Soneva Kiri

We have just returned from a week in Soneva Kiri with our teenage children. Despite having travelled widely and been fortunate enough to stay at some amazing properties nothing has ever compared to the Soneva Kiri experience and I don't expect any other resort to even come close in the future. Bookended by amazing private flights from BKK the service is beyond compare. Our Ms Friday Tida anticipated our every need and ensured that every need was catered for. Our 2 bed beach villa No.6 was perfectly located on the beach and near to central hub but still afforded great privacy. As other reviewers have stated the "rooms" if you can call them that are huge with beautifully designed outdoor and indoor spaces, particularly the bathroom areas. If I have any complaint it would be that the lighting can be rather confusing but after a few days we managed to get the hang of it all. There are not many properties where a deluge of monsoon rain can be enjoyed but sitting on one of the many outdoor seating areas reading a book and relaxing whilst the rain fell in buckets was very enjoyable. The weather, it has to be said, was a bit mixed but despite that we managed to go on a tour of Koh Kood which provided a fascinating contrast to Soneva, go snorkelling on the reef which was spectacular, go up the treepod, eat at all the restaurants and visit the waterfall. The breakfasts were amazing as was the Asian buffet. The View was a very romantic location for dinner although it was perhaps our least favourite foodwise and Benz provided the best Thai food we have ever eaten. Service from the charming staff was personalised and very charming. Due to the heavy swells common during monsoon it was not possible to visit the North Beach apart from one fleeting visit but I could see how wonderful that option would be. Thoroughly recommended.

My second trip to Soneva Kiri was nothing short of spectacular! Nestled in the island of Koh Kood in Thailand, the resort is nothing short of being in the midst of nature.. rustic yet luxurious. 90 min on a private charter from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok brings you to Soneva Kiri's private airport surrounded by the sea, another 10 min on a private boat and you see the familiar waving of hands by the resort team unique to all Soneva resorts who give you a warm welcome at the arrival jetty. The views from the main area take your breath away.. The resort is wide spread in the middle of natural rainforest, highly recommend staying at a cliff villa where the views are stunning. Soneva Kiri is all about unique experiences and one must try Khun Benz for authentic Thai food, the tree pod dining experience where you are literally suspended in the air served by a host who zip lines to serve you delicious food. Love the infinity pool where one can just lounge around and the popular dining spots like North Beach and The View. Also a well known feature of the resort is The Den unique to all Soneva resorts where kids are engaged in fun activities giving parents a some 'me time'. A library where one can read, signature Soneva observatory, ice cream and chocolate room, award winning six senses spa where you can experience signature massages, hike up in the forest or snorkelling at Koh Rang Marine Park... Soneva Kiri has something for everyone. Highly recommended

This was our second visit. It got Better. We flew on a Cessna 12 seater converted to an 8 seater uber luxury private jet from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Sonevas private Air strip. Greeted on Arrival by our Mr. Friday, Ami. A truly humble man that worked super hard to make sure all our needs were met during our stay. Andrew the GM was also very kind to meet us upon arrival at the resort. While at the resort, we ate at the Amazing Chef Benz restaurant. Khun Benz was very kind to also greet us personally. Her tasting menu was superb. The second night we ate the buffet organized by the hotel which was also superb. I must mention that they have the best breakfast in town!! Don't miss 'Sonus Salad'. We also enjoyed the spa, both our therapist were professional and knew how to pamper us. As a family we enjoyed a snorkeling and a fishing trip carefully designed for us by the hotel. Our guide Khun Kung took good care of us. Not to be missed is a short boat ride to the newly opened North beach with white sand and clear blue waters, we were able to enjoy an entire day there swimming and Kayaking. Good bbq food was also available at the North beach. I have been multiple times to the Maldives and other fine resorts around the world and can comfortably rate Soneva as the best. All that said, it won't be too long before i return to experience Soneva again.

The beach villa's are amazing with private pools and beach! You will experience to have your own "butler" (it's more than a butler!), Mr or Mrs Friday. We have enjoyed everything, however, it was a pitty the general beach was closed. The best service we have experienced in the restaurant. Khun Ben is the best waiter we have ever met. So polite, so nice. He wants to be a Mr Friday, please let him be! He knows exactly what his guests prefer! And thank you Khun Koen (I hope I write it well). Your service is of a really high standard! We hope we will be back in future!

We stayed at the Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives a few months ago and we really enjoyed the experience and as it had previously been part of the Soneva Group we thought we'd try the original brand. Good things : Service : Personal meet and greet at the airport arrival gate was unexpected and very good. He took our luggage, showed us the way and filled out all the necessary forms. That was a nice touch. At the resort our Ms Friday, Tida was super, super helpful... she'd help us with all manner of things even to help ferry the kids to day-activities. Food : The kids loved the free ice-cream (bit too much of a chewy texture for my palate but anyway...) Food was generally good. Breakfast selection is super, plenty of good healthy organics to choose from... Language was a bit of a problem with some staff but most were very friendly and helpful. Not so good things : Soft mattresses with no replacement. 6 nights on a mattress that you can't get a decent rest on can be tough on your temperament. Outdoor bathrooms showing their age - poor water flow, taps that are loose and need replacing, badly leaking bath plug Room ceiling fan that refused to go faster than 'super-tortoise slow' Insufficient bathroom mirror lighting / no vanity mirror Musty smelling indoor loo In all honesty I'd find it hard to recommend this place. If you're looking for a resort with personal swimming pool then there's lots of choice in this sector. The other thing to consider is that the quality of the beaches and the quality of the water in Thailand now sadly isn't what it used to be.