Rimpao Hotel — A Big Pool in Central Kalasin That Local Families Have Known for Years
Ask anyone in Kalasin which hotel has a pool the kids can actually swim in, and Rimpao Hotel usually comes up first. It's a long-standing hotel in the centre of town that locals have used for years, and the things people mention again and again are its large outdoor swimming pool and its rooms that are bigger than the price suggests. To be honest, the building and rooms show their age — this is not a sleek new property. But if you're driving into Kalasin and want a central base with free parking and somewhere to take the kids for a swim, plenty of families keep coming back to this one.
Rimpao Hotel is one of the larger hotels in town, with around 140 rooms, sitting on Kud Yang Samakkee Road about a kilometre from the centre. The first thing you notice driving in is the carved stone sign reading Rimpao Hotel on the front lawn among the palm trees — clearly a property from an earlier era, built solid. The lobby and corridors are finished in warm wood tones that give it a classic upcountry-hotel feel: nothing flashy, but clean and properly staffed.
The star of the place is the large outdoor swimming pool set beside a tall gabled-roof banquet building. It's wide enough for kids to swim around comfortably, with a curved shallow section for younger children, clear water, and seating around the edge. Families say this is the main reason they return — a city-centre hotel in Kalasin with a pool this size is genuinely hard to find. Late afternoon, once the sun softens, is the most popular time to get in.
The rooms are the other thing guests praise — they're noticeably bigger than you'd expect at this price. The standard twin rooms have wood floors, warm lighting, wood furniture, strong cold air-con, a TV, fridge, minibar, and hot water. Reviewers regularly note that the air-con is cold and the rooms are clean, but they're also straight about the dated furniture and bathrooms — some rooms have older fittings. If you're expecting a modern hotel room, adjust your expectations a little. If you want a big, comfortable room on a budget, the value is real.
One family review sums it up: "brought the kids to swim, the pool really is big, rooms are spacious and the air-con is cold — a bit dated, but for this price in Kalasin it's a solid choice."
Inside there's a large restaurant finished in wood with woven Isan textiles on the walls, with the feel of an old-style hotel banquet hall, serving mainly Thai and Chinese food. Breakfast is available, but several guests are frank that the spread is fairly limited — if you book without breakfast, there are plenty of morning food spots in town. Beyond the restaurant there's a massage spa, banquet halls used for local weddings and meetings, and a karaoke room, which makes this a regular venue for events in the area.
The location works well if you're driving yourself. There's free parking on the grounds, so that's one less thing to worry about. It's about a 5-minute walk to Kud Nam Kin Park, where locals come to exercise morning and evening, and the city shrine and town market are close by. If you want to see the Phra That Yaku stupa or the dinosaurs at the Sirindhorn Museum (Phu Kum Khao) in Sahatsakhan district, both are roughly a 30-40 minute drive — easy to use this as a base for exploring Kalasin.
On price — rooms start at about ฿700/night for a standard room, with a deluxe twin including a simple breakfast running around ฿1,100. That's very good value for a room this size plus a pool this big. The overall Trip.com score sits at 7.6/10 from 73 reviews — not a sky-high number, but fair for what you get. Guests rate value and staff service highly; what pulls the score down is the age of the rooms and fittings.
The bottom line: Rimpao Hotel suits families or anyone driving into Kalasin who wants a big room, a pool for the kids, and free parking on a budget. The clear selling points are the large pool, spacious rooms, free parking, and central location. What you have to accept is the age of the building and bathrooms. If you can live with that and aren't chasing modern luxury, this is one of the best-value choices in central Kalasin.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Large pool — kids can swim comfortably
- ✓ Spacious rooms, cold air-con, clean for the price
- ✓ Friendly, helpful staff
- ✓ Free parking and a central location
- ! Building and furniture show their age
- ! Some bathrooms have older fittings
- ! Breakfast selection is limited
- ✓ Rooms more spacious than expected
- ✓ Large swimming pool, good for families
- ✓ Affordable, genuine value for money
- ✓ On-site banquet halls and restaurant
- ! Older property, some areas need updating
- ! Pool area and bathrooms need extra upkeep
- ! Wi-Fi signal weak in some spots
- 💡If you expect a modern, updated room — reset expectations first; the furniture and bathrooms here show their age → but rooms are clean, spacious, the air-con is cold, and the price is very low
- 💡If the pool is your main reason to stay — check with the hotel before booking that the pool is open during your dates, as it occasionally closes for cleaning or maintenance → late afternoon is the most popular swimming time
- 💡If breakfast matters to you — the in-hotel selection is limited → booking without breakfast and finding a morning spot in town can be better value and tastier