Staying at a floating hotel on the river can be one of the highlights of a trip to Kanchanaburi. Cherlynn Resort is where we chose to experience that: a floating hotel on the Khwae Noi River, with a stay that feels closely connected to the water itself.
In this review, we will take you along on our stay at Cherlynn Resort and share what we thought of the overall experience.
This review is not sponsored
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At A Glance
Cherlynn Resort Kanchanaburi
- Access: By personal/rental car
- Room type: Superior King
- Price: ~3,000 baht
- Location: Sai Yok
- Style: Nature
- Check-in/out: 14:00/12:00
- Our recommendation: Preferred Stay*
Facilities/Restaurants
- Masamran Restaurant/Bar (Thai): open until 22:00
- Kayaking: 12:00 – 18:00
- Spa (at an additional charge)
- River raft cruise (swimming)
- Ice Cream Hour: 15:00 – 18:00
First Impression
Dear Readers,
We will take you through our first-hand experience staying at Cherlynn Resort Kanchanaburi.
From the entrance, once you drive down the hill, a staff member will greet you and guide you to parking right in front of the lobby. An open-air building surrounded by trees is the lobby area, a little hidden in the bushes; it is a place that works as a little transition for the entrance into the hotel.
A welcome drink will be served along with a small snack during your welcome. After the usual check-in process and explanation, you will be taken via a golf cart down to your room, letting you off in front of a bridge crossing over to the floating section of the hotel, which houses the guests’ rooms and restaurant.
The distance from the lobby is actually not too far, and there will be a walking path that leads you right up to the lobby area. On the way, there will also be a small waterfall hidden along the side.
Note: During the rainy season, there will be more insects in the area, as expected when staying on the river. If you open and close your door fast it will be no problem. We did not have any mosquitoes in our room during our stay.
The Room
The room is designed with a warm natural tone, fitting the environment of the river and forest that surround you. The balcony is fitted with a generously sized couch and a platform over the water, where you can put down your legs in the water and enjoy the scenery.
The superior room we stayed in is not too big, but for a floating hotel it is a good size, with enough space for a portable table to be set down at the foot of the bed.
No Swimming is allowed from your room all year round; the reason for this is that the hotel is situated on the curved section of the river, which makes the water a little rougher, and for safety reasons due to the current pulling you under the floating rooms. For a floating hotel that allows you to swim, check out Z9 Resort Kanchanaburi.
The room also has a scented bottle, a small detail that adds a lot to the ambience of the room.
You can feel the room rocking around a little, especially when a boat passes through, which does not happen too often. Generally, however, we would only be able to feel the movement if we were focusing on noticing it, not enough to make you feel sick.
Bathroom
Directly from the entrance is the door to the bathroom, with a glass-box shower and toilet.
For those who may be concerned about the bathroom in a floating hotel facility, we are glad to tell you that at Cherlynn it will be close to what you can expect from your normal hotel.
Personally, the lighting is a little dim, but sufficient. Water pressure is good, with warm water.
It is a smaller-sized bathroom, but clean, quite well-decorated, and functional. The toilet is generally clean, not perfect but acceptable.
For a hotel room floating on the river, the trade-off is decent.
The Surroundings
A river runs right below your floating accommodation, trees cover the opposite side of the river, and Saiyok National Park is behind the resort. One can expect a quiet getaway stay at Cherlynn.
During the day, it is relatively quiet, apart from the occasional passing of boats that bring travellers for a tour around the river and take them into the water. During the rainy and winter season, the weather is not too hot, perfect for enjoying your time on the patio of your room right on the river.
The night is pitch-black and quiet, with only the sound of the waterfall in the resort’s vicinity to be heard. It is the perfect time to lie down and feel the gentle motion of the floating room sway in the water ever so slightly.
The Breakfast
Breakfast Time: 7:00-10:30
Options: In-room/Restaurant
Dinner: Additional Charge (Until 20:00)
For breakfast, we chose an in-room breakfast service; a small table will be placed at the end of the bed along with some cushions.
During check-in, you will be able to choose your breakfast items, which will come in the form of a set meal with a main, side, salad, and drinks. The taste is that of a simple comfort breakfast, nothing too special; Thai and international option available. The portion is good.
Dinner is also available through in-room dining, which we preferred during the rainy season, when there were quite a few insects around the open-air restaurant. The Thai dishes we ordered tasted authentic, and we would recommend trying the food here if you would rather stay in for the evening.
