Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

The hotel's cocktail party was fantastic, and there were plenty of activities for children. My only slight disappointment was that the butler service didn't feel particularly special during check-in. However, the waitress at the Thai restaurant was always so cheerful, and I'd like to commend Son from the Sunset Bar staff. The sole drawback during my stay was finding bloodstains on the bathrobe. While the room was cleaned diligently every day, the hotel's linen cleaning service definitely needs improvement.

This is my third stay at The Hidden Place, and the service is consistently thoughtful, detailed, and attentive. I've always loved it; it's my go-to hotel whenever I visit Krabi.

The staff I encountered were all very friendly. Among the hotel's three restaurants, the Thai restaurant was the best for an Asian palate; it was quite delicious. The fine dining place was mediocre, and the Shanghai-style beef had a very strange taste. There are also many different kinds of small animals around the hotel. You'll find squirrels and birds looking for food in the yard. If you don't keep your windows closed, insects might come in and appear in your bathtub or on your bed 🥲. I recommend the hotel's half-day trip to Hong Island, and you can also arrange elephant camp activities with your butler 😊.

This was my first time booking a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, and having stayed at many high-end hotels, including other Ritz-Carlton properties, I wanted to give an honest review. This hotel truly exceeded my expectations, making it a very special experience. While not the most expensive, it delivered a top-tier hotel experience. Here’s my objective review of the pros and cons. Pros: 1. There’s no traditional lobby; check-in happens directly in your room. Walking in, I was immediately impressed by how spacious and high-ceilinged the room was. 2. The service is unbelievably good. Every time you leave your room, it gets cleaned – I lost count of how many times it was tidied in a day. 3. Your personal room butler is always on hand to assist. 4. The hotel has three restaurants. I ordered 4-5 dishes at the Thai restaurant, but they weren't to my taste. All I did was mention I didn't like them, and the head chef immediately came out, insisted I didn't have to pay for those dishes, and even offered to arrange dinner at another restaurant for free. I was genuinely embarrassed by their generosity. 5. Everyone at the hotel was incredibly friendly. When I checked out, many staff members came out to see me off. 6. The most astonishing thing was when my butler noticed my car was a bit dirty in the parking lot and actually arranged to have it washed for me. Cons: 1. Since the hotel opened in 2009, some facilities are indeed a bit old, though they are exceptionally well-maintained. 2. The toilet was a bit old-fashioned.

