Cape Panwa Hotel - Detailed Review
Check-in:
After a long flight and a very tiring day, you always hope that check-in at a hotel will be fast and efficient. In this case it was exactly that. A welcome drink and a cold refresher towel is pretty standard these days but always appreciated.
Panwa has a downloadable app that allows access to the facilities and this is now becoming widespread in most major hotels. It is a great idea as it puts all the information in one place and allows you to book various services easily.
We were escorted to our room and here the first bit of disappointment crept in to our stay.
Initially the package we purchased had a double bed but being old now and used to our own beds we requested a room with twin beds. Where we might have been placed without this request I have no idea but as it turned out we were at the very back of the complex in U block, away from all the main facilities. That wouldn't have been a problem if we were young and fit but we are neither of those things.
The girl from reception could plainly see we were struggling up all the steps but didn't suggest any alternative rooms. Maybe nothing was available but the hotel didn't seem all that full to me and I would expect staff who are properly trained to have the foresight to head off an issue before it develops. Anyway, the room was pleasant and we settled in. At the time we didn't really think about just how much we were going to hate all the stairs getting back to our room. Once I get settled in I am very reluctant to move so it was just a case of 'grin and bear it.'
One thing YOU MUST be aware of if you are booking at Cape Panwa is that it is built on the side of a hill. If you have mobility issues, go somewhere else, this is not the place for you.
Everything you do here involves going up and down stairs and they are steep. The upside of that is that you have some beautiful views and the hotel grounds are very attractive.
The Room:
The room we were checked in to was U214. It was spacious, clean but a little dated looking.
Storage for clothes was plentiful and there were a number of drawers for other items.
Lighting was good with a selection of lighting styles from bright to romantic. There are reading lights by each bed as well as dimmer lights both with switches you can reach from the bed.
One nice touch was a Bluetooth speaker that can be used to play music from your phone or laptop. There was a headphone cable but strangely no USB cable for re-charging it. The only USB ports in the room I could find were next to the speaker. All power points were local plugs only, so you do need to take an adaptor for the country you live in. This is a bit poor for five star hotel these days. Generally the best hotels have international power sockets that will accept any style of plug.
Facilities include a bar fridge, kettle, flip up makeup mirror with light (for the ladies), a flip over shaving mirror, desk with a stool (I prefer a proper seat for my back), a nice big lounge to relax on, round coffee table, Large screen TV and a table below it, 2 umbrellas, a hair dryer, slippers, in our case twin beds with large padded seats at the end.
The beds are firm but very comfortable and there is a pillow menu so you can find a style of pillow that is right for you. We were fine with the ones already in the room.
The TV is a smart one so it is possible to log on to your favourite streaming service or use YouTube. Google translate is useful if someone has been viewing the TV using a different language.
Moving on to the bathroom, there is a nice deep bath, a good sized shower with a choice of overhead shower rose or hand held. If you need hot water (LOL in this country???) it comes quickly but can be VERY hot so beware with children.
The W.C. has a hose bidet (pretty standard in Asia) and there are two sinks.
There is a huge mirror and a variety of lighting to choose from. Power points are located under a cover beneath the mirror but again, you will need your own adaptors.
Just outside the bathroom behind one of the sliding doors is a full length mirror.
Consumables in the room include, tea (just two bags and that is NOT enough), coffee (same as tea), creamer, sugar (again just 2 bags). This is very miserly, there should be more than this made available. The choice of tea is poor with just one bag of green tea and one of Earl Grey. No English breakfast or other ordinary teas. Not everyone likes Earl Grey or green tea. There is NO MILK for the tea.
There are a number of items you have to pay for including beer, wine, soft drink and assorted munchies. They are all marked with a hotel sticker so you can't use them and replace then with the same thing bought at a supermarket.
In the bathroom there is body lotion, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner (if anyone has checked the dispenser), ear buds and cotton pads, sanitary bags, shower cap and a spare toilet roll. No sign of any toothbrushes or tooth paste which is unusual these days.
There are net curtains for diffused light or block-out curtains to make the room nice and dark if you want to sleep in.
If it is a sunny day your are REALLY going to need those block-out curtains in the afternoon as the sun really comes blasting into the room.
The balcony was quite spacious and included a drying rack, two chairs ans a table. The view was very nice once you decide to ignore a couple of big metal towers.
Sadly there were a few issues with the room that could do with sorting out.
1. The light in the left hand wardrobe worked intermittently.
2. The air conditioner vents were dirty and needed a good clean.
3. The roof under the air conditioner had signs of severe dampness.
4. The left sliding door to the balcony had to be slammed rather hard to get it to close.
5. As noted above, tea and coffee suppliers are miserable.
6. Also as noted above, no milk provided for the tea.
7. One of the door access cards only worked intermittently.
8. Slippers provided were used.
9. Conditioner bottle was totally clogged.
10. A second general waste bin would be useful in the living area.
11. Bathroom sinks do not drain well in the room.
Hotel Grounds:
As noted earlier, the hotel is located on the side of a steep hill so if you aren't a mountain goat when you arrive, you could well be one by the time you leave. This isn't a criticism, just a fact of life.
If you have mobility issues then you simply will not be able to get around this hotel.
There are two pools, one right in front of the Andaman Cafe that is attractive but nothing special when it comes to big hotels, and another next to Panwa House on the beach. This is small but does have a small jacuzzi where you can sit under a shelter and gaze out at the Andaman Sea.
