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Best Hotel in Koh Lanta
Pimalai Resort and Spa on the island of Koh Lanta is everything you could want – at least it’s everything I wanted – in a Thai luxury hotel.
(To be fair, my husband preferred Layana, the other top tier – but very different – luxury hotel on the Thai island of Koh Lanta.)
Why Pimalai?
This dreamy 5-star resort has a beachside location, with tasteful villas crawling up the lush mountainside and a jaw-dropping infinity pool with spectacular views of the Andaman Sea.
We stayed here a week and hopefully this Pimalai Resort review will help you decide if it’s the right beach resort in Thailand for you.
Check prices and availability for Pimalai Resort & Spa here.
Getting There
A lot of people put off going to Koh Lanta because there are no direct flights to the island. I kept putting it off for years. This means it’s not overly crowded.
If you stay at Pimalai they will pick you up from the airport and arrange transportation at no extra fee.
We arrived at the resort late at night – it’s a two-hour journey from Krabi airport and we caught a late flight from Bangkok.
After our welcome drink of lemongrass, lemon and syrup, we checked in and stood on the balcony of our Deluxe Room in the balmy tropical air. It was dark as a bat’s wing.
A Seaside Resort
Peering through the shadowy silhouettes of palm trees and ferns, I asked my husband, “Are those waves I hear? Is that the sea out there?”
Obviously, when you book a 5-star beach resort in Koh Lanta you shouldn’t be surprised to be near the sea, but, since we’d booked a Deluxe Room, the cheapest type of accommodation (which really couldn’t be classified as ‘cheap’ at all), I’d thought we’d be facing something less appealing, like the back of the kitchen or at best a garden.
Ocean View
But no. In the morning, the view of pale blue water rolling up to soft sand on Kantiang Bay was the first thing we saw as it appeared through the foliage. (So I’m just saying that Room 134 suited us well.)
The reason we had a view is because we booked an upper level room. If you’re staying in a Deluxe Villa I recommend you do the same. Though I’m sure the lower ones have benefits we don’t know about.
The Deluxe Rooms are in two level units in groupings of four so there is a lot of space around you. And I could barely see the red tile roofs of the rooms in front of me so we had a lot of privacy.
Kantiang Bay Beach
Pimalai Resort is set on Kantiang Bay. According to a minivan driver we hired to take us around the island, Kantiang Bay is the best beach on Koh Lanta.
This didn’t agree with TripAdvisor reviews I’d read that say the much more developed Long Beach is better. In fact, they barely mention Kantiang Bay at all.
But it’s a sleepy serene place and the longer I stayed the more content I was.
Kantiang Bay is a lovely beach – all melt-under-your-toes sand and clear water that’s ideal for swimming.
Pimalai takes up most of the beach with beach cabanas, a beach bar (very popular for 2-For-1 Happy Hour drinks at sunset), some beachfront villas and the Rak Taley seafood restaurant, where we ate nearly every night.
I did like their Tom Yum Goon soup.
What Can You Do in Kantiang Bay?
Visit the Why Not Bar
If you walk down the beach about 10 minutes from Pimalai you’ll find the Why Not Bar, which has a laid-back vibe and equally good sunset views.
It’s a different universe than the understated but very luxe atmosphere at Pimalai. Why Not has a more meditative hippy vibe. And it’s much cheaper.
There is a little village here where you can get taxis, rent motorbikes, eat in some of the restaurants or go to the 7-11 for late night balcony snacks.
About Pimalai Resort & Spa
Well, it’s gorgeous and one of the best resorts in Thailand. Let me be more specific. Think rainforest-meets-beautiful-beach gorgeous.
It’s loosely divided into three levels: the beach, the middle level with reception, pool, spa and restaurant, and the top level with the infinity pool and high end dining with a view.
Nature is the star at Pimalai Resort, and it never feels crowded as it’s so spread out and there are so many levels.
The Beach
The beach has plenty of cabanas and deck chairs and towels, and staff refresh your ice water constantly. Just FYI, the back cabanas get pretty decent shade in the afternoon. (Can you tell I like my shade?)
If you want a kayak or a paddleboard you ask for it, fill out a form and they bring you a life jacket and paddle. It was my daily adventure.
