Phangan Lodge

An easygoing, simple place, clean and relaxing without any fancy extras. The beach and location are perfect, and there's a nice pool. The owners are friendly, service is good, and the prices are reasonable. We'd stay again.

The resort was pretty and clean, and we had a great time. Staff were really, really kind and helpful.

We left the same evening, unable to bring ourselves to spend even one night there. The front desk brushed off our complaints, saying the conditions were clear in the photos and that we'd booked a "superior room." Maybe it would suit a chicken coop. This felt like a waste of money at any price, and a scam. I give it one star only because I can't give less. The pool in the photo is about 3 x 4 meters, barely more than a puddle even for a child, and the loungers beside it had broken, worn, faded seats. Rocks covered the beach for a few dozen meters from shore. Our bungalow was around 15 square meters including the bathroom, with a French-size bed, not a double, pushed against a wall. Its mattress had a plastic cover, like in many two-star hotels in Thailand. There was also a badly made old two-seater faux-leather sofa, stained in our case. The bungalow's masonry and wood were poorly maintained. The wardrobe looked glued and taped together, measured 180 cm tall by 150 cm wide, and came with four wire hangers. A small table held a mini-fridge that looked about 10 years old. The air conditioning took 10 minutes at full blast to cool such a small room. Roof tiles showed through the plywood false ceiling. The bulging door needed a hard push or pull to open or close, though sanding the bottom before guests arrive would seem an obvious fix. The water had no pressure and was yellow and cloudy.

I spent a month here and had a peaceful, easy stay thanks to the very kind owners. My room was clean and convenient, and the beach and pool are beautiful. Everything was amazing. I'd recommend it to anyone coming to koh phangan, and I can't wait to return!