Hello all, just planning the family holiday for the summer.

Thinking this year to see Ayutthaya for the first time. We will be starting in Bangkok, travelling down to our house on Kraburi (Ranong) for a couple of weeks. Up to Chumphon, Hua Hin and Cha Am for a few days each and fancy somewhere new on the way back to Bangkok.

The wife is Thai and kids are 16 and 14 to give you a little background.

Can you recommend any reasonably priced hotels we could enjoy as a base for a few days. Ideally would like to be near to everything but as we havent been there before I cant picture the lie of the land.

Sightseeing is the main item on the agenda I suppose with a few temples and ruins to be visited but if you can suggest things to do that would be great.

I look forward to some first hand experience coming through to me,

many thanks,

Sean.

Ayutthaya was hit very hard by flood's last/this year to date not to sure how the repair's are going.

As Atutthaya is only some 25minute's drive north of BKK I think you might be better off putting this post in the Hau Hin/Cha-am forum. Hope you get the right reply's and have a nice holiday.

If you want a large hotel with all the usual facilities, the Krung Sri River is the best in town - though the rooms are a little dated.

For a smaller, boutique-style place, iuDia on the River is nice.

And if you want backpacker-style, Baan Lotus is probably the best of a mixed bunch.

Apart from the ruins, there's not a lot to do around town. I'm not sure that teenagers would be kept amused for too long. However, the Historical Study Centre is worth a visit and puts the ruins in an historical context. Also do take in some of the active temples, as well as the ruins. Wat Na Phra Meru, Wat Phananchoeng and Wat Yai Chai Mongkol are all worth seeing.

A boat trip around the island can be good. The easiest place to get one is from the riverside at Wat Phananchoeng. The trip takes around an hour, and with haggling you should be able to get the cost down to 500-600 Baht.

There's a bowling alley at the Krung Sri River hotel which the teenagers might enjoy.

Cinemas are Thai-language only. Not even English subtitles.

The Worraburi (spelling) is on the riverside not that far from the station. Nice pool, rooms a wee bit dated but clean. decent enough buffet style breakfast as well.

Theres a small hotel somewhere along the river, on the right side of the bridge as you enter town. 500 ish baht per night and clean, thats where i always stay.

Its close to the market in the middle of town.

I did this a few months ago, we stayed in Ban Pa-In on the river, which was beautiful in comparison to Ayutthaya. We had 1 day in Ayutthaya and the traffic drove me mad. 1 day in the Royal Palace at Ban Pa-In, and 1 day at Dreamworld which was only 30 mins down the ring road. Something for everyone, I would say Ayutthaya was the lowlight of the whole trip.