Hotels in Songkhla
Songkhla is a quiet peninsula city in Thailand's deep south, wedged between the Gulf of Thailand and the country's largest natural lake. Its Sino-Portuguese old town and two public beaches draw far more Thai and Malaysian weekenders than international package tourists.
Hotels in Songkhla sit on a narrow strip of land with the Gulf of Thailand on one flank and the brackish sprawl of Thale Sap Songkhla, Thailand's largest natural lake, on the other, so almost every stay here ends up near water even without a single resort pool in sight. The old town's Sino-Portuguese shophouse streets, Samila Beach with its Golden Mermaid statue, and Chalathat Beach further south give the city a low-key, local character that Hat Yai's shopping malls and airport, roughly 35 to 45 kilometres inland, don't share. Families, couples driving down from Hat Yai for a weekend, and travellers heading toward the Malaysian border all find a base here, usually a family-run hotel or aparthotel rather than a branded resort chain.
Songkhla in numbers
KLUENNGAM Cafe & Stay
Casa Der See Boutique House
Laguna Grand Hotel & Spa Songkhla
Wachi Hotel
A.LIST HOTEL
Benjaphorn Grandview Hotel
Montana Hotel Songkhla
The Luxury Residence
โรงแรมโกลว์ รัตนา เพลส
LA PINO HOTEL
Sun Inn
V Place Residence
Viva Hotel Songkhla
Queen Songkhla Hotel
Pang Mai Resort
The Roo Classic Hometel
What to expect
- Old town Sino-Portuguese shophouses along Nang Ngam and Nakhon Nai roads, walkable from most central hotels
- Samila Beach and its Golden Mermaid statue, the city's best-known waterfront landmark
- Chalathat Beach further south, quieter and closer to several family-run hotels
- Thale Sap Songkhla, Thailand's largest natural lake, forming the city's inland shoreline
- Hat Yai International Airport and its shopping malls roughly 35 to 45 kilometres away by road
- A slower, more local pace than Phuket or Krabi, with weekend crowds mostly Thai and Malaysian
Local tips
- Base yourself near the old town or Samila Beach if you want to walk to the Golden Mermaid statue and the seafront promenade without a car.
- Rent a car or arrange a transfer from Hat Yai International Airport, since most Songkhla hotels sit 35 to 45 kilometres from the runway with no direct airport shuttle line.
- Visit outside the November to December monsoon stretch, when heavier rain and rougher surf along the Gulf coast are more likely than in the dry months.
- Expect a fishing-town rhythm rather than a resort strip: evenings are quiet, and the liveliest scenes are the seafood stalls near the beach roads.
- Cross to Ko Yo, the island in the middle of Thale Sap Songkhla, for the folk museum and lakeside seafood if you have a car or can arrange a driver.
- Book a family-run hotel or aparthotel over a resort chain if you want a kitchen or laundry facilities, since several central properties are apartment-style rather than full-service.
Where to stay
FAQ
The old town and the Samila Beach seafront are the most walkable bases, putting the Golden Mermaid statue, the Sino-Portuguese shophouse streets, and several museums within a short stroll of your hotel.