Wareerak Hot Spring & Wellness — Hotel in Krabi Province

I have traveled to over 34 countries and stayed in a variety of accommodations, from hostels and dorms to five-star resorts, but this was, by far, my worst experience.

We chose Wareeka Hot Spring Resort to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary, hoping for a relaxing escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a nightmare.

Cons:

Check-In Chaos: We arrived at 2 PM, the official check-in time, only to discover that the resort had misplaced our booking. For 30 minutes, we were made to wait without any explanation. When they finally admitted their mistake, Ms. Mim at the front desk offered an upgrade to a villa suite because our original room had been given to someone else. The upgrade was just to compensate their own mistake which she later admitted. Despite this, we waited an additional 2 hours at the reception with no welcome drink or water. We finally checked in at 4 PM, losing half a day of our stay.

Room Quality: While the room was decent in size, it was poorly maintained. A chair creaked dangerously as if it was about to break. Mosquitoes swarmed the room at night, and no repellents were provided. A frog in the bathroom and a noisy pig outside our room added to the discomfort. The bathrooms are old and dirty.

Hot Spring Mismanagement: The resort's main attraction, the hot springs, lacked proper guidance. No staff was available to explain the process, which can be physically challenging for first-timers. Important safety instructions were hidden inside the changing rooms, which many guests might not notice. Rules against smoking and drinking in the hot springs were blatantly ignored, as no staff enforced them. People were openly drinking beer while taking bath in the hot springs.

Massage Disaster: We booked a couple's massage to salvage our disappointment, but it was the worst massage we’ve ever had in Thailand. The masseuses were unprofessional, whispering and chatting for the first 30 minutes despite our repeated requests for silence. They lacked skill, exerted no pressure, and appeared to be untrained, as they were also assigned other hotel chores like cleaning.

Wi-Fi and Breakfast: The resort’s Wi-Fi was unreliable, and given the jungle location, there was no cell signal either. Breakfast options were extremely limited and barely sufficient to sustain half a day. Staff and Management: Ms. Mim, the front desk manager, was rude and manipulative throughout our stay. The GM, Mrs. Dang, was unhelpful and dismissive, offering only a superficial apology without any meaningful resolution.

Pros:

Ms. Mind, the spa manager, was the only staff member who truly understood hospitality. She kindly offered a 50% discount on the subpar massage, which we appreciated. The bartender was hardworking and excellent at his job. Final Thoughts: What was supposed to be a memorable wedding anniversary became unforgettable for all the wrong reasons, thanks to this disastrous property. The lack of professionalism, poor management, and inadequate facilities made it a complete waste of time and money.

I strongly advise against staying at Wareeka Hot Spring Resort. Never...

Loads of potential, and I'm sure it was a very nice place at one point.

We were a little out of tourist season, but most of the grounds were unkempt, there were no staff at the springs or the onsen, and the springs were in a terrible state (more on that below).

The room was pleasant enough, though the shower was quite dirty, and the website listed mosquito netting that was absolutely nonexistent. The wifi didn't work at all, and on leaving the room to go for a walk, one of the floorboards on the balcony collapsed under my foot, leaving a sizable hole.

The restaurant was fairly so-so, with quite slow service (only 3 tables were full, so I don't know what took so long). We had to chase our drinks order twice (it was 2 bottles of beer, no prep required), and the 2nd chase was when we actually received our food. Breakfast at the restaurant the next morning was toast and old fruit.

When walking around the hot springs, we noticed that many of them were lined thick with slippery moss. The furniture around the hot springs was in a shocking state of disrepair, and on trying to enter one of the hot springs, I slipped on the moss and tore a chunk off the size of my foot. The hotel staff's response when being asked for a first aid kit and being shown the wound was utter confusion - luckily, we had a rudimentary first aid kit with us, otherwise I would have had to travel miles to the nearest clinic.

The onsen (which is far nicer) is actually situated offsite, just by the road, and is not very well signposted. Be prepared for a potentially very muddy walk there outside of the dry season, as the hotel hasn't thought to put in a walkway or path, so the only route is by the quite narrow dirt track.

Overall, I cannot recommend staying here, unless they put in some serious effort to look after the place. The location is simply not...

Wareerak Hot Spring is a hidden gem nestled in a palm forest not far from Krabi.

They have two clusters of onsens, one outside the resort where you can use for a fee without having to stay at the resort, and another inside the resort that is free for customers. Both offer great hot bath experience in the shades of tropical trees and surrounded by flowers. The onsens are well maintained, regularly cleaned in a certain sequence.

The resort offers free yoga classes; ask the front desk for yoga lesson schedules. Thai massage in forest environment is available too, though you’d better apply some mosquito repellents. The restaurant and bar may not have a lot on the menu but it was okay for us; by the way, the bartender was kind, who helped us fix the WiFi in our room.

We had a room in a traditional Thai bungalow, perhaps a bit on the simple side and insufficiently soundproof for some guests but it met our expectations because we picked the resort primarily for its great onsens; the room at least had AC, ceiling fan and modern toilet and shower. The huge bed was comfortable, and it’s a great experience to fall asleep on it with tropical insects making background white noise outside the house — We understand that may not be for everyone. We like to get close to nature.

We drove a car so transportation to and from wasn’t a problem for us. We understand arriving in a taxicab from Krabi can cost a fortune and even if you drive, the last couple of miles to the resort in a rainy day can be muddy.

Overall, Wareerak provided us with a one of kind onsen experience in a tropical forest environment, very therapeutic and totally different from what Japanese onsens offer. It was so good that we actually stayed there twice, on the way from Hua Hin to Betong and then from Hat...