Kalanan Riverside Resort Nonthaburi — a teak riverside resort on the Chao Phraya that feels like another era
Less than an hour from the bustle of Bangkok sits a riverside resort many people are only just getting to know under its new name — Kalanan Riverside Resort (formerly Buddy Oriental Riverside) in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi. It's a 4-star resort of 82 rooms in colonial-and-Thai teak buildings: dark wooden floors, four-poster beds, gardens and two swimming pools right on the Chao Phraya River. Guests often say walking in feels like stepping into another era. Prices start at about ฿1,800/night, and there's a free weekend boat to Koh Kret.
What sets Kalanan Riverside Resort apart from other stays in Nonthaburi is the atmosphere. The resort is built in a colonial-meets-Thai teak style — cream-painted timber, polished dark floors, wooden furniture and vintage pieces — wrapped in gardens beside the Chao Phraya River. Many reviewers describe it as feeling like Europe, or like stepping back in time: calm, leafy and a world away from the high-rise hotels in the city.
The location is in Bang Phut, Pak Kret, right on the Chao Phraya River. The big draw is that the resort runs a free boat to Koh Kret and the riverside markets on weekends — a highlight guests mention often. Muang Thong Thani and IMPACT are about 10 minutes away by car, and the expressway makes the run into Bangkok easy. The Purple and Pink Line stations are some distance off, though, so driving in or taking a taxi is the more practical way to arrive.
There are 82 rooms; the property opened in 2011 and had a major renovation in 2024. Categories run from Deluxe (garden, canal and pool views) up to the Grand Deluxe Riverview looking onto the water, plus private pool villas. Most rooms are larger than the price suggests, with real wooden floors, four-poster beds draped in mosquito netting and marble bathrooms with rain showers. Guests praise the cleanliness and thoughtful decor, and many rooms come with a plate of fresh fruit on arrival.
"Huge, clean room, beautifully decorated in colonial style, with a welcome fruit plate. The best staff I've ever met — and the riverside setting is so peaceful it feels like a real holiday, not just a place to sleep."
There's plenty in the common areas. Two swimming pools — one set in the garden at the heart of the resort, the other along the river — plus the Bu-Nga Spa, which reviews praise for its massages and treatments, a fitness centre, and two riverside restaurants (Song Fang Klong and Fahprapha). Guests call the buffet breakfast varied and the riverfront dinners atmospheric. There's a wide free car park too, which suits anyone driving in.
To be straight with you, there are a few things worth knowing before you book. On weekends the resort often hosts weddings and functions, which can make some areas busy and noisy; a few reviewers experienced brief power cuts during events. There can be a language gap too — some staff speak limited English, so the occasional request gets lost in translation. And a few fittings are showing their age, particularly the hot water in some rooms, which doesn't always run hot.
Overall, Kalanan Riverside Resort scores around 8.6 on Booking.com and 9.3 on Trip.com, with 4.1 out of 5 on TripAdvisor — among the best-loved riverside stays on the Nonthaburi side. It's not a sleek modern luxury resort, but measured on its teak-riverside character, the spacious rooms, two pools, the free boat to Koh Kret and a starting rate of around ฿1,800 — climbing into the several-thousands for the pool villas — it's a very well-judged short escape from Bangkok.
A tip drawn from the reviews: for the full riverside feel, ask for a Grand Deluxe Riverview or a pool villa, and if you can, visit on a weekday — it's quieter and avoids the weekend functions. Check in advance when the free boat to Koh Kret departs so you can plan a market trip, and bear in mind that arriving by car is by far the easiest option since the rail lines are far away.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Teak resort on the Chao Phraya with a calm, leafy colonial feel
- ✓ Spacious rooms, wooden floors, lovely decor and a welcome fruit plate
- ✓ Two pools, a good spa and atmospheric riverside restaurants
- ✓ Excellent, caring staff and a free boat to Koh Kret
- ! Weekends often have weddings/functions; some areas get busy
- ! Hot water weak in some rooms; a few fittings showing their age
- ! Rail stations are far — driving in is recommended
- ✓ Quiet riverside location, near Koh Kret and Muang Thong
- ✓ Roomy teak rooms with four-poster beds, larger than the price
- ✓ Pretty pools and gardens — good for a family rest
- ✓ Varied buffet breakfast and a wide car park
- ! Some staff speak limited English
- ! Brief power cuts reported during event functions
- ! A few areas could do with refreshing
- 💡If you want complete peace and quiet — weekends often bring weddings and functions, so some areas get busy → visit on a weekday if you can, or ask ahead whether there's an event during your stay.
- 💡If you expect a sleek, brand-new resort — this is an older teak property styled vintage, and a few fittings and the hot water in some rooms are aging → come for the classic atmosphere, and flag the staff if the water isn't hot.
- 💡If you don't have a car — the Purple/Pink Line stations are far from the resort → allow time for a taxi or ride-hailing app, and ask about the free boat times to Koh Kret to plan your trip.