Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok
Five-star tower joined to Central Ladprao, between Chatuchak Park and two rail lines
About this hotel
Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao opened in 1983 as part of the Central Plaza complex, and the hotel presents itself as Thailand's first five-star hotel built into a shopping centre. That pairing still defines it: the lobby connects to Central Ladprao and to the Bangkok Convention Centre, whose Vibhavadee Ballroom seats up to 2,000, so weekdays bring conference crowds. The Lat Phrao intersection outside is one of the north's big transport knots. MRT Phahon Yothin, on the Blue Line, has its exit 3 at Central Ladprao and its exit 4 on a skywalk to BTS Ha Yaek Lat Phrao, on the Sukhumvit Line. Chatuchak Park is about five minutes on foot, the weekend market about ten minutes away, and some Deluxe rooms look over the park. Guests rate it 8.9 from 2,343 reviews.
- Joined to Central Ladprao since 1983
- 565 rooms over 24 levels
- Outdoor pool and children's pool
- SPA Cenvaree and the Blue Sky rooftop bar
- MRT Phahon Yothin and BTS Ha Yaek Lat Phrao nearby
Our take
Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao is plugged straight into Central Ladprao, so the food courts, a supermarket and air-conditioned shopping are an indoor walk from the lifts. I would choose it for a Bangkok stay that leans north: a weekend at Chatuchak, a fair at the Bangkok Convention Centre, or an early flight from Don Mueang, reached by the MRT to Bang Sue and the SRT Dark Red Line. Two rail lines at the door make Sukhumvit and Silom easy too. I would not book it for riverside temples and old-town evenings, which sit more than 10 km away, or if you dislike big hotels: with 565 rooms and a convention hall next door, the lobby is rarely quiet on weekdays.
- For the BTS, use the skywalk from MRT Phahon Yothin exit 4 to Ha Yaek Lat Phrao rather than crossing the Lat Phrao intersection at street level.
- Ask for a Deluxe room on the park side: some of them look over the green of Chatuchak Park instead of the traffic on Phahonyothin Road.
- From Suvarnabhumi, ride the Airport Rail Link to its Phaya Thai terminus, change to the BTS Sukhumvit Line on a separate ticket and go north to Ha Yaek Lat Phrao, at the hotel's intersection.
- For Don Mueang, ride the MRT Blue Line three stops to Bang Sue, walk into Krung Thep Aphiwat and take the SRT Dark Red Line, whose trains display Rangsit, not the airport.
- Go to the Chatuchak Weekend Market early on Saturday or Sunday morning, before the covered lanes fill and the afternoon heat builds under the roofs.
Why we love it
- Joined to Central Ladprao and the Bangkok Convention Centre
- MRT Blue Line and BTS Sukhumvit Line both at the Lat Phrao intersection
- Outdoor pool with a separate children's pool
- Blue Sky rooftop bar on the 24th floor
Why guests love itChildren are easy to keep busy here, mostly because of what is attached to the hotel. The outdoor pool has a separate children's pool, Central Ladprao offers food courts and air-conditioned space without stepping outside, and Chatuchak Park, with its lawns and lake, is about five minutes on foot for an early morning run-around. The hotel's own descriptions mention no dedicated kids club, so plan the pool and the park as the entertainment. For the Chatuchak Weekend Market, the hotel runs a free shuttle, which beats hunting for a taxi on a Saturday. The trade-off is scale: on weekdays the convention centre fills the lobby, and the old town is a long ride away. I would book it for two to four nights in the city, not for a beach-style holiday.
Guest reviews
We rate stays, we don't sell them — rates are shown by our booking partners.