Kameo Grand Rayong — a central-Rayong hotel with in-room kitchens and a pool and steakhouse on the rooftop
Picture this: coming back to a room with a full kitchen after a long day, making your own coffee in the morning, then heading up at dusk for steak and live music on a rooftop that looks out over the lights of the whole city — Kameo Grand Hotel & Serviced Apartment Rayong is a 4-star hotel with serviced apartments in the Kasemkij Hotels group (Kameo Collection), set in central Rayong on Sukhumvit Road in Noen Phra · what a lot of people talk about is the apartment-style rooms with their own kitchens, which suit work trips, long stays and families alike, plus a pool and rooftop restaurant that have become the highlight · around 171 rooms and suites, from about ฿2,200/night, rated 8.8 from 64 reviews on Trip.com
Who Kameo Grand Rayong is for — to put it as simply as possible, Kameo Grand Hotel & Serviced Apartment Rayong is a hotel for people who want a "base you can actually live out of" in central Rayong, rather than a beachfront resort you go to just to laze by the sea · it isn't a pool villa on Koh Samet that you have to take a boat to reach, and it isn't a sand-side resort like the ones on Mae Ramphueng beach, but a 4-star hotel that comes with serviced apartments, sitting right on Sukhumvit Road in Noen Phra, inside Rayong city · the clear difference is that every room has its own kitchen, which makes it suit a crowd that's different from the usual tourist · it's run by Kasemkij Hotels, the group behind the Cape & Kantary and Kameo brands, known for spacious apartment-style rooms and steady service · real reviews line up on who fits here best: people working in the industrial estates and the EEC zone who come regularly or stay long-term, business travellers flying in for meetings, families who want a big room with a kitchen to cook for themselves, and travellers using Rayong as a stop before heading to Koh Samet or Chanthaburi · for anyone who wants to wake up to the sea outside their door or wants a quiet resort feel, this may not be the answer, because it's a city hotel whose selling points are convenience and the value of a room with a kitchen, not a sea view
Location and getting around — Kameo Grand is at 305/14 Sukhumvit Road, Noen Phra, Mueang Rayong, a spot that's a real advantage for anyone who needs to get around the city · Sukhumvit Road is Rayong's main artery, running through the commercial district, shopping malls, supermarkets and plenty of restaurants, so you can leave the hotel and find food and supplies within a few minutes · several real reviews praise the location as "genuinely in the city centre" — a short walk or drive gets you to markets, convenience stores and malls, and the hotel also runs a free shuttle to the shopping mall, an extra service many guests use · for people here to work, this location reaches the surrounding industrial estates and EEC area easily by car · as for the sea, we'll be straight about it: the hotel isn't beachfront — Mae Ramphueng beach is around 10–16 km away, or about a 15–25 min drive, and Ban Phe pier for boats to Koh Samet is roughly 20 km away · from U-Tapao Airport (UTP) it's about a 40–50 min drive to the hotel, and from Bangkok it takes around 3 hours · one small note: the Sukhumvit Road stretch through Rayong city gets busy with traffic at rush hour, and Rayong has no public transit system like a skytrain, so having your own car or hailing a ride is the most convenient
"Stayed two weeks for work and picked this place because the rooms have kitchens, so I could cook for myself and save a lot · in the evening I'd go up to the rooftop steakhouse, cool breeze, city lights, atmosphere better than the price would suggest."
