Sriwilai Sukhothai Resort Review

A gorgeous new boutique hotel with views of the Sukhothai ruins

We spent 3 relaxing nights here while exploring the ruins in Sukhothai and Srisatchanalai. The resort was the perfect base and great value considering the 5* bedding, quality furnishings and pool. We slept blissfully in the most comfortable beds. There were only a handful of other guests during our stay so book a room before the word gets out.

Rooms:
They have superior, deluxe and suites decorated in a traditional Lanna style. For our family of 6 we chose 2 of the larger deluxe rooms (40 sqm). One of the rooms had a lovely king poster bed and surprisingly comfortable unlike most beds in Asia unless you’re staying in a Western chain like Marriot/Hyatt/Hilton. The other room (unfortunately not adjoining) also had a king where 3 of my boys slept and had 1 extra single bed for the 4^th. The king so large that we could have fit all 4 on it. There was also a daybed that could have fit 1 of my 5 yr olds comfortably. Each 2^nd floor room came with a spacious balcony overlooking the rice paddies. Scott liked to sit out there and catch up on his journal. The bathrooms were beautiful with ceramic bowl sinks that I wish I could have in my own home. There was also a good sized writing desk perfect for us to catch up on photo editing/in our journals. Each room came with a flashlight and mozzie raquet – seriously love these things! They also have a good hanging rack in the bathrooms as well as a standing one that is on the balcony. The rooms had strong air-con as well as an overhead fan. There are only 2 suites which are stand-alone villas at the far end of the resort and face the ruins of Wat Chedi Sung.

Restaurants & Bar:
The weekend breakfast buffet had just the right selection of kid & adult friendly food. The kids had cereals, pancakes and an egg station to choose from. Adults also had a noodle station, salad fixings and some Thai dishes. There was fruit, juices and breads available. On weekdays with few guests they have an a-la carte menu with 5 items: eggs benedict, American breakfast, pancakes, muesli & yogurt and a noodle dish. Since the hotel just opened we did not choose to eat here for other meals but the restaurant is beautifully decorated with views of the ruins. The bar was perfectly located just next to the pool.

Facilities:
The pool was large and at the center of the property. Even though we went at the start of the cool winter season, it was still very hot during the day. After riding around the ruins for most of the day without shade, we all enjoyed cooling down in the pool. There is also a spa what had an extensive selection of treatments that are similar to non-hotel Bangkok prices so very reasonable. They also have 10 bikes that are free to use but unfortunately not enough bikes for all of the kids to use.

Kids Factor:
The Since it was a boutique hotel there wasn’t a kids club. We spent most of the day out exploring the ruins anyway and then just wanted to come back and swim. The grounds are quite extensive and perfect for a sunset/night critter hunting session. There are lots of toads, geckos and a few stray kittens/cats on the property.

Location:
The resort was so peaceful and quiet at night. Request one of the rooms overlooking the rice paddies. It’s lovely to sit on the balcony and read. It’s just a 5 minute drive to the main gate of the Sukhothai Historical Park or a 10 minute bike ride. There are restaurants just a 10 minute walk or short bike ride from the hotel. It’s off the road leading to the ruins but at night it’s very quiet.

Cons:
My only complaint was that there was a lot of bugs at night but I think this would be the case for any hotel that is open to the outdoors when you’re in the country. Having said that we only had 1 mozzie in the room and each room comes with a mozzie raquet. It would have been nice if they had 4 kids bikes for us to use but again this is minor as there are bike rentals right in front of the entrance of the parks.

Staff:
Always helpful and had a smile for us! The staff were always responsive to our requests. When we arrived close to midnight, nearly 2 hours after we were scheduled due to traffic. They had a guard waiting for us with keys and escorted us to our rooms and helped with our bags.

Room Tip:
For families larger than 3, recommend 2 x deluxe rooms on the 2^nd floor close to the pool area. We stayed in Room 606 and 607 that were next door but not adjacent. For couples, recommend the suites as they are very private and your room + balcony have beautiful views of the ruins.