Sakura Budget Hotel Review @ Hatyai, Thailand

Come back this time with my travel post :) It was my third visit to Hatyai back to March 2018. The trip was not in my plan at all. Well, who knows God's will? My blogger friend Emily Lowe contacted me that time she had 2 free flight tickets to Hatyai and she looking for someone to share the hotel and transport costs over there. I turned her down nicely, asked her to find some other else who might be free and interested to go. I really bored after my second visit. In the end, she really could not find anyone and persuaded me to go with her together. And finally I said yes.

Hatyai and KL could be reached by bus or car. You could take a bus from Bandar Tasik Selatan bus terminal at night. After a whole night journey, you could arrive at Hatyai town by 10am. That's what I did for my first visit with a friend. Now, Malindo comes out a new route offers a direct flight from Subang to Hatyai. This shortens the whole journey. On my next post, I will share how to take cheap "tuk tuk" from airport to town instead of paying at least 400 baht to the taxi drivers or tuk tuk.

Talking about the hotel stay, we managed to confirm a day before departure. I found this hotel at Facebook shared by a local Thai. I messaged to Sakura Budget Hotel FB and immediately someone replied to me. After some chat, the hotel staff confirmed my booking even without making any booking fee for them. I only paid when I checked out from the hotel whereby they returned our passport that kept by them. The rate per night is only 590 baht, hardly get any cheaper nearby Lee Garden, surely the rate over 1000 baht per night. The Sakura Budget Hotel is huge. There are block A, B, C and D with ample parking in front. The hotel is just opened last year and I considered it as brand new!

The room that we booked is 2 single beds facing the roadside while the queen bedrooms all facing the car park side. The facilities in the room are simple. But there is no hair dryer available and the counter is not lending any to the guests.

Sakura Budget hotel has "sisters" nearby known as Sakura Inn and Sakura Grand View Hotel which tuk-tuk driver might misunderstand you if you not telling exactly where you want to go. Among all, Sakura Budget Hotel is the furthest away from the town centre if compared with another two. I highly recommend you to stay here if you have a car as the distance is not an issue besides ample parking.

That's how the reception block looks like. Every block is equipped with lift and guarded with access control door system. There is no worry for safety in this budget hotel. The only problem is that no tuk-tuk driver is waiting for you in front of the hotel and asking if you want to take a ride. Perhaps you need to walk a bit so that the tuk-tuk driver spot you. In Hatyai, there are grab car also especially town centre. But if you plan to go outskirts, it is not advisable as you could not find any grab car in other areas outside of town. (You will face a big problem travelling back to town after the visit)

In my next post, I will share more about this small town, Hatyai ~ attractions, transportation and things to take note ;)