eat on site. Red Lanna serves northern Thai and Thai dishes with a riverside terrace, while China Town handles Chinese cuisine. The one people mention most is The Peak, a rooftop bar looking out over the town and the ring of mountains around Chiang Rai — a good place for a drink at sunset. Breakfast is a buffet that scores well in reviews, with Thai, northern, and international options. Guests repeatedly say the morning buffet is more generous than they expected for a smaller provincial city.
The spa, Tivaa Ratrii Spa, occupies a Lanna-style timber pavilion by the water, with a focus on Thai massage and herbal treatments. The treatment rooms open toward the river with a cool breeze running through, and several guests say the walk in alone is enough to unwind. Beyond that there's a fitness room with a river view, a sauna, and an on-site hair salon. The shared spaces are genuinely spacious in the way a large resort allows, rather than packed in like a city hotel.
The location works in its favour. Even on the island, it's about a 5-minute walk across the bridge to the Chiang Rai Clock Tower and the Night Bazaar. Wat Rong Khun (the White Temple) is roughly 15 minutes by car, and Wat Rong Suea Ten (the Blue Temple) is closer still. Chiang Rai's Mae Fah Luang Airport is around 10–15 minutes by car. That radius gives you riverside calm and city convenience at the same time, which is a rare combination here.
The overall score sits at 9.6/10 from 205 Trip.com reviews — very high for a resort this size. Cleanliness (9.7) and facilities (9.7) lead the sub-scores, and The Riverie also took home honours at the Thailand Tourism Awards 2025 (the Kinaree Awards). The honest complaints in lower-rated reviews flag that it's a large building and some rooms are a long walk from the lobby, and that breakfast gets busy with a wait for a table when the resort is full. Worth planning around rather than discovering on arrival.
The bottom line: The Riverie by Katathani works best for families and anyone who wants a roomy riverside resort in Chiang Rai without driving out of town for it. Starting around ฿2,700/night in low season, it's strong value for a 5-star with a water-park pool and riverfront gardens. If you're coming in the cool season (November–January), which is Chiang Rai's high season, rates climb and rooms book out quickly, so reserve ahead.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Island setting on the Kok River — quiet but easy to reach town
- ✓ Large pool and kids' water park — great for families
- ✓ Generous breakfast buffet with plenty of northern Thai options
- ✓ Attentive, friendly staff
- ! Large building — some rooms are a long walk from the lobby
- ! Breakfast gets crowded with a wait for a table when full
- ! Chiang Rai's nighttime dining closes early
- ✓ Fully renovated Lanna-contemporary rooms — clean and well finished
- ✓ Wide riverside gardens and a genuine resort feel
- ✓ The Peak bar with town and mountain views for the evening
- ✓ Tivaa Ratrii Spa riverside pavilion has a lovely setting
- ! Parking can fill up, especially over long weekends
- ! Cool-season rates run higher — book ahead
- ! Wi-Fi signal weak in some corners of the resort
- 💡If you're travelling as a family with kids — the water park and waterslide are the real draw · choosing a garden- or pool-side room keeps it a short walk rather than dragging children across a large building
- 💡If you want a full river view — specify a River View room and request a higher floor when booking → some standard Deluxe rooms face the garden or have a restricted view and don't look straight at the water
- 💡If nightlife matters to you — Chiang Rai is quieter than Chiang Mai and venues close early · but The Peak bar on site stays open for an evening drink and makes a decent way to close out the day