U Pae PaeStay Uthaithani — Sleep on a Floating Raft on the Sakae Krang River
If you have ever wanted to actually sleep on a floating raft house on the Sakae Krang River — waking up to open your door onto the water and the riverside morning market — U Pae PaeStay Uthaithani is the name people mention when they talk about raft stays in town. The owner built it to preserve the raft-living tradition of the Sakae Krang river community. It is a cluster of wooden rafts with vintage, handmade-decorated rooms, balconies looking over the river, and it sits just 200 metres from the riverside morning market. Rates start from about ฿1,200/night with a simple home-style breakfast — in exchange for traditional raft rooms rather than polished hotel rooms, and a still-small number of online reviews.
What sets U Pae PaeStay apart from other places to stay in Uthai Thani is that it really is a floating raft house, not a hotel that happens to sit by the water. The property is a cluster of connected wooden rafts floating on the Sakae Krang River, with rooms, a dining area and a riverside lounge. Walk across the rafts and you feel a gentle sway with the current — the very thing people who come to sleep on a raft are after. The owner built it deliberately to keep the raft-living tradition of the Sakae Krang river community alive.
There are several room types, from a small Standard with a shared bathroom up to Deluxe and Suite rooms with private bathrooms and balconies that look straight out over the river, plus a Family Room for groups. The thing guests mention most is the nostalgic atmosphere — much of the decor is handmade by the owner, from fabrics and cushions to hanging mobiles, giving the feeling of stepping back twenty or thirty years. All rooms are air-conditioned.
"Very quiet on the raft. You wake up, open the door to the river, and there's a balcony to sip coffee and watch boats go by — like travelling back in time. It gives you something a concrete hotel simply can't."
The location is a real plus. The raft sits on Pae Khlong Sakae Krang Road in central Uthai Thani, only about 200 metres from the riverside morning market. Walk over in the morning for rice congee, pick up snacks, and watch riverside life. The property lends out bicycles for exploring the temples and the community, and arranges river boat tours. Breakfast is simple and local — think chicken rice or congee with drinks from a local cafe.
To be honest, U Pae PaeStay is not for travellers who want a polished, modern hotel room. Because it is a traditional raft, the rooms and bathrooms are simple, and some rooms use a shared bathroom. Some reviews mention the air-conditioning not being cold enough in certain rooms, occasional noise, and the plainness of the rooms not suiting those expecting luxury. Foreign visitors also note that the raft can be hard to find — it sits down a riverside lane with unclear signage, so calling ahead for directions is far easier than relying on a map.
One more thing worth knowing: the online review count here is still small. On booking platforms like Trip.com and Tripadvisor there are only a handful of reviews and the scores are scattered, because this is a small, niche property with just a few rooms. People who love the raft-stay experience and riverside life tend to praise it; those expecting standard hotel quality may come away neutral. It is the kind of place that clearly clicks — or doesn't — depending on what you came looking for.
Overall, U Pae PaeStay suits travellers who want to try sleeping on a raft on the Sakae Krang River and soak up riverside life in central Uthai Thani for a night. Rates start around ฿1,200 for the small rooms and climb to the mid-thousands and up to about ฿4,500 for larger or family rooms with private bathrooms. If you can accept simple raft rooms and the thin review count, it offers an experience you won't get from a city hotel block.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Genuinely sleep on a floating raft on the Sakae Krang River — a rare atmosphere
- ✓ Quiet and peaceful, with a balcony to watch the river and morning riverside life
- ✓ Central location, just 200m from the riverside morning market
- ✓ Handmade vintage decor and friendly, down-to-earth hosts
- ! Rooms and bathrooms are simple, raft-style — not polished hotel rooms
- ! Air-conditioning in some rooms isn't cold enough, and there can be some noise
- ! Foreign visitors find the raft hard to locate — unclear signage
- ✓ Nostalgic atmosphere, like going back twenty or thirty years
- ✓ Roomy balconies, easy to sit and watch the river
- ✓ Free bicycles and river boat tours to explore the community
- ✓ Simple, tasty home-style breakfast
- ! Some rooms use a shared bathroom — fine if you're okay with that
- ! Few online reviews, scores are scattered
- ! Plain rooms may not suit those expecting luxury
- 💡If you expect a polished, modern hotel room with a private bathroom in every room — this is a traditional raft and some rooms share a bathroom → choose a Deluxe or Suite with a private bathroom, or look at a city hotel like TJ Boutique instead.
- 💡If you're sensitive to temperature and noise — the AC in some rooms isn't very cold, and a wooden raft can carry water and ambient sounds → ask for a room with good AC and one set deeper from the common areas.
- 💡If you're a foreign visitor or unfamiliar with the area — the raft sits down a riverside lane with unclear signage and is hard to find alone → call the property for directions or arrange a meeting point before you arrive.