The Bloc @ Sea

The peaceful setting made it easy to unwind, and the staff were so welcoming. We stayed in the Duplex Suite at “The Bloc at the Sea”; it had a modern look, plenty of space, and a direct view of the water. There are only about 2-3 restaurants nearby, so I’d suggest having a car and picking up water and snacks ahead of time. A lovely, stylish spot for a quiet seaside break.

Leamkum is a beautiful beach, and the little resort sits right beside it with hardly anyone around, mostly Thai visitors. The room has its own beach access and a minimalist setup. A few things were missing, but the staff sorted them out straight away and were all very friendly. Breakfast may not suit European tastes, though that’s not a bad thing. The grounds could use a little more greenery, but the setting is lovely and fans of minimal design might enjoy a night or two here.

We were seven in the family, and the room change on the way from Bangkok made this a terrible trip. I had booked two corner family rooms facing the beach two months ahead, and postponed once by another month. At first, I asked if those rooms were available and was told there was no problem. Then, while I was driving halfway to the resort, staff called and asked us to switch to a connecting room instead of the two separate corner rooms, with no compensation. When I asked why, she said awkwardly that the owner needed our room and claimed it was no different. It was different: the standard queen bed had been replaced by two extra beds. The staff were polite and tried to help as best they could, and I know they were doing their jobs, but the hotel did not take care of its guests. I was also surprised to see a stray dog in the pool, as shown in the picture. The sand, sea, sun, and view are great, but I wouldn't recommend booking here. Read the other comments before making the same mistake.

The quiet private view area was the best part, with no tourists around, just the view. I really liked the studio’s minimalist industrial style and the clever loft layout, especially the upstairs bedroom. Going downstairs for the toilet in the middle of the night was the one little challenge, but it added to the quirky charm and gave me a bit of exercise. I travel with rings and found a safe little place to keep them. Good choice if you like peaceful, unusual spaces with nice design. One heads-up, they charge for everything. We didn’t know and kept asking for water.