The Float House, River Kwai

The Float House River Kwai Resort is a uniquely romantic floating hotel in western Thailand. Its luxury villas float on the waters of the River Kwai and can only be reached by boat, so offer very much the sensation of getting away from it all.

This is not some primitive jungle camp though, it is a luxury boutique resort with overwater villas that are extremely spacious and comfortable, and equipped with all modern luxury hotel conveniences.

THE ACCOMMODATION:

Their villas are are all two bedroom, one double and one twin, and all almost identical; there are no ‘standard’ or ‘superior’ villas or the like here, so the only thing that you may like to request is to stay in one of the two villas at the ends of the floating complex, which offer a bit more privacy. You can put a note on the booking form to request, though it might be a difficult thing to guarantee especially in high season.

Beyond that your accommodation choices are: B&B villa, with breakfast only, half board or full-board. Going for full-board makes the most sense. The buffet food included in the package is excellent quality and even if it weren’t, as the place is so isolated, unless you bring your own food you will be spending extra to eat at the same restaurant anyway. Check out all the details on the booking page here.

The villas have around 90 square meters/1,000 square feet of space and have a nice, natural elegance; their thatched roofs, teakwood furniture and natural materials allowing you to feel at least a little in harmony with nature.

If being too much in harmony with the deep jungle scares the hell out of some of you, rest assured you will have modern luxury hotel facilities too; air-con, mosquito nets, WiFi, flat-screen satellite TVs, DVD players, coffee machines, mini bars, very comfy thick mattress with luxurious linens etc.

Apart from the two bedrooms you have a lounge area, very nice bathrooms with rainfall showers, and a private outside terrace with seating and lounging furniture.

FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO:

The setting for this resort is really quite special and many guests just spend most of their time relaxing on the terrace watching the river go by or taking a dip now and again. For more active types the resort organizes all sorts of activities such as jungle hiking, wildlife spotting, mountain biking, bamboo rafting etc. with traditional Thai massages also being available.

The restaurant here, the Pontoon Restaurant, does top quality Thai and International food all day, both buffet and a la carte while the Moon Lounge & Bar has a lovely outdoor terrace and a range of drinks both local and imported, including some fine cocktails. It is a friendly, relaxed place where you’ll find it easy to socialize with your fellow guests.

THE LOCATION:

The journey from  Bangkok will take less than four hours by car, heading first to Kanchanaburi City then in the direction of the Saiyok Park and Waterfalls. After you pass the waterfalls on your right, continue on the same road for about 8km until you see signs for Phutakien Pier/Resotel Pier. From there your car will have to be parked up as the only way to access the resort is via shuttle boat.

These complimentary shuttles leave the pier every half an hour from 8am to 12pm and from 1pm to 6pm. If you are arriving outside those hours let the resort know in advance so they can arrange private boat rental for you (at an extra charge).

The journey can of course also be done by public transport, again from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi, from where you can arrange local taxis or minibuses to take you all the way to the pier.

Easiest of all though would be to arrange the resort shuttle which runs all the way from Makkasan Airport Rail Link Station in Bangkok to Phutakian Pier at 08:00 every morning, arriving around 12:00, with the journey back to Bangkok leaving at 13:30 and arriving in Bangkok at around 18:00 hrs. Just get in touch with the hotel to arrange.

This region of western Thailand, though much of it is thick jungle, has much to see and do and sees its fair share of adventurous travelers. Those with an interest in war history will recognize the name of the river on which the Float House stands, with the infamous Bridge over the River Kwai and Hellfire Pass being nearby.

Jungle tourism is big here too, especially around the Somdet Phra Sri Nakharin Park and the above mentioned Saiyok Park with its famous Waterfalls. There are some interesting archaeological sites around too, at Don Chedi near the town of Wat Thung Samor for example, and numerous temples and other sites.

The Float House arranges all sorts of tours and excursions to the above sites and more as well as general river tours and jungle/nature tours etc.

WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY:

“The staff were lovely the location was excellent the excursions were great and good price. Everything about our trip exceeded expectation. The breakfast was superb and restaurant too. Wine was good too. Loved it….”

“Wow! Where do I even start! The property was amazing. From the Villa to the staff and everything in between was absolutely incredible. We had a massage every day as well as soaking up the sun on our Villa dock, or jumping in the river to cool off. We did the half board and it was the smartest idea ever. The food was LITERALLY the best food I’ve ever had from a buffet at a resort. Every single person that works here is so kind and honest. My girlfriend and I are already planning our next trip here with ALL our friends and family….”

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Location Category:

Thailand