While you can easily visit Ayutthaya on a day trip from Bangkok, it is recommended to stay at least one or two nights in the city to experience everything the ancient city has to offer, both day and night.
If you decide to stay overnight in Ayutthaya and are looking for Where to Stay, you’re in the right place. In this article, I’ll show you the main areas and top places to stay in Ayutthaya. I hope you will find a comfortable hotel for your visit after reading this article.
Ayutthaya was the ancient capital of Siam Kingdom from the 14th century for more than 400 years. It was destroyed by Burmese army in the 18th century. The capital was moved to Thonburi and then Bangkok.
Ayutthaya is now a UNESCO world heritage site that is home to many ancient ruins and temples. The city is located only 2-3 hours by train from Bangkok, which makes it a popular tourist destination from the capital city of Thailand.
Ayutthaya island (the old town) is relatively small, which is around 4 km long and 2 km wide. It is surrounded by three rivers, Chao Phraya River, Pa Sak River, and Lopburi River. You can easily get around on foot, by bicycle, motorbike rental, boat, and tuk tuk.
You can check these article below to get more information about Ayutthaya:
- 20 Best Things to Do in Ayutthaya
- How to get to Ayutthaya & Get Around
- How to Spend 1-2 days In Ayutthaya
Here the main content:
My opinion on Where to Stay in Ayutthaya
I personally stayed in the old town of Ayutthaya and highly recommend it. My guest house is Tamarind Guest House, located right at the entrance to Wat Mahathat, which is one of the most popular temples in this ancient capital of Thailand.
The Old City, particularly the area between Ayutthaya Historical Park and Pasak River, has a high concentration of hotels, guest houses, and backpacker hostels. This makes it one of the most popular areas to stay in Ayutthaya. You’ll be within walking distance of the famous ruins and temples.
There are many accommodations in the old town, on Soi Farang (aka Naresuan Soi 1), Naresuan Street, and U Thong Road, which is a circular road of Ayutthaya historic city.
For a more luxurious stay, you can consider staying in a riverside hotel and resort that has stunning views of the rivers and surrounding temples. There are some nice hotel in the south of the old town with views of the river, and the iconic Wat Phutthaisawan, and Wat Chaiwatthanaram.
My recommended hotels in Ayutthaya:
- Luxury: Sala Ayutthaya
- Mid-range: Baan Luang Harn
- Budget: Chanida home
Best areas & places to stay in Ayutthaya
1. Ayutthaya Old Town and Historical Park Area
In my opinion, Ayutthaya Old Town is the best location to stay in Ayutthaya. This area is home to the historical park and important temples such as Wat Mahathat, Wat Ratchaburana, and Wat Phra Si Sanphet. You can easily get to these temples on foot or by short bicycle ride.
The old town is also home to Ong Gaan Tolasap Night Market. This market is located on Bangla Road and is a great place to visit in the evening for local food and some shopping.
Naresuan Soi 1, also known as Soi Farang, is a popular spot for backpackers with various bars, restaurants, and hostels.
You can also find many tourist amenities in the old town including ATMs, massage shops, convenience stores, cafes, boat noodle shops, and travel agencies. They are everywhere on the main roads and small alleys.
I recommend renting a bicycle to explore the ancient temples inside the old town and taking the sunset boat tour to explore the temples along the banks of Chao Phraya and Pasak Rivers.
From the old town, you can take a Grab taxi to the train station for around 100 baht. This is a convenient way if you carry a big suitcase, and don’t feel like dragging it under the heat.
If you don’t mind walking, you can walk to Chao Phrom Market Pier ( 10 minutes walk from the historical park). From the pier you can take a short ferry ride to the other side of the river to get to the train station for 10 baht.
Where to stay in Ayutthaya Old Town:
Siri Guesthouse
Siri is a great guest house conveniently located in the old town on Bang Ian Road. It is just 800m from the famous Wat Mahathat and steps away from Soi Farang, Bangkok’s Khao San Road version of Ayutthaya. You can also walk to Chao Phrom Market Pier (800m away) for a ferry to the train station.
You can easily explore all the temples, restaurants, and the night market on foot and tuk tuk. The night market is located right on Bang Lan Road, just a few hundred meters west of the hotel. This is a good value for money for both solo travelers, couples, and families with kids.
The room is simple but clean and comfortable. They can help with bike rentals, as well as organize tours to the historical park or cruise along the river.
Luang Chumni Village
Luang Chumni is one of the best places to stay in the old town of Ayutthaya. It is Centrally located within a few minutes walk from Ayutthaya Historical Park and Pasak River. You can easily get to major temples, the night market, as well as Ayutthaya train station, and bus station.
The hotel has Thai-style rooms and delicious home-cooked breakfast. You can find lots of restaurants, cafes, and shops on the streets nearby, including Rochana Rd and Chikun Alley.
Siriwal Guesthouse
Siriwal is a budget-friendly guest house in a central location on Uthong Road in the north of the Historical Park. It is only 400-500 meters from the famous Wat Ratchaburana and Wat Mahathat with the Buddha Head wrapped in the ancient trees.
The lesser-known Wat Thammikarat is also very close to the guest house. This is a quiet temple with lots of rooster statues on its ground.
This guest house is great for solo travelers, backpackers, and couples. It is within walking distance from popular points of interests, and lots of restaurants.
2. Ayutthaya Riverside Area
There are several hotels and resorts on the banks of Chao Phraya River, around U Thong Road on the southern part of the old town. You can choose riverside hotels or resorts that have stunning views of the famous Wat Phutthaisawan and Wat Chaiwatthanaram.
