Ao Nang Cliff Beach Resort

Independent Review

Introduction

Completed in 2010 and offering beautiful views from a hillside above the town, the contemporary Thai-style architecture of this hotel is as pleasing as is its immaculate condition throughout. The Deluxe Seaview room type is excellent for couples and the Family Deluxe is a top family choice.

The large infinity-edge pool has a children’s section, which has safety railings around it. The lobby staff are even more attentive than is usual in this most service-minded of countries, even offering tired and hot travel journalists a cool drink and face-towel.
	All rooms have balconies containing comfortable chairs, and are well-appointed. This hillside hotel is not recommended for mobility impaired guests, due to the presence of unavoidable steps.
The resort is conveniently located 600 metres from the beach and near to all amenities, and is a perfect spot for a couple to hide away, whilst being close enough to the centre of town and beaches. Click here for a map.
	In 2010 the resort added two new room types, the Deluxe Seaview and the Family, which are the best in this resort, and also among the very best in Ao Nang for the price charged.
The restaurant serves a good breakfast and lunch. Most people eat out in the evenings, due to the presence of a huge selection of quality restaurants within a short walk of the resort.

There is a quality spa, which is reasonably priced at only triple the price of the massage shops nearby (you pay for the reliability, which is usually good at 4 star resorts but often poor at the little massage places).

Accommodation

Superior

These are located in the downstairs section of the lower 2-story accommodation block. Half have mountain views and half garden views.

	The gardens that can be viewed, however, are only 3 metres long and most end in a concrete wall, so the garden-view ‘Superior’ rooms are not recommended.
Most but not all of the ‘Superior’ mountain-view rooms have good views of the karst ramparts that separate Ao Nang from Railay.
	None of the views from these rooms compare with the much better views from the Superior Cliff rooms. The Superior Cliff rooms are a bit more expensive than the Superior, but well worth the extra money.

Deluxe

These are located in the upstairs section of the accommodation block. Half have sea-views, and the other half have pool views.

	The connecting pool view rooms are not recommended for families whose parents want to keep an eye on their small children in the pool, whilst relaxing on their room’s balcony.
You need to go up and down several flights of stairs to reach the pool, which is inconvenient for small children and not great for parents when they need to collect their children from the pool.
	The Superior Cliff rooms are a better choice than the Deluxe - they offer much better views, better balconies and are less expensive. You should only book a Deluxe if the Superior Cliff are all full.

Deluxe Seaview

These are one of Ao Nang's very best options. All of them have a seaview, with (surprise surprise) the units on higher floors getting the best views and the units nearest the beach getting better sea views than the ones further away. We can request one of these better units for you as, being a local agent, we know which room numbers are nearest the sea. All of these rooms also have a fabulous mountain view of the karst massif that separates Ao Nang from Railay.

This view is particularly stunning late on a sunny afternoon, when the stallactites with which the cliffs are adorned glow in the golden light and seem to drip like wax from a candle. If you like a room with a view, look no further than this room type. The down-side of the great views is that you have to negotiate some steps to get up to your room - there is a lift, but not all the way up from street level. Noone of moderate fitness will have a problem, but mobility-impaired guests should stay in a different room type (in a different hotel, actually).

The immaculate rooms interiors are tastefully decorated with classy silks and are very well equipped for the price charged, with gleaming hardwood floors and tasteful Asian fabrics giving them a distinctly Thai feel. The 'sexy' shower separating the bedroom from the bathroom (where one of you can lie in bed and watch the other shower) is a fun feauture for lovebirds, who will also enjoy the hot tub on the balcony.

The balconies on the upper floors are completely private, meaning that honeymooners can enjoy a bath in the state nature intended, while enjoying Ao Nang's best view. We can request you an upper-floor private balcony for your au naturel bathing pleasure. Unsurprisingly, these rooms are a popular choice with honeymooners. All rooms have a daybed which converts into a full-sized extra bed. Connecting rooms are possible, making a pair of these rooms a good choice for families with older children. The following is an image of the conecting rooms.

Family Room

These are a good choice for families with up to 3 smaller children and a baby. There are 2 double beds and also a single.

	The second double bed is located in an alcove separating it from the first double bed, so providing parents at least a little night-time privacy. In the image on the left the kids' bed is behind the wooden slats.
The Family rooms are all located on the first floor, so children can easily access the pool, though not as easily as when staying at a Pavilion Suite at the Golden Beach resort.

Here at the Ao Nang Cliff Beach, a pair of Deluxe Seaview rooms are a better option for families with older children as there is a DVD and TV in each room, as there is more space and as parents then get complete night-time privacy. For the price charged there is no better 4 star option for families with small children than a Family room at the Ao Nang Cliff Beach resort.

Prices

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Andaman Sky, Co., Ltd, 23/8 Moo 2, Ao Nang, Thailand