I rarely write reviews, but this experience left me so disappointed that I felt compelled to share it. This was, without question, one of the most disappointing luxury hotel experiences I’ve ever had. While the property itself is undeniably beautiful, our entire stay was overshadowed by one recurring feeling: the hotel seemed far more interested in finding new ways to make money than in taking care of its guests. Instead of feeling welcomed at a luxury resort, we constantly felt like every interaction was another opportunity to generate revenue.
The first red flag was the hidden charges. I’m not referring to minibar or in-room items. Those are expected. I’m referring to service charges added to restaurant bills that were never clearly disclosed beforehand. There was no clear mention of these charges on the menu or before ordering, and they only appeared when the bill arrived. Whether a service charge is applied or not isn’t the issue. Transparency is. A luxury hotel should never surprise its guests with additional charges after the fact.
The same mindset became obvious throughout the stay. The hotel charges guests for bottled water, but once you’ve paid for it, you’re not even allowed to take the bottle back to your room. Imagine paying for something and then being told you can’t take it with you. It makes absolutely no sense and perfectly reflects the kind of guest experience this hotel provides.
The dining policies were even more frustrating. The hotel clearly wants guests to eat exclusively at its restaurants, yet the menu offers very few reasonably priced options. The few affordable dishes listed were repeatedly unavailable, conveniently leaving only the more expensive choices. On top of that, there are almost no vegetarian or vegan options.
If the hotel cannot provide suitable or reasonably priced food and you decide to order from outside, you’re then charged 100 THB just for an empty plate and cutlery. Charging guests for an empty plate to eat food they’ve already paid for elsewhere isn’t hospitality. It feels like another attempt to discourage guests from dining outside and push them into spending more money at the hotel.
Even basic hygiene amenities have been compromised. Under the banner of “hygiene” and being “environmentally friendly,” the hotel has reduced or removed items that should be standard at any luxury resort. Towels are limited, dental kits and other essential amenities are not readily provided, yet guests continue paying luxury prices. It felt less like a genuine sustainability initiative and more like another cost-saving exercise where guests receive less while paying the same premium rates.
The incident that completely destroyed our confidence in this hotel happened at around 1:00 AM. My wife unexpectedly got her period, so we called the front desk hoping they could provide a sanitary pad or at least help us locate one. Shockingly, the hotel didn’t have sanitary pads available for guests. Even worse, the staff couldn’t understand what we were asking because of the language barrier. We tried explaining in several different ways, but nobody could help us. Instead of receiving support during a simple emergency, we were forced to leave the resort in the middle of the night searching for sanitary pads. This was the moment we realized that when guests genuinely need help, hospitality simply isn’t there.
Unfortunately, the communication problems weren’t limited to that incident. Several staff members struggled to understand or communicate in basic English, making even routine requests unnecessarily frustrating. For a luxury resort that welcomes international guests, this is a serious shortcoming.
Luxury isn’t defined by beautiful villas, infinity pools, or stunning views. Luxury is defined by hospitality. It’s about transparency, empathy, flexibility, and making guests feel valued. Sadly, throughout our stay, we felt exactly the opposite. We felt constantly nickel-and-dimed, restricted by unnecessary policies, and treated less like valued guests and more like a source of revenue.
It’s genuinely disappointing because this property has incredible potential. The scenery is breathtaking, but beautiful views cannot compensate for hidden charges, restrictive policies, overpriced dining with unavailable affordable options, compromised hygiene amenities, poor communication, and a complete lack of care when guests actually need assistance.
We left with one overwhelming impression: this hotel appears to prioritize maximizing revenue over delivering the level of hospitality that guests expect when paying luxury prices. There are many exceptional resorts in Thailand that understand true luxury is about making guests feel welcome, not making them feel like every convenience comes with another charge.
Unfortunately, this was not one of them.