These accommodations are still located within Ayutthaya island, but it is a little bit further away from the main areas of the old town (which is around Naresuan Rd and Bang Lan Rd). You can still easily reach the night market and the historical park within a short tuk tuk or Grab ride.
Where to stay in Ayutthaya Riverside area:
Sala Ayutthaya
Sala is one of the top places to stay in Ayutthaya for families and couples who want luxury stay right on the river. The hotel is conveniently located right on U-thong Road, south of the central area of Ayutthaya Old Town. The famous Wat Mahathat is only a 5 minute tuk tuk ride away.
It is right next to the Chao Phraya River and has stunning views of Wat Phutthaisawan on the other banks of the river from its beautiful outdoor area and rooftop bar. You can easily take a sunset boat trip along the river from their jetty.
Athithara Homestay
Athithara is a good hotel located on the bank of Chaophraya river. Good option for couples and solo travelers who want a quiet location. It has rooms with air conditioning and river views. There are many nice riverside restaurants nearby.
Baan Keang Chon
Baan Keang Chon is conveniently located close to the Chao Phraya River, all old temples and restaurants. The hotel has beautiful views of the river and Wat Phutthaisawan. They can help arrange a boat trip with a reasonable price. I recommend booking the room with a balcony to enjoy river views and sunsets.
Krodyle Mindfulness House
Krodyle is a great value for money hotel for couples and families. It is on the edge of the historic town close to Pasak river. You will be close to famous temples, tourist amenities, and short access to the train station. If you use their bicycle from the hotel for free to explore the town.
3. East of Pasak River and Around Ayutthaya Station
The east side of Pasak River is another good area to book accommodation in Ayutthaya, offering a more local atmosphere. This area is home to Ayutthaya Station, making it convenient to reach by train. You can get a train to Bangkok, Khao Yai National Park, or Chiang Mai.
Additionally, it is also the location of several major temples and attractions such as Ayutthaya Floating Market, Chedi Wat Sam Pluem, Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon and Wat Phra Non.
The area around Ayutthaya Grand Hotel has numerous bars, massage shops, and restaurants and is a popular area for locals to go for nightlife.
Recommended accommodation east of Pasak River:
Baan Are Gong Riverside Homestay
This is a great hotel located on the riverside area within walking distance to the train station, which is great for those who want easy access to the train. The train station ferry stop is also nearby. You can easily reach the old town and the night market by boat or short tuk tuk ride.
They can help organize sunset temple tours and bike rentals. You can find some nice restaurants within walking distance from the hotel.
Baan Thai House
Baan Thai House is a good hotel located a short tuk tuk ride to the old town, the train station, and the floating market. It has an outdoor pool, a beautiful garden, an onsite bar and restaurant.
Baan Canalee
Baan Canalee features a one and two bedroom apartment which is great for families. Rooms come with air conditioning, a kitchenette, and a private bathroom. It is a bit out of the old town but easily reachable by tuktuk. Also a convenient base for those who want to catch the night train.
My personal experiences staying in Ayutthaya
Tamarind Guest House
I stayed at Tamarind for two nights and had a comfortable stay. I booked my stay at Agoda.com. The website gave me options for two different rooms for the best rate, one room is Superior, and another room is double standard.
I accepted that, it means I will need to change rooms during my stay. It wasn’t a problem for me, as I was going to be out exploring all day. When I arrived, the owner let me stay in the Superior room for both nights.
I didn’t have enough cash at the time of check in, they also agreed for me to pay later after I settled in the room and withdrew the cash from ATMS.
My room was on the 2nd floor, there was no lift and I carried my suitcase to my room. The room is spacious with a comfortable double bed, and a huge bathroom with separate toilet and shower area.
There is a bedside table and two chairs in the room. The bathroom has hangers, shampoo and body gel. There is a small balcony in the back of the room where you can dry your clothes.
The breakfast is also included in the room rate. There are bananas, toast, eggs, coffee, and tea. The breakfast is from 7am to 11am.
They gave me some information on how to get to Khao Yai National Park and what to do in Ayutthaya. I rented a bicycle and booked a sunset boat tour from them. I would definitely stay at this hotel again.
Tamarind Guest House has a very central location. It is located right off Chikun Alley, one of the main roads of the old town. When I traveled from Kanchanaburi to Ayutthaya in a minivan, the driver dropped me off on the main road right at the entrance to the guest house.
The location of the hotel is also convenient to explore the Historical Park. Wat Mahathat and Wat Ratchaburana are located just on the other side of the main road from the guest house. I can walk to these popular temples for 5-10 minutes.
It is also a step away from the night market and a range of local restaurants. Convenient to have dinner without taking a long walk. I also walk to the Chao Phrom Market and Pier which is only 1,3km away. It is very convenient to access the train station by short walk and ferry.
The downside of Tamarind Guest House is that it is an old wooden house and does not have good sound proofing, so you can easily hear people talking and walking. But all guests seemed mindful during my stay, and I didnt have any trouble with the noise.
If you want something simple in a central location and don’t mind its natural noise from an old wooden house, Tamarind is a great choice. I think it is a good value for money hotel and is an ideal base for a short stay in Ayutthaya.
See more: Where to Stay in Thailand – Ultimate Guide
This is my short but informative guide helping you to find the best locations and hotels in Ayutthaya, the ancient capital city of Thailand. I hope you have a wonderful time in this city.