Centara Villas Phi Phi Island

This was my most disappointing hotel experience in quite some time. I don’t often write super detailed reviews, but here it goes: Arriving at the hotel was an absolute nightmare. I sent two emails the day before asking for information on how to reach the hotel from Ton Sai Pier (Koh Phi Phi city center) — no response. I called — no response. We were completely left to fend for ourselves. We finally got a boat that dropped us off at Lana Bay, where nobody spoke English. After almost 40 minutes in the rain, the hotel eventually answered the phone — and with the help of a local who translated — and we were told to take a motorcycle taxi followed by a truck bed ride (sent by the hotel). No apologies. No explanation. Transportation was a continuous issue throughout our stay. There is only one shuttle boat per day to Ton Sai pier, at the price of 500 THB ish per person. The only other option is a private boat for about 1800 THB (USD 50) EACH WAY (more expensive than day tours in the area, which is truly unacceptable). During low tide or poor weather, boats cannot reach the hotel pier, which means guests must go through Lana Bay area instead — and the hotel has zero infrastructure or logistics to support this. They only offer to drop you at the opposite side of the beach and leave you to figure out the rest, including hauling your luggage in the rain to find a moto taxi then a taxi boat on your own. At check-in and even though we had already paid the booking in full, we were asked to pay a 3,000 THB deposit for the room — like an old-style hotel. We were told this amount would be refunded in forty-five days if paid with a debit card, or in up to three weeks if paid with a credit card. After our two-hour, awful journey to reach the hotel from tonsai pier, completely soaking wet from the boat–motorcycle–truck-bed route, it honestly felt like a joke. The three restaurants advertised by the hotel are non-existent. On the first night, we were given only one dinner option, serving the same menu as room service. The Thai food was bland. The room-service pizza was worse than a frozen supermarket pizza. Many items were unavailable — like draft beer? Too bad, draft beer was “not available.” We didn’t bother trying the hotel’s other food options after that. Our room had multiple issues: the bathtub water was yellow, the shower head was partially broken and leaking, the sinks faucets were very wobbly, and the toilet clogged. For this price point, it was an unbelievable experience. Some of the common areas are also in desperate need of renovation — particularly the sauna and the “heated” pools. The only positive things I can say are that the view from the room is nice, the bed is comfortable, and the staff are genuinely kind eager to help. I believe the front-desk staff are also doing their best with what they’ve got. The real issue here is extremely poor management and communication. I wish I had read the negative reviews before booking this place. It certainly ended our holiday on a bitter note and I don’t recommend this hotel or this chain to anyone.

The hotel is almost perfect. Great location, high-standard cottages. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The spa facilities are excellent. However, I have to lower my review from 5 to 4 because, although the breakfast was delicious with a huge selection, the restaurant where you can have dinner is simply poor. We ordered burgers, carbonara, and pizza, and everything was very average. Another downside is that the hotel doesn't keep its surroundings clean – I'm referring to the walk from the hotel to the town.

Dear Sylvain, Thank you so much for your 5-star rating! We truly appreciate your support and are delighted to know you had a positive experience with us. We hope to welcome you again soon. Warm regards, Supakit Kaewsrikit Managment Team Centara Villas Phi Phi Islands.