Centara Udon — the 4-star hotel where you can walk from the lobby straight into Central in the heart of Udon Thani
If you had to pick a hotel in Udon Thani for one reason, many people pick Centara Udon for its location — the hotel sits right beside Central Plaza Udon Thani, close enough that you walk from the lobby straight into the mall, and it is about a 9-minute walk from UD Town · It is a 4-star hotel with a convention centre, opened in 2009 on Prajak Sillapakhom Road in the city centre · 259 spacious rooms and suites from 32 sqm upward, with an outdoor pool, Spa Cenvaree, a fitness centre and Thai and Chinese restaurants · Guests rate it highly for location and value · From approx ฿1,200/night.
Centara Udon is a Centara-brand hotel that has been part of the Udon Thani scene since 2009 and remains a first choice for business travellers, conference-goers and tourists alike · The reason guests keep coming back is its location directly beside Central Plaza Udon Thani — you walk from the lobby into the mall without stepping outside, with restaurants, a cinema and a supermarket all in one building · It is also about a 9-minute walk to UD Town, the city's popular night market, so you barely need a car if your plans stay in town.
There are 259 rooms and suites, from the 32 sqm Superior up to suites of 128 sqm · The entry-level rooms are larger than many same-tier hotels in town, and most offer a choice of king or twin beds · Rooms are decorated in a warm, contemporary tone with a fridge, minibar, flat-screen TV, in-room safe and a bathroom with a rainforest shower · Guests praise the cleanliness and the size of the rooms, plus the city views from the higher floors · The caveat is that the room design is fairly plain and classic rather than the flashy look of newer boutique hotels.
"We chose this place because it's right next to Central — so easy to come and go. The room was spacious and clean, the bed comfortable, and the front-desk staff were kind and helpful. Every time we come to Udon, we stay here."
The shared facilities are complete for a 4-star hotel · There is an outdoor swimming pool with a jacuzzi, a sauna and a steam room · Spa Cenvaree, Centara's in-house spa brand, offers massages and treatments · The fitness centre is open to guests · For food, the Ban Chiang restaurant serves Thai, Isan and international dishes, while Luk Fatt does Chinese, and there is a lobby bar and karaoke · The buffet breakfast earns praise for variety, though some reviews note that popular items run out at busy times and are slow to refill, so it pays to go down early.
Another advantage for Centara Udon is its large convention centre of about 2,900 sqm, which makes it a regular venue for seminars, weddings and city events · There is free on-site parking and an airport shuttle (for a surcharge) · Udon Thani Airport (UTH) is about 15 minutes by car · For self-drivers, free parking right by the mall is a real convenience.
Straight talk: Centara Udon suits travellers who weigh location and convenience above all — coming for a conference, for shopping, or using Udon as a base for trips to Nong Khai and Vientiane · It scores 9.2 from 1,326 reviews on Trip.com and ranks #2 of 73 hotels in Udon Thani on TripAdvisor, which reflects consistent satisfaction · The recurring complaints are weak Wi-Fi in some rooms, the odd non-working power socket, and a building that shows its age in places · If you want a brand-new design hotel, this may not be it, but for completeness and a location you cannot get elsewhere in town, it is good value.
A tip from following the reviews: ask for a higher floor on the city-view side for an open outlook and less street noise · If you book when there is a conference or major event in town, rooms fill fast, so book ahead · And if you need to work online seriously, bring a backup mobile data package in case the room Wi-Fi is weak · Standard Superior rates sit around ฿1,200–฿1,800/night, rising over the cool season (Dec–Feb), which is the Isan high season.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Location right next to Central Plaza, walk straight into the mall — the most convenient in town
- ✓ Spacious, clean rooms with comfortable beds and good city views from upper floors
- ✓ Kind, helpful staff and professional service
- ✓ Pool and complete facilities, good value for a 4-star
- ! Wi-Fi is weak in some rooms, awkward for working online
- ! A few power sockets in rooms don't work, and the building shows its age
- ! Popular breakfast items run out at busy times and are slow to refill
- ✓ Next to Central Plaza and a walk to UD Town — very convenient for shopping and eating
- ✓ Rooms larger than same-tier hotels in town
- ✓ Free on-site parking, handy for self-drivers
- ✓ Large convention centre, good for seminars and business travel
- ! Room design is fairly plain and classic, not flashy
- ! Some beds are a touch firm for certain guests
- ! Rates rise and rooms fill fast in high season and during conferences
- 💡If you want a brand-new boutique-style design hotel — this is a long-established, classic 4-star with plain decor → consider newer boutique hotels in town if style is your priority.
- 💡If you need to work online seriously from the room — Wi-Fi is weak in some rooms → bring a backup mobile data package, or ask to change rooms if the signal is poor.
- 💡If you want a location within walking distance of everything in the city centre — this is the most convenient option in Udon, next to the mall and night market → book ahead during conferences as rooms fill fast.