Lanta Riviera Villa Resort is a mix-bag of extreme positive and negative points.
We found this resort just a week before the Songkran festival here in Thailand. Every experienced traveler knows that this would spell high prices for every tourist destinations around here. Koh Lanta is no exception as this is one of the most sought out places by tourists during the summer.
Lanta Riviera Villa Resort as advertised online caught our attention as it was one of the cheapest family friendly resort.
Here are the reasons why we booked it.
The price
The family bungalow cost us a little over 4,000.00 THB which is approximately a bit over 133 USD for three nights during the peak season. This is definitely a great deal.
Family-friendly
Kids as they are, are synonymous to shouting, shrieking, jumping, crying, and boisterous laughs. And we have got two active, super excited kids who could not contain their emotions despite being told to do so and we don’t want to overdo the scolding and rule implementations as it might spoil their holiday but as much as we have all the rights to be there, we also want to be considerate with the other guests. So detached accommodations like bungalows are really suitable.
Kid’s pool: For our kids a holiday is not a holiday without a pool. So it is a must.
Bunk bed: This was a special request from our kids. It has been their long time wish to have a bunk bed or at least to experience sleeping on one (blame it on Peppa Pig) and luckily, Lanta Riviera Villa Resort has it.
So how was it?
The bungalow is great. It is big enough that it does not feel like you are all cramped inside. As a matter of fact, even with a queen-sized bed, a bunk bed and a big couch, it is still spacious. It was clean. There were no dust and or dirt under the furniture. The bathroom was clean and is fairly spacious. All amenities that come with it like the fridge, kettle, flat-screen TV, Wi-Fi, hairdryer, and air-con all work perfectly. There are the usual freebies like coffee, 4 bottled water, and toiletries. It has a veranda and a garden in front with plants that give the bungalow a private feel to it.
Did I mention they have Free Wi-Fi? Oh I’d like to emphasize that their internet services is by far the best among all the hotels we have had the experience of staying. Even the pricier ones can’t hold a candle to this resort in terms of internet services. All three gadgets we brought along logged in without any hitch and the internet speed felt premium.
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Parking: There is an open space for parking right in front of the property. Even though it’s unguarded it felt safe as the Information’s office is right beside it and open 24 hours a day. There are no proper parking demarcations so cars are parked however people preferred it. So it was quite messy. And if you are a bit fuzzy about your fancy car it might be a deal breaker for you since it is a bit muddy when the parking area is wet or very dusty when dry.
The kid’s pool is neither big nor tiny. Our kids had a great time hanging around there. It has a heater, which is really great, so the water is warm which is ideal especially for kids during an evening swim and it’s something we think every pool must have
But of course nothing is ever perfect and so is this resort… which brings me to its possible deal breaker down sides.
The bungalow was very clean as we have mentioned but it however had a faint cigarette smoke odor when we went inside which means that they allow smoking in their bungalows. We find this very disappointing. They should have a smoking and a non-smoking bungalow as non-smokers would be pretty sensitive to this odor.
The pool is not well maintained as evident by the somewhat murky look of the water. Rules and guidelines for pool use are not enforced.
Getting to the resort was like finding Nemo. Looking for it was just utterly frustrating to the point of disgust. For one the address provided in the website is incorrect, the GPS took us in the middle of the forest, and this is like quite a few kilometers away from where it actually is. Second, there is not a tiniest signage of some sort visible from the roadside. An hour later after driving back and forth and after asking for directions from people who were also a bit confused as there is another resort with a similar name, one directed us here (see photo please).
Yes, that’s right. It does not say Lanta Riviera Villa Resort. But right into the alley you will see the resort’s name under another hotel’s name (see photo, in red ink). We later found out that Lanta Riviera Villa Resort is under the management of Hatzanda Lanta Resort. And the name visible on the roadside is Hatzanda (HZD) Lanta Resort. This inconsistency however is not mentioned on their website. Not a slightest hint at all.
If Lanta Riviera Villa Resort is your next travel accommodation, ask the driver to drop you off at Hatzanda Lanta Resort. If you are driving, type in your GPS: Hatzanda Lanta Resort.
Overall…
Lanta Riviera Villa Resort is a great place for a staycation whether with your family, friends, or by yourself. The villas are in secluded places surrounded by vegetation giving you the privacy you need. Plus, affordable Thai-Malaysian Eateries and a Seven Eleven are just around the block.
If you can take all the downsides with a smile and if it is not a deal breaker for you Lanta Riviera Villa Resort is a great place to stay.
Family Friendly Hotels in Krabi
- Green View Village Resort
- 2021 Family Staycation Ao Nang Krabi Thailand
- Lanta Cottage Hotel
- Ibis Styles Krabi Ao Nang: Hotel Review
- Aonang Regent Hotel, Krabi Thailand: Hotel Review
- Phutara Lanta Resort Koh Lanta Krabi
- Hotel Review: Nadivana Serviced Apartments
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