Maikhao Hotel

The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the location was great, about a 10-minute walk from the beach and close to restaurants and supermarkets. The hotel was fully booked, so we got upgraded, but the rooms were very old and I wasn't keen on their quality. Breakfast was okay. The pool and gym were nice.

The reception staff were very kind. Andrey even helped carry our luggage past the swimming pool to the next hotel building. Breakfast was pretty good, with fresh bread and eggs, but please serve unsweetened yoghurt and let guests decide whether to sweeten it. The beach is an easy 800-meter walk, and the hotel is good value for money. The rooms were clean but need an update. You can't shower without getting the toilet wet, and the shower drain smelled bad. We fixed that by putting a plastic bag filled with water over it.

The price and location are the main draws here. It's less than 0.8 km from the beach, and you can reach the big resorts in about a 10-minute drive. A Big C store is across the street, and a 7-11 was being built next door when I visited. Nearby restaurants are walkable, but don't have air-conditioned seating, so the included continental breakfast is handy. It wasn't bad, though two menus alternate by day and about three quarters of the dishes are the same. The place seems to try to match the bigger resorts at about one fifth of the price, so there are trade-offs. The pool is small for such a large hotel. It should be twice the size, or there should be separate pools for kids and adults. It's at the front, alongside an outdoor bar that closes at midnight. My room was clean, though the kitchen sink smelled of mildew, so I bought an air freshener. On the second day, water leaked from the bathroom ceiling. Staff did their best, but I think they should have followed up to see if it stopped. I ordered pad Thai from the in-house kitchen and was disappointed. It didn't seem to be stir-fried properly, and the flavours were all over the place, sometimes fishy, sour, or sweet. A few bites had the right sweet, sour, and spicy balance.

The staff were extremely friendly and accommodating, and we had a relaxed stay. Mai Khao Beach is a 10-minute walk away, with a 7/11 and other quick-service shops very close by. We travelled for a wedding at JW Marriot, which was a convenient 15-minute drive, and Grab was available. The rooms were comfortable and good value, though the layout has a bit of a dorm or communal-living feel since the hotel also caters to long-stay travellers and remote workers. The toilets could use a shower screen or curb to keep the rest of the bathroom dry. I'd recommend it for budget travellers or a quick stop.