Detailed Review and Guide: Staying at Sala Ayutthaya in Thailand

80 km north from Bangkok.

It is about an hour or an hour and half drive from Bangkok.

There in Ayutthaya, the town that is registered with

UNESCO World Heritage is a place called “sala ayutthaya“,

is where we stayed this time.

It is a distance that easily allows you to make a day trip

but because we wanted to stay a night at sala ayutthaya,

we decided not to go back to Bangkok. 

Exploring the History of Sala Ayutthaya Hotel, Thailand

sala ayutthaya, operated by SALA Hospitality Group,

also has its sister hotels in Phuket, Ko Samui, Chiang Mai, Khao Yai and Bangkok.   

sala ayutthaya started its business in 2014.

It is located in front of the Ayutthaya Historical Park, on the river bank of the Chaophraya River.

In the front of the hotel stands beautiful eye-popping Wat Phuttaisawan temple.

The place is also famous for being the filming location

for the hit historical drama “Buppe San Niwat / บุพเพสันิวาส” (Japanese title: Fateful Two).

sala ayutthaya is a place where it seems that the history and present merged

and the whole hotel is almost an art and famous for

where many Instagrammers come to take photos.   

My Experience Staying at Sala Ayutthaya: A Comprehensive Review

Photographic Journey: Discovering the Surrounding Area of Sala Ayutthaya

The hotel itself is rather compact.

I think that rather than stay in the hotel and enjoy the stay there,

it is best to have the hotel as your base and do the sights around. 

There are no swimming pools or gym where the stayers can use therefore

spending your time in the hotel is not easy.

I personally had an impression that the hotel is not for a long-term stay.

As we stayed on the weekday,

I took my work with me however there was no lighting desk,

I had to work in “sala ayutthaya entry and bar”, the only restaurant in the hotel.

Choosing Your Space: An Overview of Room Categories at Sala Ayutthaya

sala ayutthaya has 27 rooms in total and the categories of the rooms are as the following.

TWO BEDROOM DUPLEX RIVER VIEW SUITE

ONE BEDROOM POOL SUITE

DELUXE RIVER VIEW TERRACE

DELUXE RIVER VIEW

SUPERIOR

Every room offers the beautiful view of the Chao Phraya River

and the Wat Phutthaisawan temple

therefore you can choose the room depending on the number in your group and the purpose of your visit. 

We stayed in the DELUXE RIVER VIEW TERRACE on this stay.

The reason why we wanted to spend a night there in Ayutthaya

where you can easily make it a day trip is because we wanted to appreciate the changing view of temple

in the gentle blow of the river wind to our heart’s content.

So, that is why we chose a room with a terrace.

Deluxe River View Terrace at Sala Ayutthaya: An In-Depth Review

We stayed in the room with terrace because we wanted to appreciate the view of Wat Phutthaisawan temple

in the gentle river wind as much as we wanted to.

The room with terrace is located on the ground floor.

We stayed in Room No. 7 where the restaurant is right next to the room.

And just as I wanted, we could enjoy the view of Wat Phutthaisawan temple from every corners of the room.

It really relaxes you just by watching the view of ever-changing clouds above the temple. 

It is only about 2 hours from Bangkok

where you can be in a different world where time flows slower than the city.

It was a good decision that we’ve made to stay at sala ayutthaya.

However, the room terrace that we wanted to enjoy was not being cleaned and on top of that,

there was a cover on the terrace sofa preventing us from sitting on it.   

The bathroom in the room was so huge which gave me a good feeling of openness.

There are big bathtub, rain shower, and a normal shower. 

When I sat on the edge of the tub, there lies the Wat Phutthaisawan temple

which is almost as if I was in front of a painting.

Necessary amenities are all there.

Although it is not for free but there is also Bath Salt for your Bubble Bath.

But, what a pity, there is no hot water coming out and it takes ages to fill in the tub even

if there was hot water coming out,

I did challenge the basing however,

it was almost just a water, I couldn’t at all enjoy my basing in our big bathtub. 

The metal part that was holding the showerhead was not working well

and every time we turned on the shower,

the showerhead bows and it was far from being relaxed.

