Centara Koh Chang Tropicana Resort

The gardens are the standout here. They make the property feel like a jungle, and the beach is beautiful, with great loungers, helpful bar staff and two good-value happy hours each day. We didn't use the clean pools because the beach was so nice. Staff were friendly and eager to help, and the app was useful for finding deals, chatting with reception and arranging laundry pickup. There are good local restaurants on Main Street, plus an Italian restaurant managed by an Italian if you want a change. We booked a garden-view cabana for two nights through Booking, but ours looked onto the back of the toilets. It was dark, with none of the lovely garden view, and should be listed at a lower price with a warning. Still, it didn't spoil the stay and we added four more nights. Without other plans, we changed rooms twice more, so got to see different options. One room was great, but a long way back from the beach. For the final nights we had a huge cabana at the far end with a few luxury touches. I thought the rooms were good overall. Ask which cabana you'll get when booking. The property is dated and could use upgrades, but its location and beach are the best on the strip. Breakfast was good, though not Thailand's best. The regular coffee was terrible, while the Thai coffee was delicious. I'd stay again.

The property is old, but that didn't get in the way of a lovely stay. Our room was comfortable and the beds were good. Staff were friendly and attentive, and the pool was fun, including the water slide adults can use. The gym is really good too. Breakfast was nice, with Thai tea and coffee available, though the machine coffee could be better. Check-in was late, around 4:30, because it was holiday season, but otherwise we had a beautiful stay.

The design and atmosphere make this a very good place for a vacation, with the kind of facilities you'd expect at a large resort. Service was fantastic. One issue that may be outside the hotel's direct control still affects guests: on some days the canal in front of the beach smells bad. I think the hotel should work with the local government to find the cause and fix it at the source.

The spa team was great, with a wide choice of treatments, and the gardens were beautiful and very peaceful. Our bedroom was large, though the rooms are showing their age. There were mold stains on the shower, shower curtain and bedroom curtain, and the cleaning felt rushed. We booked one night at 50% off through Booking.com. I wondered if that was why we seemed to get different treatment from other guests: no welcome refreshment or cool towels, and no information about breakfast hours, hotel facilities or activities, including the free drop-in yoga. The second pool was a great size.