Rayavadee Resort

We had a wonderful week here and were looked after by exceptional staff and given a very personal service by Pookey, Osman, Tee, Poupee, Depp, Tam, Noon, Green and all the other great staff. The housekeeping team were brilliant. We were a bit disappointed by the noise of the boats on Railay beach but very happy in the beautiful Phranang Beach and having a delicious lunch in the Grotto. The little houses are very spacious and characterful but perhaps they could be updated. Our walk to breakfast was very special, with monkeys playing in the trees, Hoopoes, doves singing and we even saw a Monitor Lizard! Thank you all for a wonderful week.

From the moment we arrived, the staff was incredibly attentive, ensuring every detail was perfect. A special thank you to Cindy and Mr. Chumpol Chantaloon for their outstanding and warm hospitality. Their dedication made our stay even more memorable, especially with the thoughtful cares for children. The resort itself is breathtaking, nestled between a pristine beach and a lush 6-hectare jungle. The views are absolutely stunning, and the entire property feels like a secluded paradise. Highly recommended for an unforgettable stay! 🌿🏝 Note: If you're arriving from Phuket, take a ferry to Railay Beach. The property is just a 5-minute walk from there, and the staff can also arrange a pickup service for your convenience.

This one-of-a-kind hotel offers incredible advantages that truly stand out among the many exceptional places we've visited around the world. If you're a beach and nature enthusiast, you should definitely consider staying here for its comfort, uniqueness, luxury, unforgettable experience, and the warmth of the staff's kindness. We travel as a family (2 kids: 9 boy and 16 yo teen) 1) Location: Secluded in an exclusive (and undoubtedly the most privileged) area on Phranang Peninsula, within Krabi Marine National Park, accessible only by boat. Surrounded by breathtaking, towering limestone formations with cave stalactites emerging from the air—iconic natural rock features of the region. These formations resemble a stone sorbet melting atop hills, both on land and sea, so close you fall in love and can almost touch them. Amazing sunset views right from you sun lounger. Easy access to Railay Street, offering markets, stores, entertainment, music, bars, restaurants, and various services. 2) Scenic Oasis: 3 beaches exclusive access: Railay East, Railay Main and Phra Nang beach (which is only accessible by Rayavadee) - Phra Nang beach, one of the most stunning accessible beaches I've visited in Thailand, offering low crowds, pristine surroundings and peaceful, even solitary moments throughout the day that feels almost private, as it's only reachable by a moderately long walk from Railay and has direct access ONLY from Rayavadee. It feels like a seawater pool, with warm water and barely any waves—it's hard to leave once you're in. Add to that the breathtaking views of two towering limestone islands (Ko Rang) that enhance the beauty right in front of the beach. - This beach also hosts The Grotto restaurant, an additional marvel. (exclusive for hotel guests during our stay). Along with its amazing food, it sits at an incredible viewpoint, dining tables just about a cave entrance by the sea, and is sheltered by stunning stalactites that stretch above your head. Arrive before the restaurant opens to secure a prime dining table by the sea. - Several paths wind through the hotel, leading you to the incredible lush gardens, trees, and panoramic views framed by limestone hills. Clear signs guide you along the many trails—feel free to get lost in this beautiful expanse. Be sure to check out the spa, the stunning tennis court, and, finally, the sports center, where you can explore the nearby rock formations, the 2 islands, and breathtaking sea views with kayaks. - An amazing, expansive pool that perfectly complements the towering limestone cliffs and the beautiful eastern part of Railay Beach. Sun loungers for everyone, with an incredible restaurant just to the right: Railay Dining. This scenery makes you feel exclusive, even in the more crowded parts of Railay Beach. 3) Accommodation: the property architecture is jaw-dropping, all buildings resembles traditional Thai jungle cabins, yet offering all the comfort and amenities that surpass expectations. We stayed in the family villa, which featured a private pool and separate rooms for the kids. Just a 2-minute walk to Phra Nang Beach and the breakfast area. Golf carts are easily accessible via the app to take you to the pool and Railay Dining. 4) Staff: this is something that truly stood out to us and sets Rayavadee apart from other places. The staff is incredibly helpful and kind, offering a completely personalized approach to guests that makes you feel like they’re your best friends in Thailand. We loved the kindness of the staff in various areas: the breakfast team (always attentive and even looking after our son, who chose to have breakfast indoors), the boutique (which went above and beyond to find sellable dishes we liked from the restaurant and packed them for us to take home), the Water Sports Center (including the Phra Nang Beach sun lounger area), the soccer instructor (I hope someone can remind me of his name), the golf cart drivers, and many others. - Special thanks and heartfelt compliments to LUNA, who stayed close to our family during our stay, supporting us with information, directions, tips, bookings, and anticipating everything we could have forgotten. She even surprised us with thoughtful gestures that made our experience even more special. It felt like she was always by our side, showing up at exactly the right moments. The family misses her dearly and wishes her nothing but the very best in life. - LUNA left the best impression of Rayavadee that we could have hoped for, surpassing everything else I’ve mentioned above. I’m looking forward to returning to Thailand and visiting Rayavadee again.

First things first: it's almost a cliché to praise the wonderful Thai people but it must be said: every single person working at Rayavadee is simply lovely. Thank you so much. This was a special trip for us combining hectic Bangkok with five nights here. We could not have been happier: wonderful food; tranquility*; the most beautiful setting; fabulous pavilion room; a chilled out sunbathing area above Phra Nang beach; monkeys playing above your head and the most fantastic sea to swim and float in. All gorgeous. Everything worked like clockwork including very smooth transfers. We also found out that there is a nurse on site who offered a complimentary service which was really welcome on the day I came out in a rather alarming heat-rash. One or two comments but nothing to detract from the 5* review: (1) *Yes you can hear people and boats sometimes, particularly at the weekend, but all beaches in Thailand are public and Thailand is a busy destination these days. If you complain about vaguely hearing one or two boats coming in at 4am I say to you: how do you think those lovely people get to work and how do you think your food & drink arrive? (2) Fellow guests were nearly all lovely but we were really put off by the guy who shouted at the wonderful waitress because he hadn't spotted the specials board - drop your attitude man. Also the couple who literally set up a camera with lighting and pranced around for half an hour in the Grotto whilst we were all celebrating our own special events (in my case it was my 60th birthday dinner and they set up their camera and 'runway' right next to us). I think the hotel could ban this type of misbehaviour. Yes, ban. We loved it; it's a long way from London but we so hope to return. Thank you everyone.

The resort itself is very good. We really liked our room, it was the most basic room type with a lounge area downstairs and bedroom/bathoom upstairs, with a small outdoor sitting area. It was large, private and well maintained if a bit dated. Staff are so helpful and friendly. We particularly enjoyed the terrace bar / restaurant by Raitailay beach. The spa is beautiful and the massages we had were brilliant. There is just such an elephant in the room which is the vast number of boats and day trippers arriving at the beaches from early am until sunset. I imagine when the resort was built there was far less tourism, and with beaches being public it is totally outside of the resort's control, but nevertheless when I compare other resorts of a similar quality I find it impossible to recommend Rayavadee over them as the beaches are so crowded. We were also quite frustrated that the hotel held private events which took away amenities from paying guests. An evening wedding reception was being held at Phranang beach, which we found the only relatively peaceful area of the 3 beaches during the day, with staff trying to make us leave early afternoon. They similarly set up for a buffet night from mid-afternoon, so 2 of the 4 days we were there they were disturbing guests. The resort is excellent, the staff are great, but particularly with the crowded beaches there are just far better places to visit.