I have no idea how Idllyic rates as highly as it does. And I’ve stayed at 5 different hotels on Koh Lipe, so I’ve got a good basis for local comparison.
It’s not *bad* - the problem is that it’s priced as a premium option when the reality is in many ways non-premium. It looks kind of fancy on the outside, but that’s a veneer.
Basically, it’s bad *value*. If they charged half as much as they do I’d be giving it 8/10 & be pretty happy. But for what they charge it’s a disappointing 4/10.
The good:
The beach is beautiful. This end of Sunrise Beach is one of the nicer spots.
Lots of sun-lounges placed on/near the actual beach, which can be lacking at some places.
Staff are friendly and helpful. Not as proactive as I’ve experienced elsewhere (which is probably a management issue) - but they’re still good.
The setting / gardens are quite nice, albeit feel a bit cramped - lots of big buildings in a small space.
The bad:
While in general I’d rate the cleanliness of the place as high, there were several large & obvious stains on the duvet (very visible through a (clean) top sheet).
The room (a “Deluxe Cabana Garden View”) was quite small for the price. The place I stayed on Koh Lipe immediately prior - which was leagues better in every way - about 25% more money got me a (much nicer) room ~3x the size.
Room was looking pretty tired & quite poorly maintained. Particularly the bathroom.
Multiple rain leaks in the shower ceiling/walls - one above the towel rain, and combined they splash water all over the bathroom floor. Cracked perspex panels & rotted wood trims in the bathroom, poorly applied caulk & overpaint, water stains, etc. Both doors jam in their frames. The sort of rooms that probably looked/were amazing when new, but not any more.
Shower doesn’t drain properly & often lets out septic-tank-smells. Not uncommon for accom on a small island like Lipe, and not the end of the world, but I would’ve expected better for the price. Plus a (fresh water) leak from a hose connected to the toilet.
Food & drink prices are obscene for Thailand, even by the standards of higher-end places on Lipe. And to add insult the food items I tried were average. It’s also literally the only place I’ve stayed (or eaten) on Lipe which adds VAT & a 10% service charge - that I have zero confidence is actually going to the staff - on top of prices. Which just feels cheap & petty. Charge what you’re going to charge - but just list what the total cost is going to be.
Breakfast buffet is disappointing - variety is poor (for the price point), food isn’t great, and any “hot” food that’s not cooked specifically for you will be cold.
The annoying:
They practically force you to install their app, nominally to allow messaging with the hotel staff. And it does do that. But they also use it to spam you with constant push notifications trying to get you to buy stuff. They’ve sent 7 *so far* just today. And there’s no way to turn them off. The fact they don’t have a way to disable promotions says a lot about the place I think.
The rooms are really poorly *designed*, eg:
One accessible powerpoint in the entire room (outside the bathroom) - and it has the switch & plug so close that you can’t plug a phone charger into it. There isn’t even a power point for the kettle.
The chandelier-lamps in the room act like wind chimes with the AC on. So you can either have a cool room, or have a constant jangling noise.
Very hard & uncomfortable mattresses (a bit subjective, but these are *hard*).
One small towel rail in the whole bathroom/room. Good luck if you want to hang two bath towels - or even a hand towel - or want to dry your swimsuit inside.
I’ll finish reiterating what I said at the start - this place isn’t *bad*. It’s just not particularly good, in a whole myriad of ways, while pitching & pricing itself like it’s great. You can do far better for the same (actually, less) money.
- Marldebone
Facilities: Comprehensive
Cleanliness: Spotless
Service: Excellent
Great location, and the front desk service was very attentive, able to promptly resolve any guest issues! The breakfast was incredibly rich and varied. I'll definitely choose this hotel again next time.
- ichuangwei