Areena Resort and Hotel Uttaradit — Spacious Rooms with Balconies and Free Bikes Under ฿1,000
If you're after a place to stay in Uttaradit town where the rooms are big and clean but the rate stays under a thousand baht, Areena Resort and Hotel Uttaradit turns up near the top of the list almost every time. The salmon-pink, curved three-storey building on Samranruen Road makes no claim to luxury — but guests repeatedly call it the best value-for-money stay they've found. What comes up again and again is the Superior rooms that run larger than the price suggests, with balconies, plus the free bicycles and free parking thrown in at no extra cost.
Areena Resort and Hotel is a 2-star property in Uttaradit town — a curved, salmon-pink three-storey building on Samranruen Road in Tha It. The reason it scores so well comes down to room size: the Superior rooms are wide enough to fit a king bed and a full sofa seating area in the same space, and many come with a private balcony or terrace looking out over the garden. Tiled floors, light wood furniture, air-conditioning, a TV, a small fridge and a dining table round out the room — that spec for a few hundred baht is genuinely hard to find in a smaller Thai town.
The extra guests mention most is the free bicycles. Uttaradit is small and fairly flat, so it's an easy ride to the Phraya Phichai Dab Hak Monument or the markets in town. On top of that, there's generous on-site parking — which matters more than it sounds, since plenty of central hotels run tight on spaces. A small minimart at the front desk handles late-night water and snacks too.
One guest summed it up as "a much bigger room than expected, lovely staff, easy parking — perhaps the best value for money I've had in a hotel."
Breakfast is included with every room. It's a simple set rather than a large buffet, but it's unlimited and runs until around 10 am. Most guests describe it as enough to set you up before heading out — nobody expects fine dining, and nobody seems put off. If you want something more substantial, there's a food court and a cluster of restaurants about 300 metres from the hotel, a few minutes on foot.
The location sits inside the town centre, under a 5-minute drive from Uttaradit railway station on the northern line between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. The Phraya Phichai Dab Hak Monument and the provincial hall are both close by. It suits travellers using Uttaradit as a stopover on the way north, or anyone in town for paperwork or errands who just wants a quiet, comfortable room.
The overall score is 8.8/10 from 17 Trip.com reviews, with cleanliness rated highest at 9.3, followed by location and amenities. Worth knowing before you book: this is a budget property — there's no pool, some wings have no lift, and the whole place is non-smoking. A couple of reviewers noted dogs barking from the surrounding neighbourhood at night, even though it's quiet overall. These are real limitations, better to know up front.
On price, a Standard room starts around ฿590/night, while the larger Superior rooms with balconies run roughly ฿850–990. Rates climb a little over public holidays and festival weekends, and rooms sell out faster then because the town doesn't have many strong options. As always, compare Agoda, Booking and Trip.com before you commit — the gap can be tens to a couple of hundred baht.
The bottom line: Areena Resort and Hotel Uttaradit works best for road-trippers who want a big, clean room with easy parking on a sub-฿1,000 budget. It isn't a luxury stay and doesn't try to be — but in a town with limited choices, this is where value and comfort meet. If you want the largest room with a sitting area, go straight for the Superior; the few-hundred-baht upgrade is worth it.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Rooms larger than expected, clean and tidy
- ✓ Reception staff friendly and helpful
- ✓ Wide, easy on-site parking
- ✓ Free bicycles for exploring the town
- ! Breakfast is simple, not a large buffet
- ! No swimming pool
- ! Some dog barking from the neighbourhood at night
- ✓ Excellent value for a few-hundred-baht rate
- ✓ Superior rooms include a sofa area and balcony
- ✓ Quiet, restful atmosphere
- ✓ Close to the train station and town centre
- ! Budget property with basic amenities
- ! Some wings have no lift
- ! Entirely non-smoking
- 💡If you want the largest room — pick a Superior at booking; the upgrade over Standard is only a few hundred baht but adds a sitting area and balcony → Standard rooms are sleep-only
- 💡If you're driving — the wide on-site parking is a real advantage here; tell reception how many cars at check-in → many central-town hotels run tight on spaces over holidays
- 💡If you're a light sleeper — request an upper-floor or inner room when booking; a few reviews mention neighbourhood dogs at night → quiet overall, but worth hedging if sound bothers you