The pictures online looked okay when I booked, but it was so much better in person! ✨ Check-in is done in your room, and the deposit is 3000 baht. Just add the butler on WhatsApp. If you need anything or want to go anywhere, just send a message. The butler finishes at 9 PM, but you can call the hotel landline for anything urgent. On the way to the room, you'll pass by a private vegetable garden 🌿. The butler mentioned the vegetables are freshly picked for breakfast. Super healthy, organic ingredients! The full activity schedule is on P9. The butler didn't proactively introduce it during check-in; I only discovered it myself that evening. Don't miss out if you enjoy cocktail making or cooking experiences! The hotel also offers daily shuttle boats to Hong Island. I'd been before, so I didn't go again and just spent a relaxing day at the hotel. I only tried the Thai food at the hotel restaurant, and the soft-shell crab was amazing! Other dishes weren't really to my personal taste. You can refer to the bill on P7 for prices. Room type: Seawind Villa 63. I was initially assigned room 37, which had the sea view completely blocked by trees. After discussing it, I was moved to a room closer to the sea. This room type doesn't have a private pool, only a bathtub. It's also a bit smaller than the ground floor rooms. Luckily, the sea view is great! 🌊 There are four mirrors by the vanity. The maid turns them to face the wall during turn-down service – a cute little detail. The vanity is fully equipped with body lotion, aloe vera gel, and even sunscreen. The sunscreen has a lovely smooth texture and spreads easily. They provide two pairs of slippers, and the quality is fantastic: ▪️Black flip-flops: Perfect for the pool with a straw bag and hat – essential vacation vibes. ▪️Yellow soft indoor slippers: Like walking on clouds, super comfy and plush. The customized birthday brownie cake was delicious! 🍫 It had a dense, fine texture, and both its appearance and taste were top-notch (P8). Before check-in, you'll receive a link to fill out information. You can note birthdays or anniversaries in advance, and the staff will discreetly prepare a surprise – so thoughtful! The bed at the hotel is huge (P17)! It feels like a King size and a Queen size put together. The bedding is super soft, and I slept like a log. There's a lot of greenery in the complex, so you might encounter geckos and small insects. There's mosquito repellent in the closet, and remember to close the door when entering and leaving! 🥣 The mango shake at breakfast is incredibly delicious, smooth, and rich. The carrot juice and green juice had a strong ginger flavor. You can ask the staff for fish food to feed the fish in the pond. The fish food is clean and safe to feed them. The soft drinks in the mini-bar are complimentary (P12) and tasty. ✅ Overall Summary: Environment is excellent, staff attitude is great, and overall service is decent. ⚠️ Areas for improvement: 1. The check-in butler didn't proactively introduce all the hotel's activity programs. 2. Turn-down service didn't ask if I wanted bathwater drawn in advance. 3. Mosquito and insect control in the rooms needs to be improved. 💡 Personal Recommendation: Coming on a sunny day will make the experience absolutely divine, perfect for extended stays or a second visit ☀️. On cloudy days, the sea color is quite ordinary, and the overall aesthetic and experience might not meet expectations ☁️.

Krabi's Phulay Bay beach offers the most stunning sunsets and evening glows. You can enjoy exquisite dining while watching the sunset here. I highly recommend Sritrang, a Michelin-starred Thai restaurant, for its unique cooking style. The pool bar also serves excellent drinks and light meals, and Lealay Seafood Restaurant boasts incredibly fresh and refined ingredients. Breakfast is fantastic too, with a semi-buffet and delicious coffee and champagne. We booked a Sea View Pavilion on the second floor, above the Hidden Garden. Each compound typically has four villas. Our room was spacious with very high ceilings, and the bathroom ceiling had petal-shaped glass, allowing you to see the sky. The room came equipped with flip-flops, a woven bag, a straw hat, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and aloe vera gel. However, I'd suggest bringing your own high-SPF sunscreen. My only minor gripes were that the bed was a bit too large, making it inconvenient to get out from only one side, and there were simply too many mosquitoes – I got two swollen bites every day. Our butler, Maya, was a lovely girl – very attentive and patient. She was excellent at driving the buggy, always available on call, and communicated seamlessly via WeChat for dining reservations and activity bookings, always ready to translate. Every morning at 9 AM, a boat departs for Hong Island. You can reserve with your butler the day before, using the room's woven bag and straw hat. The boat crew provides snorkeling gear, but honestly, the snorkeling at Hong Island beach was terrible. Visibility was very poor, and I only saw five-striped damselfish. Personally, I don't think snorkeling there is worth it. However, the 360-degree viewpoint on Hong Island is absolutely fantastic – you must climb to the top for the incredible views! You can also arrange with your butler for a car to visit a nearby 7-Eleven for any small items you might need. In conclusion, despite the long journey and requiring a transfer in Bangkok, it's definitely worth the trip.

The hotel room was very comfortable and the service was attentive and warm. No complaints, highly recommend!

Every single staff member at this hotel makes you feel right at home, unlike the often superficial service you might find in European or American hotels. Just because I mentioned to my butler that I loved the local pineapples, and how sweet they were, he brought me a whole bowl of freshly cut pineapple. The breakfast and the Thai restaurant were both delicious. Plus, we got to take a longtail boat to Hong Island every day. Before we checked out, the butler even gave us a commemorative photo and a little elephant charm as a souvenir.