Karon Homes

After checkout, the owner returned our 5000 baht deposit and said everything was fine, but later accused us of damaging a bed we hadn't broken. He said he'd called the police and threatened that we wouldn't make our flight, then made us pay 3000 baht for the damage. Before that, he had tried to charge us for towels we'd returned, and charged €50 for electricity after saying it would be around €1 a day for our nine-day stay. At first he seemed very polite and helpful, recommending cheap tours and explaining nearby markets, restaurants and beaches. That friendliness felt fake in light of what followed. I can't recommend Karon Homes. Stay away.

Andrew, the owner, gave me useful tips and information that saved me quite a bit of money. The villas were spotless and very well equipped, with a microwave, kettle, large fridge, hotplate, TV, air conditioning, fan and shower. Everything worked, nothing was broken, and the bed was comfortable. The Wi-Fi was excellent, so I'd recommend the place to digital nomads. I've stayed in plenty of different accommodation while travelling, and I really liked this one.

Our week with family started off really well, but the owner kept $120 from our $200 security deposit for a checkout six hours late. We'd already told him our flight was late, and he booked the cab for that later departure himself. When we asked for the deposit back before leaving, he had forgotten about it, then started yelling that we had to pay for staying late. His behavior was very unprofessional. I don't recommend this place.

About a week before my Phuket trip, Andrew messaged to say there was NO house available for me, even though he'd confirmed my reservation twice, most recently about two months earlier. I was travelling with two children during high season, when everything was booked, and he offered a neighboring private villa at twice the price. This all began seven or eight months before the trip, when I couldn't book the house I wanted for six nights through Booking.com. I trusted Andrew because of the high rating and didn't book another villa there. I had no deposit arrangement with him, and he'd said I would pay at check-in. The way he blamed me and behaved was extremely rude and impudent. Other hotels find an alternative for guests when they overbook and offer something for the inconvenience. Karon Homes handled it very unprofessionally. Andrew also deleted some of what he had written, which was idiotic.