Hat Yai Hotels, Guesthouses and Resorts
The best area to look for a hotel room in Hat Yai is rather conveniently located in city centre, immediately east of the train station. You can find almost everything you may need during your stay in Hat Yai there, just within ten minutes walk from your hotel, and if you want to venture further away, tuk-tuks will do the trick for just few baht.
It’s not a surprise that Hat Yai doesn’t offer a lot of choice in low range category; the city is not a backpackers’ mecca at all, and hundreds of Malaysian and Singaporean tourists that flock here every week for a shopping weekend are usually in search of something more than a bunk bed or a basic guesthouse. Nevertheless there are still a few places to choose from if you’re on a budget. Most accommodations come in the form of Chinese-style hotels and fall in the mid-range price category.
In general they offer decent value for money – your THB500-THB600 will buy you a sizeable room with an air-con, a fridge, tea-making facilities (yes, a rarity in Thailand) and an en-suite bathroom. Quite enough for just a couple of comfy nights!
Budget (under THB1000)
The most popular place in this range is the centrally located Cathay Guesthouse (93/1 Niphat Uthit 2 Rd, close to the train station). Here you get nothing more than what you pay for – THB250 for a double room with a private bathroom could sound like a deal, but expect an old and hard mattress in quite an empty and spartan room, windows facing an annoyingly noisy street, no Wi-Fi and a squat toilette with flushing buckets system. On the bright side, a good travel agency on the ground floor will help you to find the best transport solutions wherever you’re going next.
Slightly more expensive, but a way better option is Louise Guesthouse (21-23 Tamanoon Vithee Road, next to Robinson Shopping Center). For THB350 you’ll get a clean and quite big double room with fan, western private toilette with soap and toilette roll, towel and free Wi-Fi. Lots of restaurants and shops sit just down the road.
If you’re looking for a backpackers’ style hostel the only option that we would recommend is Hat Yai Youth Hostel (36/6 Pracharom Alley – a 10-minute walk from the train station). A bed in a mixed dormitory is THB230 (THB280 in air-conditioned dorms). Rooms and shared bathrooms (with hot showers) are clean, WI-FI is free, staff are friendly and you’ll get a locker to secure your luggage. Definitely a good place to stay for a solo traveller.
Adjacent to the train station building, you will find The Train Hotel. Besides the winning location, the hotel has been recently renovated and the rooms are clean and modern, with comfy beds, Lcd Tv, free Wi-Fi, hot shower and other facilities. Rates start at THB600. If you’re not an early bird, though, we wouldn’t recommend you to stay here as trains start running at 6am.
Mid-range (THB1000 – THB2000)
If you are after a mid-range price category, you will be spoiled for choice. During weekends the best places fill quickly, so you may want to consider making a reservation. Otherwise it will be easy enough to find a decent room in one of many 3 or 4 star hotels. They all come with an air-con, flat screen TV, free Wi-Fi and many of them offer free breakfast.
Our recommendation goes to Lee Garden Plaza Hotel (29 Prachathipat Road). Rooms are new, nicely furnished, with a big bathroom (with a bathtub). The definite highlight of this hotel is their outdoor swimming pool set up on a beautiful terrace on the 10th floor with a great view of the city. A double room starts at THB1100 and there are also junior suites for THB1800. If you decide to stay here check out their restaurant on the 33rd floor (see the review in the ‘where to eat’ section).
Top End
There’s really nothing to choose from if you’re looking for something more up-market. There are no 5 star hotels in town and your best bet is to check one of the suites in the 4 star ones.