Main Pool
At the middle level of the resort there is a pool. It’s very popular and we started our days there, until Mark fell in love with the upper pool and I became wedded to the beach.
If you’re at the pool at the right time the staff bring around little fruit skewers of watermelon and pineapple.
We never had to fight for deck chairs, though it was occasionally a bit of a scramble for spots in the shade in the late afternoon.
Infinity Pool
The infinity pool at the top of the resort is spread out like some blue slash of paradise.
Up at the top of the resort there is a gym (which we actually used! I’m so impressed with ourselves). There are also some very fancy villas with pools, which we couldn’t hope to afford.
Restaurants
At the middle level of the resort, not far from the reception lobby, is the Spice and Rice Restaurant where we spent hours at the breakfast buffet in the morning.
It’s a magnificent breakfast. Eggs Benedict from the egg station was my favourite, followed by two huge plates of fruit.
Papaya and dragon fruit days were the best, in my opinion, but my husband preferred mango and passionfruit mornings. (He also liked the chocolate croissants.)
At the top, near the Infinity Pool, is the deluxe Seven Seas Restaurant. It’s Italian themed, apparently one of the best restaurants on the island, and is also incredibly romantic with its sweeping view of the bay.
Is Pimalai Centrally Located?
No. It’s not central like its main luxury hotel rival Layana on Long Beach (where we also stayed, but not at the same time, obviously).
Many people rent scooters, but we spent our time walking along the beach into the village and once we hired a car and driver to take us around.
PImalai is located near the southwest tip of Koh Lanta, on Kantiang Bay not far from Mu Ko National Park.
Design
The resort architecture is Southern Thai.
This makes sense because it’s in Southern Thailand, but what it means in this case is teak floors, white walls, red clay-tiled roofs, silk curtains and art – at least in our room – that evokes nature in the style of batik-looking leaves.
Rooms
Our room was one of a cluster of four rooms with two above and two at ground level.
It felt very private and our balcony was an alluring place to linger, except that we were so busy lingering by one of the pools or the beach that it had stiff competition for our attention.
One morning a tiny yellow bird with a huge red beak landed on our balcony. I swear, its beak was bigger than its body. No wonder it stopped for a rest. A memory I’ll never forget.
The room has a large bathtub that was sort of in the middle of the room but could be walled off with a sliding wood and glass door.
The washroom area was nearly as large as the sleeping area with separate stalls for both toilet and shower.
The beds were divinely comfortable and the air conditioning kept the room cool at night.
When we arrived there was a welcome fruit plate and coconut water to drink (and this is after the lemongrass and lemon drink they give us at reception).
It wasn’t the biggest room in the world but the finishings are first rate.
Service
Thai hospitality is superb at this level of a hotel.
They’ll bring you life vests and paddles when you want to take out a kayak and don’t seem to mind if your husband asks for a fifth cup of coffee.
Things to Do
There are a number of marine excursions offered through the hotel, and they’re top rate with transportation on Pimalai’s luxury speedboats.
Particularly popular are the excursions to the islands of Mu Koh Lanta National Marine Parks for snorkelling and up-close views of the stunning scenery complete with clear turquoise water and sheer limestone cliffs.
Other activities include cooking classes, fitness classes, and a first-class spa in a leafy tropical setting.
(We did a couple’s massage, except that Mark only wanted a head massage so really it was half a couple plus a head. Lovely anyway.)
Pimalai Resort & Spa Review Verdict
I thought Pimalai was a magnificent, peaceful stay in a James-Bond-like setting. If you’re looking for a place to unwind, this is it.
If you want nightlife and a lively vibe, you’re probably best to go elsewhere.
Long Beach has the most hotels and resorts on Koh Lanta, and if that’s more your vibe I’d suggest the adults-only Layana Resort and Spa. (Not, obviously, if you’re travelling with children.)
Now, when I’m tired and feeling like a worn out dishrag, I think of Pimalai, of that movie-set infinity pool, of the sleepy kayaking trips (except once I had to rescue a French family who had tipped over and weren’t wearing life jackets – true story), and those long drawn-out breakfasts with birdsong, sunshine and fresh fruit. Ahh. My happy place.
The downside? 5-star luxury in Thailand doesn’t come cheap but for me, it was worth the splurge.
