D Varee Diva Central Rayong — A Rooftop Saltwater Pool Two Minutes From the Mall
Most people pass through Rayong on the way to Koh Samet rather than stay in the city itself. But if you need a night in town before the ferry, D Varee Diva Central Rayong is the name that comes up most. It's a 4-star city hotel on Sukhumvit Road, and guests keep mentioning two things: a rooftop saltwater pool and soundproofed rooms with a separate bathtub and a balcony — with Passione Shopping Mall a two-minute walk away. One note up front: the hotel now trades as PLAAI Prime Hotel Rayong, but it's the same building and the same team.
D Varee Diva Central Rayong is a mid-rise on Sukhumvit Road in the centre of town, with 79 rooms in total. The detail guests agree on most is how well the rooms block sound — you're on a main road, but close the door and you barely hear traffic. Rooms run a warm wood palette with a 40-inch flat-screen TV, minibar and coffee maker, and the part many people single out is the separate soaking bathtub alongside a rainfall shower in the tiled bathroom. Most rooms have a small balcony for a morning coffee outside.
The real draw sits on the roof — an outdoor saltwater pool long enough for actual laps, lined with sun loungers and a separate Jacuzzi corner. In the late afternoon it fills up because the city views open out on every side. Next to it is a gym behind floor-to-ceiling glass that looks onto the pool, with a treadmill, cross-trainer and bikes. For a central city hotel at this price, a rooftop saltwater pool is more than you'd expect to find.
One guest recalls: "The room was far quieter than they expected for a spot right on Sukhumvit. A swim on the rooftop in the evening, then dinner at the mall downstairs — couldn't be more convenient."
On the ground floor there's a restaurant and café serving breakfast and à la carte meals, plus a small lobby bar for an evening drink. The lobby itself is finished in Asian timber screens and woven pendant lamps, warmer than the usual business-hotel look. Front-desk staff draw repeated praise in reviews for being friendly and genuinely helpful — the small things, like flagging a taxi or pointing you to a good restaurant in town, are handled without fuss.
Location is the main advantage. The hotel sits on Sukhumvit Road with Passione Shopping Mall a two-minute walk away — restaurants, a supermarket and a cinema all within reach. Saeng Chan Beach and Rayong's old town are a short drive out. For anyone continuing to Koh Samet, the Ban Phe pier is around 20 km away, roughly 30 minutes by car — stay one night in the city, then catch an early ferry the next morning, which is how a lot of travellers use it.
The Trip.com score sits at 9.2/10 from 401 reviews, with location scoring highest at 9.5, followed by amenities and cleanliness. The honest feedback from lower-rated reviews: the standard 30 sqm Deluxe Room is comfortable but not large, and some rooms look out onto city buildings rather than a scenic view. A few reviewers note the breakfast spread is smaller than you'd get at a resort. Worth knowing so the expectation is right going in.
On price — a Deluxe Room starts around ฿1,200/night in normal periods, which is strong value for a 4-star with a rooftop saltwater pool in the city centre. Over long weekends and high season (November–February and public holidays) rates climb to ฿1,800–2,500, since plenty of people stop here before heading to Samet. If you're travelling then, book 2–3 weeks ahead and compare Agoda, Booking and Trip.com every time.
The bottom line: D Varee Diva Central Rayong works best for travellers who want a well-priced city base in Rayong with a real pool and good rooms — families breaking the journey to the islands, business visitors, and couples after somewhere clean within walking distance of the mall. It isn't a beachfront resort. But if the brief is "one comfortable night in the city," it does that well on an easy budget.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Central location — 2-minute walk to Passione Mall
- ✓ Rooftop saltwater pool and Jacuzzi above expectations for the price
- ✓ Rooms genuinely quiet despite the main-road setting
- ✓ Staff friendly and helpful
- ! Deluxe Room is comfortable but not spacious
- ! Some rooms face city buildings rather than a view
- ! Parking fills up over long weekends
- ✓ Excellent value for a 4-star with a pool
- ✓ Separate in-room bathtub gets frequent praise
- ✓ Close to Ban Phe pier — handy stopover before Koh Samet
- ✓ Attractively designed lobby with a warm feel
- ! Breakfast selection smaller than a resort's
- ! Not beachfront — a drive to the sand
- ! High-season rates rise noticeably
- 💡If you want the most space — skip the 30 sqm Deluxe for the 42 sqm Studio Suite with Pool View, or the 69 sqm One-Bedroom Suite → the Deluxe sleeps fine but isn't roomy
- 💡If you're here mainly for the beach — this is a city-centre hotel, not on the sand · you'll drive to Saeng Chan Beach or Ban Phe → pick a beachfront resort if you want to wake up to the sea
- 💡If you're breaking the trip to Koh Samet — Ban Phe pier is about 30 minutes by car → stay the night and leave early for the first ferry · the front desk can arrange a car in advance