OUTRIGGER Khao Lak Beach Resort — Hotel in Phang-nga Province

I chose the Manathai Hotel for the first part of my stay in Khao Lak after viewing their website and reading reviews on Tripadvisor. First impressions always count and this hotel certainly did not disappoint, after turning off the main road you drive up to the hotel entrance, from there it's a few short steps to reception. From here you have a fabulous view of the gardens that lead down to the "hidden pool and beach" There was an extremely friendly welcome from the reception people, plus they give you a refreshing cold water melon drink (delicious) and a cold towel. Check in was very quick and efficient and then I was shown to my room. I chose a Deluxe Balcony room which was perfect, plenty of space, large king bed, plus a day bed, table and two chairs, separate bathroom and shower, plenty of space for clothes and of course a balcony with a small table, two chairs and a drying rack for any wet clothes. The hotel occupies what I would describe as a "long position" running east to west from entrance to the beach, with accommodation in buildings down either side of a very well kept garden. The hotel is very well maintained everywhere, it has been very well designed and laid out, it's very picturesque both during the day and at night. In fact it is very cool, smart, beautiful, peaceful, secluded and tranquil, spotlessly clean everywhere and managed by a team of people who really care and want to help you and I know this is slightly biased but they also have a very good command of the English language that I have not come across in other parts of Thailand before. The pool is fabulous and large with lovely warm water. There is a pool bar and restaurant adjacent, both very good. Plenty of sun beds both around the pool and on the beach area shaded by trees or umbrellas. The beach that the hotel sits behind is for me what I believe a beach in Thailand should be, long with distant views enticing you to walk and discover a hidden gem of a beach bar or restaurant, wide, with flat firm sand that you can easily walk on, if that's what you dream of then welcome to Bang Sak beach Khao Lak!! This part of Khao Lak is not commercialised, there are no beach hawkers or jet skis etc at all, just peace and beach! The Andaman sea is also so warm, I'm here in September, there are gently crashing waves on to the beach, you can walk out a fair distance and the water is only up to your waist and beneath is a sand base, it's also great for wave jumping! Being west facing the sunsets can be and are absolutely stunning. The food at the hotel is also of a very high standard and quality. At the pool bar they offer "energising" fruit drinks, not something I usually go for but on this occasion I have to say the one with mint and the other with ginger were superbly refreshing on a hot day and do give you a "lift" Breakfast is very good with a wide range of choice to cater for most people's needs. I ate at the Pad Thai restaurant by the beach in the evening a few times and the service and quality of food is excellent. The lady who managed the Pad Thai restaurant whilst I was staying is called Gambum. She is exceptional, her customer service skills are second to none, she remembers you as an individual (as do most of the pool staff to be fair), but for me she stood out, thank you so much! I absolutely love this hotel for its secluded spot on Bang Sak beach, it's superb customer service, it's very friendly and helpful team of people, it's peace and tranquility, it's location, the fabulous food and drinks, how well the hotel is maintained and looks on a daily basis, simply just everything!! ❤️ this hotel! In the restaurant by the pool at night it is just beautiful and serene and all you can here is the waves gently crashing onto the beach. If you ever have the chance to visit Khao Lak and are looking for the kind of experience I have described then this hotel is a...

A Wonderful Stay at Outrigger Khao Lak

I am currently eight days into a ten-day stay at the Outrigger Khao Lak, and I have never been here before. I am pleased to award this hotel a full five stars out of five. Here’s a structured review based on various aspects of my experience:

1. The Hotel and Its Surroundings: The hotel boasts a beautiful property located right on a well-maintained beach. The staff consistently ensure the beach is clean, offering a fantastic sandy shoreline.

2. Hotel Amenities: The hotel features a small but comprehensive gym with everything you need. Traveling as a family with two children, we greatly appreciated the Kids Club. The club provided excellent care and a range of activities, both free and paid, keeping our children engaged and happy. There is also a large pool where we spent most of our days. Despite being relatively busy, the hotel never felt overcrowded. Additionally, the hotel offers a shuttle bus service to the city twice a day for 100 Baht each way, which is very convenient.

