Ammata Lanta Resort

Getting to the airport was easy, and the service was outstanding. Everyone was kind and accommodating. Still, I wish the rooms had been cleaner and smelled better. Ours smelled moldy, and there were bugs, mosquitoes, and gnats everywhere. Across the resort, it had that stale, old-water odor. The breakfast wasn't very good either. Plane noise was also an issue, though the hotel's closeness to the airport makes that understandable. It may be one of the strangest hotels I've stayed in, and it doesn't feel like a five-star place.

I love planes, so having them pass overhead was a plus for me. It does mean this isn't a quiet spot, but the staff treated us wonderfully. The pool is lovely, the food is solid, and the lake is great. The rooms are amazing, with private pools. The art everywhere is what makes it feel so fabulous. I expected a lot less, but it's a thousand times more gorgeous than I imagined, almost like a fever dream: horses, lions, and all kinds of animal statues, gilded frames, chalices, and paintings everywhere. I'll definitely stay again.

We couldn't get any sleep, and the whole family was exhausted the next day. We were two adults and two young kids, arriving very late after flight delays and airport problems, and had picked the resort to make things easier after a draining day. That choice turned out badly. Planes were extremely loud overhead, low enough to seem less than 100 meters up, and seemed to land or take off every ten minutes. It honestly sounded as if one was coming down on the roof. The room also had a noticeable musty odor, perhaps from the age, humidity, or mold issues that can affect older tropical or coastal buildings. The property felt dated. It's undeniably handy for a quick airport trip, but the noise and condition made our night very disappointing. I wouldn't recommend it or return, especially for anyone who needs rest or has children who need to sleep. Even heavy-duty earplugs or noise-canceling headphones might not be enough if you're staying just for the transit convenience.

My husband and I were there for one night before a morning flight, and the whole place felt creepy and run-down, room included. The room had just one key, which also controlled the air conditioning, so leaving meant the A/C switched off. There was a strange chemical smell when we entered. The bathroom door had been closed, thankfully, because opening it released an overwhelming hot sewer odor. I found an old bandage stuck to the desk and mouse droppings on the floor. In the morning, my husband woke to ants crawling over his pillow. The whole place seemed like mosquito heaven. The atmosphere struck me as ancient Thailand mixed with a junkyard. I'm baffled by all the four- and five-star reviews. We'd read some negative ones but assumed the place couldn't be that bad given its rating. Believe the bad reviews. Don't do it.