Baan Kao Hua Jook

The one bright spot was the cleaning team. They were willing to help, unlike the other staff, who seemed to say no to everything. The rest of the stay was poor. We booked a two-room villa expecting basic amenities, but there was no room service, the dryer and hair dryer didn't work, and half the lights were out. The pool was so dirty we couldn't use it, and nobody came to help with our luggage at checkout. There was no kettle, microwave, or gas for warming food, and insects and mosquitoes were all around the room. Breakfast cost 350 THB per dish, which felt like a rip-off.

The pool deserves a mention, and the staff were really friendly. It's a tiny hotel, nicely decorated and very clean, though there are a few marks on the bathroom fixtures. Breakfast was a letdown: you choose from a menu, the portions aren't filling, and there isn't anything for vegetarians or vegans.

The layout was the biggest problem for me. The two bedrooms and kitchen are separate rooms, each opening outdoors with no connecting hallway, so even getting from the bedroom to the kitchen means going outside and shutting doors behind you to keep mosquitoes out. The bathroom and shower are outside the bedrooms too, and the toilet, shower, and vanity areas have no air conditioning, so they get uncomfortably hot. The villa could have been cleaner, and the location was just OK. Still, the place feels very private, with a fenced yard and a pleasant front garden. The rooms are spacious, the private pool is great, and the staff were excellent. For the price, it was very good value.

The rooms could use a little work, but for the price this was just what we needed: a calm, pleasant place. We stayed in the villas, where there are bugs, animals, and leaves from the trees. That's part of being in Thailand, in a three-star hotel in the jungle. The staff were friendly, breakfast was amazing, and you can rent a scooter directly from the hotel, though they don't have many. You can walk to the center. The one thing missing was a transfer to the pier or airport. Otherwise, it was perfect for us.