Bansuan Resort — A Garden Resort in Town Where You Park at Your Door, Near Central Nakhon Sawan
Pull into Nakhon Sawan after dark and want somewhere you can roll the suitcase from the car straight to the room — no lift, no hunting for a parking spot, and Bansuan Resort is the name drivers passing through this town remember. It's a city resort in the Pak Nam Pho area where the rooms are spread through leafy, tree-shaded grounds, with parking at the door of nearly every one. Let's be straight up front: the rooms and buildings lean toward an older Thai-resort style rather than anything sleek and new. What guests come back to mention, though, is that the rooms are roomy and clean, the staff are friendly, it's close to Central, and the price stays remarkably light — enough to earn it 8.3 from 96 Trip.com reviews and the #1 spot in town on Tripadvisor.
Bansuan Resort lays out differently from the usual high-rise hotel. The rooms are scattered through tree-shaded grounds, with a zone of single-storey red-tiled rooms ringing a lawn and a main roadside building carrying a large "บ้านสวน BANSUAN RESORT" sign you can spot from down the street. True to its name, which means "garden house," there's a green lawn with big shade trees at the centre of the property. Rooms come in several types — twin, double, up to a four-bed family room — done in dark teak-toned furniture in an older Thai resort style, with a refrigerator, flat-screen TV, air-con and a work desk. The detail guests note most is that the rooms run larger than you'd expect for the price, with high ceilings, clean white linen, and although the furniture isn't modern, housekeeping keeps it tidy.
The appeal that brings people back is the self-drive convenience — you can park right at the door of nearly every room. For anyone driving up from Bangkok or passing through on the way north, getting to carry the bags from the boot to the room door in a few steps, with no lift and no long walk, is the reason many guests say they return. The grounds have ample parking, cars come and go easily, and it's all free. It's the kind of motel feel that's getting harder to find in a town where the newer hotels are all towers.
"Clean room, spacious grounds, easy parking right at the door, close to Central — recommended. We drove up from Bangkok for a single night on the way north and pulled straight in to park at the room door, bags inside in a few steps, far easier than a high-rise hotel. The room was bigger than expected, high ceiling, comfortable bed, clean white sheets, good air-con, and the Wi-Fi ran smoothly. There was even free hot rice porridge in the morning by the restaurant. The grounds are leafy enough for a stroll, the staff were friendly and helpful, and the price was very low for what you get. Central is just five minutes' drive away. Would stay again if we pass through Nakhon Sawan."
The public areas include an on-site restaurant decorated with clusters of hanging green ferns for a garden feel. The point guests like to mention is that there's free hot rice porridge (jok) in the morning — the resort doesn't include a full buffet breakfast, but a warm bowl before you set off goes a long way at this room price. There's also a bar/lounge, karaoke, and a large banquet and conference hall that seats several hundred, which makes it a popular choice for provincial seminars and events. Laundry service, luggage storage and a 24-hour front desk round it out. One thing to flag plainly: there's no swimming pool, so if a pool is the plan you'll want to look elsewhere.
The location is a real plus for a budget resort. Set in the Pak Nam Pho area on the Nakhon Sawan Tok side, it's an easy walk to Sawan Park, the big central public park where locals come to exercise in the evenings. It's about a 5-minute drive to Central Nakhon Sawan and to the source of the Chao Phraya River (Pak Nam Pho), the point where the Ping and Nan rivers meet, along with the Pasan landmark that's lovely for riverside photos in the evening light. There's a 7-Eleven and places to eat within walking distance, and the in-town bus terminal is close by. Bueng Boraphet, the largest freshwater lake in Thailand, is a short drive out.
Now for the honest part before you book. The point raised most often in reviews is that check-in is a little confusing — there's an old lobby at the front by the road that's no longer in use, while the actual check-in counter sits further in. First time round you may circle for a bit; calling the staff or reading the signs carefully makes it easier. Other recurring notes are that some rooms have firm mattresses and a few reviews mention the occasional ant in the room. The room style and buildings are an older resort era with areas due for a refresh. Worth knowing so the expectations are set right: this place trades on value and convenience, not on being new and polished.
On price, rooms start around ฿450/night for an economy double or twin, with larger rooms and the four-bed family room climbing with the size, broadly in the ฿450–900 range. That's a light rate for what you get: a roomy room, parking at the door, leafy grounds and free morning porridge. During Nakhon Sawan's big events — especially the Pak Nam Pho Chinese New Year festival in February, reputed to be the largest in Thailand — rooms fill fast and rates rise, so book ahead. As always, compare Agoda, Booking and Trip.com before committing, since the promos differ between them.
The bottom line: Bansuan Resort works best for self-drive travellers who want a roomy, clean room with parking at the door at a light price for a night or two in Nakhon Sawan. If you're travelling as a family or group, like the convenience of a drive-up resort, and aren't fussed about the building being new, it's good value and convenient — enough to understand how it landed the #1 spot in town. If you're set on a pool, want a varied buffet breakfast, or expect a modern room, you'll want to weigh it up, because this place leans on value and function over polish.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Rooms spacious and clean with high ceilings for the price
- ✓ Park at the door — easy for self-drive guests
- ✓ Close to Central, walkable to Sawan Park, convenience store nearby
- ✓ Friendly, helpful staff · Wi-Fi runs smoothly
- ! Check-in is confusing — the old front lobby is no longer used
- ! Some rooms have firm mattresses
- ! No swimming pool and no buffet breakfast (free porridge only)
- ✓ Spacious grounds with leafy, tree-shaded areas to stroll
- ✓ Very light price for the room size you get
- ✓ Short drive to the Chao Phraya source (Pak Nam Pho) and Pasan
- ✓ Large banquet hall — good for groups, seminars and events
- ! Room style and buildings lean dated, due for a refresh
- ! A few reviews mention the occasional ant in the room
- ! Rooms near the road or karaoke may catch some noise
- 💡If you can't find the counter on arrival — the old lobby at the front by the road is no longer used; the actual check-in counter sits further in → call the staff or follow the signs first so you don't circle the grounds
- 💡If you're sensitive to a firm mattress — some rooms run firm → ask to try a different room or request an extra topper at check-in; staff sort it out easily enough
- 💡If you're set on a pool or a full breakfast — there's no pool here and only free morning porridge → if a pool is essential, pick an in-town hotel that has one, but for a clean room with easy parking this delivers good value