Pimalai Resort & Spa

My husband & I stayed here in 2013, 2015 and this is our 3rd stay. Our expectations have been exceeded, every time. Our affinity to this resort have grown stronger, for good reason. Highly recommended. 1) Service - Great. This is probably their main strength. The little details (such as "Welcome Back" in tiny flowers on the bed and the thank you note on a mini chalkboard at our last dinner at Rak Talay), the way they anticipate your needs even before you realise it, the efficiency in fulfilling requests, the whole system involved in running the whole resort - Amazing. 2) App - This was new for us and is a game changer. We could have a live chat with the hotel for everything from dinner reservations to getting meds at the nearest pharmacy to getting a door fixed - without having to leave the comfort of wherever we were, whether in our room or on the beach! 3) People - Great. Everyone from the one receiving us at the airport to the drivers to the motorboat operators to reception to beach boys to restaurant teams - polite, friendly, hospitable, patient and authentic. They somehow manage to give you a genuine smile even when in crisis. They are the ones who make you feel like you belong there and you deserve to be treated well. They maintain a high standard and are genuinely apologetic when the slightest thing goes wrong (even when it is trivial and not even their fault). 4) Food - Bfast buffet at the Spice & Rice restaurant was good. At least 60% of the food were halal and they had a good variety. Good quality and taste. We had the buffet for 4 days and we were not bored. If you stay at the pool hillside villa, your fast would be at Seven Seas restaurant. We also ate at Rak Talay on the beach - they can cater to specific food needs e.g. halal. Food was great 10-12 yrs ago, it was still great last month :-) 5) Location - You get the sea/beach and the green forest at the same time. Beautiful. On a clear day, you'll get sunset on the beach... Given it is on an island, the travel from airport takes abt 1.5 - 2 hours (depending on season) involving 2 car pickups and 1 motorboat ride. Not an issue for us because it was pleasant all the way. There is not much outside the resort for us except for a small town you can walk to (about 700m one way) for 7E convenience store, cheaper food, tailor, self-service laundromat & souvenir stores. You can also head out for some cliff / hillside view of sunset at selected restaurants outside (ask for hotel recommendations). 6) Maintenance - This resort is more than 20 yrs old but to us, it did not show at all. We have stayed at the pool hillside villa, beach villa, chairman's villa and this time the deluxe villa - all were great. For a property located so near to the sea (which causes steel corrosion and wood to rot), this property hardly showed signs of being "weathered down". There was a review I read before this trip which mentioned there were signs of things being old, we didn't see this in person. Longest review I have ever written - hope this helps. If you're not looking for motor activities such as jet ski and instead looking for a nice quiet getaway with some fun on the beach, by the pool, a bit of pickleball or just lounging on a verandah with a book...and especially for a romantic getaway, THIS is the place. P/S: Huge thank you to the team at Pimalai! Hope to see you soon!

We spent a wonderful week at Pimalai Resort & Spa in Koh Lanta, and it was truly an unforgettable experience. Even the arrival was perfectly organized. We were picked up at the airport and smoothly transferred to the resort by van and a short boat ride. Everything felt very professional — the staff knew exactly who we were, where our luggage needed to go, and made sure the journey was completely effortless. We had booked a Deluxe Room and, since we were on our honeymoon, we were welcomed with a lovely room decoration, a small cake, and a bottle of sparkling wine. The sleeping area was a bit smaller and not as modern compared to other hotels we’ve stayed in, but the bathroom, however, was spacious and well-designed. We had a room on the upper floor with a beautiful sea view — something we can absolutely recommend. For swimming, there are two large pools as well as direct access to the beach. There were always plenty of sun loungers and umbrellas available, and the pool service was excellent. There are also plenty of activities to enjoy at the resort. Guests can borrow bicycles to explore the surroundings, or take part in one of the organized experiences. We joined the Thai cooking class (2,650 Baht per person), which was an absolute highlight. The class was led by one of Pimalai’s chefs, who explained everything clearly and with great enthusiasm. The setup was beautifully arranged, and the food we prepared was delicious. At the end, everyone received a Pimalai cooking apron to take home — such a lovely touch and a perfect souvenir from this special experience. The food in general was outstanding. We had booked half board and were able to dine every evening in one of the three restaurants. The food quality was exceptional, and there was a wide variety to choose from. There were also themed buffet nights with changing menus, which were all beautifully done. Our favorite by far was The Seven Seas — the food there was phenomenal, and the service was truly outstanding. A special thank you to the waitresses Aom, Mai Cha and especially Yu Ewin, who did an absolutely amazing job. They were so kind, attentive, and professional — they made every dinner a special experience. We would have loved to stay longer and will definitely return one day. Thank you, Pimalai, for an unforgettable stay and for making our honeymoon so special!

What a beautiful hotel. I felt truly spoilt staying here. My husband and I stayed here with my daughter and her boyfriend for 5 nights. We had a one bedroom suite and they had a one bedroom next to us in their own unit. The suite was stunning, beautifully furnished and every detail thought of, it felt pure luxury. The hotel grounds are very lush and well kept, running down to a long and sandy beach. Breakfast was delicious, taken in one of the three restaurants, a vast choice and excellent, attentive service. We are in the beach restaurant Rak Talay a couple of times and again the food and service were second to none. Shout out to Noi, who works on Reception and was so helpful and kind, as were all the staff. I would love to return to Pimalai.

From Krabi airport , they pick you up and you have about 2 hours trip ( boat and car ) to get there . Beautiful scenery , nice rooms , very comfortable bed & soft bed sheets , nice towels . The beach is very pretty too . But the hotel is more like chain hotels than small luxury hotel . The restaurant in the middle , the tables is so close to each other that has no privacy . The beach bed same thing , even thought the beach is big and empty . We would stay at the beach restaurant and didn’t used the beds . Staff in the beach restaurant and in the hill restaurant were very nice .yoga and most of the sport classes you have to pay extra which for a resort is not great . Normally most resorts have daily free yoga or other sport classes .food quality is ok . All together pleasant stay but not very privacy.. pool also all jammed next to each others . Good for family .. kids everywhere .

We stayed here 3 nights in a hilltop villa. It was absolutely stunning !! Exceptionally clean and large with super comfortable beds and your own private pool. Two terraces to relax on and a gorgeous large lounge and the most stunning views. Breakfast was always fresh and plentiful and all the staff at this resort are so friendly and helpful !! I live in Dubai where I see luxury on a daily basis but this resort takes luxury to a whole new level. If you are looking for a very quiet, private place to relax then this is your resort !!