The wooden walkway over the headland to Ao Nang was also a lot easier than I’d been led to expect by some of the reports I’d read. It's a bit steep in places, but there’s a handrail and you can stop for a short rest if you need to catch your breath. I was doing it in less than 10 minutes and as a 50+ slightly overweight, 20-a-day smoker, I’m not exactly the fittest person alive, but I didn’t find it that difficult once I’d tried it.
The gardens are immaculate, with plenty of sun-loungers and 2 pools – the larger one has built-in waterfalls, which are great for cooling off under and the smaller pool seemed to be a bit of a secret – we virtually had it to ourselves most of the time we were there!
I have to say that the service doesn’t quite live up to the 5* rating. The staff are happy to respond to any requests you make, but I think a little more anticipation and pro-active service is needed before it can truly call itself 5*. This is particularly obvious around the pool & gardens, where the waiters only seem to bother “doing the rounds” a few times in the late afternoons, so if you want a drink or something to eat you usually have to go to the bar. A couple of extra staff on “roaming” duty wouldn’t come amiss there. Having said that, I didn’t think that things were as bad as some reports had led me to expect and I certainly didn’t let it spoil my enjoyment of our 8 night stay.
Overall, it was a wonderful experience. I’d definitely recommend giving it a try and wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again if I was going back to Krabi.
The best thing about this hotel has to be its jaw-droppingly stunning location, from the towering, tree-clad limestone cliffs, to the amazing view out to sea with your own personal, James Bond-style island. Words and pictures don’t do it justice and it’s only when you’re there that you appreciate just how spectacular it really is.
The rooms are pretty special too. We had a standard room, but all are a good size, with huge, sliding windows, fitted with venetian blinds and sliding insect screens on two sides. The bathrooms are gorgeous, with rain-showers, freestanding baths and doors that slide back to open them up to the bedroom, so you can carry on watching TV or having a conversation while you’re in the shower!
There’s an L-shaped balcony with daybeds at the front and at the side a wooden dining table and chairs plus chaise longue. The side area has electrically-operated blinds, so that you can dine in complete privacy if you want a romantic meal in the evening.
