Thailand: Kanchanaburi: Boutique Raft River Kwai Hotel Review

My new job was started a month ago and that's the reason why my time was pretty occupied in familiar myself in new environment and job scope.

Everything seems getting better so i got more time to update my blog, which delayed like a year and 3 months hahahahahaha.

Alright so this is a hotel review, but this is not an ordinary hotel, but hotel on the river.

If you read my introduction of Sangkhalaburi post, you might found weird why i'd stop over Nam Tok, which is the last station of dead railway but not Kanchanaburi, the more developed town.

This hotel was the one of the reason.

I came across floating hotel in Thailand while researching the route, and as soon as i found the hotel, Boutique Raft River Kwai Hotel, i decided to stop over and experience the floating hotel almost immediately.

Boutique Raft River Kwai Hotel is not the only floating hotel along the River Kwai, yet this is the most affordable one, which cost use around RM250 (breakfast included) anyway, but well, experience is priceless.

So where is the hotel located? 

about 49 minutes driving distance from the Kanchanaburi, but just 5 to 10 minutes away from Nam Tok railway station. 

There are only 2 trains per day from Bangkok to Nam Tok station, aka the last stop of the route. I'm not sure the availability of pick up in Kanchanaburi station (well i read some comment and said it does), but free pick up is available from Nam Tok station to the hotel.

Our train reached slightly late than scheduled, about 2pm, and no one from the hotel welcoming us but some blood sucking taxi drivers, they ask for 200 bath to transport us to hotel. 

I just walked away to the small food stall and asked if the owner could help us to call the hotel, in return we bought 2 bottle of beverage which only cost us less than 50bath. 

The hotel jeep reaching in 10 minutes and guess what, the hotel is just 5 minutes away from the station, i think it is walkable thought. 

Check in was slow but we don't really mind, because the beautiful and peaceful surrounding caught our attention.

The hotel is pretty isolated, and Nam Tok is not really a town but small stop which famous with a few beautiful waterfalls nearby, people usually came here for day trip.

We had no plan to visit any waterfalls but just relax and enjoy the hotel after 6 hours train ride. 

the key and details of the hotel. 

not river, but a lovely garden!

well maintaining garden. 

view from the garden, we don't think the canopy is open though.  

room view from the river swimming pool 

Yes you see it right, there is a river swimming pool in this hotel.

Basically it just a floating platform with net underneath, it is safe to swim it although the river is moving really fast, especially when boats passing by (yes boat passing by so dont you swim in the free area).

River is chill and refreshing, but the cleanliness is questionable, i felt (yes felt, because the visibility was so bad) some bamboo, twigs, leaf and hmmm... probably water bottles clogged outside the net. But yea, i didn't felt stickiness after swam, so i suppose the cleanliness is not so bad.   

The unique and environment friendly swimming pool. 

And this is the how the rooms look like from the outside. 

You are wrong if you think the room conditions is basic, this hotel is a 4 star hotel (according to agoda) and room is really really cozy and comfortable. 

I'm not sure how many rooms in the building, but not more than 10 floating rooms in this hotel, every room come with big balcony which connected by a raft on the river, clean and comfy big beds, air-con, fridge and spacious bathroom. 

If you opt for the honeymoon suite, you can even enjoy private river pool in your room area.  

if you wonder how to moor the floating room, this is the way.

This is our room! super nice right!

This is our balcony view!

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amazing sunset on the river. 

A short clip of our room.

We had a very good sleep in the night, the weather was chill and i can never forget the scenery i saw in the next morning, the river was calm and foggy, with bird singing and soft sunlight. I tried to dig out the photo but i really really cannot find it. 

Well, as i always said, if you wanna see more, go travel! =) 

Alright so next morning, we had our breakfast in the beautiful dining area. 

second floor of the mail building, amazing view. 

but breakfast hmmm.. well is pretty basic but i'm happy with the view. 

Last but not least, us =)

The hotel sent us to bus station after breakfast, to catch the only daily bus to Sangkhalaburi, so to be continued in next post!

If you couldn't find your answer in the above information, i guess might want to know....

Worth what i paid? 
In experience wise, yes it is.
If you just want to stay in Nam Tok, please keep in mind that Nam Tok is not even a town, unless you have your own transport or it is very inconvenience to eat or explore.
But yea, hotel provide some day trip packaging.

Will you go back? 
No, as i said, i just want to experience.
Hotel and staff are fine, food is bad, location (convenience-wise) is even worse. But the environment is superb.
If i travel with car in the future and the can get better deal in this hotel, maybe yes.

What is your suggestion if i want to stay to experience?
Day 1: Bangkok to Kanchanaburi by train or mini van, very frequent.
Day 2: Stay a night in Kanchanaburi to explore dead railway, hell fire pass and etc
Day 3: Check out and check in to floating hotel for a night (check if pick up available, or you can rent a mini van from Kanchanaburi)
Day 4: Check out and take mini van back to Bangkok.

Alright i hope that help, just leave your comment if you have further question!

Boutique Raft River Kwai Hotel 
103 Moo 3, T.Tha-sao, A.
Sai-yok, Sai Yok, Sai Yok (Kanchanaburi)
Thailand 71150
Website: http://www.boutiqueraft-riverkwai.com/main.html

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
220315, 1026pm
Rach in hating Monday mood.