Soneva Kiri

We don’t own the world that we live in; we are just guardians of it, a world that is powerful, just as it is fragile. This is the emotion that fuels Soneva Kiri, a magnificent resort in Thailand. Mr Sonu Shivdasani, doesn’t believe that he ‘owns’ the beautiful islands that house his resorts (the others being in the Maldives), but refers to himself as the Guardian of the Culture of Soneva. Language truly breeds behaviour, and it is evident all through the resort. The staff, or the hosts, are rigorously trained, yet deeply courteous. The resort is rustic, with a blend of luxury and comfort. I must admit, it took us a day or two to acclimatise to the eco system. Unaware of the sounds that the night would bring, we made our fair share of errors in judgement. Eventually, we learnt to recognise and expect the song of the cicadas, the patient game of hide and seek of the geckos and the whole set of sounds that make up a forest ecosystem. As a resort, Soneva Kiri is wholesome in many ways. The food is not only nourishing and delicious, it is prepared and presented beautifully. The view from the beach view villa is what I could wake up to forever… At Soneva Kiri, one can find a lovely mix of restful days and fun activities. There are stunning waterfalls, gorgeous beaches and hidden gems dotting the island. Our favourite had to be the tree pod dining, where, suspended from the magnificent trees, one can enjoy a great meal, served by a waiter who brings it by zip line! Now to the real people who work extremely hard to make all this look effortless. Mr Manish Sharma, the GM, knows the island like the back of his hand. He was able to create and curate experiences for everyone at every age in our group. Our barefoot butler, Fern, spoilt us so much, we started every sentence with calling out to her after a while ! The FnB team is exemplary and the visiting chefs leave one satiated yet waiting for the next treat! On this beautiful island, with the soft sands, majestic trees and sparkling waters, it feels like nature wrote poetry, but Sonu took it up and elevated it into a ballad that found it’s own tune. For when the forest meets the ocean, the soul heals in many ways. Every imperfection that the forest and beach lend to the immaculate resort add to the beautiful feeling of wabi sabi- where everything, even the imperfections make the world perfect.

Soneva Kiri is, simply, exceptional. It’s a luxury experience, but completely free from stuffiness and formality. Being barefoot the whole time is a total joy. The villas are out of this world. The food is, without exception, outstanding. The spa treatments are excellent. Getting around in a buggy is brilliant. We did a cooking class which we loved. The beaches are stunning. We’ve been lucky enough to stay at Soneva Jani and Soneva Fushi in the past, and both were superb, but Kiri was ahead of them both for us. The thing which really made the trip for us was Best, our Barefoot Guardian. She planned our itinerary and made everything special. From beginning to end she anticipated our needs almost before we did. She is an absolute credit to Soneva, and it was a delight to have her as part of our holiday. But all the staff were great. I could go on and on about how brilliant this trip was, but I will just say we will remember it for the rest of our lives, and I cannot recommend a trip to Soneva Kiri highly enough.

I didn’t know it was possible for a resort to be this incredible. This surpasses everywhere else I have stayed, which I didn’t think possible. Even for an extremely luxurious resort, Soneva Kiri goes beyond, in so many details, big and small. So much thought is put into everything. The staff are incredible. Our guardian, Fern, did everything to make our stay wonderful, even going to collect nappies from our buggy when we had forgotten to leave them with our child, without even disturbing us by saying anything. And going to our villa in the pouring rain to bring a change of clothes to the restaurant when we got wet! All the staff really went beyond to engage with us, play with our children, make every experience as incredible as possible. They interacted with us such a warm and genuine way, it didn’t feel forced or fake. The food is out of this world, the resort is beautiful, they take sustainability seriously, the food was so indulgent yet was healthy, everything felt natural and non toxic and eco friendly. And it is the most wonderful place for children - it made our stay so relaxing. All the staff were kind and interactive with the children all the time, the Den and Eco Den were absolutely fantastic, I can’t imagine a better, more magical childcare facility, the childcare team were so kind, warm, enthusiastic and professional, and they were on hand at many of our evening meals too. We also got in villa dining for the children and babysitters could come to the villa. There were games in the restaurants and smoothie making classes and mocktail classes and a stunning outdoor cinema. I could go on and on, it feels like a dream remembering our time there. It would not be to everyone’s taste, but anyone who appreciates the beauty of nature and healthy, sustainable indulgence would love it. We went two months ago and both my children are still talking about it. My youngest child said he wanted to go to the Eco Den for his 2nd birthday yesterday! I really hope to return, hopefully many times!

Our family have an original and unforgettable experience in SONEVA Kiri . Our barefoot guardian Gigi is very professional and thoughtful.Any questions can be responded by GM Samuel promptly. All activities are very suitable for family.

This is the third Soneva Property I have stayed at and it lives up to the Soneva exceptions. It's about a one hour plane ride from BKK and from the moment we checked into the flight at BKK, we feel like we're treated like royalty. The 8-seater plan lands at Koh Mai Si and our barefoot guardian, Jun, met us at the airport to greet us. Jun took care of us during our week long trip, many times doing things without us making a specific request, but he's doing it to make sure we are having a good time. He made us feel comfortable and right at home. He is definitely the best barefoot guardian we've meet (compared Soneva Giri and Soneva Jani) because he made us feel comfortable, watched out for our kids, and made sure all our needs were met. He knows I love looking at the starry skies and waited for us to finish dinner one night to take us to a special spot to look at the beautiful Thailand skies, I was very touched about this and it made the trip so special. The caretakers at the Den were also very fun and professional and our kids loved them. Polly and Kay Kay were the two that my kids talked about a lot and wanted to spend time with. This also makes my kids asking to return to Soneva Kiri. The rooms and restaurants are all amazing. We will definitely be back.