Railay Great View Resort & Spa — Attraction in Krabi Province

The views are great and that’s about it. Inaccessible, poor information and reception staff are antagonistic

Positives: The views are incredible, breakfast was good and the breakfast staff are friendly and helpful. The rooms are pleasant and ear plugs are provided to counter the noise of boats going past (you will experience this noise anywhere on Railay where you are next to the sea…it isn’t unique to Great View). The pool is good and there is pool service available for 3-4 hours from midday. Pool service staff are great - super helpful & friendly.

Negatives: The hotel desperately needs to provide proper access information upfront to guests. We walked with heavy suitcases from Railay East pier to the hotel. The path is not really suitable for heavy bags as it has steep inclines and is exposed to the sun - this was a challenge even for 2 fit young people. When we arrived at the hotel, Jib on reception found our state of exhaustion amusing and was laughing which did not go unchallenged by us. My advice is to take a water taxi from Ao Nam Ma pier (100 THB) and ask the captain to make a special stop at Great View on the way and they will drop you direct at the hotel pier - the captain did this at no additional cost for us.

We went diving for a few days and needed to be in Ao Nang early. When I asked Jib (on reception) for advice how to get there for 8am, she tried to contact one private transfer service and as there was no immediate answer from them, she simply concluded “you can’t get there for that time”. Another reception colleague was able to assist us very quickly with a private transfer (1000 THB) and a packed breakfast to take with us.

On checkout, Jib tried to charge us for a broken glass which had fallen off the table as a result of the unstable flooring (see below) which I took exception to on principle given we paid in excess of 4,000 THB per night and this seemed like incidental damage rather than malicious. The pettiness of it all was frankly astonishing - she had even bagged the broken glass to produce as evidence on checkout. I even got told that if I didn’t pay for the glass that it would be deducted from the wages of the staff which I branded as disgusting and demanded to speak with the manager who was more reasonable and cancelled the charge. The whole escapade took about 15-20 minutes and left a really bad taste in my mouth and was a terrible final memory of this place.

Other problems we encountered: the floor was unstable in the room and the entire place shook when one of us walked across the floor. Not really an issue unless one of you goes to the bathroom at night as it will definitely wake everyone else in the room up. multiple requests had to be made to reception for pool towels despite promises of “yes we will bring them right up” the bar is supposed to be open every afternoon but rarely is. When we asked if we could have a drink we were usually met with the answer “no bar staff today”. I think we successfully got a drink on just one...

Railay Great View Resort & Spa is a place that has managed to turn what should have been a joyous trip into an absolute nightmare. From the very beginning, it became clear that this establishment is plagued by a host of problems.

The staff, starting from the management down to the lowest level, displayed a shocking level of rudeness and a complete absence of compassion or empathy. My fiancée suffered an injury due to the resort's dangerously poorly maintained and steep pavement on just the second day of our stay, setting the tone for the rest of our visit.

The rooms themselves were a testament to neglect, with dated furnishings and doors that didn't even lock properly. These doors also provided convenient entry points for bugs, which infested our room through the gaps. Railay Great View Resort & Spa is unapologetically overpriced, charging exorbitant rates for food, massages, and laundry services, forcing guests to venture into town for more reasonable options.

It's clear that I'm not alone in my grievances, as a quick glance at various review websites will reveal countless others who share this sentiment. The entire resort reeked of neglect and screamed for much-needed investment. The grounds were in disarray, and the rooms were in dire need of refurbishment, both inside and out.

Communication with the staff was a challenge due to their shockingly low level of English proficiency, a stark contrast to our experiences at other locations in Thailand. The erratic service only added to our frustration. For instance, we were initially told that drinking water was complimentary, only to discover that it was restricted to a meager 500ml bottle per guest per day.

Accessibility was another nightmare, with accommodation accessible only via steep, uneven paths that lacked handrails. A grueling 350-step trek from the restaurant to our room was not only inconvenient but also unsafe.

The ordeal continued with a 40-minute walk carrying two pieces of luggage, one of which ended up broken. The room we were assigned was a far cry from the luxurious images they showcased. Also we booked and payed for a “partial sea view room”, which only means that they will give you a room with view of tree blocking the sea completely. Upon arrival, we found the door broken, and no assistance was offered with our luggage, adding to our frustration.

Even basic amenities like water pressure in the bathroom were woefully inadequate, and no action was taken to rectify the issue. The resort boasted a team of the worst staff I've ever encountered, further adding to the overall disappointment.

The dining experience was dismal, with subpar food at exorbitant prices, and the promised Wi-Fi was nonexistent. In conclusion, Railay Great View Resort & Spa is a perfect destination if you're seeking a stress-inducing, disastrous vacation. I strongly urge everyone to avoid this place at all costs. It's a breeding ground for disappointment,...

Total rip off!! Very expensive what it is. Its a backpacker hotel with major inconveniences incredible noisy, you have helicopter soundtrack 24/7 thanks to old motorboats at the nearby harbour also at night!. Very cheaply build huts. Nice on the inside but thats it. You have constant noise from boats / people anything. The welcome on your bed are earplugs. They know the problem and they dont care at all. They act deaf to your issue. very far in the dchungl on a small bumpy road. - only reachable with backpack. Not suitable for strollers, toddlers, big suitcases, handicapped, elderly. The resort itself is very steep. They also dont help you with the lagguage bc everyone has the problem. Nothing of those issues are indicated on their webpage! No hint. lots of moscitos everywhere . The doors & windows are not holding them off.

The manager hides in the back of the reception. Receptionists just suggests to wear earbugs. 24/7.thatswhy i travelled around the globe to either have migranes or not speak to my family. no other help. Wow. Then they offered me an upgrade room when we already packed up and checked out after our first complain. What update wd stop the helicopter sound surrounding this place pr the moscitos or the hung up wifi ? We alteady booked a luxery bungalow room. Just indicate on your webpage that it is very difficult to access and only suitable for certain people. Its not suitable for under 1 year olds at all. On your page however its only mentioned If you want to access by car their is free parking. Really? this is an island with no cars on the entire area??

the overal look of the actual resort is nothing like a spa or resort - this needs a lot of more work done. They try to make european big bucks but dont live up to its standard. They have constantly issues with customers Breakfast is available for only 2h wifi hangs up regularely Its an expensive backpacker hotel with false advertisement. the manager hiding in the back behind receptionists did not agree on the cancellation. I was Given the excuse its already paid and booking doest do it. My agency told me the resort has to agree on the cancellstion. So They directly lied to my face? But hey the „manager“ run after us after we left to offer us a free boat ride to the pier …thats free for any customers of this „resort“ anyhow … like what?? if they agree to refund the booking, happy to delete...