Nakara Long Beach Resort

I loved staying here for the peace and the beautiful beach with its warm water. There's not much nightlife, but that suited the setting. The resort sits right on Long Beach, fairly close to the night market and within walking distance of some restaurants and shops. Hiring a motorbike takes care of getting around. The staff were amazing, and the restaurant's a la carte meals were superb. Breakfast was pretty good, though the choices didn't change enough from day to day.

We almost never complain, but the restaurant manager was so rude that we wouldn't come back. Our food took over an hour, and by the time mine arrived the other seven people at my table had finished. When I complained and asked for a discount, he got angry. Our waiter was kind and apologetic, but the manager only offered a few plates of pineapple and watermelon like the breakfast buffet, with not even one percent off. After a heated discussion, he said he'd pay for my food if I left him alone. At checkout it turned out he'd only comped the rice, worth about 40 baht. We were guests for three nights, not random walk-ins. The hotel itself was okay, but the power went out for a whole day, so there was no AC. The backup power only covered some things around the pool. It wasn't their fault, though the room facilities could use renovation. Breakfast was nothing special. Bar staff also seemed confused, mixing up orders and not knowing the menu in English.

The towels were old, smelly, full of holes and disgusting. Breakfast was okay, but the lunches were pathetic. Rooms were poorly equipped, with no hairdryer or iron, and there wasn't an iron anywhere in the resort. There were no umbrellas by the pool, so nowhere to get out of the sun. One pool was dirty, with black and grey dust on it, while the other was packed with people and children. There were too few loungers, and after 10 AM we couldn't find any. Were we supposed to lie on the ground? Don't go there.

Every lounger had a towel on it by 7:45, even though signs everywhere say reserving them that way is prohibited. I booked after seeing parasols around the pool in the online photos, since I'm not supposed to sit in full sun, but there actually aren't any. When we asked at reception, they said they didn't put them out because of the wind. There was no wind, and the hotel next door had parasols up. I guess I was expected to stay inside all day. The location is perfect, but the service isn't.