Phumiphat Resort

The peaceful garden and little terraces just outside the rooms were lovely, and the location was great value. Breakfast was good, and there was a kettle with some coffee in the room. There isn’t much room for luggage or backpacks. The windows couldn’t be left open overnight, but the air conditioning worked perfectly. The bathroom had hot water, though it smelled a little, which seems to be how it is on the Thai islands.

The bedroom areas were great and we slept well. The owner was always smiling and helpful. This is a joint review of two larger bungalows we stayed in, and I’d definitely choose a bigger one. The area is fairly quiet, though a road runs behind it, so there’s some motorbike noise. The bathrooms need attention: both were small and smelled, one tap was broken, and the shower wasn’t properly fixed to the wall. The bidet sprayer had brown, smelly water, and we couldn’t wash clothes because the water smell lingered on them. There was no toilet paper. The breakfast was okay, usually two cold eggs, two sausages, toast, juice, and jam, though more options would be nice. We also only got two coffee and two sugar sachets in the room. With some bathroom care, the whole stay could be great.

The location was great and the staff were lovely. Breakfast would have been good if the toast and sausages weren’t usually cold. We were moved to another room after the first night, and its bathroom smelled so bad we couldn’t use it. Other reviews have mentioned this too, which made it especially disappointing.

The garden is beautiful, full of birds and butterflies, and the staff were friendly and helpful. Chia, the manager, can arrange things like motorbike rental, a private longtail boat to Emerald Cave, and island-hopping at a reasonable price. Our complimentary breakfast had a generous serving of fruit, which was a nice touch, though it arrived cold. Beach towels are available if you ask. We were in chalet 103, on the right side facing the garden. The room looked clean and new, and restaurants and shops were about a five-minute walk away, but the toilet sewer smell was intensely ammonia-like. It gave me a headache and made me feel sick when breathing. The manager, who lives nearby rather than on site, came to try to fix it after we complained. The smell eased, then came back after about an hour. He said it gets stronger on hot days and affects only the chalets in the right-hand row. Covering the toilet drain and sink helped reduce it somewhat. Street noise can also be loud during the day. With attention to the smell and other details, this resort could be five-star.