This is the better of the two spots, more shade, generally less people and a perfect spot to sit, relax and look out at the beautiful view.
There is a tram that makes getting to the beach much more easy. The tram runs on demand from 9am and ends most nights at 11pm except Monday when it closes at 6pm.
Panwa House is a lovely old historic building with the ground floor used as a restaurant and the first floor used as a sort of museum. It truly is an outstanding place to sit and have dinner.
The hotel is now about 39 years old and it is showing its age. it is like a grand old lady that really was something special in her day but is now in need of a total make-over.
Paths look old and green, anti slip strips on stairs have fallen off or are in the process of doing so and everything just looks tired and old. The edges of steps need to be clearly marked. Many are not and I lost count of the times I almost fell over. Some once had painted edges but the paint on many wore away years ago.
It is still a very attractive place overall and the beach is a stand out feature, but once you start to look closely, the 'cracks' become obvious.
Contrast this with the Pullman Karon where we stayed last month and you would be amazed to find out that both hotels are the same age. Yet the Pullman looks modern and everything works the way it should.
I am sure that it its day, Cape Panwa was a top notch hotel but it's claim to still be 5 star is a bit far fetched now.
Penny Pinching:
The absolute worst thing about this hotel is the penny-pinching that goes on at the expense of guests. Here are just some examples of what we saw.
1. No milk provided for tea in the room.
2. Only two tea bags per day. Neither of them ordinary tea. If you don't like green tea or Earl Grey, too bad! We asked for 2 Earl Grey instead of the green tea and were told, no, they don't have any more. This is just pathetic!
3. Two bottles of drinking water free, you have to pay for more.
4. No air conditioning in the children's play room.
5. Charging for things like air-hockey in the children's play room.
6. Children's play room not staffed.
7. Air-conditioner not working in the reading room. Set at 25 but blowing warm air.
8. Fans around the public areas almost always turned off so generally nowhere to sit and relax. Not enough fans even if they were turned on.
9. 'Flavoured' water that is supposed to be available in the sitting area often not provided.
10. Breakfast buffet does not include options like ice cream. This is a paid extra.
11. The ute used as a free shuttle is a rattly, shaky clunker of a thing. Considering the steep hill it has to go over and the lack of anything to hang on to, I am surprised nobody has fallen out of the back.
12. Not allowed to take food from outside to the beach. Really? I was under the impression that beaches in Thailand are all public so the hotel has no business trying to make a rule like this just because they want people to pay for their food.
Food:
There are a number of food outlets in the hotel including Panwa House, Andaman Cafe, Top Of the Reef, Bammboo Beach Bar and Uncle Nan's Italian restaurant over the hill at Kantary Bay.
The only restaurant with air-conditioning is Top of the Reef. This is the one that our voucher did not get us a meal in so I can't say much about it except that the views are stunning and the restaurant looks nice.
The Andaman Cafe where we had most of our lunches and breakfasts was a good solid eatery. The food was plentiful and the quality was generally good.
Panwa House is certainly my pick of the bunch despite the lack of air-conditioning. On Saturday night there was a steak buffet and on Wednesday a seafood buffet.
The bamboo Bar is a good spot for beach food but given the location, the selection of food is much more limited.
Uncle Nan's we didn't bother with as we didn't want food we can get easily at home. The location on the bay is quite nice but it is also next to the road.
Staff:
Generally the staff were friendly and helpful to a point, but beyond that point it was "no", "no","no". They did their jobs but nothing more. There was not a lot of outstanding service.
My suggestion to the people owning/running Cape Panwa is book a week at the Pullman Karon and find out what five star service looks like and then train your staff accordingly.
There were some stand out members of staff who deserve a mention. See the 'Conclusion' section below for details.
Conclusion:
Lack of attention to detail and lack of maintenance are the two things that are hurting the reputation of this otherwise lovely hotel. It isn't my intention to trash the hotel as I would like to see it in its full grandeur and operating at its full potential.
Guest comfort and happiness MUST be the absolute number one priority of any hotel and especially any claiming to be 5 star. As it stands, the Cape Panwa just is not making the grade as a 5 star hotel right now but it could be right back up there if the owners decide to take action and fix the problems that exist.
I really would like to love this hotel, the location is stunning, but I just can't do so the way things are now. I have seen other guest reviews talking about similar problems so the only thing I can do is appeal to the owners to take note of what your guests are telling you and do something about it soon. You cannot just run this place into the ground and expect people to still keep coming.
I am heavily conflicted about Cape Panwa Hotel. It has so many good things going for it but it is being let down by a management that refuses to keep it in good condition and seems to pinch pennies at every opportunity. This is a real shame because this place is so attractive and in such a lovely location.
Most of the staff were perfectly pleasant but there were some stand outs that I want to mention. Beatrice in the buffet breakfast area was terrific, Guitar, Pim, Pony in the spa were also first class. The band that plays down at Panwa House and up in the Andaman Cafe also deserves a mention as they are a nice friendly group of guys.
All the staff down at Panwa House were top notch. The service was excellent and our experiences there were outstanding. In my opinion, Panwa House is the best of all the good things the hotel has going for it. The only negative was the Seafood Buffet. Not enough seafood variety and the quality of the seafood wasn't great.
One final mention of great staff are the girls who work at Otter's bar. Friendly, helpful and caring people.
