The Cove Phi Phi

The staff were the real highlight for us: warm, welcoming, and clearly trying to make guests feel at home. The setting is lovely, and the complimentary boat ride at check-in and check-out is a nice touch. At about €200 a night, though, the value felt poor. The bungalows are very basic, the plastic loungers are uncomfortable and there are no sun umbrellas. Beyond the restaurant tables, there's no proper shared lounge, and the rooms have no wardrobe, bedside tables, sofa, or TV. The Wi-Fi wasn't reliable enough for streaming. Getting around is another limitation. After arrival and departure, you can take a shared hotel boat for around 200 THB per person, but it only runs a few times a day. A private boat costs about 800 THB per trip, and the only way on foot is a 60-minute jungle hike. They don't advise travelling by boat after sunset because of the currents, so you're effectively stuck at the hotel each evening, with no way to walk to nearby bars or restaurants. The remote beach isn't especially quiet: boats often pass in front of it, and otherwise you may hear construction next door. If you want isolation and can live with very basic comforts, it could suit you. If you expect flexibility, comfort, and good value, probably not.

The bay is genuinely beautiful and quiet, well away from central Phi Phi. We hiked into town on our first day and enjoyed the views, though there was a lot of litter in the forest and you should watch for monkeys. The remote location is peaceful, but it's not a good base if you want Phi Phi nightlife. There isn't much to do at the resort. Kayaks cost 200 THB an hour, and given how few alternatives there are nearby, it would have been a nice gesture to include them for guests. The bungalows and facilities are simple, with little room to put your things, so we often used the floor. The bed was hard, the plastic loungers weren't comfortable, and reception and the restaurant looked run down and lacked ambience. Restaurant food was decent but overpriced, breakfast was very basic, and the value overall didn't convince us. My boyfriend got sick on the third day. The hotel did help by providing medication on site, which we appreciated. But at 4 AM that morning I messaged reception on WhatsApp because we had a boat trip booked. The message wasn't read, staff kept knocking, and we were charged 50% of the tour. We understand cancellation policies, but better communication or a 24-hour reception might have prevented that. Communication could be difficult in general, since only a few staff spoke stronger English. In contrast, staff arranged our last-minute boat trip flexibly and efficiently, and the transfer crew were friendly and helpful. Boat transfers are limited. On checkout day the sea was a bit rough, and the longtail ride felt somewhat unsafe in the choppy water. There's also a small shop below the restaurant, but nobody mentioned it, and we only found it after checking out. The staff were generally welcoming throughout. The place has potential to be special, but our stay didn't quite live up to it.

We saw monkeys, lizards, frogs, cats, and loads of sea life here. At night, wildlife comes onto the beach, and you can watch it from the restaurant balcony. For three days of relaxing in a beautiful villa overlooking the water, this was just right. I even found it more interesting than the Maldives. It's an escape from reality, not somewhere to come for parties or shopping. The hotel is far from the main town, which isn't easy to reach. You get there by boat unless you're up for a jungle hike with plenty of animals along the way. The internet was fast, too. I regularly had to download 1Gb work files. I've read some odd reviews, so after staying here I wanted to share my experience: if you're after a private island style hotel, this is the spot. Great staff as well.

We paid less than 90 quid for three nights, so it felt like very good value. We really enjoyed our stay, and the quiet, beautiful private part of Phi Phi was a relief since we don't drink or party. We spent four days on the island and only went into town once for a tour; the hotel's boat ride worked perfectly for the transfer. The room was very comfortable, especially the big, firm bed, and the AC was strong. Even though we were at the top of the hill, staff came within minutes whenever we needed anything. They'd also give us a free golf cart ride back after dinner. They answered WhatsApp quickly, which made me feel safe the whole time. Check-in and checkout boat rides are free. Extra trips cost 200 baht per person each way, which we found fairly acceptable. Restaurant food is a bit expensive compared with Krabi, for example, but still doable. The whole island is a tourist trap anyway. I honestly don't understand the bad reviews. We nearly skipped booking because of them, and I'm glad we didn't. It's a nice three-star hotel for a rest in lovely, quiet surroundings.