The Imperial Phukaew Hill Resort — a Swiss-style mountain resort on a pine-covered hillside in Khao Kho
Drive up Khao Kho along Highway 12 and, right at the Camp Son junction, you'll spot a big Swiss-chalet-style resort perched on a hillside among the pines — The Imperial Phukaew Hill Resort is one of the pioneer resorts of the Khao Kho area, around for as long as visitors have been coming here. It sits in Camp Son Subdistrict, Khao Kho District, in an easy-to-reach spot right on the main road · what people talk about most is the mountain views and the shady, pine-forest setting, plus rooms that are roomy and come with a balcony for the view · there are 140 rooms, a pool, a sauna and a tennis court, from about ฿2,000/night, scored 8.5 from 283 Trip.com reviews — but before you book, there's a watch-out about the age of the buildings you'll want to know.
Who Imperial Phukaew suits — to put it as simply as possible, The Imperial Phukaew Hill Resort is a large mountain resort for people who want a "mountain-view stay that's easy to reach, at a price you can actually afford" on Khao Kho · it isn't a tiny boutique resort selling total privacy, and it isn't a freshly decorated place built for social-media photos · it's a pioneer resort of the area that's been around a long time, with as many as 140 rooms spread across a pine-covered hillside, designed as Swiss-chalet-style buildings that suit the cool Khao Kho weather · real reviews line up on this: the people it suits are big families, tour groups, seminar parties and travellers who care more about mountain views, plenty of space and an affordable price than about rooms styled new and modern down to every detail · another group who say they were impressed are people driving Khao Kho for the first time who didn't want to head down a deep side road or up a steep climb, because this place sits right on the main road — easy to find, easy to get in and out · honestly, it's a resort that sells location, views and value-for-money above all, while you have to set your expectations correctly about how new the buildings are from the start, which is something we'll cover honestly in the next section.
Location and getting there — this is Imperial Phukaew's clearest strength · the resort sits at 99 Moo 14, Camp Son Subdistrict, Khao Kho District, right on Highway 12 (the Phitsanulok–Lom Sak route) near the Camp Son junction, the main road up Khao Kho · the upside is that it's very easy to find — no deep side roads, no narrow climb that worries a lot of people driving Khao Kho for the first time · from the resort, the main sights aren't far by car: Wat Phra That Pha Son Kaeo around 15–20 min, the Kanchanaphisek Chedi and the Khao Kho Royal Residence around 25–30 min, the Khao Kho wind turbines and various viewpoints all within a short drive, and close to Thung Salaeng Luang National Park, a natural pine-forest area · for longer journeys, it's around 5–6 hr drive from Bangkok, while coming up to Khao Kho from Phetchabun town takes about 1 hr · one small note: because the resort sits on a hillside, several room zones mean walking up and down slopes and stairs, so if you're travelling with older guests or small children, ask for a room in an easy-access zone when you book.
"Super easy to find — drive in along the main road and just turn in, no nerve-wracking mountain climb like other places · the view from the room balcony really is lovely. Wake up to the mountains and the pines, the air is cool and pleasant, well worth what you pay."
Room types and decor — Imperial Phukaew has around 140 rooms in all, split into several types spread across the hillside · starting with Panorama Superior and Panorama Executive at about 46 sqm, rooms in the main building whose strong point is being spacious with a balcony or window looking out over the mountains; many reviews say the rooms are bigger than expected for the price · moving up, there's the Hillside Chalet Deluxe zone at about 49 sqm, chalet-style cabins perched on the hillside that feel more private and closer to nature · and the biggest is the Hillside Chalet 1 Bedroom Suite at about 115 sqm, suited to families or anyone who wants extra space · the points people praise alike are the large room size, the mountain-view balconies and the pine-forest setting around the rooms · but to be straight with you, this is where you need to set expectations correctly: the buildings are fairly old, and several real reviews note that some of the furniture, woodwork and decor is starting to show its age, with some rooms feeling more retro than modern · so if you're after a freshly decorated minimalist room, this place may not match your taste, but if you focus on the space, the views and the cool Khao Kho air, the rooms here do the job well for what you pay.
Facilities, pool and activities — being a large resort on a wide property, Imperial Phukaew has a fairly varied set of facilities compared with the usual Khao Kho stay · the highlight is the outdoor pool, open roughly 7:00 AM–7:00 PM amid mountain and pine-forest views, good for families bringing the kids for a swim on a nice day · there's also a sauna, a tennis court and wide communal areas to stroll and take photos among the pines · for groups and companies, there are meeting rooms and event spaces for 20 to 240 people, which is why this resort is popular with seminar groups and company trips · there's free Wi-Fi, plenty of parking and green space for kids to run around · to be honest, the pool and some facilities are dated to match the resort's age, and some reviews mention the state of the pool and certain wooden walkways that could use an upgrade · but in terms of variety and usable space, it offers more than smaller stays in the same area, making it a good fit for people coming as a group who want things to do at the resort without going anywhere.
Food and dining — the resort's main restaurant is Rayung, a glass-walled terrace looking out over the mountains, open roughly 7:00 AM–10:00 PM, serving both Thai and international all-day dining · breakfast is a buffet served around 7:00 AM–10:00 AM · real reviews on the food are fairly mixed: many praise that breakfast has a decent range to choose from and that the mountain-view dining room is a pleasant place to sit, especially at breakfast when you can look out at the mist and the mountains · but some, particularly foreign visitors, say the Western menu options are fairly limited and that the food sometimes arrives less hot than it should · with its location right on the main road in the Camp Son area, there are still Khao Kho restaurants and cafes nearby to head out to, so many people use the resort as a base and go out for other meals · overall the food here is fine for a mountain resort — not the main reason you'd come, but enough for breakfast and a convenient meal between outings.
