Centara Hotel Hat Yai — Step Off the Lift Into the Mall, Walk Out to the Night Market
If you're coming to Hat Yai to eat and shop, Centara Hotel Hat Yai is the address regulars keep rebooking. It sits on Sanehanusorn Road in the middle of town and is connected directly to Central Department Store — you step off the lift and you're inside the mall, no walking out into the sun. Kim Yong Market, Lee Garden and the famous night market are all a few minutes on foot. Guests say the same thing over and over: the real draw here is a location where everything is walkable, plus rooms that run larger than most 4-star city hotels at the price.
Start with what guests mention most — the location. Centara Hotel Hat Yai sits on Sanehanusorn Road right in the centre of town, and the building connects straight into Central Department Store. That means on a rainy afternoon or under the midday heat you take the lift down and walk into the mall without getting wet or sweaty. Another 4–5 minutes on foot gets you to Kim Yong Market, Lee Garden Plaza and the night-market zone Hat Yai is known for. On Trip.com the location category scores 9.6, the highest of any rating the hotel has — and it lines up exactly with what guests keep writing.
On the rooms, the hotel has 248 keys ranging from 25 to 76 sqm, split across Superior, Deluxe, and up to suites and apartments with a living area and a small kitchen. Long-stay guests often go for the apartments because they can cook for themselves. Some higher-floor rooms open the curtains onto city views with a distant mountain ridge behind — a detail guests like to photograph for their reviews. The room sizes, larger than the typical city hotel, are a big reason people come back.
"Shop downstairs at the mall, drop the bags in the room, then walk out for dinner — we didn't call a single taxi the whole day."
The shared facilities cover what a city hotel needs. The outdoor pool sits on the rooftop with sun loungers and a view over Hat Yai, and right beside it the fitness centre looks out onto the pool and terrace with a reasonably full set of equipment. For downtime there's Cense by Spa Cenvaree, the Centara-group spa, focused on Thai massage along with body and facial treatments, plus a sauna. Worth flagging: the pool isn't large the way a beach resort's would be, but for a downtown hotel it does the job.
For food, the hotel has a few options. Ginger is the main restaurant, serving Chinese, Thai and Japanese from an open kitchen with a wine-bar corner. Saneha Café handles breakfast and international dishes, and the Lobby Lounge runs cocktails and live music in the evening, a relaxed spot before you head out. Honestly, though, the charm of staying in Hat Yai is the food outside — morning dim sum, fried chicken, chicken rice and noodle shops surround the hotel, which is why many guests book without breakfast and eat out instead.
The overall score is 9.1/10 from 1,328 reviews on Trip.com, led by location at 9.6, then service at 9.2 and cleanliness at 8.9. The honest complaints centre on a building and décor that show their age — this is a long-established hotel, and some rooms read more classic than contemporary. A few reviews mention cigarette smell in rooms that were once smoking rooms, so request a non-smoking room at booking if that matters to you. On busy weekends, when Malaysian visitors arrive in numbers, the lobby and lifts can get crowded.
On price — rooms start around ฿1,600/night in normal periods, which is strong value for a 4-star hotel connected to a mall in the city centre. Over holidays and long weekends, when Malaysian and Singaporean travellers come through, rates climb to ฿2,500–3,500 and rooms sell out fast. Book at least 2–3 weeks ahead, and compare Agoda against Trip.com before you commit each time — the gap is real.
The bottom line: Centara Hotel Hat Yai works best for people coming to Hat Yai to eat and shop who want everything within walking distance. The location is the strength no one argues with, the rooms are roomy for the money, and the facilities cover pool, spa and gym. The trade-off is décor that looks dated in places. If you want more space or you're staying several nights, a suite with the small kitchen is far better value than a standard room.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Central location, connected to Central mall, everything walkable
- ✓ Rooms larger than the price suggests, especially suites with a kitchenette
- ✓ Helpful, responsive staff
- ✓ Rooftop pool and fitness centre with city views
- ! Building and décor show their age
- ! Lobby and lifts crowded on weekends
- ! Some older rooms carry a cigarette smell — request non-smoking
- ✓ 5-minute walk to Kim Yong Market and the night market
- ✓ Good variety at the Saneha Café breakfast
- ✓ Suites suit families and long stays
- ✓ Strong value for a 4-star city hotel
- ! Pool smaller than a beach resort's
- ! Rooms sell out fast over holidays, rates climb
- ! Some room types feel more classic than modern
- 💡If you're travelling as a group or staying long — pick a suite or apartment with a living area and small kitchen, up to 76 sqm → far better value than booking two standard rooms
- 💡If cigarette smell bothers you — request a high-floor non-smoking room at booking → some former smoking rooms can carry a lingering smell
- 💡If you're coming on a weekend or holiday — book 2–3 weeks ahead → rooms sell out fast and rates climb noticeably when Malaysian visitors arrive in numbers