Legendha Sukhothai Hotel Review – An Unexpected Find in Historic Sukhothai
After my three-night stay at the InterContinental Bangkok, it was time to leave Bangkok behind and head to Khon Kaen. This is where I caught up with my wife and mother-in-law, and from there the three of us started the drive across to Sukhothai.
We spent our first night at a temple not far from Sukhothai and started the following morning exploring Sukhothai Historical Park.
Our original plan hadn't included another night in Sukhothai. However, after spending the day walking around and exploring the area, I realized there was no way we were going to make the long drive back to Khon Kaen that evening.
So, it was time to find a hotel.
Sometimes an unplanned hotel stay can turn out to be one of the best, and that's exactly what happened when we found the Legendha Sukhothai Hotel.
Booking the Legendha Sukhothai
I found the hotel on Booking.com and booked a room for three adults for $143 CAD for the night.
Considering the room, hotel grounds, location and overall experience, I thought it was well worth the price.
The hotel isn't far from Sukhothai Historical Park, but what immediately makes the Legendha different is its traditional Thai design. After staying at so many modern chain hotels, this was something completely different — and that ended up being one of the things I liked most about it.
You get your first indication that this isn't going to be a typical hotel as soon as you pull into the parking area and see the wall decorated with elephants.
As you walk towards the reception area, large pots filled with water and lotus flowers line the way.
Even before reaching the lobby, I was starting to realize we'd found somewhere a little different.
The reception area continues the traditional Thai theme, with plenty of wood, Thai decorations and local souvenirs.
Thai Souvenirs – Legendha Sukhothai Reception Area
Rather than feeling like a large international hotel, the Legendha immediately gives you a sense of being somewhere that reflects the history and culture of Sukhothai.
The Pool
Pool – Legendha Sukhothai
Walking out of the lobby and towards our room, one of the first things you notice is the lovely swimming pool, surrounded by loungers and umbrellas.
The pool forms a central part of the hotel grounds, with many of the rooms overlooking it.
Walking out of the lobby and towards our room the first thing that you notice is the lovely pool with loungers and umbrella's.
The room continued the traditional Thai style of the rest of the hotel.
It wasn't overly luxurious, but it was comfortable and had everything we needed for our stay, including air conditioning, a comfortable bed, flat-screen TV, refrigerator and drinking water.
Pulling back the curtains revealed that the pool was directly outside our room.
I wondered whether this might make the room noisy, but that wasn't the case at all. Like many hotel pools I've experienced in Thailand, it was very quiet during the day, with only a few people using it later in the afternoon and early evening.
Despite being so close to the pool, noise was never an issue.
Having both a large double bed and a single bed also made the room practical for the three of us.
Complimentary drinking water was provided, along with a kettle for making tea or coffee. The minibar also had additional drinks and items available for purchase.
Nothing fancy, but everything we needed was there.
Complimentary drinking water and minibar items available to buy.
The bathroom was fairly typical for this style of hotel in Thailand. It certainly wasn't luxurious, but it was clean, functional and had everything we needed.
The pool was a great place to relax after spending the day exploring Sukhothai.
There was also a pool bar, which was open during our stay, although — much like the swimming pool itself — it was deserted most of the time.
That wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It made the entire pool area feel peaceful and relaxing.
Exploring the Hotel Grounds
For me, one of the best parts about staying at the Legendha Sukhothai was simply walking around the hotel grounds.
This is where the hotel really started to feel like more than just somewhere to spend the night.
In the evening, people dressed in traditional Thai clothing demonstrated traditional cooking, while displays throughout the property introduced different elements of Thai history and culture.
Walking around almost felt like getting a small history lesson while staying at the hotel.
The grounds themselves are beautiful during the day, but once evening arrives and everything is lit up, the property takes on an almost magical atmosphere.
Dinner and Traditional Thai Dancing
After a full day exploring Sukhothai Historical Park, we didn't have to go far for dinner.
The hotel's Nam Khang Restaurant turned out to be a perfect place to finish the day.
The traditional Thai food was fantastic, but dinner wasn't only about the food.
While we ate, traditional Thai music played and we watched a cultural dance performance featuring both children and adults dressed in traditional Thai clothing.
After spending the day exploring the ancient temples and ruins of Sukhothai, sitting outside enjoying Thai food while watching traditional dancing seemed like the perfect way to end the evening.
Wat Chang Lom – Right Behind the Hotel
As impressive as the hotel grounds are, there was another surprise waiting at the back of the property.
Walk towards the rear of the Legendha and you'll find Wat Chang Lom, one of Sukhothai's historic temple sites.
The chedi is surrounded by elephant sculptures, which make it immediately recognizable and also help explain some of the elephant designs you'll see around the hotel.
Having a historic site like this practically on the hotel's doorstep was another reminder that staying at the Legendha was very different from staying at a regular chain hotel.
Final Thoughts
Finding the Legendha Sukhothai at the last minute turned out to make our visit to historic Sukhothai even more memorable.
What I liked most is that the Legendha doesn't feel like it's simply a hotel located near Sukhothai Historical Park. The design, gardens, traditional demonstrations, food and cultural performances all connect the hotel to the history and culture of the area.
After spending the day exploring ancient Sukhothai, it was nice to return somewhere that continued that experience rather than going back to a modern hotel that could have been located almost anywhere.
The hotel is only about one kilometre from Sukhothai Historical Park, making it convenient for exploring the main historical area. But don't make the mistake of only visiting the main park — there are many other historic sites scattered throughout the surrounding area that are well worth exploring.
The room was comfortable, the pool area was peaceful, the traditional Thai dinner was excellent, and being able to walk through the grounds and discover Wat Chang Lom behind the property made the location even more special.
Most importantly, the Legendha gave us more than simply a place to sleep for the night. It became part of our Sukhothai experience.
We're already planning another visit to Sukhothai in the near future. Normally I enjoy trying different hotels when I travel, but in this case I think I'll make an exception.
I'd happily stay at the Legendha Sukhothai again.
This review reflects my personal experience during my stay at Legendha Sukhothai. All views and opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.
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