3. Dining Experience: Breakfast is very good, with a rich buffet offering both Asian and non-Asian dishes. There are staff preparing eggs and omelets to your liking, alongside various coffee specialties, fruits, and other options. Even when we had questions or minor issues, the hotel staff addressed them promptly and professionally. I want to express my gratitude for their excellent service.

4. Room and Booking: We booked our stay online and had two interconnected balcony rooms, which was perfect for our family. This arrangement provided ample space and allowed us to enjoy some quiet time in the evenings while our children slept.

5. EdgeWater Restaurant: The hotel's EdgeWater restaurant is noteworthy for its excellent service and delicious food. Although we have dined at various non-hotel restaurants nearby, the EdgeWater stood out for its quality and reasonable prices. Having visited Thailand ten times, I can confidently say the food here is exceptional. To our surprise, we even had live music every single night and the musician. I have to say it was outstanding.

6. Technology and Convenience: The hotel offers an app that you can install on your phone, which ensures you don't miss out on activities, provides access to menus, and allows for interactive chats with hotel staff for any questions or requests.

7. Quick Response to Issues: During our stay, we accidentally locked ourselves out of our room. The hotel staff responded very quickly and helped us get back into our room through the balcony, as both the main door was latched and the connecting door was closed. I am very grateful for their swift resolution of the situation.

Minor Improvement Suggestions: The hotel should keep an eye on guests using glass bottles and smoking around the pool area, as these activities can be hazardous and unpleasant for others. Also, like many hotels, there was an issue with guests reserving sunbeds in the morning, which I noticed. However, the hotel staff handled this professionally, removing towels after an hour if the beds remained unoccupied.

8. Guest Demographics: The guest mix includes Europeans, particularly Germans, Dutch, and other nationalities, along with a significant number of Russian guests (they were by far the most polarizing by noise and presence), likely due to targeted marketing efforts by Thailand and currently as they have not many other place in the world to go. We also noticed a considerable number of Australian guests. Generally, the hotel caters to families looking for a peaceful, relaxed vacation rather than a party atmosphere.

In conclusion, we are certain that this was a wonderful stay at the hotel, as we had a fantastic experience. Thank you to all the staff for making our stay...

This was our second stay here within 2 years.

Positive: The staff are great - very attentive, very polite, very helpful, very responsive.

The breakfast offered more variety than last year, the hotel also offers gluten free bread and sweets, but you have to ask for it directly and have to wait a little while. I was very thankful for the option and hope that other hotels pick this up too. Having allergies is no fun in Asia.

The beach is simply stunning.

Neutral: The rooms are spacious, the design is minimalistic. I did not find an issue with it. Upon arrival late in the evening, our two single beds were given to us as one King bed. Upon our complaint, the housekeeping swiftly changed the beds. While it is not a big issue, it was annoying after a day of travel to not have the room you asked for.

Food at the restaurant is decent, but overpriced and catered to a Western audience. A couple of meters down the beach, you can find cheaper and more authentic Thai food. This is purely up to one's taste though.

Negative: This year, more guests were staying at the hotel than last year - unfortunately, people started reserving beds at the beach and the pool early in the morning. Arriving later than 10am resulted in having to hunt for beds, no parasols, no shade. Last year, this was not the case. This does absolutely not contribute to a relaxed atmosphere - breakfast has to be rushed or one has to rush to reserve beds as well. While Outrigger in its app let's guests know this is actually forbidden, nothing is done about it and some beds are occupied without any people in sight for hours. It might be better to put up signs and actually act - if no one is there for an hour, remove the items from the beds. The staff at the beach is very attentive and nice and should be directed to maintain a fair distribution of beds for everyone.

Negative/neutral/positive: This has turned into a family hotel. Lots of families with lots of young, screaming kids from sunrise to sunset. If you're a family, you might already be deaf or simply don't care, but if you're looking for peace and quiet on a beautiful beach, this is not the hotel for you. Maybe we were unlucky with the parents and their parenting style while we were there, but it's been a long time since I've seen so many screaming babys and toddlers and at times unsupervised children under 10 in one place. It's really a shame for people who are looking for quiet holidays. We understand that there is nothing Outrigger can do about screaming children, but it is important to know for future guests, thus I am explicitly mentioning this issue.

To sum it up: A decent hotel with great staff in a picturesque location, but not the place to be for people who are looking for quiet,...