Koh Lanta, Thailand offers many different types of lodging options ranging from 5-star resorts to tiny hostels. Although it is a small island, the main source of revenue is tourism so there is a need for a wide variety of lodging.
After much research, we decided to stay at the Pimalai Resort and Spa.
To be honest, this was a bit of a stretch for our budget, but it was an important trip since our daughter and her husband would be joining us from the U.S. We wanted everyone to be comfortable and with there being six of us, wanted to have a lot of options for things to do close by in case planning excursions proved to be difficult.
Read more about our adventures during our trip to Koh Lanta here:
When in Thailand…Muay Thai Boxing
Island Hopping Through Koh Lanta, Thailand
How do you Bathe your Elephant?
As soon as we stepped off the boat at the resort (yes, you probably have to take a boat to get to the island. There is a ferry but it is not as popular or convenient for tourists.), we knew we had made the right decision. Pimalai is an eco-friendly resort. This means that great pains were taken when designing the grounds in order to preserve and work with the natural area. This makes the grounds beautiful as most of the villas are nestled amongst tall trees, making them barely visible from the beach. If you chose a hillside villa as we did, once you arrive, all you see is a clear view of the stunning Andaman Sea and the lush forest that surrounds you.
Since our group was rather large, we booked two separate rooms. Our daughter and her husband had a deluxe room at the main part of the resort, which was perfect for the two of them. The rest of us had a two-bedroom pool villa up on the hill. Although we were separated, it was easy to get to each other by using the resort’s complimentary shuttle service. The two-bedroom villa was amazing. We had our own pool, two bedrooms, a separate living room and kitchen, and three bathrooms. It was plenty of space for all of us and the views were million dollar.
My only word of caution is that, although the two bedrooms are in the same villa, they are very separated. One has a separate entrance down a flight of outdoor stairs (I’m not sure if they all have this layout or just ours did). This may be an issue for families traveling with small children but worked fine for us. I didn’t mind being separated from my stinky teenage boys. 😉
The Pimalai Resort offers eight restaurants and bars, two large infinity pools, two tennis courts, a spa, full gym, library, and PADI dive center. It also provides a private beach for its guests. Choices in activities were endless. A kid’s club, boat and shopping tours, Thai cooking classes, Muay Thai boxing classes, diving classes, bicycles, and a variety of complimentary non-motorized sports (canoes, windsurfing, snorkeling, kayaks, and paddle boards, to name a few).
Truly the options could keep you busy for a week or more. Plus, it was easily walkable to Kantiang Town which provided more (affordable) dining, shopping, and entertainment options.
Read more about yummy dining options in Kantiang Town here:
And a big thanks for this contribution by my daughter,
Service at Pimalai was top notch. The staff was very friendly and helpful. After my Thai cooking class, I really wanted a mortar and pestle like the one we used to make our dishes. Although the resort did not sell them, Man, the cooking class instructor and head chef of the Seven Seas restaurant, went out of his way to find one in town and have it delivered to me. I was over the moon.
I cannot recommend Pimalai Resort and Spa enough. We have put it on our list of places in which we want to return. With all the amenities and activities the resort has to offer, the only problem becomes, you will never want to leave.
The Bunch Abroad 
If we have 9-10 people could we fit into an3 bedroom villa?
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I wouldn’t think so. Maybe 8 max. But it is very easy to get around the resort if people are scattered. You could use the 3-bedroom as the gathering place. That’s what we did and it worked well.
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