The Cliff Lipe

During five days here I stayed in two rooms, and each was more beautiful than the last. It's one of the loveliest hotels we've ever visited, with impeccable service and sunbeds always available. The restaurant's prices are about the same as in town, and both the food and cocktails are high quality. The beach is truly private, with no tourist boats coming in, which is unusual on an island where most hotels face crowded beaches. The water is stunning, calm, and without waves or currents, with fish to watch. It reminds me of the Maldives. We also took a free canoe to visit little coves nearby. There's a small local market three minutes away by “taxi” for two euros. It felt like a real paradise, with a lot of care for guests.

The location is beautiful and the staff were friendly and tried their best. Our transfer included pickup and drop-off, and the shuttle to Walking Street four times daily was useful, though it doesn't run back the other way. A “taxi” back costs 50 baht per person. They also left around two litres of water in the room each day. Even so, the stay felt average and far too expensive for what we got. We paid over €300 a night for a bungalow with a private pool, but it badly needs renovation: paint is peeling, there are visible stains, the sink leaks, and the doors don't close properly. Breakfast fell short. There was a mix of à la carte and buffet, but very few vegetarian choices. Most hot dishes had seafood or chicken, and the two vegetable options were usually cooked in oyster sauce and weren't properly warm. Staff struggled with dietary requests: our vegetarian fried rice still came with chicken and shrimp powder. There were no non-dairy milk options, and wholegrain bread ran out after day three. The private beach is charming, but it isn't well maintained. The beach and bay weren't cleaned regularly and had quite a bit of rubbish. The only sea urchin warning was a small sign on a palm tree that was easy to miss. A reminder at check-in would help. We never ate dinner at the resort because the prices were excessively high. Overall, the setting and kind staff couldn't make the value convincing.

We spent four nights as a family of four in a two-bedroom villa and were very disappointed. The location is beautiful, with a private beach, complimentary canoe, and a decent breakfast, but that's where the good parts end. There was little genuine Thai hospitality, and the weak service, safety oversights, and cleanliness problems made the stay a letdown. I wouldn't recommend it for families. The villa's two bedrooms were split across separate levels, connected by outside stairs that were uneven and dangerous for children. That setup wasn't clearly disclosed and didn't suit a family. The rooms weren't cleaned properly: hair and other things remained in the bathroom for days, and toilet paper, shampoo, and conditioner weren't replaced unless we chased staff repeatedly. On checkout day, we found animal droppings and old food under the sofa in room J5, which raised serious hygiene concerns. Getting basic issues addressed was exhausting. WhatsApp messages went unanswered, staff had limited English, and we often had to go in person. Nobody warned us about sea urchins in the snorkeling areas, and when we got injured, first-aid help was minimal.

It's a fancy resort with friendly, great staff, though it's quite remote and a fair distance from the walking street. If you like somewhere quiet, that could suit you. The sea-facing restaurant and bar are lovely spots for a beer or a meal, but food there costs a lot more than at the bars on Lipe Island.