Railay Great View Resort

The forest setting, gorgeous views, and incredible pool are the best parts of this resort. The rest felt like a low-quality hotel, and I was pretty disappointed. The rooms badly need repairs: the air-conditioning was very noisy and barely cooled the room, which maybe only reached 24°C. The floor creaked constantly, the doors barely shut, and worn or broken insulation strips left big gaps. The mattress was very hard and uncomfortable. We also woke to scratching in the wood and found a little mouse in the closet. I lured it out through the door, but two hours later the sound returned from behind the closed space. We then found a false bottom in the closet for the electric board that seemed to lead outside, probably where it had come from. Breakfast was a letdown with little choice. Coffee was limited to espresso and Americano, without cappuccino or latte. There was no bacon, and the sausages were basic canned ones cut into pieces. The pool and scenery are five-star, but I don’t think the stay is worth it. It’s a 15-minute walk from the center, and there are plenty of better hotels and resorts where you don’t have to walk that far whenever you want to do anything on the island.

The staff were very kind and accommodating, and made our stay feel special. The resort is thoughtfully laid out, with spacious, comfortable rooms. From the pool, the view is breathtaking, and you can watch the sunrise from the beach or your terrace. Set apart at the end of the bay, it’s quiet and relaxing, with beautiful nature all around. If you want a lively party atmosphere, this probably isn’t the right place, since it’s farther from the walking street. But for a peaceful stay surrounded by lovely views, it’s a great fit.

The room had an amazing sea view, and at night I could enjoy the moon and stars. The beaches and villas are secluded, and I honestly can’t fault the resort itself. The front and back doors didn’t close properly, though, leaving gaps that could let insects in and made me worry about the safety of my belongings. Railay Island is amazing, but the loud engines going back and forth all day and night were disturbing.

We paid over 160€ per night, yet every trip to or from the resort cost extra for a long-tail boat. They have their own boats and the pier is only five minutes away, so that really bothered me. The food was terrible and overpriced, and it felt like they were taking advantage of how far everything else is. This isn’t the peaceful seaside honeymoon spot you might picture. The supposedly remote resort sits beside a highway of long-tail boats heading to and from Railay Beach 24/7. From our not-so-great room, we could only see a tiny bit of ocean, with constant noise like a lawnmower orchestra. Room service didn’t provide complimentary water, and there are no shops nearby. We had to buy 100 baht Evian from the minibar and were charged for it. We were put in a family room connected to another room, with a gap in the ceiling. We could clearly hear every word of their conversations, and even hear people splashing in the bathtub while I was trying to make an online call. The doors didn’t line up either, leaving big gaps that made it impossible to keep mosquitoes out. I have nothing positive to say about the place. There are so many better places to spend 160€ a night.