Centara Korat — Walk Straight Into the Mall, Swim on the 20th Floor With the Whole City Below
If you want a stay in central Korat where you can walk from your room straight into the mall without ever stepping into the sun, Centara Korat tends to be one of the first names that comes up. It's a 4-star hotel that opened in 2022 — a tall tower right beside CentralPlaza Nakhon Ratchasima, with a covered walkway connecting directly into the mall and Tops. Two things guests mention over and over: fresh, clean rooms with city views, and a 20th-floor rooftop pool where an early-morning swim looks out over Korat all the way to the horizon.
What sets Centara Korat apart from other hotels in town is that it links directly into CentralPlaza Nakhon Ratchasima. A covered walkway runs from the hotel into the mall and Tops, so whether you're heading down for a meal, a movie, some shopping, or a late-night food run, it's only a few steps away — no taxi, no rain, no midday heat. For anyone visiting Korat without their own car, this is the reason a lot of people pick this place first: everything you need sits within walking distance under one roof.
The hotel opened in 2022 with 218 rooms. The smallest category is the Studio, while the ones people book most are the Premium Deluxe and the Executive Suite. Rooms run light wood tones with brick-orange accents — they feel new and bright, and some come with a kitchenette including a fridge and microwave, handy for longer stays. Near floor-to-ceiling glass gives most rooms an open city outlook, and the higher you go the further you see. The detail guests agree on most: rooms are clean, beds are comfortable, and the water pressure is strong — small things that come up often in real reviews.
Guests say: "Fresh, clean room, you can walk straight into the mall without going outside, and the pool upstairs has a gorgeous city view — genuinely good value for what they paid."
The best of the hotel is on floor 20. That's where the rooftop pool, Sky Garden and Picante Rooftop Restaurant & Bar all share one level. The pool runs from 6 am to 8 pm with city views in every direction, and Picante serves steaks and cold drinks through the evening — a sunset spot that draws locals in too, not just hotel guests. The main restaurant, House of Kin, sits off the lobby and serves Japanese and Thai dishes. There's also a high-floor gym behind floor-to-ceiling glass over the city, a spa, and meeting rooms.
The hotel sits on Mittraphap Road in central Nakhon Ratchasima. From here it's about 2–3 km to the Thao Suranari (Ya Mo) Monument and around 4 km to Terminal 21 Korat — under 10 minutes by car. There's free parking if you drive yourself. But be clear about this — Mittraphap is a main road and it gets busy, with some traffic at the evening peak. For Khao Yai National Park or the Phimai stone sanctuary you'll need to drive out of the city, so this works as a city base rather than a nature-side retreat.
The Trip.com score sits at 9.3/10 from 1,206 reviews, with TripAdvisor at 4.6/5 (ranked #1 of 63 hotels in Nakhon Ratchasima). The honest gripes from lower-rated reviews flag a musty smell in some bathrooms, and that a few amenities like conditioner or toothbrushes aren't restocked in every room. Some guests hit a period when part of the hotel was being refurbished and caught construction noise. Front-door parking is also limited — you may end up in the mall garage. Worth knowing before you book so there are no surprises.
On price, Centara Korat is good value for a big-brand hotel in town. Rooms start around ฿1,500/night in normal periods for a fresh, clean room with mall access and a rooftop pool. Rates climb over long weekends, festivals and event dates in the city, and rooms fill fast. Compared with older hotels in town at a similar price, this place gives you newness, a mall-linked location, and rooftop facilities that no other hotel in Korat currently offers.
The bottom line: Centara Korat works best for travellers who want the most convenient stay in central Korat — walk-in mall access, fresh rooms, and a rooftop pool with city views. Use it as a base to explore the city, eat and shop in the mall, then drive out to Khao Yai or Phimai for the day. If you're after a quiet nature resort or somewhere up by Khao Yai, this isn't it — but if you value convenience, newness and a central location, it earns a spot near the top in Korat.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Walkway connects straight into CentralPlaza — very convenient
- ✓ Fresh, clean rooms with comfortable beds and strong water pressure
- ✓ 20th-floor rooftop pool with a great city view
- ✓ Friendly, attentive staff
- ! Some bathrooms have a musty smell
- ! A few amenities not restocked in every room
- ! Limited front-door parking — use the mall garage
- ✓ Central location, linked to the mall for easy food and shopping
- ✓ Picante Rooftop is a fine spot for sunset
- ✓ Breakfast buffet covers both Thai and Western options
- ✓ A new hotel with clean, modern design
- ! Mittraphap Road is busy with some traffic at the evening peak
- ! Rates rise and rooms fill fast during city events
- ! You'll need a car for Khao Yai or Phimai
- 💡If you want a room with no smell — you can ask to see the room at check-in, or request a change if you catch a musty bathroom → it's flagged in some reviews, but not in every room
- 💡If you're driving yourself — allow extra time to park → front-door spaces are limited and most guests end up in the connected CentralPlaza garage
- 💡If you're staying several nights or as a group — pick a room with a kitchenette or the Executive Suite → you get a fridge, microwave and a separate sitting area, better value than a Studio once you split it