Anantara Koh Yao Yai Resort & Villas

As a couple without children, our stay at Anantara fell short of a true 5-star experience.

*Positives: *
The hotel has stunning, modern rooms that align with expectations for a newly built establishment. The views are beautiful, and the breakfast offers a diverse selection. The gym is equipped with the latest facilities.

*Negatives: *
- The service left much to be desired. Long waits of up to 20 minutes or even no-shows for buggies/golf carts were common.
- The lack of information about the island and its community was disappointing. Guests were unaware of essentials, such as scooter riding is very safe on this island or local cultural norms (like the predominantly Muslim community and appropriate attire).
- Special themed evevings like seafood buffet etc were not properly communicated either.
- Additionally, the food was exorbitantly priced. Comparing prices with another 5-star hotel like Vana Belle in Koh Samui, Anantara's rates are 2-3 higher.
- The inflexibility of speed boat schedules led to lengthy waits.
- Furthermore, the beach isn't the best for swimming due to tidal flats. It would be good to know it up front/before booking.
- The spa-associated swimming pool, rarely used, charges customers an additional 1500 baht for its use.

This hotel has so much potential, but falls to mediocre because of the confused management and frugality. I’ve stayed at many Anantara resorts and the management here is different. The stinginess at a 5* resort I’ve never seen before.

For e.g,

1) There are 2 main pools, but you cannot use the second pool (or sauna or steam) unless you pay 1500 baht per person per day. In our 4 day 3 nights we never saw someone use this pool and it was empty throughout collecting dust.

2) it’s on a remote island, you’d think they’d price in the transfer from Phuket. But it’s 10000 baht (!) to take a 30 min ride back and forth from Phuket for the stay for 2 people, almost extortion. PSA- We stayed 3 nights and even though it’s policy to include this fare, it doesn’t include when booked through Hotels/Booking/Expedia etc only direct (it was the same price). Even the hotel was confused when booking our transit and charged us 300$ for this.

3) Overall, the people are extremely nice, but probably have been instructed to be inflexible by management. Getting a buggy to and from the pier takes 30 mins of negotiation. The reservations at the beach restaurant are confused - we asked for 2 outside and they flat out said not possible completely booked. When I asked someone else, they seated us.

These are a few points I’d give to the management for improving hospitality experience for the guests. I’d suggest the manager to host hospitality trainings and rethink the effect the stingy pricing can have on guests.otherwise the hotel itself, island, and people are very nice.

Acceptable hotel. Great playroom. Food and wine are very expensive and quality is not that great.

Very nice property with an amazing view, but the services are very poor due to insufficient staff during the high season. The staff members are not well-trained to be service-minded. The food is not edible and not worth paying for. The speed boat back to the mainland has excessively long waiting times. In case of an emergency, there is a speed boat to Koh Yao Noi only, not the mainland. I came with my 2-year-old son, who needed to go back to the Phuket mainland to see a doctor as he had the flu and croup. He had to wait for the boat scheduled to run every 2-4 hours (8 am/12 pm/2 pm/5 pm)

Anantara Koh Yao Yai Hotel has amazing rooms that are clean and comfortable, well decorated and can see sea views from every corner of the room. And the hotel has a full range of activities, including a large swimming pool next to the sea and a children's pool. A fun playground with bicycles for healthy riding and views of the island. The beach restaurant has delicious food and comfortable seating for dinner. Thanks to Mr. Wakim. I came to recommend travel and talk and provide services. I definitely felt warm. I came back and recommended my friends to relax at Anantara Koh Yao Yai.

Serene ambience, welcoming staff, beautiful resort with amazing views of Phang-nga islands.

TLDR;
Stay here! Staying at Anantara will be one of the best decisions you’ll make in 2023! I promise you. Everything about this resort is best in class.

(TLDR: Too Long, Don’t Read)

Now for the detail…

Anatara Staff
The staff is what makes Anantara so special. I’m convinced they cherry-picked the best and most experienced hotel staff from around Thailand. Everyone, and when I say everyone, I mean everyone, is so kind, helpful, knowledgeable, and passionate about their jobs. I write this a lot about hotel staff in Asia going above and beyond; however, the staff at Anantara gives a new meaning to “going above and beyond. ”

Some special shout-outs: Patrick (the GM), Nang (FOH), Nutt (FOH), Shalift (Head of F&B), Shareef (Thai Restaurant)

The hardest part about checking out is that I have to say goodbye to so many wonderful people.

