Tara Raft Kanchanaburi

That back deck is lovely for watching the party boats go past at night, and there's a great restaurant next door run by a friendly Dutch guy. We ate there three times, which is a lot for us. The place is also just around the corner from the war cemetery and museum, and I've stayed here many times before. The rooms are clean and the beds really comfortable, but the wear and tear is getting hard to ignore. The bathrooms smell really bad after people on the raft flush. We tried covering the drains with plastic cups, but it didn't do much. The bathroom itself is tiny, though it works. The windows were so dirty I could barely see the view, so I cleaned them and the fridge myself with some rags. There's one older woman who does the cleaning, and she's lovely and helpful, but only there until noon. A young man takes the 700bt payment and helps carry bags down the steep stairs, though he seems unhappy. A little boy sleeps on a couch in the “ lobby” and at least will put the Wi-Fi code into your phone, since it isn't posted anywhere. I hope I can return after some improvements. The location is so good, but until it seems like someone cares about the place, I won't be back. Such a shame.

The upstairs terrace is completely trashed, though the view from there is nice. The location is okay, service is hard to judge, and the rooms seem fair for what they cost. Edit: I've dropped this from 3 stars to 2. Shower water with soap in it drains straight into the River Kwai through a hole in the floor, as the photo shows. That's not great for marine life.

The location works really well, with the railway station and old town both within walking distance, and plenty of laundry services close by. For the best clear river view, I'd pick the last room on the right. It's a charming little spot, one of the few riverside places to stay in Kanchanaburi. The room is a decent size and the river view is lovely, though debris from upriver washes down toward the raft rooms.

I loved the views from the rooms. I caught the sunset and then the next morning's sunrise without moving from the same spot. The rooms are cute and gorgeous, right on the river, and the staff are really friendly. I'm honestly trying to change my travel plans so I can stay here again. Just a heads-up, if you get seasick, this may not suit you. I only noticed a little movement a couple of times while standing in my room.