Lanta Casa Blanca — Hotel in Ko Lanta Yai

Background;|My wife and I are seasoned travellers, having visited most Asian countries. Thailand is a particular favourite of ours, visiting the country over 30 times in the past forty years.|Whilst their are a few locations and hotels that we particularly like and have visited multiple times, we always endeavour to include visiting new locations and hotels. Our visits are always for a month or more stayings for at least a week or more in four destinations. They are planned for September each year in order for us to celebrate our wedding anniversay. September is towards the end of the low season, so it does sometimes rain, but their are less tourists.||We have stayed in well over 100 hotels in Thailand across all types of accomodations, with our preference being smaller boutique hotels. Prior to selecting a location and accomodation we thoroughly research each, mainly via the hotels web site but also and importantly via reviews from other visitors. Based on these reviews, we chose the Casa Blanca Resort in Koh Lanta, many of which showed a pristine resort, with a good pool and a spa that overlooked the sea and all on a lovely beach. As it was our anniversay we booked the Casa Villa Beachfront, villa number AO1, costing over a thousand pounds sterling for eight nights. Based on customer reviews and cost our expectations were high.||Our Experience of the Casa Blanca Resort;|When the hotel was booked we also booked a transfer with the hotel to take us from the airport in Krabi to the hotel. The hotel was provided with the flight number for the flight from Chiang Mai and the arrival time. We received confirmation of this, which also stated that we would be met at gate 16 by their representative who would have a board showing our name. Our flight landed at gate 15 and we walked to gate 16, which was deserted. We waited for about 30 minutes and no representative showed up. Fortunately a member of the airport staff asked us why we were waiting and we showed them the correspondance from the hotel, he confirmed that the hotel had the wrong gate number and kindly rang gate 15 for the representative to come to gate 16. Whilst this was inconvenient we just felt that the hotel had made a typing error.|Positively the transfer from the airpoirt to the hotel was efficient and comfortable.||Our first impressions of the Resorts grounds were that they appeared somewhat neglected. However, the staff at reception were very pleasant and helpful and after checking in took us to our Villa, where we were left to unpack.||On putting our cases on the day bed to unpack we were greeted by two cockroaches running across the bed, we also found the in-room safe not working. I immediately contacted reception and a cleaner and maintenance arrived shortly after to put these issue right, unfortunately by this time only one cockroach could be found, so it was likely that we spent the next eight nights with an unwelcomed guest.||As it was low season we expect some rain and on one night there was a particularly heavy storm that kept lifting and banging the veranda roof this appeared to be due to poor maintenance. In addition, the bamboo plants at the side of the villa were crashing onto the wall of the villa, all of which resulted in a sleepless night for my wife and I. Again I contacted reception and maintenace immediately arrived to make temorary repairs.||We only ate breakfast at the resort, as it was low season they were not doing the usual buffet, instead they offered a restricted menu of mainly eggs and roti. This was not a problem as we prefer freshly cooked food, although as we were staying for eight nights it did become repetitive. For us it would have been nice to have a different local food daily special to alleviate the repetitiveness of the menu.||As mentioned at the beginning of this review we base our choice of accomodation on previous reviews most of which were positive. As can be seen from the aforementioned our experiance was totally different and, therefore, our expectations were not met. Further examples of why this is the case are as follows;| Firstly the entire beach was not pristine as it was full of flotsam and jestsam.| There are loungers in front of the beach, but on the sunniest day when we planned to use them they were not available due to maintenance cutting and pruning the hedges and trees. The resort was clearly getting ready for their more important high season guests, rather than giving consideration to low season guests.| In line with the above the resort were building new gazebos (ready for high season guests) directly at the side of the restaurant. Much of this work was carried out during the breakfast period, giving little or no thought to guests who were having breakfast.| The pathways around the villas needed a good clean they were ingrained with dirt and in places slippery. Although on our last day at the resort we noticed maintenance jet washing the paths in front of a couple of the pool villas. Probably to be ready for their more important high season guests.| My wife and I always use the onsite spa/massage of the hotels we visit, we did in the three other hotels we visited during this trip. I asked a manage if the spa was available and was told it was and they could contact someone to come in to do a massage. If you have looked at the hotel web site and other customers reviews you will see a clean and beautiful looking spa, with people being massaged in a clean room with a large room overlooking the sea. Our reality as shown in the attached photos is a filthy, derelict looking spa surrounded by rubbish and bnuilders materials and tools.||In Conclusion|All the staff that we had contact with were pleasant and helpful. The issues we had with the Villa were addressed quickly.||It strongly appears that the resort does not value low season guests to the level they do for high season guests, particulary in relation to the whole environment of the resort. ||At £1006 or 433,580 Bhat for 8 nights, was it value for money, definately not.||As previously mentioned we have visited well over 100 hotels across Thailand, the Casa Blanca Resort sits in the bottom three of meeting our expectations. It is not a place we would visit...

