El Pillax Lanta Resort — Hotel in Ko Lanta Yai

The resort is located on a nice stretch of beach on Koh Lanta. The sunsets are beautiful and can be enjoyed from the beachfront loungers. Breakfast offers a wide variety, but I would rate the taste and quality as just “okay” but there is no real varieties and this for a French owner .... 🤔 The staff is friendly and tries to be helpful—something we most of the time experience in Thailand. However, there is a noticeable lack of english proficiency and at times a lack of attention (and motivation).

Our room are minimalistic and simply furnished, which is a matter of taste—but personally, in this case not our preference.

However, some aspects were objectively disappointing: • The bathroom sink only provided a weak stream of cold water. Luckily, we at least had warm running water in the shower—starting from the third day. • There are really bad smell coming from the bathroom drain (which is probably why a diffuser was already in the room and turned on during cleaning—it still smelled, just differently and artificially, causing headache -:/ ) • Storage space was extremely limited: a small clothing rack and a built-in shelf - see picture!

When we raised this issue through Agoda, the owner’s response was: “There is sufficient space for clothes.” If stacking or leaving clothes on the floor is considered “sufficient storage,” then this might be the right place for you. But for a 4-star resort, I expect more than this kind of “creativity” from guests and a practice solution offered. The room we booked with a “partial sea view” had no real (particular) sea view at all. If you positioned yourself at the very edge of the terrace and really tried, you could catch a small glimpse of the water in the far distance. The owner’s response to Agoda “The room have sea and pool view". Pool view - yes, sea view - no it doesn’t

Sorry, but marketing the rooms this way feels deceptive. (See attached photos). Maybe some wellmeaning guests would consider this a “partial sea view”, but for us, this was misleading advertising.

Fact is During our stay, the following were completely non-existent, despite being explicitly advertised: • NO yoga room (though listed as available) • NO yoga classes (though advertised; staff directed us to an external yoga studio a 6-minute walk away) • NO ice bath (though advertised)

Additionally, the resort does have: • NO gym/fitness center (though listed on Agoda and Booking) • NO wellness/spa (though advertised - a massage service is available, but that is not the same as wellness/spa that they claim) • NO bicycle rental (though advertised - motorbike and scooter rental are listed separately and are not the same) This one is especially unacceptable given the resort’s 4-star claim and high price point!

Conclusion: For over 300 Euro per night, we could expected a high-quality 4-star experience. Instead, we found a resort that misrepresents its offerings, lacks transparency, and fails to deliver basic amenities. We would have preferred to spend our time relaxing and enjoying our vacation rather than writing this detailed review, but we feel it’s important for other potential guests to know the reality. There are cheaper, more beautiful, and more honest places nearby.

Final Thoughts: For us, the price-performance ratio and the 4-star rating did not meet our expectations at El Pillax. I also personally find the many positive reviews hard to understand. At times, we even felt that management was aware of these shortcomings but simply didn’t care. If other guests don’t see it this way, that’s great for them (and El Pillax). But advertising amenities and services that don’t exist (or aren’t available at the time) leaves a bitter taste. Now, I am curious to see how the owner will respond, as I have seen their “professional” and “reflective” replies to previous negative reviews.

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Avoid This Hotel – Misleading, Overpriced, and Unhygienic

We stayed in the "villa" at this so-called "5-star" resort, which charged over $400 per night for a 4-room accommodation. Our experience revealed that this place barely qualifies as a 2.5-star motel. The reality was a stark contrast to the polished images online.

Upon our arrival, the villa was dirty, with visible dust and a persistent sewage smell coming from the bathrooms. There was an alarming number of bugs, including bed bugs, gnats, mosquitoes, and spiders. While we anticipated some insects due to the tropical location, the extent of the infestation was unacceptable for the price we paid. There were also several large, unscreened openings in the bathrooms, allowing bugs to freely enter.

Agoda advertised numerous amenities, including a spa, sauna, gym, yoga room, indoor pool, and massage services. Unfortunately, many of these features were nonexistent. Only the hot tub was available, and only if you booked a specific room. The spa, indoor pool, gym and sauna were not available, and massage services were suspended during our stay due to construction above the treatment areas, despite these services being prominently advertised.