The Rooms
The rooms are simply gorgeous! The rooms are clean, spacious, and fully stocked. The interior design is incredible, whoever designed this thought of everything. From the powder room to the balcony to the his-and-her sinks, to the vanity section, desk, walk-in closet, etc. I could go on, but I’m sure you get my drift. I have stayed at many hotels, and this has to be one of the best rooms I’ve slept in. And this wouldn’t be a proper review without commenting on the linen. I am a linen guru (or snob), and I have to say Anatara has some of the most lush and superior quality linen. The beds and pillows are extremely comfortable. Seriously, the rooms are top-notch.

Housekeeping comes twice a day, in the morning to clean and in the evening to prep the room for bedtime. The housekeeping staff are diligent and do a fantastic job every time. They think of everything and nothing goes untouched.

The Resort
Is beautiful, massive, and well looked after. The property is not only beautiful, it’s functional. The resort sits right on the beach so guests feel like they have their own private beach when they are not in the pool. Note that the pool is cleaned daily. To upkeep the property, they have hired a landscaping (gardening) team that looks after the property daily. Amenities include a spa, boutique, gym (state of the art), paddle boarding, kayaking, and more.

Restaurants
Anantara has two restaurants: a Thai restaurant and an International restaurant. It’s pretty self-explanatory, the Thai restaurant serves Thai food and the international restaurant serves a variety from Western to Japanese and everything in between. The food and drinks are good at both restaurants. However, it’s worth mentioning that the prices are higher than what you’ll find elsewhere in Thailand. That said, the island doesn’t provide many options for dining so you’re quite limited on where you can eat. Next month (November 2023), Anantara is opening a Japanese restaurant.

General Notes (that may be helpful)
- I stayed in the Deluxe Sea View Suite.
- Breakfast is delicious and they provide a wide range of options.
- Anantara is a new hotel in Koh Yao Yai, it opened in August. Despite its newness, the hotel is running smoothly, I experienced little to no hiccups.
- The staff can arrange your departure accommodation, which includes a car service to the ferry (speedboat), a private speedboat, and a car service to the airport.
- I did not go to the spa, as I felt the prices were too steep. In my opinion, it’s comparable, if not more expensive than the spas in America and Europe. It’s far too expensive for Thailand. Massages starting price at Anantara is $170 - $200 USD and easily jumps to $350 - $400 for packages. Upscale spas in Thailand massages start at $35-$75 USD. And for basic spas, you can get a massage starting at $15 - $25 USD.

Great villa & facilities. Mixed experience for services. Check- in/out process needs improvement for this level of resort. Buggy shuttles delayed on may occasions. Took forever for americanos on both breakfast. Good selections of buffet btw.

I just came back from a holiday at this hotel, which I consider one the best holidays I had in the recent year. It was above my expectations- it was the “yes” hotel across all fields. I had access to yoga, fishing, gym exercising, and visiting surrounding islands thanks to the hotel staff. Above all, the general manager (Mr. Patric) who created a beautiful culture in this hotel. My special thanks go to him, and his assistants Karensiri and Nana, Hana, the receptionist and the fitness trainer, Fern. It’s my first time at this hotel, but I know it won’t be my last.

Manager Khun Boom and his staff were amazing.

Room and food were on point.

Cannot wait to get back there:)

We made a booking for December 2023, had to cancel as the reservation team is extremely bad with pre arrival enquiries and arrangements. Also impossible to get a response from management by email despite multiple attemps. Go somewhere else if you are look for good services.

This hotel is amazing and we really enjoyed our stay. The room we had was spacious and beautiful and had its own perfect little yard.the private beach is easily accessible and is a lot of fun with trees providing natural shade to get away from the hot sun.
The main pool here is by far the most beautiful pool I've seen In a hotel and the family pool is perfect for family fun with its 4 different water slides that suit all ages.
The kids club is actually mind blowing. Beautiful decorated and has a lot of options for the kids.
The staff is very nice always has a smile on their face and atentative to your needs.
The only reason I gave this place a 4 star review and not 5 is the food.
Apart from breakfast which was great everything was disappointing. My wife and I definitely expected more from such a luxury hotel chain. We had dinner in both restaurants and were both disappointed with both meals especially with regards to the price of the food which wasn't cheap. The food was bland and didnt feel fresh. Other than the food (which i hope gets better with time) this hotel is amazing.