Let me start by saying that from the moment we arrived at the hotel we were greeted with a beautiful cold drink and soothing, cool flannels to wipe down our sweaty foreheads. What a start! We would then accompanied to our room by a member of the front of house team. Our room, a Premium Deluxe Villa was absolutely gorgeous! It was styled to perfection and themed like a seaside beach theme which perfectly complimented the beach side hotel. Air Conditioning in the room blew lovely and cold and the room really was spotlessly clean.||Sadly, that is really where the positivity ends. Despite the hotel looking great from the outside, fundamentally it fails on so many other levels. General Service around the hotel is shocking and it appears the staff just don’t get it. The main beach bar / restaurant was overly populated by staff just standing around talking to themselves when there were dirty glasses and plates on tables, they lacked standard manners when trying to communicate with them and almost scowled when asking them for additional drinks and food. This was particularly noticeable from what we would assume was the restaurant manager, he was terrible. I note one particular incident where we were ordered drinks but where not offered a bill to sign against out hotel room. That evening, at 10.30pm, bang bang on our hotel room stood the restaurant manager. In an aggressive tone – you owe 350 baht! You must pay now! Really? At 10.30pm. Just charge it to our room and we’ll pay on check out like we had been doing for the 4 days we were at the hotel. He was insistent that I handed over the cash now which I thought was very odd. ||Breakfast in the hotel was the worse we experienced in all of Thailand. Selection of food was minimal and it was generally very dirty. Again, despite there being so many tables with dirty cups and plates, staff just did not appear to be working to clear up which made finding a table to even drink a coffee in the morning really hard. I caught a glimpse of the standard of hygiene in the kitchen too and that was very worrying. On the main walkways there were bins on the grass. In all of our time at Lanta Casa Blanca, the bins were not emptied and the overspilled black bags not collected. Even dirty beer cans were left on the floor. I couldn’t quite believe it that staff were constantly walking past these and not collecting them. Despite the pool looking great and the water lovely, poolside was a mess. Every table had been left with empty bottles, crisp and sweet wrappers on the floor yet staff are stood in the restaurant talking / laughing to themselves.||We didn’t stay for dinner after seeing the kitchen and ventured out every evening to local restaurants but please be mindful that the local restaurant choice is minimal and you will more than likely have to jump in a Tuk Tuk. Fortunately there are a handful waiting for hotel guests, just outside of the hotel main gates.||If you want a cold drink after 9.30pm, even a bottle of water then good luck as the hotel literally closes down and you will have to venture along the beach to a local beach bar which is a huge trick missed in my opinion. Sunsets were beautiful though and I highly recommend grabbing a beer at around 5.30pm and watching the sun go down on the beach. ||If you want a quiet, peaceful hotel then I suggest you don’t go here as I have never been to a hotel with some many babies and small children! Something I wasn’t aware of before booking our stay.||Sadly, it doesn’t appear that senior management read these reviews or comment which is a shame as lots of people comment on here which would only help with improving the general standard...

Let me start by saying that from the moment we arrived at the hotel we were greeted with a beautiful cold drink and soothing, cool flannels to wipe down our sweaty foreheads. What a start! We would then accompanied to our room by a member of the front of house team. Our room, a Premium Deluxe Villa was absolutely gorgeous! It was styled to perfection and themed like a seaside beach theme which perfectly complimented the beach side hotel. Air Conditioning in the room blew lovely and cold and the room really was spotlessly clean.

Sadly, that is really where the positivity ends. Despite the hotel looking great from the outside, fundamentally it fails on so many other levels. General Service around the hotel is shocking and it appears the staff just don’t get it. The main beach bar / restaurant was overly populated by staff just standing around talking to themselves when there were dirty glasses and plates on tables, they lacked standard manners when trying to communicate with them and almost scowled when asking them for additional drinks and food. This was particularly noticeable from what we would assume was the restaurant manager, he was terrible. I note one particular incident where we were ordered drinks but where not offered a bill to sign against out hotel room. That evening, at 10.30pm, bang bang on our hotel room stood the restaurant manager. In an aggressive tone – you owe 350 baht! You must pay now! Really? At 10.30pm. Just charge it to our room and we’ll pay on check out like we had been doing for the 4 days we were at the hotel. He was insistent that I handed over the cash now which I thought was very odd.

Breakfast in the hotel was the worse we experienced in all of Thailand. Selection of food was minimal and it was generally very dirty. Again, despite there being so many tables with dirty cups and plates, staff just did not appear to be working to clear up which made finding a table to even drink a coffee in the morning really hard. I caught a glimpse of the standard of hygiene in the kitchen too and that was very worrying. On the main walkways there were bins on the grass. In all of our time at Lanta Casa Blanca, the bins were not emptied and the overspilled black bags not collected. Even dirty beer cans were left on the floor. I couldn’t quite believe it that staff were constantly walking past these and not collecting them. Despite the pool looking great and the water lovely, poolside was a mess. Every table had been left with empty bottles, crisp and sweet wrappers on the floor yet staff are stood in the restaurant talking / laughing to themselves.

We didn’t stay for dinner after seeing the kitchen and ventured out every evening to local restaurants but please be mindful that the local restaurant choice is minimal and you will more than likely have to jump in a Tuk Tuk. Fortunately there are a handful waiting for hotel guests, just outside of the hotel main gates.

If you want a cold drink after 9.30pm, even a bottle of water then good luck as the hotel literally closes down and you will have to venture along the beach to a local beach bar which is a huge trick missed in my opinion. Sunsets were beautiful though and I highly recommend grabbing a beer at around 5.30pm and watching the sun go down on the beach.

If you want a quiet, peaceful hotel then I suggest you don’t go here as I have never been to a hotel with some many babies and small children! Something I wasn’t aware of before booking our stay.

Sadly, it doesn’t appear that senior management read these review or comment which is a shame as lots of people comment on here which would only help with improving the general standard...