Buddy Oriental Riverside Pakkred — A White Colonial Villa on the Chao Phraya with a Boat Straight to Koh Kret
If you want to escape Bangkok without a long drive, Buddy Oriental Riverside Pakkred is the name Nonthaburi locals reach for first. It's a white colonial-style building with green Thai roofs, sitting right on the Chao Phraya in Pak Kret, directly across from Koh Kret island. The details guests keep coming back to are the encaustic-tile riverside terrace at sunset and the hotel's own boat that ferries guests across to wander Koh Kret for free — close to the city, but with the feel of an upcountry resort.
Buddy Oriental Riverside is built as a golden-era-of-Siam resort. The main building is a white block with green Thai roofs on the bank of the Chao Phraya, screened by mature trees so you barely see the road. Its 83 rooms carry a colonial-meets-Thai look — four-poster beds, polished wood floors, dark wooden furniture — and the lobby is dotted with Buddha images and antique collections that make it feel like walking through an old nobleman's house. Several guests describe how the traffic noise on Tiwanon Road simply disappears once you're inside the gates.
The thing guests agree on most is the river view. The ground-floor terrace is laid with old-pattern floral tiles, with wooden chairs set out to watch barges and longtail boats pass by. In the late afternoon the light turns the water gold, and that's when most people reach for their cameras. The riverside Thai restaurant Song Fang Klong sets tables right along the railing so you can eat with the river in front of you, and a small Wine Bar is on hand for an evening drink.
One guest recalls eating dinner by the water with a cool breeze, watching the temple lights flicker on across the river, and finding it hard to believe they were still in greater Bangkok.
There are two outdoor pools. The larger one curves through the garden like a lagoon, with a planted island in the middle and landscaped rocks around the edge, while a smaller pool suits children. Beyond the pools there's a spa with traditional Thai massage, a gym, and a tennis court on the grounds. Families and groups tend to like that everything is in one place — there's no need to head out for activities.
The signature you won't find at a city hotel is the boat across to Koh Kret. The hotel has its own jetty on the river and ferries guests over to walk the Koh Kret market, see the Mon pottery, try the local sweets, and come back easily. It's only a short hop across the water, a few minutes each way. If you'd rather cycle, you can borrow one of the hotel's bicycles and ride a loop around the island.
On location, the honest take is that this is a riverside resort you really want a car for. It's about a 15-minute drive to IMPACT Muang Thong Thani and 15–20 minutes to Central Chaengwattana, but without a car it's awkward — the hotel sits down a soi that public transport doesn't reach. Don Muang Airport is around 25–30 minutes by road. People attending events at Muang Thong often stay here because it's close yet far nicer in atmosphere than the convention-area hotels.
The overall score sits at 8.3 from verified guest reviews on Booking, with value for money the standout at 9.0 and room comfort at 8.7. The fairer criticism from lower-rated reviews: the building and rooms are starting to show their age, a few rooms smell slightly musty on arrival, some staff have limited English, and when the hotel hosts a large banquet or seminar the common areas get crowded and parking fills up — worth knowing so you can pick your dates.
The bottom line: Buddy Oriental Riverside works best for anyone who wants a Chao Phraya riverside-resort atmosphere at low-thousand-baht prices without driving out of the province. You get the river view, the pools, and the boat across to Koh Kret. If you expect a flawless brand-new hotel in every corner, this isn't it — but for a place with character, a good setting, and proximity to Muang Thong Thani, it's strong value for money.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Chao Phraya river views are lovely, especially at dusk
- ✓ Quiet resort atmosphere despite being close to the city
- ✓ Hotel boat ferries guests across to Koh Kret
- ✓ Strong value for money at low-thousand-baht rates
- ! Building and rooms are starting to show their age
- ! You really need a car — public transport doesn't reach the door
- ! A few rooms smell slightly musty on arrival
- ✓ Colonial-Thai styling with real character and photogenic corners
- ✓ Spacious rooms, high ceilings, comfortable beds
- ✓ Riverside Thai restaurant Song Fang Klong — good food, good view
- ✓ Close to IMPACT Muang Thong Thani for event-goers
- ! Crowded common areas and tight parking during large banquets/seminars
- ! Some staff have limited English
- ! Tucked down a soi — the drive in and out takes a little care
- 💡If you want full river views — specify a River View room at booking → garden-side rooms are leafy and pleasant but don't see the water, and the price gap is small
- 💡If you plan to take the boat to Koh Kret — check the boat times with the hotel ahead, since the schedule depends on the hour and guest numbers → on some weekday slots you may need to arrange it in advance
- 💡If you don't have a car — plan to use Grab, as the hotel sits down a deep soi with no public-transport access → a Grab from the MRT Purple Line runs around ฿120–180