Star Convention Hotel — a mall-attached city hotel with the most spacious, best-value rooms in central Rayong
If you're coming to Rayong and don't plan to sleep by the beach or on Koh Samet every night — you're here to work, attend a conference, pass through, or want a convenient base in town — Star Convention Hotel is the name guests mention most. It's a 4-star city hotel built right onto the Star IT Center shopping mall in the heart of Rayong: take the lift down and you're eating, watching a film or shopping without leaving the building. Guests praise the spacious rooms, the breakfast buffet and the accessible price most, even if some reviews note the building is showing its age. From approx. ฿1,200/night · 8.8 from 123 Trip.com reviews.
Most people think of Rayong as beaches, Koh Samet and the sea — but Rayong town itself is a busy industrial and commercial city with people passing through constantly. Star Convention Hotel was built for exactly that crowd: a 4-star high-rise city hotel attached to the Star IT Center shopping mall on Sukhumvit Road in the centre of town. What sets it apart from an ordinary city hotel is that it connects straight into the mall — take the lift down to eat, catch a film, shop or grab a late-night bite without ever calling a car. For many guests, that's the main reason they chose it.
The thing reviews praise most is room size. Rooms here start far larger than a typical city hotel, from around 32 sqm up to family rooms and suites as big as 124 sqm. Every room has air-conditioning, a flat-screen LCD TV and a fridge, and many include a microwave and crockery — handy for longer stays or families. Comfortable beds and clean rooms come up often too. To be honest, though, a fair number of reviews note the building dates from the 1990s and has been renovated in stages, so some areas show their age, with the room-key system and hot water in some rooms feeling older than at newer hotels.
"The room was much bigger than expected, the bed soft, everything clean — take the lift down and you're in the mall, food everywhere. For this price in Rayong town it's great value."
The breakfast buffet is another highlight. Many reviews praise the variety — Thai dishes, sushi, breads and desserts — in a large, comfortable dining room. On facilities, you get a lot for the price: two outdoor swimming pools, a large gym and a sauna that guests say are kept clean and genuinely usable. There are two restaurants, a bar, free parking, EV charging and a shuttle service. One small note: the Western side of the breakfast spread is limited, with the focus mainly on Thai and Asian options.
Location is the main selling point. The hotel sits on Sukhumvit Road in central Rayong, attached to the Star IT Center mall with markets and a night bazaar within walking distance, and close to Rayong bus terminal — convenient if you arrive by coach. Just understand this is a city hotel, not a beach resort: it's about 17 km to Mae Ramphueng Beach and roughly 20 km on to Ban Phe pier if you're crossing to Koh Samet. It scores 8.8 from 123 reviews on Trip.com (service 9.0, location 8.9), while on TripAdvisor it sits at 4.1/5, ranked #7 of 64 Rayong hotels from 129 reviews — consistent numbers for a city hotel guests are happy with overall.
To be straight with you, Star Convention Hotel is not for travellers who want to wake up to the sea outside the window. If the whole point of your trip is sleeping by the beach or swimming every day, this isn't the answer — stay around Mae Ramphueng or on Koh Samet instead. But if you're here to work, for a conference or seminar, passing through, or you simply want a city hotel with spacious rooms, a good breakfast, a mall downstairs and an honest price — it does that job well and is a dependable choice in central Rayong.
A tip from following the reviews here: for longer stays or larger groups, choose a Grand Deluxe or Family Suite — they're roomy and come with a microwave, which makes them much better value. When booking, ask for a renovated room to avoid the more dated ones. And if you're coming during a seminar period or a long weekend, this hotel is popular in town and fills fast, so book ahead.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Central location attached to the Star IT Center mall — straight downstairs
- ✓ Rooms larger than a typical city hotel, with comfortable beds
- ✓ Varied breakfast buffet — Thai, sushi and breads
- ✓ Helpful, attentive staff and good value for a 4-star city hotel
- ! The building has been open a long time; some areas show their age despite renovations
- ! In town, not on the beach — you'll need a car to reach the sea
- ! Limited Western options at breakfast
- ✓ Large, clean rooms, many with a microwave and crockery
- ✓ Pool, gym and sauna kept clean and genuinely usable
- ✓ Easy to reach, near the bus terminal and town markets
- ✓ Great fit for work trips, conferences or longer stays in Rayong town
- ! Room-key system and hot water in some rooms feel dated
- ! TV reception in some rooms can be patchy per reviews
- ! A business / family feel rather than a seaside-holiday atmosphere
- 💡If your main goal is sleeping by the sea or swimming every day — this is in the city centre, about 17 km from Mae Ramphueng Beach → stay around Mae Ramphueng or cross to Koh Samet instead.
- 💡If you expect a polished, brand-new hotel throughout — the building dates from the 1990s and was renovated in stages, with some dated key/hot-water systems → ask for a renovated room when booking.
- 💡If you're coming during a seminar period or long weekend — this hotel is popular in town and fills fast → book ahead and lock in a free-cancellation rate.