At Tanote

The view of the bay from our room and the common areas was breathtaking, so an ocean view room is worth splurging on if you can. Sun & Moon is just a few meters away and serves excellent food. There are other restaurants around, too, but that one is especially convenient. The hotel is on a steep road. You can walk down to the beach in about ten minutes, but the climb back up is challenging, so consider that if you have mobility issues. I’d recommend AT Tanote if you’re after a relaxing stay with beautiful views.

The walk to Tanote Bay takes around 15-20 minutes, though getting back means tackling steep uphill roads, so a bike would be useful. We spent two weeks in the larger sea-view room with a balcony. It was bright, roomy, and had a good bathroom, plus a smart TV with YouTube. Great value, and we had a fantastic stay. I’d happily recommend it.

We liked this place enough to extend our original five-night booking by four more. The caretaker was especially kind and always ready to help. Our room was quiet, clean, spacious, and had a genuinely comfortable bed, the best I’ve had on my travels in Thailand. The shower had good hot water, and drinking water was provided. The balcony and room look over Tanote Bay, so even rainy days were lovely for watching the boats. If it fits your budget, I’d go for one of the top two rooms with balconies. Just know it’s high up a steep mountain road, so you’ll need a motorbike to get around the island.

Tanote Bay is a real treat for snorkeling and diving, and the rooms make a comfortable base: they’re large, clean, modern, and have a spacious bathroom with good pressure and warm water. There’s AC, a fridge, and a kettle in the room, plus a well-equipped shared kitchen in the small buildings nearby. Filtered drinking water comes from the tap, and there’s a line for drying wet dive or snorkel gear. The boss and staff were lovely and helped us with whatever we needed. The roads are steep, so I’d recommend renting a motorbike. Walking down to the beach is possible, but the climb back is very tough and calls for great cardio and hiking boots. I’d give this place 10 out of 5 if I could.