Review of U Khao Yai Hotel

I visit Khao Yai every year and usually try different accommodations. This time, I stayed at U Khao Yai for my birthday. Honestly, I had some expectations based on the good reviews on Google Maps, although there weren’t many recent reviews on other hotel review platforms. Most reviews I found were from 2-3 years ago. So, here’s my updated review.

First, my overall impression of the stay was positive. There were two things I particularly liked: the room was clean and smelled nice, and the breakfast was delicious. However, there were several aspects that I felt could be improved:

1. My partner requested a birthday arrangement, and the hotel mentioned they would only arrange the bed. When we entered the room, the arrangement was just towels folded into a cake shape with fake flowers as decoration—no "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" sign or anything. Honestly, it was quite underwhelming. I understand if the hotel wants to save costs, but as a guest, I wasn’t expecting free items like a cake. I just felt disappointed that a hotel of this caliber could only manage this. Other hotels, like Hotel Labaris Khaoyai, offer paid options for birthday arrangements, ranging from 500 to 1500 baht. Even the 500-baht option includes room decorations with lights, balloons, candles, flowers, a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" sign, a beautifully decorated cake, and two mocktails. For 1000 baht, they add wine and a bouquet of flowers. If U Khao Yai doesn’t want to offer complimentary arrangements, they could provide paid options for guests to choose from. Guests would likely be willing to pay for special occasions.

2. We arrived at the hotel around 2 PM, but the room wasn’t ready, and we had to wait 45 minutes. That was fine, so we walked around while waiting. The staff asked us to choose a soap scent, which we did, but when we entered the room, there was no soap provided. Initially, I thought they might give it to us upon checkout, but they didn’t. It was confusing.

3. For a stay with two guests, many bathroom amenities had to be requested additionally. For example, there were no toothbrushes provided, so we had to ask for them. While I understand this, items like cotton buds were only provided as a single set, which we had to share. Why not provide two sets? It’s just cotton buds.

4. The welcome drinks in the room were disappointing and didn’t match the standards of the U hotel chain. The selection included a tiny milk carton, one green tea carton, two regular Pepsi cans, and two cans of some unknown fruit juice. I’ve stayed at U Samui and U Pattaya before, and their welcome drink options were much better. I’m not sure if U Khao Yai operates under a different standard.

5. The cleanliness regarding pigeons needs attention. We stayed on the second floor facing the lake, and the balcony overlooked the roof of the first floor. The roof was covered in bird droppings, and there were many pigeons around. There was even a dead bird under the balcony of the neighboring room. If this issue could be addressed, the area would look much cleaner.

6. The service felt a bit too self-service. I’m not sure if it’s due to staff shortages or something else. When we drove in, the security guard didn’t ask if we were staying or dining. During check-in, the staff handed us the room key and told us the way to the room without escorting us or introducing the room. On checkout, at least they asked if we needed help with our luggage.

7. This is a suggestion: if the hotel could add fish, ducks, or geese to the lake, it would make the property feel more lively. However, I understand the additional maintenance costs involved.

8. I’d love to see picnic mats provided in the rooms. The hotel has plenty of grassy areas and great ambiance. If there were more spots to sit and relax or picnic mats for guests to use, it would enhance the experience.

9. Compliments to the hotel for the cleanliness of the rooms and the delicious breakfast. The breakfast really helped compensate for the minor disappointments during the stay.

In summary, if you’re looking for a relaxing stay, spending time in the room, swimming, exercising, and enjoying a good breakfast, this hotel is fine.

P.S. For a birthday cake, I went to JAMII HOUSE CAFE under the DUSIT D2 Khaoyai group. Their service was excellent, and the staff were very attentive. When I asked for a candle, they asked if it was for a birthday and beautifully decorated the plate. I was impressed. If you visit after 4 PM, their Happy Hour offers 50% off desserts, which are delicious. Highly recommended!