Grand Fortune Nakhon Si Thammarat — Upper-Floor Rooms with Khao Luang Views in the City's Tallest Tower
Ask anyone in Nakhon Si Thammarat which hotel is easiest to spot when driving into town and the answer is usually Grand Fortune Hotel — the 19-storey tower that stands well above the city skyline. It opened in 2018 as a 5-star property on Pattanakarn-Khukhwang Road, and the thing guests keep coming back to is the view from the upper floors, with the Khao Luang mountain range as a backdrop, plus a 3rd-floor outdoor pool that looks better at dusk than you'd expect. Rooms start around ฿1,300/night, which for a 5-star room in this city is genuinely hard to find.
Grand Fortune opened in 2018 as a 19-storey tower that is still the tallest building in central Nakhon Si Thammarat. There are 316 rooms in total — Superior King at 28 sqm and Deluxe King at 38 sqm on floors 5–16, with Executive-level rooms taking floors 17–19. The reason people request a high floor is the view: west-facing rooms look out to the Khao Luang range in the distance, while city-facing rooms take in the whole town below. Several guests mention opening the curtains in the morning to find the mountains under a thin layer of mist — not something you usually get from a city hotel.
Dining splits across two outlets. Café De' Nakhon is the main restaurant and where the breakfast buffet is served, with both Thai and Western options. Reviewers consistently rate breakfast as one of the stronger points — congee, made-to-order eggs, and a few local sweets in the mix. The second is Fha Shai, a modern Chinese restaurant that suits dinner or a banquet table for larger family gatherings. In a city where upscale restaurant choices are limited, having an in-house Chinese kitchen like this is genuinely useful when you arrive with a big group.
"We got a room on the 18th floor and pulled back the curtains to Khao Luang filling the window — morning mist sitting at the base of the mountains. I sat with my coffee just looking at it for ages."
The main facilities sit together on the 3rd floor. The outdoor pool is a long lap pool running alongside the building, open from 6 am to 8 pm. It's quiet during the harsh midday sun, but at dusk the pool lighting and the glow from the restaurant lift the atmosphere considerably. Next to it are a fitness room open until 10 pm and a massage and spa open until 8 pm. For anyone here to work or attend a conference who wants to unwind in the evening, everything is on one floor with no need to leave the building.
The hotel sits on Pattanakarn-Khukhwang Road, toward the edge of town. It's a 5–10 minute drive to Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, the highlight temple of Nakhon Si Thammarat, and there's a Lotus's nearby you can walk to for supplies. The upside is plenty of free parking, which suits drivers. The honest downside: without a car it's a little awkward, because the area around the hotel isn't a walkable tourist zone — you'll be calling a Grab or taking a car into the old town.
The Trip.com score sits at 9.4/10 from 247 reviews. The highest sub-score is cleanliness (9.6), followed by service and location (both 9.4). The honest feedback from guests flags standard-size rooms that aren't especially large, particularly the Superior category, and slower service at the front desk and restaurant when the hotel is full — during a seminar or a wedding, for instance. Worth knowing before you book so it isn't a surprise.
On price — Superior King starts around ฿1,300/night, while the larger, higher-floor Deluxe runs roughly ฿1,600–1,900. Rates climb during the city's big events, especially the Hae Pha Khun That procession (around Makha Bucha) and the Tenth Lunar Month Festival, when rooms sell out fast — book several weeks ahead for those. Outside festival season, availability is easy and the value is strong for a 5-star room.
The bottom line: Grand Fortune works best for drivers coming to Nakhon Si Thammarat who want a clean 5-star room with a good view at a price that isn't steep — whether you're here to visit the temple, for work, or to host a banquet. If you want the full mountain view, request floor 15 or above on the mountain side; if you're keeping costs down, a mid-floor Superior gets you the same cleanliness and the same shared facilities as every other room.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Rooms very clean, beds comfortable
- ✓ Varied breakfast — both Thai and Western options
- ✓ Plenty of free parking, convenient for drivers
- ✓ City and mountain views from upper floors
- ! Superior rooms are standard size, not especially large
- ! Service slows down when the hotel is full
- ! Area around the hotel isn't walkable — a car helps
- ✓ Friendly, attentive staff
- ✓ Tallest building in town — open views on every side
- ✓ Pool and fitness together on the 3rd floor
- ✓ Lotus's within walking distance for supplies
- ! Edge-of-town location — awkward without a car
- ! Rooms sell out fast and prices rise during the Hae Pha Khun That festival
- ! Some room types face other buildings — request a high floor
- 💡If you want the full Khao Luang view — request floor 15 or above on the mountain side when booking → some mid-floor rooms face neighbouring buildings and don't get the full mountain panorama
- 💡If you don't have your own car — plan to rely on Grab, as the area around the hotel isn't a walkable zone · fares to the temple or old town are cheap, but you'll need to call each time
- 💡If you're visiting during a festival — the Hae Pha Khun That procession (Makha Bucha) and the Tenth Lunar Month Festival fill rooms fast and push rates up → book several weeks ahead and choose a free-cancellation rate