Room types and decor — Kameo Grand has around 171 rooms and suites in total, and the feature that sets it apart from an ordinary city hotel is that every room is designed as a serviced apartment with its own kitchen · it starts with the Studio Suite, the entry-level room, with a kitchen corner fully kitted out — fridge, stove, microwave — plus a dining area, good for couples or solo travellers who want to cook · stepping up is the One Bedroom Suite, which clearly separates the bedroom from the living room, with a sofa, dining table and a full kitchen, suited to long stays or small families · and the largest is the Two Bedroom Suite, with two bedrooms for bigger families or groups travelling together · the decor is a plain, practical apartment style in keeping with the Kameo group's concept, focused on spacious rooms and convenience rather than flashy design · every room has a TV, safe, drinking water and free Wi-Fi · many reviews agree that the rooms are larger than typical hotels at the same price, clean, and have kitchens that actually work, which is the main reason people choose to stay here · one thing worth knowing is that the building has been open for a fair while, so the furniture and decor in some rooms lean classic and are showing their age from use — some reviews say the rooms look "older than expected" even though they're clean · anyone who cares about newness should ask for a recently renovated room, or set expectations around space and function first
Facilities, pool and fitness — the highlight most talked about at Kameo Grand is the rooftop swimming pool on the top floor of the building, with a wide view over Rayong city · evening into night is the popular time for guests to head up to swim, chill and take photos, especially since it sits right next to the rooftop restaurant · the other facilities are fairly complete for a city hotel: a fitness centre with working equipment, a sauna and a steam room for those who want to unwind after a day's work · there's an executive lounge for guests in higher room categories, and meeting rooms and a banquet hall that handle seminars and functions, which is part of why corporate guests favour it · on top of that there are services that suit long-stayers, such as laundry, luggage storage, free parking, the mall shuttle and a 24-hour front desk · we'll say it plainly: the rooftop pool isn't large like a resort pool — it's a pool for an easy swim, a soak and soaking up the city view, more than serious lap swimming, but in terms of its rooftop spot and evening atmosphere it does well for a central-Rayong hotel
Food and the rooftop restaurant — food is another thing that gives Kameo Grand its own appeal, because it has two dining areas with clearly different atmospheres · the main ground-floor restaurant is Orchard Restaurant, serving a wide range of Thai, Japanese, Italian and international food as all-day dining, and it's also where the hotel breakfast is served · the highlight people talk about most is California Steak, the rooftop steakhouse right next to the pool, open in the evening with live music, serving steak and fresh seafood with an evening city view · many real reviews credit this spot as the reason they'd come back — the cool breeze, city lights and live music turn dinner into an experience rather than just a meal · on breakfast, most reviews praise the wide choice and the freshness of the ingredients, both Thai and international, good for people staying several days who don't want to get bored · for other meals, the central location helps a lot, because there are local restaurants and well-known Rayong spots around the hotel that are easy to go and try, and with a room that has a kitchen, many people choose to buy ingredients and cook for some meals — an advantage an ordinary bare-room hotel can't offer
Service — service is a point that gets consistent praise in real reviews, and it's something the Kasemkij group is known for · many staff are described as attentive, friendly and good at solving on-the-spot problems, especially with long-stay guests, who tend to be remembered and looked after a little extra · services that go with long stays, such as laundry, the mall shuttle and a 24-hour front desk, make many guests feel they get more convenience than the price suggests · some reviews note that responsiveness can slow down a bit during periods when the hotel has a seminar or lots of guests, but overall service remains a strength that brings regulars back, particularly the working crowd who come to Rayong in cycles
What real reviews say (praise and gripes) — pulling from Trip.com, Booking.com, Agoda, Expedia and TripAdvisor, the picture lines up fairly well · on the praise side: the spacious apartment-style rooms with in-room kitchens are great value, the central location is convenient for getting around and finding food, the rooftop pool and steakhouse with city views have a great atmosphere, breakfast is varied, the staff are friendly and attentive, and there's a free mall shuttle · many call it the best choice for long stays and work trips in Rayong city · on the observations side: the most talked-about issue is that the building and some rooms are starting to show their age — the furniture and decor look classic and older than newer hotels at a similar price, even though they're clean · next is that the hotel isn't on the beach, so anyone set on a beach trip has to drive on to Mae Ramphueng or Ban Phe, some rooms facing Sukhumvit Road catch traffic noise, and during big seminars the common areas and restaurant can get crowded · these gripes are manageable by choosing the right room and matching expectations to what the hotel is, rather than being big problems that keep people from coming back
"Clean, spacious room with a full kitchen, great for staying several days · the only knock is the furniture looks a bit old, but a room this size in the city centre at this price is hard to find — I'll stay here again next time I'm working in town."
