I Hotel Khonkaen — a 3-star hotel near Khon Kaen University with spacious, well-priced rooms
If your business is around Khon Kaen University, Srinagarind Hospital, or the Sila side of town, I Hotel Khonkaen is a 3-star hotel that nails the location — sitting on Mittraphap Road, about a 5-minute drive from KKU. Opened in 2013 and given a room refresh in 2020, it offers 78 clean, simple rooms, most with private balconies, free on-site parking, and an in-house restaurant and bar. Guests rate it highly for spacious, clean rooms and helpful staff. From approx. ฿850/night.
I Hotel Khonkaen is a 3-star hotel built squarely for people with business on the Khon Kaen University and Sila side of the city. It sits on Mittraphap Road, about a 5-minute drive from the university gates and KKU's Faculty of Medicine. Open since 2013 and given a major room renovation in 2020, it still looks tidy and clean rather than a tired old block. What guests mention most often is rooms that feel larger than the price suggests, and front-desk staff who help out from check-in right through to carrying bags up to the room.
Room types range from Superior at 28 sqm and Deluxe at 32 sqm up to the Grand Deluxe at 42 sqm. Even the entry-level rooms feel roomier than most 3-star hotels in town, and many come with a private balcony — something you rarely get at this price. Rooms have a work desk, fridge, kettle, flat-screen TV, and a shower bathroom with toiletries that several guests describe as nicely scented. Beds are comfortable and linens clean. The main gripe is soundproofing: some rooms let in noise from the neighbours or traffic from Mittraphap Road.
"Very spacious room, clean, comfy bed, lovely-smelling toiletries, and the staff were sweet enough to carry our bags up. Parking was easy too — great value for a trip around the university."
The shared spaces lean practical rather than plush. There's an on-site restaurant and bar open for lunch and dinner, with room service during limited hours. Breakfast is a-la-carte, with an English set and made-to-order options (chargeable in some packages). You'll also find a fitness centre, laundry service, a garden seating area, and free on-site parking that's a real convenience if you're driving in. One thing to know: there's no swimming pool — the former pool space has been converted into a dining area — so if you're after a swim-and-relax stay, this isn't the place.
Be clear-eyed about the location. The strength is being close to Khon Kaen University, the Faculty of Medicine, and Srinagarind Hospital, plus the Lotus's and shops on the Sila side. But the hotel sits toward the edge of the city, roughly 6–8 km from CentralPlaza Khon Kaen and the downtown core, so you'll need a car or taxi. If your main goal is the Khao Niao nightlife strip or shopping at Central, this location is further out than the in-town hotels. A 9.0 from 124 Trip.com reviews reflects that the people it's built for — university and hospital visitors — get what they came for.
Honestly, I Hotel Khonkaen suits people who come for the location more than the atmosphere. Parents dropping off students, family visiting patients at Srinagarind, business travellers with meetings on the university side, or anyone driving the Mittraphap highway who wants a one-night stop — they get a spacious, clean room with free parking at an easy price. The complaints that do come up are weak Wi-Fi in some rooms, so-so soundproofing, and a breakfast that does the job without being memorable.
A tip from reading the reviews: ask for a room away from Mittraphap Road if you're a light sleeper, as the roadside rooms catch traffic noise. The Deluxe or Grand Deluxe rooms are much larger for a small price step, well worth it for groups or longer stays. If you rely on Wi-Fi for work, keep a mobile data backup handy. And because it's on the Sila side, allow extra travel time if you need to head into the city or to the airport during rush hour.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Spacious, clean rooms with comfy beds and nice toiletries
- ✓ Close to Khon Kaen University and Srinagarind Hospital
- ✓ Free parking, easy for those driving in
- ✓ Helpful staff who carry bags up to the room
- ! Weak Wi-Fi signal in some rooms
- ! Soundproofing isn't great; traffic noise from Mittraphap Road
- ! Edge-of-town location; far from Central and downtown
- ✓ Spacious rooms with balconies, good value for a 3-star
- ✓ Location is spot-on for university business and the Sila area
- ✓ Friendly staff and quick check-in
- ✓ On-site restaurant and bar, convenient parking
- ! No swimming pool (former pool turned into a dining area)
- ! Breakfast is fine but unremarkable
- ! Far from the city's tourist and nightlife areas
- 💡If your main goal is downtown, shopping at Central, or the Khao Niao strip — this is on the Sila side, 6–8 km from the centre, so you'll always need a ride → an in-town hotel will be more convenient.
- 💡If you want a swim-and-relax stay with a pool — the hotel no longer has one (it's now a dining area) → choose a hotel with a rooftop pool in the city instead.
- 💡If you're a light sleeper or need solid Wi-Fi for work — some rooms have poor soundproofing and weak Wi-Fi → request a room away from Mittraphap Road and bring a mobile data backup.