Yao Yai Beach Resort — Hotel in Ko Yao Yai

Ok here is a full review on Koh Yao Yai beach resort(& later on Koh Yao Yai the island).

Firstly there are a few errors in the reviews of this resort. This I believe isn’t intentional but just a mix up by reviewers between the destination of this review, Koh Yai Yao beach resort(moderately priced) & their neighbour Santhiya(extremely expensive 5* resort). I will post pictures to separate the 2 resorts so you know exactly what you are getting.

First of all this beach is magical & you must come. It won’t be this good for long so enjoy it for the next few years as the sunsets are amazing. This is a lazy beach resort with some good eateries & fun bars. Koh Yao Yai beach resort is very nicely set out & there aren’t many bungalows. We’ve stayed in the beach front villa and the beach front boat deluxe. The villa(shared pool & very nice) is much better than the boat(small private pool) even though it’s cheaper. The only downside is you’re opposite the beach bar where the staff mingle(nothing wrong with the staff as they are all wonderful). The boat villa’s are more private although the one in the middle is exposed to the sun. The food here is of a decent standard and the setting is amazing on the beach. Definitely eat here but not for breakfast. Breakfast is poor by comparison & only 2 choices so we only had it the once. Also it’s 250bht per person which is scandalous for not only price but what you get. There’s an old pool table which would really benefit from a upgrade & it’s actually quite sad as this would have been an awesome feature to bring people in for a drink.

KYY beach resort has no wooden panelling anywhere or the grey rising towers. Neither does it have a pool apart from a shared one on the left and 4 tiny private ones on the right. Some of the pictures on other reviews are of Synthia next door. Hope this helps?

So I would definitely stay here again. It’s between 3000 - 5500 per night so not cheap but Thailand is no longer cheap sadly(unless you don’t mind where you stay). It’s the best beach on KYY unless you’re loaded & stay in one of the resorts elsewhere but even then it’s top 2/3 for sure. KYY east has a nice beach but the west is much nicer especially for the sunset. Ferries to Phuket mostly land on the east side which is around 450bht by taxi. Picture to follow.

There’s 2 pictures one eating with a wooden decking and another with the grey rooftops. This...

First of all, this place is absolutely stunning! From you arrive at the resort, whether it is from the peer or the harbor, you will be amazed! Keeping to traditional Thai architecture, through out the entire resort. The beach wide and nice, depending on the tide, and with one restaurant at the beach and one on the top of the mountain, you can take your pick!

The resort is placed on the mountain side, and while you can have fun running the roads connecting the resort, the shuttle service is flawless, and you will be picked up in minutes. Sometimes, especially around breakfast and dinner there can be some wait if you are in the middle of the route. We lived in a villa, and wow o wow! Being the unspoiled view over the Andaman sea - wow, whether you are in the pool or in the bed, you be blown away!

This resort has the opportunity to become a true gem! But it has one huge flaw - the restaurants. The resort has several restaurants, yet they all have the same menu, or should I say menu's as there are 3 or 4 of them for you to go through. With the size of resort, there could easily have been different themes for each place. so one could try something different. Now imagine have ordered the food, and your sitting in these amazing surroundings, and then the club music starts at max volume.... that was unfortunately the experience most days. Had it been a hotel where most guests were there to party I can understand, but this was mostly families and couples.

We found a savoir in Isaan Fine #2, a small walk away.

On the positive side, the buffet was really good! Very structured, and with amazing food. So do try that when visiting! And I will also say that I was truly amazed by the people in the breakfast restaurant, as one day the power was out, and then made a perfect breakfast for all the guests, using the lights on their...

I actually feel sad to rate this place an average. But please bear in mind that it is the overall experience. The property is lovely, we actually got an upgrade which made the stay breathtaking. The views are to die for. If you love culture and find value in intricacies of details that tie-up the history with modernity, this is the place for you. The property is just beautiful. Enough is said in other reviews and I somehow still found it even better than what I imagined.

The sad part is the service and the staff. The staff is too casual and non-receptive to even the non-lingual feedback that it is a pain to interact for any need. They will commit something and just deny it the next instance. They will say yes to what you have communicated and then do the exact opposite. They will show exasperation on their faces as if getting even a simple Beer becomes a task and burden.

The food is bad and the cocktails are underwhelming and overpriced. You can move out of the property and walk 100 mts and get the best Thai food in 1/3rd the price. The breakfast spread is horrible; stale, repetitive and unwelcoming. The attitude and smugness of the staff makes the culinary experience even more tiresome.

I sincerely hope it was a one off and they become better.

Update: the sore owner is calling me a liar, which reaffirms that the management and owner is incompetent and unable to take feedback constructively. The same attitude is reflected in all of the staff. Will ensure no one from my known circle ever visits this property. What an absolute...