The Great Escape Chalets

It’s a quiet, secluded little place, and the rooms are really clean. The Great Escape has everything you might need for a getaway: complimentary drinks, a beach bag and mats, a cooler, mosquito coils and a zapper, a private plunge pool, French press and coffee, an outdoor ceiling fan, a broom, a big garbage can, and scooter rental. I’m sure I’m forgetting a few things. Tom is a perfect host, and the place is well located for both the beach and town.

It feels like a secluded tropical paradise, and it’s the best place I’ve stayed on the island. The staff leave you to yourself until you need something, then they provide what you need. Tom, the owner, is a great guy. I definitely recommend renting bikes from him, and I’ll be back for sure.

The rooms were clean, and most are private, apart from the ones in front of reception. Still, this was the “Not So Great Escape” for us. My boyfriend and I chose it because of the good reviews, but we wouldn’t stay again. The location was a real problem. It took us 40 minutes each way to get anywhere, so we spent 1 hour and 20 minutes driving every day. Most of the island is on the west side, while there’s almost nothing near the hotel except one beach, a few restaurants, and no markets selling fresh food. For quality food or anything to do beyond that beach, you have to drive to the other side. We also heard nothing from the hotel after booking, so we worried the reservation hadn’t gone through. Tom gave a bunch of excuses instead of apologizing. The regular chalets don’t have privacy either: the two are directly in front of reception and the parking lot, visible from inside the room. The Booking photos were misleading, with a mountain view that was actually a view of reception. Tom said the photos were taken 10 years ago and that construction had happened since. The location is very inconvenient, and the price is high compared with other hotels we stayed at in Thailand that had better service and included breakfast.

We didn’t know anything about the place when we booked through Booking.com, but the warm welcome made a great first impression. Tom, the owner, is incredibly kind. The rooms were so luxurious and comfortable that we could hardly believe it, with wonderful privacy. It felt like we were living in the jungle, even though the beach was just a very short walk away. At first we thought being away from the main tourist area might be a downside. It turned out to be a big plus. The beach feels like a place where nature has made something beautiful. We’re sure we’ll return. A big thank you to Tom and all the staff!