Price comparison and value — the starting price for the Studio Suite is around ฿2,200/night at normal rates, rising to roughly ฿2,800–3,500 on long weekends or when there's an event in town · larger rooms like the One Bedroom Suite sit from around ฿2,900 up, and the Two Bedroom Suite from around ฿4,500 up depending on size and timing · compared with other hotels in Rayong city, such as Star Convention Hotel, which starts a little cheaper but offers standard hotel rooms, Kameo Grand feels good value from the angle of long-stayers and families, because you get a spacious apartment-style room with a kitchen that genuinely saves on food costs · compared with Kantary Bay on Mae Ramphueng beach, which also has rooms with kitchens but is farther from the city and beachfront, choosing between the two comes down to whether you want to be central and convenient for work, or close to the sea · if you're planning to stay several nights, working in the city, or coming as a family that wants to cook, every baht you spend on a room with a kitchen and a central location comes back in full
Good to know before you book — a few things help make the stay smoother · one, if you're planning a long stay or coming as a family, pick the One or Two Bedroom Suite with a full kitchen and a separate living area — better value than eating out every meal · two, if you're sensitive to noise or a light sleeper, specify at booking that you want a room not facing Sukhumvit Road, since the road side catches traffic noise · three, if newness matters to you, try asking for a recently renovated room, because the building has been open a while and room conditions vary floor to floor · four, make the most of the free mall shuttle and free parking — very convenient if you drive yourself · five, if you're mainly coming for the beach, allow travel time to Mae Ramphueng or Ban Phe and consider whether to use this hotel as a city base or stay beachfront instead · six, choose free cancellation first if your plans aren't firm, because prices tend to change with the season and events in town
The verdict — from all the real reviews, Kameo Grand Hotel & Serviced Apartment Rayong is the hotel that best suits people who want a central-Rayong base they can actually live out of, a spacious room with a kitchen, at an affordable price · the apartment-style rooms with in-room kitchens, the pool and rooftop steakhouse with city views, the central location that's convenient for getting around and finding food, and the steady Kasemkij-style service make it a good choice for work trips, long stays and families who aren't here purely to sleep by the sea · if you're after a brand-new, flawless room in every corner, or want to wake up to the sea outside your door, this may not be the answer, and you should look at resorts on the Mae Ramphueng side or accommodation on Koh Samet instead · but for a trip that needs central convenience, a room you can cook in, and a rooftop dinner atmosphere you won't find at hotels in the same class — Kameo Grand answers that need well at a price that's worth it
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Spacious apartment-style rooms with in-room kitchens, great for long stays
- ✓ Central Rayong location, convenient for getting around and finding food
- ✓ Pool and rooftop steakhouse with city views, great atmosphere
- ✓ Friendly, attentive staff and a free mall shuttle
- ! The building and some rooms are starting to show their age, furniture looks classic
- ! Hotel isn't on the beach, you have to drive on to the beach
- ! Some rooms facing Sukhumvit Road catch traffic noise
- ✓ Good value for long-stayers and families, rooms with kitchens
- ✓ Varied breakfast, fresh ingredients
- ✓ Rooftop pool and fitness centre, sauna, steam room
- ✓ Free parking, 24-hour front desk, laundry service
- ! Common areas and restaurant get crowded during seminars
- ! Room conditions vary floor to floor, ask for a renovated room
- ! If you're coming for the beach, allow travel time
- 💡If you want to wake up to the sea outside your door — Kameo Grand is a city hotel, not beachfront; Mae Ramphueng beach is around a 15–25 min drive away → consider resorts on the Mae Ramphueng side or accommodation on Koh Samet instead
- 💡If you want a brand-new, flawless room in every corner — the building has been open a long time and the furniture in some rooms looks classic and aged → ask for a recently renovated room, or focus mainly on the space and kitchen
- 💡If you're a light sleeper sensitive to noise — rooms facing Sukhumvit Road catch traffic noise → ask for a room not facing the road right at booking