Benjamin Hut

I spent almost three weeks here. The e-bike I rented from a nearby shop made it easy to get around, even though the hotel is outside the centre. You can also rent a motorbike onsite. I felt safe as a solo woman most of the time. The exception was one evening when staff entered my room for planned repairs without warning or contacting me. They moved my things, left me unable to use the room for three hours, and didn’t apologize or offer anything. My wallet, smart watch, and earphones were on the table while I was at the beach, but thankfully nothing was taken. One owner later said the work had been planned, so a heads-up would have been common sense. I really didn’t appreciate the intrusion. The small beach is a lovely place to relax, with good music playing quietly all day. Sunsets are great here, so there’s no need to go elsewhere for one. There are only four loungers and a few tables and chairs. Some days all the loungers are taken by 11am, other days you might be alone, so get one early if you want it. The water level changes with the moon, so complaints about being unable to swim miss how tides work. This stretch is best around quarter moons, or before 2pm on new and full moons. The restaurant menu is limited, but the food is fresh and delicious. The coffee is the best I’ve had in Thailand, especially when Wayne makes it. The staff don’t speak much English, but they’re attentive and want to help. The restaurant owner is friendly and helpful. They take cash only, like most places on the island, and their payment system seems inefficient. They often told me I hadn’t paid for the previous day when I had. My room was spacious and very clean, and the AC worked well and quietly, though they installed a new unit during my stay. The sliding doors shut and seal properly, and pest control was good: no cockroaches, spiders, or other insects, and only two or three mosquitoes in my whole stay. But the bed was extremely hard and uncomfortable, even by Thailand standards. The bathroom was in rough shape, with little room for toiletries, and needs renovation. Lighting wasn’t good for doing makeup or hair, and storage was limited to a small closet and desk. They were stingy with supplies too. Sometimes I had to ask for the single roll of toilet paper they were meant to provide, and they wouldn’t give me a second packet of cotton swabs. The kitchenette had just a mini fridge, microwave, kettle, sink, a couple of plates and bowls, and utensils. There’s no soundproofing, so you hear everything outside. Most days were quiet, but a nearby private club blasted music until 1am every few days, loud enough to feel like the party was in my room and keep me from sleeping. After 7pm, there’s no staff onsite or emergency number, so you’re on your own. The staff weren’t as friendly as at most places on the island, though they worked hard. Two of the managers or owners seemed annoyed by guests and weren’t friendly, while the other two, a couple, were very kind and helpful. It’s a basic place with very clean rooms, but the bathrooms need a good renovation and the rooms are only decent if you keep your expectations low. I’d still recommend it to budget travellers for the beach access, small restaurant, and cleanliness.

We had a lovely stay. The staff were great, and our clean, beautiful room was just steps from the beach, where we enjoyed lovely sunsets. We also hired scooters through reception at a good price.

The rooms look even better in person than in the photos, and the staff are super friendly. There’s a good taxi service for a fair price, and paddle boarding is included. The restaurant food and drinks are great. My only suggestion would be to add more sun loungers, since there were just five and they were sometimes all taken.

The hotel restaurant was a pleasant surprise: the food tasted good and the prices were fair, so it’s an easy option if you don’t want to go out. With a motorbike, plenty of restaurants, shops, and other beaches are only a few minutes away. It was a peaceful base in a lovely location for exploring. The gardens were beautifully green, and our simple, clean room had everything we needed. The AC was quiet at night, the internet worked flawlessly, and the little outdoor kitchen was handy. The bathroom was dated, though, with visible mould and dirt between the tiles. It really needs renovating soon. There are loungers and easy access to the beach, but the beach was only usable at high tide. Depending on the season and tides, the sea isn’t always right in front of the property, despite how some photos look. When we visited in early June, the water was about 300 metres away in the afternoon and only reached shore late at night at high tide, so we couldn’t swim during the day. That’s not the hotel’s fault, but it’s worth checking before booking.