Nonthaburi Palace Hotel — Spacious Balcony Rooms, a Walk to the River Ferry, From Under ฿1,000
If you want a place in central Nonthaburi that stays cheap without cramming you into a shoebox, Nonthaburi Palace Hotel is a name locals bring up often. It's a long-running 4-star hotel on Nonthaburi Road that opened back in 2008 and had part of the building renovated in 2024. What guests say over and over is that the rooms are bigger than expected and every one has a balcony, paired with front-desk service rated 9.1. To be honest, the building shows its age and it's no luxury property — but for a rate that starts under ฿1,000 and still puts you a 5-minute walk from the Chao Phraya River, that's value you don't find often.
Nonthaburi Palace has been open since 2008 and is one of the few mid-size 4-star hotels in Mueang Nonthaburi. The building is a tower in the Suan Yai area with around 160 rooms, and every one comes with a private balcony — something you rarely get at this price. Even the entry-level Superior rooms are big enough to move around in comfortably, while the Deluxe and Junior Suite add a small sitting area with a sofa and a marble-topped table. The brown wood-panelled walls give the rooms a warm, older-Thai-hotel feel that several guests say has more character than the identical minimalist condo rooms everywhere else.
The thing guests praise most is the staff. The service category on Trip.com sits at 9.1, higher than the average for comparable hotels in the area. People who have stayed describe the front desk as warm and genuinely helpful — flagging down taxis, pointing the way to the ferry pier, and answering LINE messages quickly. The desk is staffed 24 hours, so a late check-in is no problem. The lobby is decorated with Thai textile patterns and carved woodwork, and it reads as friendly rather than polished.
One guest sums it up as a room "bigger than the price suggests, with lovely staff who help with everything — the building's a little old but clean," adding that they come back here every time they're in Nonthaburi.
On the food side, the hotel runs a Thai restaurant open for lunch and dinner, plus a cafe and a small convenience store inside the building. Breakfast is a Thai-and-Western buffet from 6:00–9:00 am, costing around ฿400 per person if it isn't bundled with your room. It isn't a grand spread, but there are rotating hot dishes and enough coffee to start the morning. There's a 7-Eleven and a small market within walking distance, and the riverside grilled-prawn restaurants along the Chao Phraya are a short ride away.
Location is the strong card here for anyone commuting into Bangkok. Phra Nang Klao Bridge MRT on the Purple Line is about 1 km away, reachable by songthaew or motorbike taxi. And what many people like most is that it's only about a 5-minute walk to the Chao Phraya River, where you can board the Chao Phraya Express Boat at Phra Nang Klao pier — ideal if you'd rather take the river into town than sit in traffic. There's free parking for those who drive, and an airport transfer is available for an extra charge.
The overall score is 8.7/10 from 149 reviews on Trip.com (TripAdvisor gives it 3.9/5 and ranks it #7 of 28 hotels in Nonthaburi). But here's the honest part. Because the building is over a decade old, some of the un-renovated rooms carry the musty smell of an older building. Wi-Fi is weak in spots inside the rooms, there are fewer power outlets than you'd like, and a few bathrooms have a low step at the entrance that's easy to trip on — worth flagging for older travellers.
One more thing to know is that this area is fairly quiet. The streets around the hotel are residential, with temples nearby and none of the mall-and-shophouse buzz you get in central Bangkok. If you want a place where you step outside to a street full of food and shopping, this isn't it. But if you're here to stay somewhere calm near the river and the train, heading into the city now and then — the quiet turns into a plus.
The bottom line: Nonthaburi Palace Hotel works best for travellers who want a spacious balcony room on a budget, in central Nonthaburi with easy access into Bangkok. It isn't a luxury hotel, and the building genuinely is aging as the reviews say, but the service punches above the price and the location sits close to both the MRT and the river ferry. If you book, ask for a renovated floor and request a river-facing room for the best of what the place offers.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Spacious rooms, balcony in every room
- ✓ Excellent, friendly staff service
- ✓ Affordable rates and good value
- ✓ Walking distance to the river and ferry pier
- ! Aging building, some rooms have a musty smell
- ! Wi-Fi weak in certain spots
- ! Few power outlets in the rooms
- ✓ Close to the Purple Line MRT, easy into Bangkok
- ✓ Free on-site parking for those who drive
- ✓ Clean rooms, cool air-con, quiet
- ✓ Calm neighbourhood, good for a restful stay
- ! A step at some bathroom entrances to watch for
- ! Quiet surroundings mean few restaurants nearby
- ! Un-renovated rooms look older than expected
- 💡If you want a fresher, smell-free room — ask for a floor renovated in 2024 when booking → some older rooms still carry the scent of a decade-old building
- 💡If you want a river view — specifically request a Chao Phraya-facing room, since not all rooms face the water → city-side rooms only look out over the Suan Yai neighbourhood
- 💡If you travel by train — Phra Nang Klao MRT is about 1 km away, not an easy walk → plan to grab a motorbike taxi or songthaew out front