The drainage was also an issue.

The water stayed on the shower room floor which was also a stress factor.   

The luggage area had a large space with enough hangers

so that we could hang all the clothing that we took with us.

Even a suitcase can fit.

So the room is ready to accept long stayers too.

As there was no working-desk, I worked my deskwork in the restaurant in day time.

Even though the room was next to the restaurant,

we had a very quiet stay as there were no sounds of people talking or music playing in the restaurant. 

However, I am not sure if it was from our next room or where

but there were people making big noise late in the night which was very noisy.

Savoring the Cuisine at Sala Ayutthaya: A Food Review

An Unforgettable Evening: Dining at Sala Ayutthaya’s Eatery and Bar

The sala ayutthaya eatery and bar is the only restaurant in the hotel.

You can choose either Indoor or outdoor.

It is all-day-dining restaurant.

We of course took advantage of the stay and had our dinner appreciating

the wonderful view of Wat Phutthaisawan temple in the restaurant on the night we stayed.

If you ever have had a chance to stay there, I strongly recommend you to dine Outdoor.

They also serve western foods besides the Thai food so that you can choose according to your mood.

Ayutthaya is famous for its River Prawn.

This River Prawn is my favorite.

Actually, I had River Prawn for my lunch on the day of our checking in at the sala ayutthaya.   

Our main was Thai food on the day.

The wind from the river is quite cooling after the sunset

and it was very comfortable and relaxing 2 hours that we spent here.

Other fellow guests were also spending their time in the relaxed atmosphere

enjoying their foods and cocktail drinks as they like.

And, needless to say but, I’ve also enjoyed the time to my heart’s

content looking at Wat Phutthaisawan temple feeling the gentle blow of the Chao Phraya River

without worrying about the time with sipping slowly my alcoholic drink.

A Taste of Elegance: Cocktails at Sala Ayutthaya’s Rooftop Lounge & Bar

The guests are also free to visit Rooftop Lounge & Bar on the rooftop.

We paid our visit there as we were given a free voucher. 

They serve cocktails, mock tails, and coffee.

We sat there from around 17:30 and stayed there to enjoy

the view of Wat Phutthaisawan temple from sunset to dark.

A Morning Treat: Experiencing Breakfast at Sala Ayutthaya’s Eatery and Bar

I’ve enjoyed the evening atmosphere but also the morning one as well

while I was having my breakfast in sala ayutthaya eatery and bar.

Thailand may be known for her hot climate

but in the mornings and evenings in the Rainy Season (late May – late October)

and the Dry Season (November – mid February) is quite cool.

Especially in the morning during such period is quite dry and comfortable.

The breakfast starts from 7:00 and as we wanted to have our first meal of the day in the morning coolness,

we got out from our bed early.

The main dish is to be chosen from the menu.

The main dish is rather light tasted but there were many fruits, fruit juice, and coffee or tea.

As no outside diners are there, we’ve had a relaxing breakfast.

In the morning quietness, having breakfast looking at slow flow of the river,

appreciation the view of Wat Phutthaisawan temple was a very special time for us.

It is the moment like this that we can really be healed.

Go and back trip to Ayutthaya can easily be made in a day however,

I think that it is important that we make a time and spend more than a day there to have a luxury time.   

Weighing the Pros and Cons of Staying at Sala Ayutthaya

The Advantages of Choosing Sala Ayutthaya: A Detailed Look

As it is located in front of the Ayutthaya Historical Park, you can enjoy the sights as well.

There are number of good restaurants and cafes around the hotel if you are tired of hotel dining.

It is worth a stay just to appreciate the view of Wat Phutthaisawan temple.

It is also nice to have breakfast in the morning coolness.

Has huge bathtub.

The Drawbacks of Staying at Sala Ayutthaya: A Candid Perspective

Hotel is very compact size and premise is small.

Hot water for Bathtub is not coming out well.

Room needs a serious maintenance.
(Toilet door cannot be closed. Showerhead holder is defected. Window blind is defected.)

Essential Information for Your Stay at Sala Ayutthaya

Address: 9/2 Moo 4, U-Thong Road, Pratu Chai Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, 13000 Thailand