Railay Princess Resort and Spa — Hotel in Krabi Province

I recently had the opportunity to stay at Railay Princess Resort on East Railay Beach, Thailand. While overall it was a memorable experience, the Princess has some room for improvement.

Let me begin by saying that Railay Princess Resort is located in one of the most enchanting places in Thailand. Phra Nang Beach is simply stunning, the lagoon is absolutely epic, the lookout point is jaw-dropping, and the town itself is incredibly charming. Wildlife surrounds you and adds to the sense of adventure and excitement.

The resort itself had a beautiful setting, but it was evident that it was undergoing some renovations during my stay. Unfortunately, this meant that the pool was closed, and certain areas of the resort had an unpleasant smell reminiscent of a foul swamp. Additionally, upon check-in, we were initially assigned a room with no view. However, the staff was kind enough to graciously accommodate our request and moved us to a room with a better view.

One major disappointment was the lack of hot water in our room. It came as an unwelcome surprise, as this issue was not mentioned during the check-in process. Consequently, we had to endure ice-cold (and somewhat salty) showers throughout our stay, which was far from ideal. Let’s just say I did not feel like a princess getting back salty at 8pm.

On the brighter side, the staff at the Princess were truly delightful. They were friendly, helpful, and went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable. The on-site café provided delicious deserts (esp the lava cake) and the grounds were well-maintained, further enhancing our overall experience.

I must also mention that the airport transfer arranged by the resort was smooth and hassle-free. The long boat was thrilling and bus provided a first-class journey, ensuring a comfortable and effortless end to our trip. Additionally, the check-in ladies were a pleasure to interact with, as they were accommodating and welcoming.

In summary, the Railay Princess Resor is undeniably situated in a magical part of Thailand. While the ongoing renovations and the resulting inconveniences were a downside, the wonderful staff, charming café, and well-kept grounds made up for these letdowns. I would recommend this resort for its location and the efforts made by the staff to create a positive experience for their guests. With the completion of the renovations, I have no doubt that Railay Princess Resort will become an even more exceptional destination...

I loved everything!

Location: This place is perfect if you don’t want to spend time traveling to other islands just to swim and enjoy beautiful views. There are three beaches nearby: – Railay Beach – calm water, sandy bottom. – Phra Nang Beach – more waves, some rocks in the sand underwater, but breathtaking views. – Tonsai Beach – the least crowded, with slightly coarser sand.

Near the hotel, you’ll find Monkey Corner, where you can watch monkeys. You can also visit Diamond Cave, and if you walk further, you’ll enter the jungle. There’s a trail leading to the Gibbons. There’s also a street with various cafés. You can try rock climbing or simply enjoy the panoramic views from above (it takes some agility to climb up, but even older adults manage just fine).

The hotel offers a beautiful rooftop pool view, where you can spot different types of birds, including huge parrots and hornbills. There’s also a ground-level pool, which I didn’t use, so I can’t comment on it.

Room: I stayed on the ground floor near the pool and fountain, and the room was fantastic. The cold water wasn’t an issue, as the weather was hot, and the water wasn’t too cold. The water pressure was excellent. The room had air conditioning and was spotlessly clean. Housekeeping was done daily, providing two 0.5L bottles of water, as well as small Coke, Sprite, and juice.

The room was equipped with a coffee machine, instant coffee and tea, robes, slippers, umbrellas, towels (including beach towels), shampoo, shower gel, soap, and cotton swabs. However, there was no toothpaste or disposable toothbrushes, though I always use my own.

On the terrace, there was a clothes drying rack, but be careful – monkeys might sneak onto the property. I recommend hanging your clothes out at dusk and bringing them in before bed.

One downside of the terrace was that there was an occasional sewage smell, but it wasn’t constant.

Food: I really enjoyed the breakfasts. The variety of food was great: eggs, bacon, fish, salad, vegetables, fruits, grilled vegetables, chicken, fish, yogurts, cereals, and granola. You can put together a breakfast to suit any taste. Some items change from day to day.

The staff was friendly. I honestly can’t find any major downsides, except for the occasional unpleasant smell in certain parts of the hotel, but it wasn’t there every day and didn’t last long (and never inside...

This place is, by far, the best accommodation in Railay. It is the first hotel when you get off at the East Railay pier (coming from Krabi), every room is beautiful and clean, and the balcony is my favorite place to unwind after a hard day of climbing.

What really makes this place special is the staff - Fa and Laila at the front desk went above and beyond for us at several times during our stay, even offering to hold on to my climbing bag for several days while we visited some other nearby islands. There were a few days when we had to change rooms, and they would always pre-clean our next room so we could switch right away without having to wait for the 2 pm check-in time. We especially loved Laila who would always be making sure our stay is comfortable. The breakfast is always superb and everyone who works here is always smiling - a true testament to Thai hospitality.

We stayed at the Princess for around 2-3 weeks in both the regular room and the nicer one - every room we received was always spotlessly cleaned every day and restocked with complimentary water/soda/snacks. We were also here for Christmas and New Years where they put on a big party for all the guests - easily the best buffet I’ve ever had in my many years of traveling to Thailand.

I was honestly quite surprised to see some other reviews where people are complaining about the tiniest details. I first came to Railay over 10 years ago, when there wasn’t any other comfortable accommodation besides the ridiculously expensive Rayavadee ($1000/night). I remember staying in tiny bungalows, carrying my luggage above my head through the water (before they built the pier) and having the monkeys wake me up at 5 am when they would bang on the sheet metal roof. It seems like a lot of people don’t have context for how much more comfortable and accessible Railay is now, thanks to great hotels like the Princess which are affordable to a much larger range of travelers. But what really makes this place unique is the wonderful staff who are some of the most genuinely kind people I’ve met in Thailand.

I have nothing but good things to say about this hotel, and we are excited to come back here all for future climbing trips to Railay. Thank you to all the staff for making this trip such a thoroughly...