Pratunam Hotel Khonkaen

It's enormous. I've visited several times and still haven't managed to see the whole market. You can find just about anything here, and it all seems to be wholesale, with prices that are hard to beat. Plan on spending at least half a day, and I reckon you'd want the full day to look around properly.

The rooms were comfortable and adequate, and for the price I found the place quite acceptable. The location works well for the market and night bazaar, though finding it in the dark isn't easy. Breakfast seemed geared toward Thai guests, but I was able to get an omelette, tea and toast. I'd put it closer to a 3.5.

We left the same day we checked in. I'd stayed here 7 years ago and it was lovely then, but now it's a dump, with rude staff and no breakfast food for foreigners. They wouldn't provide toast or jam. Being near the market and Dino Park is the only upside, but honestly, I'd rather sleep in a tent. Don't book this hotel.

We paid under 600B on Agoda for a double room, breakfast included. It was a good breakfast: eight Thai dishes made to order, cold bottled water for each of us, and instant coffee at a self service station. We didn't mind that there were no Western options, despite what some other reviews said. The hotel has also added covered parking east of the entrance, where a Chinese restaurant used to be. There's room for around 10 cars and a few motorcycles. Google Street View still showed the restaurant when I checked. The hotel was very quiet during our six day public holiday weekend, as was the area around it. It's a big property, probably about 100 rooms, on the outskirts of town. The surroundings look industrial, so I can imagine it gets busier on regular workdays. It's old, but some recent improvements make it acceptable for a short stay. The friendly staff were accommodating when we asked to change rooms because the WiFi signal was weak. The receptionist came upstairs and helped carry our bags. The signal was stronger in the second room, but the internet still cut in and out about every 30 seconds. I ended up using my phone as a hotspot and burned through a lot of data. The rooms are dated, though some things have been updated, including the AC units and what look like early generation LCD flat screen TVs. Furniture is heavily worn, with dents and chipped paint. The beds are a little hard, and sometimes you can feel the steel springs. Hot water comes from a central system, and it takes a while for warmth to reach the shower. There was quite a bit of black mold staining the bathroom grout. A kettle and instant coffee, sugar and creamer were provided. Thankfully, the creamer wasn't the sweet 3-in-1 kind. I'd give the place about 3.5 stars. It doesn't quite merit 4 because the internet was unreliable throughout our stay.