Big Elephant Hotel Yasothon — wake up, walk across the road, and you're on the coach
If you travel in and out of Yasothon by coach and want a place where you step off the bus and you're basically at your room, Big Elephant Hotel (Thai name: Chang Yai Jai Dee) has a location that's hard to beat in this town — it sits right behind the Yasothon bus terminal, so you just walk across the road to the coaches. It's a small 2-star hotel with 50 rooms that nails the basics: clean rooms, cold AC, comfortable beds, and big parking that even has an EV charger. Real guest reviews score it high for value and cleanliness. From approx. ฿620/night.
Big Elephant Hotel — the Thai sign reads Chang Yai Jai Dee — is a 50-room hotel on Liang Mueang Road in Mueang Yasothon. Its single clearest selling point is the location, right behind the Yasothon bus terminal. Anyone who travels by coach in and out of town knows how much that's worth: you step off the bus, roll your bag across the road, and you're at your room — no second ride, no extra fare, no waiting around.
Rooms are simple but cover what you actually need — a comfortable bed, cold AC, a flat-screen TV and free Wi-Fi. Reviews agree the housekeeping is solid: clean rooms, clean floors, and a mattress that's soft in just the right way, which hotels at this price in provincial towns often can't keep consistent. There are single rooms, twin rooms, and slightly larger garden rooms with a king bed, so you can pick by group size and budget.
"Great bed, clean room, everything you need, better than the price — and it's right next to the bus station, so you step off and walk straight in."
Beyond the location, guests often praise the large free parking and the EV charger (AC type) on site. That's a real plus for anyone driving an electric car upcountry, since chargers are still scarce in smaller towns like Yasothon. There's a front garden to sit in, a 24-hour front desk, and paid laundry service. Shops and a massage place are within walking distance, while breakfast isn't included — you'll head out to eat.
Being right behind the bus terminal also makes onward travel easy — the town center, the historic Ban Singha Tha old quarter and the Toad Museum (Phaya Khan Khak) are all a short 7–8 minute drive away. Phaya Thaen Park and the river aren't far either. During the Yasothon Rocket Festival (Bun Bang Fai, in May), a spot this close to the bus terminal fills up fast because so many people arrive by coach for the event. Outside festival season the town is fairly quiet, which many guests count as a plus if you just want to sleep.
To be straight with you, Big Elephant Hotel isn't for everyone. The thing reviewers consistently flag is sound — the walls don't block noise well, and you can sometimes hear talking from the next room or the adjoining balcony. A few reviews mention an older AC unit being a bit loud, and some bathrooms don't fully separate the wet and dry areas. There's no elevator, no pool or spa, and no breakfast. But if the brief is a clean, cheap room right by the coaches, this delivers it in full and the value is real.
In short, Big Elephant Hotel suits coach travelers, road-trippers, business travelers and EV drivers who want a clean, affordable room right by the bus terminal. Real guest reviews consistently score it high for value and cleanliness. If you're a light sleeper, pack earplugs for the noise, and if you're visiting for the Rocket Festival, book several weeks ahead.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Right behind the bus terminal — walk across to the coaches
- ✓ Clean rooms, clean floors, comfortable beds
- ✓ Cold AC, decent room size, easy on the wallet
- ✓ Large free parking with an EV charger
- ! Walls don't block sound well; you can hear the next room
- ! No breakfast — you'll head out to eat
- ! No elevator, no pool or spa
- ✓ Super convenient for coach travel, right by the terminal
- ✓ Cheap and genuinely good value for what you get
- ✓ Front garden and a 24-hour front desk
- ✓ Shops and a massage place within walking distance
- ! Some rooms have an older, slightly noisy AC unit
- ! A few bathrooms don't fully separate wet and dry areas
- ! Rooms sell out fast during the Rocket Festival; book ahead
- 💡If you're a light sleeper sensitive to noise — the walls here don't block sound well and you may hear the next room → pack earplugs and ask for a room away from the corridor or shared balcony.
- 💡If you want in-house breakfast or upscale facilities — there's no breakfast, no elevator, no pool or spa → plan to eat out, or pick a 3–4 star option from the Yasothon review set instead.
- 💡If you're visiting for the Rocket Festival (May) — the spot by the bus terminal fills up fast → book several weeks ahead and lock in a free-cancellation rate early.