Baan Dara Resort — A Garden Resort With a Pool Slide Near Saraburi Town Where Kids Swim All Day
If you're after a Saraburi stay where the kids can swim, the rate stays low, and you're still close to town, Baan Dara Resort is a name locals tend to mention first. It opened in 2010 as a family resort spread across a large garden in Pak Khao San, just minutes from the town centre. The detail guests repeat most is the outdoor pool with a water slide and a separate kids' pool, along with rooms that run larger than the price suggests. Worth saying up front: this is an older property and the buildings show their age — it isn't a polished new resort, but for a budget family trip you get what you pay for.
Baan Dara Resort opened in 2010 and was built as a family garden resort from the start. The property spreads across a wide plot — two-storey room blocks with white balcony railings, plus gable-roofed bungalows scattered through the garden, around 72 rooms in total. Most rooms run large and come with a fridge, an LCD TV, air conditioning, and a strong twin-head shower. Past guests agree the thing they liked most was how much floor space you get for the rate, especially the triple rooms, which sleep three without feeling cramped.
The main reason families pick this place is the outdoor pool with a water slide, with a shallow kids' pool right beside it. Children can splash around for hours while parents watch from a balcony table that looks straight down onto the water. The pool sits in a shaded garden with mature trees, and the atmosphere stays quiet rather than crowded. Several reviews say this is exactly what brings them back when they're travelling with kids around Saraburi or breaking the drive up to Khao Yai.
We brought our two kids for a long weekend stay. The plan was simple: let them swim. From the moment we arrived and they spotted the pool slide, we barely saw them again until dinner. The outdoor pool is bigger than the photos suggest, the slide gets good speed, and the shallow kids' pool right beside it meant the younger one could splash around without us hovering every second. The water was clean and the chlorine smell wasn't overpowering. Mature trees around the pool give enough shade that sitting poolside for a couple of hours doesn't feel punishing in the afternoon heat. The triple room we booked was genuinely spacious — more floor space than we expected at this price point. Two beds plus a rollaway and we still had room to spread out bags without it feeling cramped. Fridge and TV worked fine. The bathroom was reasonably clean though it showed its age: some grout discolouration, a tap fixture that looked like it had been there since opening, and a shower curtain on its last legs. None of it was a dealbreaker, and for what we paid, the space-to-price ratio holds up well against anything comparable on the Khao Yai side that charges three times as much. Breakfast had a decent spread — congee, eggs, toast, some fruit, and a few simple Thai dishes. Nothing extravagant but the kids ate well and we weren't hungry by mid-morning. The restaurant area is bright with gold Thai-pattern walls and a large welcome sign that my kids immediately wanted a photo in front of. It has a warm, lived-in feel that suits the resort. The 24-hour minimart on site saved us on the first night when we realised we'd forgotten paracetamol. Being able to walk over and grab it without driving into town at 10pm was genuinely useful. The shop had water, snacks, instant noodles, and basic toiletries at fair prices. Parking was easy — wide open space, no squeezing in. A few honest caveats. On the second night a group had a function near the restaurant, and the noise carried to our room until fairly late. If we came back we'd request something deeper in the garden away from the entrance. Wi-Fi in the room was usable but not fast — fine for messaging and light browsing, not ideal for streaming. And the buildings are clearly older: hairline cracks in some wall plaster, furniture that has seen a lot of turnover. None of this was surprising given the price, but worth knowing going in. Overall, for a low-key family weekend on a tight budget, this delivered exactly what we needed: a pool with a slide, a room big enough to actually live in for two nights, and an easy drive into Saraburi town when we wanted dinner out. We'd come back. One last thing worth mentioning — the resort grounds are well maintained and felt safe for kids to run around in, clearly separated from the main road. There were a few friendly cats wandering the garden that my kids loved. Front desk staff were polite and gave us basic directions to local temples and the waterfall without being asked. Nothing flashy, but nothing to complain about either. This place isn't right for everyone, but for families who want space, honest pricing, and a pool the kids will actually use, it gets the job done.
Beyond the pool there's a gym, a sauna, and a 24-hour minimart on site, which is genuinely handy when you've forgotten something or want a late-night snack without driving out. Parking is wide and free, and access is easy since it's all within the resort's own grounds. Wi-Fi is free in the public areas, though some reviews note the signal in rooms set deeper into the garden runs weaker than the front block — keep that in mind if you need to work online.
For breakfast, the resort serves a spread with several options, a mix of Thai dishes and simple Western items. Most guests rate it well on value and quantity, particularly against a room rate that starts in the low hundreds of baht. The restaurant shares a building with the lobby, decorated with gold Thai-pattern walls and a welcome sign reading Welcome to Baandara Resort that doubles as a photo spot. If you want more choice, Saraburi town is only a few minutes' drive with plenty of restaurants.
Now the honest part: this is a resort that has been open more than a decade and the buildings show it. Reviews consistently mention some bathrooms with staining on the walls or dated grout, and furniture in places that has seen heavy use. The other recurring point is noise from rooms near the entrance and the restaurant when groups or banquets are on. Better to know in advance — if you can live with these, the price and the space you get are reasonable.
The location is in Pak Khao San on the south side of Saraburi town, roughly a 5–10 minute drive into the centre. Adisorn Golf Course and the Commemoration Health Garden are about 5 minutes away. If you want to make merit at Wat Phra Phutthachai or visit Chet Sao Noi Waterfall, both are a manageable drive on. And because it sits on a main road, it works well as a rest stop on the Bangkok–Khao Yai route for anyone who'd rather not drive it all in one go.
The bottom line: Baan Dara Resort works best for families who want the kids to swim, on a budget, while staying close to town. Rooms start around ฿600/night, far below the Khao Yai-side resorts that charge several times more. It isn't a polished luxury stay, but you get the pool slide, generous room space, and an easy drive into the centre — a solid-value pick for a low-key family weekend that doesn't need anything flashy.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Pool with a water slide and a kids' pool — children stay busy all day
- ✓ Rooms larger than the price suggests, good for families
- ✓ Breakfast offers several options and good value for the rate
- ✓ Close to Saraburi town — only a few minutes' drive in
- ! Buildings and some bathrooms are dated, with staining on a few walls
- ! Rooms near the entrance/restaurant can be noisy during banquets
- ! Wi-Fi weaker in rooms set deeper into the garden than the front block
- ✓ Wide, shaded resort grounds — quiet and relaxing
- ✓ Very affordable compared with the Khao Yai-side properties
- ✓ 24-hour minimart and free parking are convenient
- ✓ A good rest stop on the Bangkok–Khao Yai drive
- ! Furniture in places has seen heavy use
- ! Can get busy and noisy when tour groups are in
- ! Older resort styling — less modern than newer openings
- 💡If you want the best-condition room — ask to see recent room photos and request a renovated room when booking → some bathrooms show wall staining and furniture has had heavy use
- 💡If you're a light sleeper — request a room set deeper into the garden, away from the entrance and restaurant → front-side rooms can catch noise when groups or banquets are on
- 💡If the pool is the main draw — check the pool hours and slide condition before booking → on weekdays the pool is sometimes very quiet, which is a plus for families wanting privacy