Ban Saikao Plaza Hotel & Serviced Apartment – White Sand Beach

Scorecard:

Overall Rating: 7.9 / 10
Modern, budget-friendly rooms a minute from the sand. No pool, no views, but very solid hardware for the price.

Location: 9.0 / 10 – Inland side of the main road in central White Sand, about a minute’s walk to the beach.
Rooms: 8.3 / 10 – Spacious, contemporary rooms with glass-walled bathrooms; some light wear and very firm beds.
Facilities: 6.3 / 10 – No pool, no restaurant, just rooms and a small lobby.
Beach Access: 8.7 / 10 – Cross the road and you’re on the sand.
Breakfast / Food: 6.5 / 10 – No breakfast, but 7-Eleven, Indian restaurant and plenty of cafés on the doorstep.
Service: 7.6 / 10 – Low-key but helpful; housekeeping generally good with the odd miss.
Value for Money: 8.7 / 10 – One of the best “proper hotel room for not much money” options on White Sand.

What We Liked

Large, modern rooms for a budget price
One of the best locations for eating, drinking and general convenience
Surprisingly quiet inside given the central setting
Good option for longer stays thanks to the extra space

What Could Be Better

No pool or outdoor space to speak of
Some guests find the beds very hard
Stairs only – no lift, and it’s three floors up
Occasional comments about bugs and cleaning lapses

Best For

Budget and mid-range travellers who want a modern room in the centre of White Sand
People who will spend most of their time out and about, not lounging in the resort
Long-stay visitors looking for space and convenience rather than a pool

Summary:
Ban Saikao is a very handy little “city hotel by the beach”: big rooms, firm beds, lots of tiles, no frills. If you can live without a pool or a view, it’s one of the best-value places to sleep on White Sand Beach.

See prices & available rooms

Ban Saikao Plaza Hotel & Serviced Apartment – Full Review

Overview

Ban Saikao Plaza sits above a 7-Eleven and an Indian restaurant on the inland side of the main road in central White Sand Beach. From the street it looks like a fairly anonymous block, but behind the façade is a surprisingly large budget hotel built around a central atrium.

It’s not a “resort” in any sense. There’s no pool, gardens or beachfront but the rooms themselves are closer to mid-range hotel standard than the price suggests. For many people, that’s exactly what they want.

Location – Central and Very Convenient

The location is superb if you like being close to everything:

1 minute walk to the beach (cross the road and down a side lane)
7-Eleven and a popular Indian restaurant downstairs
Surrounded by Thai restaurants, beach bars, massage shops and minimarts
Songthaews passing constantly along the main road

The trade off is that this is a busy area. The building itself is solid enough that most guests are pleasantly surprised by how quiet the rooms are, but don’t book here if you’re imagining a sleepy tropical hideaway.

Atmosphere

Inside, Ban Saikao feels like a small city hotel rather than a beach resort. Rooms are arranged around an internal atrium, corridors are tiled, and there’s a small open-air reception area rather than a big lobby.

There’s no “hanging around the pool” culture here – it’s mainly a sleep-and-shower base for people spending their days on the beach or exploring the island. Guests are a mix of couples, long-stayers, digital nomads and independent travellers.

Rooms – Bigger and Nicer Than You’d Expect

There are two main room types:

Superior: around 28 m²
Deluxe: around 36 m², with more floor space and sometimes a little kitchenette corner

All rooms come with:

Air-con, fridge, TV, kettle, decent storage
Glass-walled bathrooms with hot showers
Simple, modern décor, neutral colours & a bit of dark wood

Beds are firmly in the “Thai hard mattress” category. Some guests love them, others don’t. A few rooms show their age in minor scuffs and marks, and there are isolated reports of bugs (this is the tropics and you’re above a 7-Eleven), but overall the rooms consistently review well for the price bracket.

Facilities

This won’t take long:

No pool
No restaurant or bar
No lift – rooms are up one to three flights of stairs

In exchange, you get lower prices and more space than many «proper» resorts. Breakfast is not included, but given the number of cafés and beach restaurants within a 2 or 3 minute walk, that’s not a hardship.

The Beach

There’s no direct beachfront, but the access is easy: cross the road, duck between the beachfront resorts and you pop out onto White Sand Beach. The stretch opposite Ban Saikao is a busy but pleasant section of sand, with a mix of sunbeds, beach bars and open sand for swimming and walking.

If you want loungers or a pool, you’ll be using someone else’s or just heading into the sea.

How It Compares to Other White Sand Options

The Erawan: Similar idea, modern hotel just off the road with no beachfront. The Erawan has a rooftop pool, is more modern and has a more “boutique” feel; Ban Saikao is more basic but often cheaper.
White Elephant / Alina Grande: Other inland hotels in the same area. Ban Saikao’s rooms tend to be a little larger and more modern for the price.
Lagoon, Cookies, Banpu: Beachfront resorts with pools but much older rooms in many categories. You’re paying more for location and facilities than for room quality.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Excellent central location close to the beach
Big, modern rooms compared to most budget options
Good soundproofing for such a busy stretch of road
Very good value for money

Cons

No lift – not suitable if you struggle with stairs
No pool, gardens or view
Beds are on the very firm side
Occasional comments about cleaning standards and the odd insect cameo

Who Should Stay Here?

Perfect for:

Anyone who wants a modern, comfortable room in the middle of White Sand without paying for a resort
Long-stay visitors who want space, AC and a fridge more than a pool
Travellers who’ll be out most of the day and just need a reliable base

Not ideal for:

People with mobility issues (lots of stairs)
Families who want pool time and gardens
Guests who dream of sea views from the balcony

Value for Money

For what you pay, Ban Saikao gives you a lot of room, a very handy location and a better standard of finish than many beach resorts charging more. If you value square metres and AC over pool tiles and landscaped lawns, it’s a very smart choice.

Final Thoughts

Ban Saikao Plaza Hotel & Serviced Apartment is never going to feature in a glossy brochure spread, but it’s one of the most practical places to stay on White Sand Beach. Big modern-ish rooms, great location, and fair prices as long as you know you’re trading away a pool and a view.