Mu Kratha, or Thai-style barbecue, is also available, although this option can only be enjoyed at the restaurant.
Note: Dinner is not complimentary and is charged separately.
The Activities
There is honestly not much to do around the resort without a longer drive; a few waterfalls and one great cafe are pretty much all there is, unless you want to see real local life around the area. If you are an early bird, we imagine that will be enough to keep you busy in the morning. So, let’s explore some activities you can do in the afternoon.
For context, one of the main reasons we chose to stay here was its location. It was one of the better options we found within a reasonable driving distance of Baan Tao Than, a place we highly recommend visiting if you are exploring this part of Kanchanaburi.
The cafe we mentioned is Hua Cha Tea House, around 20 minutes away by car, which we would recommend visiting; this place, along with other recommendation are also featured on our Kanchanaburi itinerary.
Hotel’s River Raft Cruise
Time: 16:30
Duration: ~ 1 Hour 15 minutes
We would describe this activity as what made our stay feel like it went beyond just being a stay in a normal hotel; it made us realize where we are and feel the connection more.
The hotel have their own raft that will take you along the Khwae Noi River and let you experience the path along the river with scenic views. Before that, there is an ice cream hour, where you can enjoy some interesting flavored ice cream.
You can choose to swim or simply enjoy the cruise dry on the raft; a life jacket will be provided.
The activity is available even in the rain; it’s only unavailable when it is very windy.
The best time to experience it will be during the lower water level season, summer and winter, when there will be a small island in the middle of the river where you can walk down and swim around the area.
During the higher water level in the rainy season, when the dam lets out water, you can go in the water along with the raft and float along with it. You are not allowed to let go and swim away, as during this season the water will be more rapid, making it hard to get back onto the raft.
The upside for the rainy season, however, is the foggy mountain, which adds to the dramatic quality of the scenery.
Kayaking, Fish Feeding, and Massages
Time: 12:00 – 18:00
Although swimming is prohibited in the river right outside your balcony, which is very tempting, there are kayaks and paddleboards you can enjoy. Staff will be present for your safety and to guide you on the how-to.
Fish feeding is also available at the bar area; there are always some fish waiting around to be fed there.
A spa is also available; we would recommend booking in advance before you arrive, as it can be full quite easily.
The Service
Service staff available from 7 am
The service quality is worth mentioning. For a smaller hotel located deeper in the province, the service quality is quite exceptional. Not yet at the level of top leading luxury hotels, but a level comfortably worthy and expected of the price point.
Throughout our stay, the service was consistent; the staff were polite and greeted us with a smile. Apart from the welcome drink, you also get a goodbye drink before you leave- your choice of drink for the road.
Our Score & Summary
Review Summary: Cherlynn Resort Kanchanaburi (Floating Hotel)
Style of review: Rural, Getaway
Do note that under this criterion, our evaluation will assume a personal (rental) car as the default form of transportation, considering the location. The criteria will also be set for a quiet rural area, which will not mark the lack of a convenience store or nighttime activity as a minus.
Our scoring has also taken into account the price point: ~3000 THB per night (Superior room type, lower season, with breakfast included)
* Prices are subject to change according to the season, the number of guests, room type, etc.
Our recommendation: Preferred Stay*
Cherlynn is a hotel we would personally choose to stay in if we were to travel around the area, and is looking to stay in a floating hotel. Along the river around the resort are other accommodations at lower price ranges, but for those who are looking for a mid-luxury stay around the area, we would recommend this hotel as somewhere we would prefer to stay.
*Hand-Picked → 1, Preferred Choice → 2, Selective Choice → 3, Subjective Choice → 4
The hotels that fall into these ratings are all satisfactory experiences; the categories capture how far they exceeded our satisfaction level and are not a ranking that implies which hotel is good or bad. The rating is highly reliant on our preferences and personal experience.
Cherlynn Resort
Overall atmosphere:
Room types: Superior – 1 King Bed (floating room)
- Very Clean: 8/10
- Location: 8/10
- Convenience of the stay: 8/10
- Ambience: 8/10
- Concept: 7.5/10
Additional scoring:
- Goodbye Drink+
If you would like to discover more places to stay around the province, you can also explore our guide to five hotels we personally recommend in Kanchanaburi. Cherlynn is included in the list, along with 4 other great places we selected and stayed in without any sponsorship.
We Hope you will enjoy your stay,
Travel Tegami