Xen Pool Access

The only real difficulty for me was riding a motorbike out of the complex as a beginner, with all the traffic. Heading toward Rawai, there’s also a roundabout with a police checkpoint where foreigners are often stopped to check documents, from morning until evening. Inside, I liked the place. The room was spacious, neat, clean, and had everything I needed. Housekeeping was provided, and they brought me an extra blanket when I asked. There are two pools and the grounds are tidy and well maintained. Private parking is available and closed off in the evening.

The only reason I’m giving the hotel two stars is the friendly long-haired male staff member at the cafe next door. Thanks for making my stay a little better. The two female staff members at the counter showed no empathy when I raised the issue, and they weren’t friendly during the rest of my stay either. The hotel said I had been “undercharged” and asked me to pay extra, claiming it had messaged me on Agoda before check-in. But I booked through trip.com, so I had no idea what Agoda they meant. When I checked Agoda and trip.com on the day the staff told me, the room rates looked similar to what I’d already paid. I couldn’t see how I’d been undercharged. I offered to have the remaining nights refunded and rebook, but they refused, saying I had “used” the room and giving what seemed like random, absurd explanations. I had to pay an extra 1800baht for 3 nights.

Breakfast was a big highlight. It was made to order, delicious, and came in generous portions. We loved it so much that we got the same thing on both mornings. We also appreciated the location, just 5mins by car from Chalong pier. After island hopping, our van was the first to get us back to the hotel, which was a bonus after a hot, tiring day. We booked two nights at Xen Pool Access & Cafe with my husband and our 5yo toddler because we wanted a laid-back stay with direct pool access. The price was hard to believe, and being able to swim at any hour, day or night, was great. The room had a queen bed, plus an unexpected extra single bed. It was spacious, smelled nice when we walked in, and everything seemed new. There was a smart TV with Netflix and Prime, and they even gave us 6 towels. The modern, minimalistic interior has a resort feel, especially at night. Staff were friendly, and the cafe is beautiful, decorated with lots of live plants. The hotel is beside a busy road, but our room at the back was quiet. A room at the front would hear the traffic. 7E is right next door, there’s bike rental across the road, and plenty of spas and a few restaurants nearby. We went to Pearl Spa, just 20 steps away, and found the prices cheap with amazing service and interior. We had a great stay and I can’t recommend this place enough!

The rooms are nice, and stepping straight into the pool from the balcony is great. Just be aware there’s no beach within walking distance. I’d skip breakfast at the hotel cafe. It was bland and overpriced, with loud Russian pop music playing. Walk 10 meters to the left instead, where a small, authentic cafe serves true Thai food for less than half the price. The photo shows the Xen Cafe at rush hour. Empty.