Baan Karonburi Resort

The location across from the beach is the one real highlight. We came as a family of three, and although we'd booked a spacious room, it was on the small side. Housekeeping also missed our room despite the hotel's claim of daily cleaning. The bed was very comfortable, at least. We were charged 200 baht for a second key card, and the front desk staff seemed sullen and not very customer friendly. Breakfast options were decent and the coffee was great, but the waiting staff weren't responsive. We ended up clearing dirty dishes off our own table while employees stood by. The pool area was worse: the loungers had no cushions, with an employee saying they were all dirty. He didn't pick up the trash and spent time looking at his phone. People smoked around the pool and nobody enforced a no-smoking policy. We wouldn't return or recommend the hotel. The staff need serious training to reach even a passable standard.

The room was spacious, with a lovely balcony where I could smoke, and the hotel is right by the sea with beautiful views. When I checked in at 5:30 PM on October 15th, two women and a man welcomed me, offered me an amazing hibiscus drink, and the gentleman showed me to my room. It was such a pleasant arrival that I was happy and thought I'd stay here again. Checking out at 8:27 AM on the 16th was the complete opposite. The two female staff members on duty said I'd need to wait five minutes for a room inspection, so I went to rest and smoke by the roadside. When I came back to ask for confirmation, they rudely said the room wasn't ready. Later they finally signaled without expression that I could leave. I understand why rooms are inspected at checkout. It was the way I was treated that made me unhappy. If you can't be friendly, enthusiastic, and welcoming, then no matter how beautiful you are, you're better suited to being a security guard than a receptionist.

Just behind Karon beach, this is a solid resort with fresh, well-furnished rooms and nice, comfy balconies. My Wi-Fi was spotty because I had a room toward the back. Being able to wake up and walk straight to the beach was great, and I had a really nice stay.

My stay was very positive, and I would gladly come back. The sea is a short walk across the road, and the beach was clean and pleasant, with sunbeds and umbrellas at a reasonable price. There are nice pools and a bar with a bartender, though I didn't use it since I spent most of my time at the beach. It was handy to have somewhere to wash the sand off my feet before going inside. I stayed in a Premier Room, which was spacious and very comfortable, with a large bed. The TV was the biggest I've ever seen in a hotel room. The AC worked properly and could be switched off completely. There was a small fridge with a freezer compartment, useful for ice or ice cream, plus a safe and a convenient key card. The balcony had a drying rack for beach clothes. My room was far enough from the road that it was quiet at night and I slept well. The bathroom had both a bathtub and a separate shower. The shower had handheld and rainfall settings, strong pressure, and hot water. Toiletries included shampoo, body wash, liquid soap, and a dental kit. Breakfast was very good, with a different selection of soups and Thai dishes each day, including chicken and beef. They were tasty, and there were also fresh pastries, fruit, fried eggs, and omelets on request. Coffee, tea, and juices were offered. I didn't try the juice, but the coffee machine was good and the coffee tasted high quality. Reception had several staff working at once, so check-in and checkout were quick with no queues. They were consistently polite, friendly, and helpful. When something couldn't be fixed for objective reasons, they explained it clearly and professionally. The one serious problem was cigarette smoke. I stayed in a non-smoking room and don't smoke, but guests nearby did, and the smell came into my room even with the windows shut. It would be much better to place smoking and non-smoking rooms in separate blocks.