Good Times Resort — Wake Up on the River Kwai, with a Riverbank Restaurant Facing the Bridge
If you want a Kanchanaburi stay that sits right on the River Kwai — not just "near the river" — Good Times Resort is the name that keeps coming up. It's a 3-star resort on River Kwai Road, a few minutes' walk from the Night Market and a 5-minute drive from the Bridge over the River Kwai. What guests mention again and again is the riverbank restaurant in the evening, where you can see the bridge and the town lights reflected on the water, and the two garden pools that keep kids busy all day — a genuine riverside setting for a little over a thousand baht a night.
Good Times Resort runs in a long strip along the River Kwai in Ban Tai, about 1.5 km from central Kanchanaburi. It's a cluster of low pitched-roof buildings set in a garden, with a small canal threading through before you reach the riverbank lawn. Most rooms are low-rise with a sitting balcony — some face the garden, some look straight at the river. Guests describe it as quieter than they expected for a resort inside town: during the day you mostly hear birds and the water.
The detail people come back for is the riverbank restaurant. Tables line the bank facing the River Kwai, and in the evening, with the warm lights on, you can see the Bridge over the River Kwai in the distance and the town glow on the water. The menu is mostly Thai and reasonably priced. Breakfast is a buffet served in the same riverside spot — several reviews single it out for fresh produce and plenty of fruit, eaten while boats drift past. For a lot of guests it's the part of the stay they remember more than the room itself.
"Having dinner by the river with a cool breeze, the lit-up bridge across the water — you simply can't get this atmosphere from a hotel in town."
On the pool side, there are two pools set in the garden, ringed by palms and wooden loungers. The main one is a curved blue-tiled pool with clear water and a shallow section for children. Families say kids can splash about happily while the adults sit with a coffee by the water all afternoon. Before mid-morning the pool is usually empty, so if you want a quiet swim, that's the window.
The location works in your favour for sightseeing. It's a short walk to the riverside Night Market for evening food, and about a 5-minute drive to the Bridge over the River Kwai (roughly a 25-minute walk if you prefer). The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery and the Thailand–Burma Railway (Death Railway) Centre are only 1–2 km away. The tour desk can arrange transport to Erawan Falls or a raft trip, which helps a lot if you haven't driven down yourself.
Scores sit firmly in the very-good range — 9.1 on Booking from over four thousand reviews (ranked #3 of 97 properties in Kanchanaburi City), 4.6/5 on Tripadvisor from nearly 1,000 reviews, and 8.8/10 on Trip.com. The highest marks go to staff (9.6) and to location and cleanliness (9.4). The honest gripes from lower-rated reviews are weak water pressure in the showers and the occasional receptionist who came across as less than warm — worth knowing so you don't arrive with the wrong expectation.
On price, Good Times Resort starts around ฿1,300/night for a Standard room in normal periods. Rooms facing or near the river cost a little more but earn it on the view. During high season (November–February) and long Thai holidays it books up fast and rates can climb to ฿1,800–2,500, so reserve two to three weeks ahead. One more thing — in low season the pool or restaurant is occasionally closed for maintenance, so if you're coming specifically for either, message the hotel to confirm before you book.
The bottom line: Good Times Resort suits families and couples who want a real River Kwai setting on a budget of just over a thousand baht. It isn't a luxury resort, but it delivers what many places can't — a true riverside location, a restaurant with bridge views, and service that earns it the repeated tag of "a 3-star resort with 5-star service." If you want the best view, ask for a river-facing room when you book.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Riverside location, short walk to the Night Market
- ✓ Friendly staff who arrange raft and waterfall trips
- ✓ Two pools — easy for kids
- ✓ Riverside breakfast with fresh produce and fruit
- ! Weak water pressure in the showers
- ! The occasional receptionist comes across as unsmiling
- ! Pool or restaurant may close for maintenance in low season
- ✓ Riverbank restaurant facing the Bridge over the River Kwai
- ✓ Rooms are large and clean with a sitting balcony
- ✓ Quieter than expected for a resort inside town
- ✓ Good value — river setting from just over a thousand baht
- ! Some rooms are a short walk from the pool
- ! Fills up fast over long Thai holidays
- ! Parking gets tight in high season
- 💡If you want a full river view — ask at booking for a river-facing room with a balcony over the water → garden-side rooms are pleasant but don't see the river directly, and cost slightly less
- 💡If you're coming specifically for the pool and restaurant — these occasionally close for maintenance in low season without notice → message the hotel before booking to confirm both are open on your dates
- 💡If shower pressure matters to you — several reviews flag weak water flow in the bathrooms → if you like a strong shower, set expectations or ask for a recently renovated room