Alongkorn Hotel by SB — a budget hotel you can walk to the umbrella market from, starting at a few hundred baht
If the umbrella market is the main reason you're heading to Samut Songkhram — and you want to walk over each morning to catch the awnings folding back as the train passes, without driving — Alongkorn Hotel by SB has the location that nails it. It's a budget hotel in Maeklong town on Kasemsukum Road, about a 2-minute walk from the Maeklong railway market. What guests mention most is clean rooms, attentive staff, a small front bar/cafe with a welcome drink, free parking and an easy-on-the-wallet price. Standard rooms start at about THB 700/night, rising on weekends and holidays.
Most places to stay around Samut Songkhram cluster along the Amphawa canals, which leaves anyone here mainly for the umbrella market with the same chore: driving or grabbing a ride into Maeklong town every morning. Alongkorn Hotel by SB sits in Maeklong town itself, on Kasemsukum Road, only about a 2-minute walk from the railway market. It's a low-rise budget hotel with a handful of rooms that leans on cleanliness and location rather than fancy facilities — well suited to people using a base to walk the town rather than lounge in the hotel.
The thing guests praise most is the location: an easy walk to the umbrella market, the Mae Klong floating market and plenty of food nearby. Many reviews call the rooms clean, the air-conditioning cold, and the staff attentive and friendly. A recurring mention is the small front bar/cafe with a welcome drink, plus free private parking, free Wi-Fi, luggage storage and laundry service — the kind of extras self-drive travellers and budget-minded visitors appreciate at this price.
"Just a few minutes' walk to the umbrella market, the room was clean and the staff were lovely, with drinks at the bar out front. Great value for visiting Maeklong without needing to drive."
Rooms come in a few sizes for different group counts: Standard twin, Economy Double, Double and Family Double for larger groups. All have air-conditioning, a TV and an en-suite bathroom with hot water. The decor is simple and practical rather than plush. The thing to know is that the building has no elevator, so you walk up stairs — worth keeping in mind if you land an upper-floor room with heavy bags. A few reviews also note that some aspects of service still trail the cleanliness and location.
On location, the hotel is right in the middle of Maeklong town — about 2 minutes' walk to the umbrella market, around 4 minutes to Wat Phet Samut Worawihan (Luang Pho Ban Laem) and roughly 2 minutes to the Mae Klong shrine. There are restaurants and convenience stores all around, so finding food is easy. For the Amphawa floating market or Don Hoi Lot, it's about a 10–20 minute drive or ride. The trade-off of a town-centre spot is that the area gets busy when the market is on, so expect some noise and bustle during the day.
Honestly, from the real guest reviews — Alongkorn Hotel by SB suits people here mainly for the umbrella market and Maeklong town who want a clean, budget room within walking distance, more than anyone after a pool or a canalside wooden-house feel. Its clear strengths are the walkable location, clean rooms, attentive staff, free parking and a starting price in the low hundreds. What you accept is no elevator, basic facilities and slightly inconsistent service. The average from real reviews sits at around 7.4 out of 10 on Trip.com and 4.0 of 5 stars on Tripadvisor — solid value at this price for a base you can walk to the umbrella market from.
A tip from following the reviews here: if you'd rather not climb stairs, ask for a ground-floor room when you book, since the building has no elevator. Head over to the umbrella market early for the first train of the day, when the atmosphere is best and the crowds are thinner. And check the train timetable beforehand — the highlight is the moment vendors fold their awnings back as the train rolls through.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Walkable to the umbrella and Mae Klong floating markets
- ✓ Clean rooms, cold air-conditioning
- ✓ Attentive staff, welcome drink / front bar
- ✓ Free parking, free Wi-Fi, budget price
- ! No elevator — you walk up stairs
- ! Basic facilities, no swimming pool
- ! Market area gets busy during the day
- ✓ Town-centre location, walkable, no driving needed
- ✓ Clean and good value for a budget hotel
- ✓ Friendly, helpful staff
- ✓ Ideal for people here for the umbrella market
- ! Simply furnished rooms, not plush
- ! Service can be a little inconsistent
- ! No full breakfast in some rates
- 💡If stairs are a problem — the building has no elevator → ask for a ground-floor room when booking, or pack lighter.
- 💡If you want a pool or a canalside Amphawa wooden-house vibe — this is a basic budget hotel in town → for a resort or canalside feel, an Amphawa stay fits better.
- 💡If you need a full breakfast and full service — some rates have no breakfast and service can be inconsistent → check the rate details before booking, and plan to grab breakfast in the very-nearby market.