The photos on Agoda were misleading, mainly highlighting the restaurant, entertainment, and select renovated bungalows. The claim that the property was renovated in 2024 was inaccurate, as our villa did not resemble any of the updated images. We were particularly disappointed by the bathrooms, which were supposed to feature clean, separate shower areas. Instead, we found a cramped combined shower/toilet setup reminiscent of 2-star hostels. The condition of the walls and floors was poor, with peeling paint and old, dirty tiles.

Furthermore, we had issues with hot water. Three of the showers only provided lukewarm water, while one offered only cold water. The showers were filthy, forcing us to wear sandals to avoid the grime. When we complained about the lack of hot water, we received a dismissive shrug, with staff saying, “We’ll look into it.”

As a "5-star" establishment, this hotel failed to offer even the basic amenities expected of a 3-star or even a 4-star property. Several essential features were missing, such as an internal phone, wardrobe, hot shower, and more. For a 4-star classification, amenities like a spa, an automated keycard system, 24-hour room service, slippers, hair dryer etc. were also absent.

The accommodations were inadequate, with dirty sheets on the bed and a tiny, grimy sink with no space for toiletries. We were left with just a metal clothes rack and a couple of hangers, forcing us to live out of our suitcases for four nights. Additionally, we were given only one key for the villa shared among four people, leading to safety concerns and inconvenience. We were left with the option of either leaving the villa unlocked or hiding the key since we were not always together. Cleaning service was also only available if you left the villa unlocked. There was also no safety security box to lock valuables.

Power outages were another issue, affecting the entire hotel except for our villa, which remained powered. Other guests endured multiple outages, which interrupted dinner service and entertainment; for example, fire dancers had no music. We felt sympathy for them as they waited in the dark, while we had power.

Overall, the level of service was disappointing, with indifferent staff and ineffective responses to concerns. The breakfast was uninspired, with leftovers from the previous evening's buffet. Having traveled extensively through Thailand, I can confidently say this hotel does not live up to its high price tag and promises. Save your money and seek better...

We have been traveling around Thailand for two and a half months so far and El Pillax resort Ko Lanta has won a place in my heart. Having been to Thailand for months on end over the last 20 years we never new about Ko Lanta and what a hidden gem it is. It has simply been the most perfect stay on a beautiful island. The meet and greet was the best I have had in many years of traveling. I am not one who mentions peoples names in reviews but on this occasion it’s a must. KRISTA thank you and your staff for the most perfect stay, I was sad to leave but not being a negative person I am smiling from ear to ear for when I return. More about El Pillax Resort. We had the sea view room which was very modern and had the most fabulous views of the sunset. Very quiet aircon, huge television with Netflix and various other movie channels, fridge filled with various drinks, tea and coffee facilities and wall to ceiling smoked glass double sliding door giving lots of light without losing your privacy. A king size very comfortable bed, changed daily as are the towels The bathroom is very tastefully decorated with a rainforest shower,l and good quality complimentary toiletries. They also do washing by the kilo at 40 baht and that includes ironing which simply can’t be beaten. There is wonderful swimming pool with mood lighting with an ornate waterfall which is open all the time as it is situated right next to the beach and far enough away not to disturb other guests. Food I would recommend having breakfast included as it real bacon and very nice sausages and gives you a kickstart to the day. The massaman curry and the Pad Thai are the best I have had in Thailand and extremely well priced. Ko Lanta Very good diving 4 island tour is a must. We hired a private chartered boat for 6000 baht (The boats hold 15 people). I am not saying to much as you just have to do it. There is a big wow factor involved so I will leave it there. Old town is stunning with a fabulous real ale bar called BIG TREE BEER GARDEN. We had a very good homemade pie and chips and washed it down with copious amounts of thai real ale, they do many thai dishes but after a while I find my body need a bit of western food. Mangove tour was very good with lots of different birds and it’s a breeding ground for dolphins and sharks, plenty of monkeys to. The LANTA ANIMAL WELFARE which is run by Junie Kovacs who sold everything 20 years ago and moved out here and has worked tirelessly 7 days a week looking after animals from the various islands rehabilitating and finding new homes for them. She also runs a cookery class at TIME FOR LIME where you’re taught thai cooking and of course how to make some very tasty cocktails 😊. Noi the instructor is a delight. I extended my stay at El Pillax Resort from one week to two and still didn’t want to leave. I could simply go on and on but I won’t. Come and visit the island and see the beauty...