Saengsin Hotel

The staff were lovely during my roughly 20 nights here between July and September last year. I used the hotel as a base while traveling around and waiting for the family house to be finished. For a few hundred baht a night, it’s hard to complain: the air conditioning worked, Wi-Fi and parking were free, and the food was good Thai food at a great value. There isn’t much to do in town, but the road connections make it handy for exploring central and northern Thailand. Chiang Mai is about 3-4 hours north at sensible driving speeds, and Phitsanulok is 1-2 hours away depending on the roads. The slower route to Chiang Mai via roads 101 and 11 takes 4-5 hours, with spectacular views and some of the best roadside stalls in Thailand. Sukhothai Airport is 20-40 minutes away. Both national parks are also close by car, Sukhothai in about 50 minutes and Si Satchanalai Historical Park in about 20. Saturday market is worth a look, and walking up to soi 8 in the early evening is a good way to grab a bite. It’s not a five-star resort, and there aren’t any in Sawankhalok, but it’s a really good-value hotel with fantastic staff.