Klong Prao Resort

The two things I liked were the decent breakfast and having sunbeds right by the beach, as long as you get there early enough to put down a towel. The beach itself was disappointing, with strong low tides and water much less clear than neighboring Koh Kood. For lunch or dinner, I'd skip the hotel restaurant and go next door to Sol Beach Resort, where the food is much better. Our so-called Deluxe room was dark and gloomy, with shabby old furniture and curtains that looked unwashed for years. The whole complex feels dated and seems to coast on its old reputation. From afternoon on, the bathroom drain smell was unbearable. They provide only one key card per room to control the power. It has to be in the slot, and a credit card or other card won't work, so the air conditioning can't run while you're out and you return to a hot room. When you're inside, the AC blows straight onto the bed, making sleep uncomfortable. Its outdoor compressor is right on the balcony, adding noise and heat, so sitting out there is unpleasant. The basic balcony chairs aren't comfortable either.

We rode a scooter to Kai Bae every day, since the open sea here moves more strongly than a bay and lacks that clear turquoise look you get in Kai Bae Bay. The beach itself was pleasant and well kept, with lots of comfortable sun loungers. This is a large resort with several kinds of lodging: standalone bungalows in line A, bungalows with joined terraces in line B, multi-storey buildings right on the beach, and more buildings farther back around a striking lake. We were first given a type B bungalow, but its terrace was practically shared, divided from the neighbors only by a low wooden fence, which felt especially inconvenient for us as smokers. A very helpful man at reception arranged a standalone bungalow instead, and that made our stay much better. It was spacious and very clean, housekeeping was excellent, and it had a TV, Wi-Fi, and fridge. Breakfast had plenty of hot and cold choices, sweet and savory. I was surprised there were no pancakes with Nutella or melted chocolate. We ate at the beach restaurant once. The ceiling was very dirty and rusty, the staff weren't attentive, the food was noticeably overpriced, and the 180 THB beer came warm.

Clean, comfortable rooms with what you need for a relaxing stay, plus a good range of breakfast choices. The setting is right on what I consider the island's best beach. It felt safe, quiet, and very comfortable. Highly recommended!

Our first room was inland on the island, and we didn't like it because it was older. Reception immediately offered a fantastic upgrade to a seaview room right by the beach, just five metres away. The small extra cost was negligible, and the newer, large room came with a private terrace. Breakfast was great, with lots of tasty options. We also had dinner twice at Rim Had restaurant, both times exceptional. We reserved a private table right on the beach, and eating barefoot in the sand made it even better. There were plenty of sunbeds, though some guests were already claiming them with towels before 7.00 AM. We stayed five nights and will certainly return.