รร พึ่งเปิดใหม่ บริการดีค่ะ แต่คนมาใช้บริการค่อนข้างเยอะ รร มี activity ให้ทำไม่เยอะมากค่ะ เน้นมาพักผ่อนนอนชมทะเลสบายๆๆ คือดีย์คุ้มค่ะ รร มีให้บริการจักรยานด้วยค่ะ ปั่นรอบรรได้ฟรีค่ะ ด้านนอก รรมี มอไซค์เช่าให้บริการ ขับในเดาะได้ไม่ยากค่ะ

A big shoutout to the Anantara Koh Yao Yai team, especially to the Resort Manager Boom and my personal butler Hana, for making my stay absolutely amazing. The resort is only a couple months new, but it’s already running like a well-oiled machine. I was a little surprised to see the number of staff greatly outnumbering the number of guests — it’s obvious that they take every effort to ensure our stay is immaculate. In true Thai hospitality fashion, everyone here is warm, welcoming and eager to please… but what truly sets them apart from the rest are the small gestures (like handwritten notes, treats etc.) that are so so appreciated. Even some of the other guests I meet here, who are diverse, are infected by their warm hospitality and are friendly and sociable. That said, if privacy is what you prefer, the resort offers that too.

Oh and the rooms - wow! The resort is new so everything is expectedly still in mint condition. I stayed in the Beachfront Villa and loved the fact that I am only a few steps from the beach AND still have my own private pool. The room comes with a standing paddle board and that has kept me occupied for most of the mornings.

I can continue to rave on and on about the resort, but you truly have to experience for yourself. If I really have to nitpick — I hope they can forego providing drinking water in plastic bottles and use glass bottles instead. Not that it has spoilt my experience at all.

Again, kudos to the Anantara KYY team. Excellent job and keep it up. I will definitely visit again!

Great hideaway in very serene island.
I think this hotel is very well decorated and designed. I love that all the little details they putted into. I’m really happy with my stay here. Amazing place with great staff.
Highly recommended.:)

I had the most incredible experience at Anantara Koh Yao Yai Resort and Villas! From the moment I arrived, I was greeted with warm smiles and exceptional service. The resort's stunning location, nestled on the serene Koh Yao Yai island, provided the perfect backdrop for a relaxing getaway.

The villas were not just comfortable, they were luxurious and thoughtfully designed, offering breathtaking views of the Andaman Sea. The attention to detail in every aspect of the villa, from the private pool to the comfortable bedding, was truly impressive.

What truly set this resort apart was the exceptional staff. They went above and beyond to make my stay unforgettable. Whether it was arranging excursions, catering to dietary preferences, or providing personalized recommendations, their dedication to guest satisfaction was evident at every turn.

The dining experiences at Anantara were a highlight of my stay. The variety of cuisines, the freshness of ingredients, and the creativity of the chefs left me eagerly anticipating each meal. Dining by the sea at sunset was an absolute dream.

The resort's spa and wellness facilities were top-notch, allowing me to indulge in much-needed relaxation and rejuvenation. I also appreciated the eco-friendly initiatives and commitment to sustainability that Anantara demonstrated.

In conclusion, Anantara Koh Yao Yai Resort and Villas exceeded my expectations in every way. It's a true gem for anyone seeking a perfect blend of luxury, natural beauty, and exceptional service. I can't wait to return and create more unforgettable memories at this outstanding resort.

This is the most beautiful resort in a location you can only dream about. The room we stayed in with the sea view is the best room I ever stayed in. I hesitate to even call it a room it's more like an apartment such as the size, Truly 5 star quality in every sense it even has a motorized curtain rail in the bathroom, that is the luxury standard that is set.
The pool is simply stunning with stunning views to the sea they really thought about the design of it. For me and my wife we both agreed it's the best beach we have ever been too just perfect so clean and so calm our little daughter loved it.
Lastly this is all great but what is really outstanding is the staff whereby nothing is too much they are all smiley and very friendly a special mention to Boom the resort manager I can thank him enough for making our stay wonderful.