Category — Korat

Name: Dusit Princess Hotel
Location: Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima), Thailand;
1137 Suranarai Road
Naimuang District,
Amphur Muang,
Nakhon Ratchasima 30000

Contact: +66 (0) 4425 6629
Price Experienced: 1,500-1900 THB for a standard roomMy Rating: 8/10

My Thoughts:

Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Korat (lazily pronounced Ko-lat) is the largest, if not, the second largest province/city in the Kingdom of Thailand.  But the infrastructure isn’t what you’d expect from a large city.  Even the selection of 1st world standard hotels are next to nothing.

We frequently drive from Bangkok up to Isan and somewhere in between is good ole Korat.  For some reason we make the supremely wise decision to drive during peak holiday and even traffic hours it seems and by the time we reach Korat, we’re beat and ready to take a hot shower, eat some good food and catch up on some rest.

Out of 10 or so trips we’ve only stayed at 2 hotels.  The other hotel being a total sh*thole that tried to pass itself off as a 4 star hotel.  It would be lucky to get 0.25 stars in the West.  Anyhow, the Dusit Princess is the only hotel that we have ever even seen near the main road/downtown Korat that looks like a proper hotel a westerner would expect.

Guess what?  It makes the grade.  This hotel, is just what we needed.  It is up to date, has high speed internet in all of the rooms, above average room service, a contemporary lobby and friendly staff who speak English surprisingly well.  I’ve seen the occasional westerner (farang) there with his Thai wife/girlfriend/friend on occasion but generally the guests seem to be of middle-upper class to upper class Thai families who roll 5+ deep.  Apparently the Dusit Princess in Korat is not only my own personal watering hole after all!  As well it shouldn’t.  Just because you’re in the middle of nowhere on the way to the dirt-path rice paddies doesn’t mean you have to arrive all pent up!

In conclusion if you’re not a National Geographic reality TV backpacker explorer type and you just don’t want to rock up to the farm village feeling beaten down ALREADY, then take that pit-stop in Korat and don’t take any chances, stay at the Dusit Princess and arrive relaxed for what’s sure to be an interesting visit to Isan.