The Grand Riverside Hotel — on the Nan River in town, an easy walk to the train
If you arrive in Phitsanulok by train and want a hotel you can simply wheel your bags to, The Grand Riverside Hotel is a name that comes up often. It is a building right on the bank of the Nan River on Phra Ruang Road, about a 10-minute walk from the railway station and sitting in the middle of the riverside food streets. Its roughly 80 rooms — in a building renovated in 2021 — start from around ฿1,200/night, with a riverside restaurant and free parking.
The Grand Riverside is a long-standing Phitsanulok hotel, open since around 2002 and given a major renovation in 2021. The thing guests mention most is the location — the building sits right on the Nan River on Phra Ruang Road, about a 10-minute walk from Phitsanulok railway station. For travellers arriving by train, or continuing on to Sukhothai, that is a rare advantage in this city: you can wheel your bags over on foot without needing a taxi.
Rooms range from Superior up to Junior Suite and Presidential Suite. After the renovation they look noticeably cleaner and simpler. Many guests praise the rooms as larger than expected, with comfortable beds, fresh linens and strong water pressure. A few note that some rooms have rather low ceilings and limited light, and that the odd piece of furniture still shows the building's age — fair enough for an older hotel that was only partly renovated. If you can, ask for a higher floor on the river side for better light and a better view.
"Got off the train and walked my bags straight over. Checked in, opened the curtains to the Nan River, and went down for dinner by the water in front of the hotel that evening — far more convenient than I expected."
The riverside Riverside Terrace restaurant is another favourite, with both indoor and waterside seating serving Thai, Chinese and European food. Breakfast, by most accounts, offers a decent spread of Asian and Western options and tastes fine — though if you need cereal and yoghurt every morning you may find the Western choices a little thin. Staff regularly draw praise for being friendly and for a smooth check-in.
Facilities include a massage room, karaoke, airport transfers and conference rooms for seminars or weddings — this is a hotel locals often use for events. Free private parking is a plus for anyone driving themselves or picking up a rental car. Wi-Fi is free throughout and reasonably stable, something several guests bring up positively.
The central location makes getting around easy. Beyond the station, the Phitsanulok night bazaar and the riverside food streets are within walking distance, and Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat (Wat Yai), home of the Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, is about a 10-minute walk or a short ride away. The overall score sits around 9.1 from 48 reviews on Trip.com, and the hotel ranks near the top of Phitsanulok properties on Tripadvisor — consistently solid for its price level.
Honestly, The Grand Riverside is not a sleek new design hotel. It is a city hotel built around location, convenience and an affordable price rather than luxury. If you expect rooms like a brand-new opening or a handsome pool, this may not fit. But if you want a riverside stay on the Nan, within walking distance of the train and the food streets, at an easy price — it does that job well and genuinely good value.
A tip from following the reviews here: ask for a higher floor on the river side to avoid the low ceilings and get better light and views. On the keycard light switch by the door, if you want to charge a phone or device overnight, slot in a spare card or ask staff, as some rooms cut the power when the card is removed. And don't skip dinner by the water in front of the hotel — early evening is when the Nan River is at its best.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Standout location on the Nan River, walk to the station and food streets
- ✓ Spacious, clean rooms with comfortable beds and strong water pressure
- ✓ Friendly staff and a smooth check-in, often praised
- ✓ Free private parking and stable Wi-Fi
- ! Some rooms have low ceilings and limited light
- ! The odd piece of furniture still shows the building's age
- ! Western breakfast choices are a little limited
- ✓ Lovely Nan River views; river-side rooms have a nice mood
- ✓ Good value for a central, in-town location
- ✓ Riverside Terrace restaurant with Thai/Chinese/European dishes
- ✓ Close to the night bazaar and Wat Yai, easy to explore on foot
- ! Styling leans city hotel rather than polished boutique
- ! Keycard switch can cut power when removed — mind overnight charging
- ! Some drink and laundry charges run on the high side
- 💡If you expect rooms like a brand-new opening or a handsome pool — this is a city hotel built around location and price → consider a newer boutique in town if your budget allows.
- 💡If you're sensitive to low ceilings or dim rooms — some rooms are like that → request a higher floor on the river side when booking for better light and views.
- 💡If you need to charge devices overnight — some rooms use a keycard switch that cuts power when the card is removed → leave a spare card slotted in or ask staff first.