Service — service is something that earns fairly consistent praise in real reviews, even in reviews that knock other things · plenty of staff are described as friendly, smiling and happy to help, especially with recommending sights around Khao Kho and looking after big groups · because it takes seminar parties and tour groups often, the team is well used to handling large groups · that said, some reviews note that service standards aren't always consistent, especially when the resort is full or handling several groups at once, when responses can slow down a bit · overall the staff's goodwill and friendliness remain a plus that goes a fair way toward offsetting the limits of the buildings' age.
What real reviews say (the good and the not-so-good) — pulling together Trip.com, Booking.com and TripAdvisor, the picture is fairly clear and consistent · On the praise side: lovely, shady mountain and pine-forest views, an easy-to-find location on the main road, spacious rooms with view balconies, friendly and helpful staff, a pool and wide grounds that suit families and groups, and an affordable price for the room size and location · On the watch-out side: the thing mentioned most is the age of the buildings and the state of maintenance — the place has been open for decades, and some of the furniture, woodwork, walkways and bathrooms are starting to look old and feel retro, with some reviews mentioning small details of cleanliness and fittings that could use repair · next is the breakfast options being fairly limited for some, and the up-and-down hillside walkways that may not be convenient for older guests · these gripes are ones you can set expectations around: this is a value mountain-view resort, not a freshly decorated luxury stay, and if you look at it that way from the start, you'll be happy with what you get.
"The views and the pine-forest setting are gorgeous, the room is spacious, and the balcony is a comfy spot to sit and take in the view. The staff are lovely · the only knock is the old buildings — some things in the room look well-used. If you can make peace with that, it's worth the price."
Price and value — Imperial Phukaew's starting price is around ฿2,000/night at normal rates for a Panorama room, and it can climb during the cool season (November–January), which is Khao Kho's high season, with long weekends and New Year clearly pushing prices up and filling rooms fast · the chalet zone and the larger suites sit in a higher price range depending on size and season · compared with other mountain-view resorts in the Khao Kho area, Imperial Phukaew feels good value in terms of room size for the price and an easy-to-reach location, especially for big families and groups wanting plenty of space and varied facilities on a budget · compared with a freshly decorated, good-looking stay in the same area at a similar price, the thing to weigh up is whether you're willing to trade newer buildings for more space and mountain views · for people focused mainly on views, space and price, this place is good value among the affordable Khao Kho resorts.
Good to know before you book — a few things help make the stay go more smoothly · One, set your expectations correctly about the age of the buildings — this is a long-established Khao Kho resort, come for the mountain views and the space, not freshly decorated rooms · two, if you're travelling with older guests or small children, ask for a room in an easy-access zone that doesn't involve much up-and-down hillside walking, since the resort sits on a slope with ramps and stairs · three, during the cool season (November–January) and long weekends Khao Kho gets very busy, prices climb and rooms fill fast, so book ahead and compare prices across platforms · four, if you want full mountain views, ask specifically for a room facing out when you book, since some rooms have clearly better views than others · five, go for free cancellation if your plans aren't firm yet, and check promotions that include breakfast, which are often better value than paying separately.
The verdict — across all the real reviews, The Imperial Phukaew Hill Resort is the best fit for big families, groups and travellers who want an easy-to-reach mountain-view stay on Khao Kho on an affordable budget · its strengths are an easy-to-find location on the main road, shady mountain and pine-forest views, spacious rooms with balconies, a pool and wide grounds, plus friendly staff · but you have to accept that this is a long-established resort where many of the buildings and decor have seen plenty of use, so if you're after a flawless, freshly decorated room from every angle, this may not be the answer, and you should consider a boutique resort or a newly renovated stay in the Khao Kho area instead · but if you set the right expectations from the start — come for the views, the space and the value — Imperial Phukaew still does the job well, an old-hand of a stay that has been part of Khao Kho for a long time for reasons that make sense.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Easy-to-find location on the main road, close to Wat Pha Son Kaeo and Khao Kho's sights
- ✓ Lovely, shady mountain and pine-forest setting with cool air
- ✓ Spacious rooms with view balconies
- ✓ Friendly staff who look after groups and families well
- ! Buildings and furniture dated to match the resort's age, some spots feeling retro
- ! Breakfast options, especially the Western menu, are fairly limited
- ! Up-and-down hillside walkways may not be convenient for older guests
- ✓ Good value in terms of room size for the price, good for families and groups
- ✓ Full-on mountain views and a shady natural setting
- ✓ Pool, sauna, tennis court and wide grounds
- ✓ Easy to reach, right on Highway 12 with no steep mountain climb
- ! Some maintenance could use an upgrade
- ! Service standards aren't always consistent when handling several groups at once
- ! Prices climb fast in the cool season and on long weekends, rooms fill quickly
- 💡If you expect a freshly decorated, modern-design room — the place has been open for decades, and some furniture and decor is old and retro → consider a boutique resort or a newly renovated stay in the Khao Kho area instead.
- 💡If you're travelling with older guests or small children — the resort sits on a hillside with ramps and stairs between zones → ask for a room in an easy-access zone that doesn't involve much uphill walking when you book.
- 💡If you're serious about breakfast options — the buffet menu, especially the Western food, is fairly limited → plan to head out to a restaurant in the nearby Camp Son area.