Bann Pae Cabana

We got a room right beside the beach, which was amazing. It’s a private, cozy place for a holiday, and both dinner and breakfast were simple but really good.

The resort is a little removed from other facilities, which is part of the point of staying somewhere like this. The beach is right beside the property, and the cottages and rooms are nicely designed. Service was good, and the swimming pool was very clean, with a nice deep end.

The office staff were a huge help when we had urgent post to send to family in Bangkok. They packed, wrapped, and labelled it for us, then even took it to the local post office. Really exceptional service. We only spent one night here at the start of our Thailand and island tour. Our room was clean, tidy, and quiet, though a night fun fair across the bay made a lot of noise until around 10 p.m. The beach was deserted, and several nearby resorts seemed closed or not yet open. The access road was in poor shape, with parts washed away by the sea. The beach approaching the resort looked messy too, though the resort had clearly worked hard to clean and maintain its own stretch.

For less than 3,000 baht a night, we got a beachside family stay with loads to keep the kids busy. I could relax with a beer while they spent hours playing in the sand and sea, kicking a soccer ball, playing beach volleyball, kayaking, and paddle boarding. The food and alcohol at the hotel were tasty and reasonably priced too. The rooms are clean and comfortably standard for a three star hotel. A sea wall built a few years ago beside the property has left this area with one of the biggest, cleanest beaches around, almost island level. If you’ve got kids and want an affordable beachfront hotel with plenty of activities, this place is a gem. Club Med for families on a budget!