BP Grand Tower Hat Yai — A Downtown Tower Where the Lift Drops You Into Everything
If you want a Hat Yai base where you step out and walk to the food, the shopping and the night markets without ever calling a car, BP Grand Tower Hat Yai is a name shoppers keep coming back to. It's a tall landmark tower on Sanehanusorn Road that opened in 1991 and had a major renovation in 2015. What guests mention again and again is the 4-minute walk to Lee Garden Plaza and the rooftop pool that looks out over the whole of downtown Hat Yai. To be straight with you — this isn't a luxury property, but for a central location at this price, it's hard to beat the value.
BP Grand Tower opened in 1991 as one of the first high-rise hotels in Hat Yai, and a major 2015 renovation brought the rooms up to date. The building holds around 200 rooms across Standard, Deluxe, Executive and Honeymoon categories. Worth saying up front: the style here is old-school classic — copper-clad columns, carved Thai woodwork in the lobby, patterned corridor carpet — not a modern minimalist fit-out. Most guests agree the rooms come out larger than they expected for the rate, with comfortable beds and air-conditioning that genuinely cools the room down fast.
The detail people photograph most is the rooftop outdoor pool on the top floor. It's an open-air pool with views over the Hat Yai rooftops in every direction, and the late-afternoon window once the sun softens is a relaxed spot for a drink. There's a free fitness room on the same level. For food, the ground floor has a long-running Chinese restaurant that locals drop into for morning dim sum — the hotel breakfast is served here too, a small set-plus-buffet spread that does the job before you head out into the city.
"We chose this place because we could walk to Kim Yong Market and Lee Garden easily — step out of the room and there's food everywhere. We didn't call a single car the whole trip."
The location is the real selling point. The hotel sits on Sanehanusorn Road right in the middle of the shopping district — a 4-minute walk to Lee Garden Plaza, a little further to Kim Yong Market with its endless food and souvenir stalls, and the weekly night market is only about 400 metres away. Hat Yai train station is within walking distance, and Hat Yai Airport is roughly 25-30 minutes by car. If you've come to shop or eat your way around Hat Yai, this kind of walkability saves a lot of time and taxi fare.
The overall score sits at 7.8/10 from 191 Trip.com reviews, with location and value rated highest. Here's the honest side you should know before booking, though — because the tower is older, some rooms carry a musty or damp smell, especially ones that haven't been occupied recently. A few reviewers flag weak water pressure and slow hot water in the bathroom, and front-desk service can be hit or miss depending on when you arrive, with some guests reporting a slow check-in. Set your expectations away from a brand-new hotel and you won't be caught out.
On price — Standard rooms start around ฿900-1,100/night on weekdays, with the roomier Deluxe and Executive categories at roughly ฿1,300-1,800. During long weekends and festival periods, when Malaysian and Singaporean visitors pour into Hat Yai, rates climb and rooms fill quickly, so book ahead. Against newer hotels in the same district at similar prices, BP Grand Tower wins on room size and the rooftop pool.
The bottom line: BP Grand Tower suits travellers here to shop and eat, who want a central base on a budget. If your plan is to walk the markets, Kim Yong and Lee Garden, then crash somewhere close by, it does that job well. If you're after a crisp modern room or 4-5 star service and facilities, look elsewhere. If you do book, request a recently renovated, higher-floor room — you'll get the city view and sidestep the musty-room issue.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Excellent location — easy walk to Lee Garden and Kim Yong Market
- ✓ Rooms larger than expected for this price bracket
- ✓ Rooftop pool with city views, good atmosphere late afternoon
- ✓ Free parking, handy if you're driving in
- ! Older building — some rooms have a musty or damp smell
- ! Weak water pressure and slow hot water in some rooms
- ! Front-desk service inconsistent, slow check-in at busy times
- ✓ Central — everything within walking distance, saves on taxis
- ✓ Comfortable beds, cold air-con, reasonably quiet rooms
- ✓ On-site Chinese restaurant and rooftop pool
- ✓ Good value for a Hat Yai shopping trip
- ! Dated decor — not a modern fit-out
- ! Some bathrooms show their age
- ! Crowded during festivals — long lift waits, fills up fast
- 💡If you're worried about musty or damp rooms — request a recently renovated, higher-floor room at booking → long-closed or lower-floor rooms are more likely to smell musty; run the air-con and air the room out for a while after check-in
- 💡If hot water and water pressure matter to you — tell reception at check-in that you want a room with reliable hot water → some rooms are slow to heat up; flag it early and you can usually move rooms
- 💡If you're coming during a festival or long weekend — book at least 2-3 weeks ahead → rooms fill fast and rates rise when Malaysian and Singaporean visitors arrive; choose a free-cancellation rate if your plans aren't locked in