Prajaktra Design Hotel — a boutique design stay by Nong Prajak Lake, Udon Thani
Picture this: you draw the curtains in the morning and Nong Prajak Lake with its fountain sits right in front of you, and a few steps across the road takes you to the city park where Udon locals jog and cycle every dawn — Prajaktra Design Hotel is a modern boutique hotel sitting on what many guests call the best location in town · 79 rooms with an outdoor pool, a rooftop and a free airport shuttle · from approx. ฿1,100/night · scored 8.7 from real guest reviews.
Prajaktra Design Hotel is a mid-size design hotel of 79 rooms that has been open since around 2010 · What sets it apart from other downtown Udon hotels is its location directly across from Nong Prajak Public Park — the central city park with a lake, fountains and walking-and-cycling paths around the water · Many reviews name this location as the main reason they booked, since you can wake up and walk or cycle around the lake straight away, while still being close enough to ride to Central or UD Town in a few minutes.
Rooms are decorated in a modern style with warm tones, ranging from a roughly 30 sqm Superior to the 64 sqm Grand Design Suite · A point guests mention often is that the rooms are larger than expected and clean, with comfortable beds · Some rooms face Nong Prajak Lake and the fountain, and reviews consistently suggest asking for a balcony room facing the lake, since the view is lovely both by day and in the evening when the fountain is lit · To be straight about it, because the hotel has been open for a while, some rooms and bathrooms show wear and are due for a refresh, so if you want a room in good shape, ask for a renovated one at check-in.
"Opened the curtains in the morning to a full view of Nong Prajak and just walked across the road to cycle the lake before breakfast — a location you won't find at other Udon hotels."
The hotel has an outdoor pool that many reviews call bigger and nicer than expected for a hotel this size · There is a rooftop area for evening dinner and drinks with a good night atmosphere, but with the caveat that the rooftop venue is not open every day, so ask the front desk first if you plan to head up for an evening meal · Breakfast is a buffet with both Thai and Western options, and most guests say it is solid and more generous than they expected at this price · There is also a fitness room, free parking and bicycles to borrow.
Another thing reviews praise consistently is the friendly service and the free airport shuttle · Staff are helpful, check-in is hassle-free, and the free round-trip Udon Thani airport shuttle saves both money and time since the airport is only minutes away · Many travellers who fly into Udon to continue on to Nong Khai, Vientiane or to tour the city say this is a real advantage that brings them back.
To give the full picture, there is some inconsistency in upkeep at times · A few reviews describe air-conditioning that needs a manual reset, a bathroom drain that empties slowly, or housekeeping that did not fully clean or restock on certain days · Some guests found the pool not yet cleaned on the day they arrived · These do not happen to everyone, but they show that maintenance standards still depend on the day — if you hit a problem, tell the front desk right away, as most issues are fixed quickly.
The overall score is 8.7 from around 60 reviews on Trip.com, with similar scores on Booking.com and Agoda · These numbers show most guests are happy, especially with the location, large rooms, pool and service, while the complaints tend to centre on the age of some rooms and uneven housekeeping — both manageable by choosing your room well and flagging issues early.
Bottom line from real guest reviews: Prajaktra Design Hotel suits travellers who want to stay by Nong Prajak Lake, get a spacious design room with a pool and a free airport shuttle, at a wallet-friendly price · If you like waking up to walk or cycle around the park, want a lake view, and don't mind that the hotel isn't brand-new in every corner, it offers good value · But if you expect a fully renovated hotel with flawless daily upkeep, you'll want to pick your room carefully or look at newer options in town.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Location across from Nong Prajak, walk to the park and cycling paths
- ✓ Spacious, clean rooms with modern design, some with lake and fountain views
- ✓ Large pool and a rooftop area with a nice evening atmosphere
- ✓ Friendly staff and a free airport shuttle
- ! Hotel has been open a while; some rooms and bathrooms feel dated
- ! Housekeeping can be inconsistent; some days the room wasn't fully cleaned
- ! Rooftop venue isn't open every day — ask first
- ✓ Excellent location by Nong Prajak, close to downtown and the airport
- ✓ Spacious design suites with comfortable beds
- ✓ Buffet breakfast with both Thai and Western options, more generous than expected
- ✓ Free parking and bicycles to borrow for riding around the lake
- ! A/C in some rooms needs a manual reset; slow bathroom drainage in places
- ! The pool isn't always kept up; a few reviews found it uncleaned
- ! In-room amenities not always fully restocked
- 💡If you expect a brand-new hotel in every corner — some rooms and bathrooms show wear and are due for a refresh → ask for a renovated room at check-in, or look at newer options in town.
- 💡If you want a lake-and-fountain view — not every room faces Nong Prajak → specify a lake-view room with a balcony when you book.
- 💡If you plan to have dinner on the rooftop — the venue isn't open every day → call or ask the front desk to confirm opening hours before you plan around it.