ARISE Rooftop Bar - Nimman

The pool is the thing here. It's glass-sided, it sits on the roof of the Amanor Hotel on Nimmanahaeminda Road, and it turns what would otherwise be another Chiang Mai rooftop into somewhere you can spend an entire afternoon and evening. Come at sunset if the view matters to you, which it should.

The drinks hold up too. Cocktails are mixed to order rather than poured from a batch, and regulars name the bartenders in their reviews, which tells you something about how the place is run. The Burnt Lemon Margarita gets called out more than once. Seating is low couches, open-air, and people say it stays comfortable rather than sticky as the evening goes on. There's a kitchen as well, so you can eat here instead of moving on somewhere else after two drinks. If you want a loud night out, this isn't it. It leans calm and social, better suited to a small group settling in for a few hours.