Koh Talu On Shore Hotel

I stayed for 20 days and found the hotel very peaceful, with staff who were so friendly they made you feel like family. The rooms are luxurious, with new furniture and balconies with lovely views. There are pools for kids, and daily yacht trips to Koh Talu Island for snorkeling, diving, and enjoying the natural scenery. Breakfast has limited variety, but the timing is flexible and you can take it away, which is convenient. The hotel is still in soft opening, with the fifth floor unfurnished. There’s no direct beach access, and nearby facilities can only be reached by car, though the hotel offers transport at reasonable prices.

I’ve visited this area several times and used to stay at Saaitong Resort farther south. The difference was striking. Koh Talu Onshore has 45 rooms, I was told, and a jetty for trips to Koh Talu. I couldn’t find anyone at the hotel or jetty, inside or outside, so I returned to my car and honked a few times. After a long wait, a woman came out and showed me the mountain and sea view rooms. They were decent and the hotel is quite new. Sea view rooms cost Baht 2,500 and mountain view rooms 2,000, while Saaitong Resort starts at 1,600 for a sea view. Both include breakfast. Saaitong was usually reasonably busy, with plenty of staff looking after the rooms and restaurant. Koh Talu had three staff, and I was told that was enough because there were only five guests. Saaitong serves meals all day, but Koh Talu only serves breakfast, and you have to go to the jetty for it. The breakfast selection was tiny and almost everything had rice. When I asked for an omelette, they didn’t know what that was. I showed them, but they said they couldn’t make one. Once at Saaitong I asked for French toast, and although they didn’t know it either, they made it 15 minutes after I showed them. Then Koh Talu said they’d add 3% if I paid by credit card. That was when I packed up and went back to Saaitong Resort.

The staff were very good, especially Dee, and the hotel is finished to a high standard. The showers were great and the beds really comfortable. There are still a few opening issues, but nothing significant. It may feel a bit remote without transport, though that didn’t affect us. One day the hotel drove us to an amazing restaurant, and the next we walked along the beach to a great one. Breakfast was good, with Thai food, toast, and sticky rice.

This would work well for an overnight stop or if you’re taking the ferry to nearby islands, but don’t expect a full four star experience. The hotel looks newly finished and is very large, maybe around 80 rooms, while the surrounding area still has piles of soil and stone. My room was a good size, nicely furnished, and good quality. The shower drains across the whole floor, though, and is positioned oddly. There are miles of lovely beach in the area, yet this hotel looks over a tiny, scruffy port. Breakfast was minimal, perhaps because there were only three or four rooms occupied the night I stayed.