This hotel really is a tale of two halves, and I’ve gone back and forth on how to rate it because of that.
We booked it for the setting, and you can immediately see why. The location is incredible. It sits right on Shark Bay, which feels almost like a private beach, and the water is beautiful. Being able to walk straight in and snorkel throughout the day is exactly what we hoped for. The whole place has a really serene, “off the grid” feel, and the garden pool (which was a big reason we booked) is just as stunning in real life as it looks in the photos.
Location-wise, there are a few things to be aware of. Included in the hotel there’s a beach club that anyone can pay to enter, and boats do come in and out during the day, so I can imagine in peak season it might feel busier and less exclusive, but during our stay it didn’t detract too much. Taxis are expensive on Koh Toa, and the resort is out of the main area, so you’ll probably need a scooter. But overall, the setting really is special.
Unfortunately, the experience around that didn’t live up to it.
From the moment we arrived at the pier, things felt chaotic. There was very little direction from the hotel reps, and communication was unclear. We were just waiting around with no idea why, which set a slightly stressful tone from the get-go.
Check-in wasn’t much clearer (barked at for passport and credit card) and then we were taken to our first room - a Hideaway Villa (120) - which was honestly really disappointing. It’s a long, steep walk from reception, and the surrounding area felt neglected, with exposed pipes, litter, trailing cables, and no real landscaping. A stark contrast to the villas at the front of the resort.
The villa itself was verypoorly maintained. It was extremely hot on arrival, like a greenhouse, and showed clear signs of wear: rotting decking and handrails, a bouncy floor, and overall disrepair. It also was not clean. After walking past so many nicer-looking villas, it genuinely felt like we’d been given the worst one on the site.
We asked to move immediately and even offered to pay for an upgrade, as other villa types looked significantly better. This is where the experience became frustrating - the service from the staff was very Pretty Woman. The request for upgrade was dismissed, with no real attempt to explore options or help us find a better solution. We were clearly looked down on by the staff.
Eventually, we were offered another Hideaway Villa, this time on the front row. It was better, but still not great. There were ongoing maintenance and cleanliness issues, including thick caked in dust, mould in the shower, and general wear and tear - but it was at least more acceptable than the first.
To be fair, we only stayed in the Hideaway category, and other villa types do appear much better from the outside. From what we saw, the Hideaway villas seem to be the oldest and most neglected.
The service was also mixed. Some staff, especially in the bar and restaurant, were friendly and helpful. However, the management team came across as disengaged and unwilling to help, which made small issues feel unnecessarily difficult.
A good example of this was the return transfer. We were told to arrange it 1-2 days before departure, which is standard. But when we did, we were only offered fixed shuttle times that didn’t work with our ferry. We completely understand scheduled transfers, but for a hotel positioning itself as luxury, particularly in a remote location, you’d expect help arranging a private option if needed. We were more than happy to pay, but it felt like we were asking for something unreasonable.
Breakfast was another area that didn’t match expectations. It was fairly basic, and as a vegetarian the options were very limited. Most days it was essentially fruit and French toast. If you arrived later (around 9:30 onwards), items ran out and weren’t replenished. Staff looked bewildered when I asked if there was more watermelon! We ended up going elsewhere on several mornings.
A few other things worth noting. The hotel is very much in nature, which adds to the charm, but it does mean the wildlife is loud, especially at night and early morning. The villas are also poorly insulated, so you hear everything, from birds on the roof to people walking past. The rooms get very hot, and the blinds don’t do much to block out light, some were broken entirely, so sleeping in isn’t really an option.
There’s also ongoing construction across the site, with new villas being built both at the waterfront and further up the hillside. While they look like they’ll be a great addition, it meant near-constant noise during the day from drilling and hammering, including around the pool. We completely understand upgrades are necessary, but it would have been reasonable to be informed in advance or offered some form of gesture given the impact.
What makes this tricky is that the setting really is incredible. When you’re down by the water or in the pool, it exactly like the kind of place you want to be: (mostly) peaceful, beautiful, and unique.
But the rooms, service, and overall attention to detail just don’t match the price point or the “luxury” label. For context, we’ve stayed in several similarly priced hotels during this trip around Thailand, and this has been the weakest experience so far in terms of room quality and service.
If you go in expecting amazing views and are willing to overlook the rest, you’ll probably still have a great time. But if you’re expecting a polished, high-end experience to match the marketing, it doesn’t deliver.
HU
AT
NO
US
FR