GinGin Hotel, Trang Old Town — a restored Trang building turned charming central boutique
Trang is full of old shophouses and vintage coffee shops, but well-designed places to stay in the heart of the old town are still rare — GinGin Hotel, Trang Old Town is the answer many travellers were waiting for. It's an old building, carefully restored to keep the original walls and details of the structure, then blended with modern interiors. A small boutique 4-star of about 15 rooms, a 4-minute walk from Trang Railway Station, from approx THB 1,500/night.
GinGin began as an old building on Rama VI Road in the heart of Trang's old town. Instead of tearing it down for a new build, the owners chose to keep the original walls and lines of the structure, then layer modern interiors over them. The result is a hotel with a genuine old-town feel — not a new building dressed up to look old. It's the single thing guests mention most: the way old and new are blended so naturally.
There are only a few room types — Standard King, Standard Twin and a Suite. What guests love is that the rooms are very bright, with lots of windows and natural light all day, especially the corner rooms which are larger and catch light from two sides. Beds are comfortable, the air conditioning is cold, and everything still feels new since the hotel only recently opened. Each room has a flat-screen TV, safe, hairdryer and the usual toiletries.
"Opened the curtains in the morning and light filled the room, with old Trang rooftops outside — it felt like staying in a well-cared-for old house, not an ordinary hotel."
Service is another area that scores consistently high. The team is small but attentive — guests describe it as a warm, personal welcome, genuinely caring, happy to recommend restaurants and things to see around town. Cleanliness draws praise in nearly every review; rooms feel new and tidy. There's a small in-house restaurant and bar for a coffee or an evening drink.
Location is GinGin's trump card. It sits right in the heart of Trang old town, about a 4-minute walk from Trang Railway Station — very handy if you arrive by train. Around it are night markets (Centrepoint / Chinta), morning dim sum spots, vintage coffee shops and local restaurants, all within walking distance. Trang is famous for its food, and from here you can eat your way around all day without ever getting in a car.
Worth knowing before you book: because it's in the middle of the old town beside a road and market, there's some market and traffic noise in the early morning. Light sleepers should ask for a room away from the front road. A few reviews note the shower drains a little slowly, and some wished for a desk in the room. With only about 15 rooms, it fills up fast on long weekends, so book ahead.
The verdict from real guest reviews: GinGin is a great fit for travellers who want to stay in the heart of Trang's old town, walk to sights and food, arrive by train, and like a small, well-designed hotel at a fair price. Standard rooms start from around THB 1,500/night, rising to roughly THB 2,500–2,800 for the Suite in peak periods — good value for a boutique 4-star that still feels brand new in this location.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Beautifully restored from an old building, old and new blended well
- ✓ Warm, attentive staff who help with sights and food
- ✓ New, very clean rooms with comfortable beds
- ✓ Central old-town location near markets and the railway station
- ! Some market and main-road noise in the early morning
- ! Shower drains slowly in some rooms
- ! A few rooms would benefit from a desk
- ✓ Bright rooms with lots of windows and natural light all day
- ✓ Design keeps the old Trang building's character well
- ✓ Easy walk to the railway station and night markets
- ✓ Small, quiet and private, well looked after
- ! Few rooms, fills up fast on long weekends
- ! No pool or fitness (it's a city hotel)
- ! Limited parking, can be tight when busy
- 💡If you're a light sleeper — it sits beside a road and market with some early-morning noise → ask for a room away from the front road and bring earplugs
- 💡If you want a pool, gym or resort vibe — this is a small city hotel without them → better suited to travellers focused on location and food than on the hotel itself
- 💡If you're coming on a long weekend or holiday — there are only about 15 rooms and they fill fast → book ahead and lock in a free-cancellation rate first