S Tara Grand Hotel

The housekeeper on the fourth floor was helpful and gave good service, luckily. The lobby staff, though, were the worst I've encountered at a hotel. One female employee spoke politely but gave customers a harsh look and seemed not to care about service. The key card was also very difficult to use. We booked a room for two adults and two children with breakfast, but at check-in we were told we could choose only two food sets. Shouldn't that cover everyone? We would have had to pay extra. The rate included breakfast, but it turned out to be one set per person, with no buffet.

Friendly staff and a fair price for what you get. The place is a little dated and could use some care, especially servicing the air con. After booking I was worried when I saw all the reviews, but the hotel still has Covid stickers everywhere. It wouldn't take much for management or the owners to remove them.

The room was a decent size and the location worked well, right beside the shopping center. Those were the only real positives for me. I've stayed at lots of hotels in Thailand and rarely had such an unpleasant experience with the staff. They seemed uninterested in their jobs and were unfriendly. Breakfast was inedible: toast and strawberry jam, cold fried eggs, and awful sausage. The bed was rock hard and uncomfortable.

We booked two nights, then added another because the hotel was so comfortable. It's a large business hotel, probably close to 100 rooms, and everything in our room and the lobby was spotless. Didn't see a single ant in the room. The room was spacious and well equipped, even down to a nightstand and outlet on both sides of the bed. The curtains blocked the light, the bed was very comfortable, and the AC worked well. The decor was modern with lime green upholstery, a bit like a Holiday Inn Express. There's plenty of parking, including a covered underground car park, plus an elevator and fitness centre. Breakfast is available for a fee. It's outside Surat Thani town, so having your own transport is advisable. Central Mal is within a kilometre on foot, but you need to cross a busy highway, with an overpass near the mall. Walk-in rates are 590B for a standard room. They also take a 500B cash deposit at check-in, which makes sense with the fully stocked minibar.