La Vela Khao Lak - SHA Extra Plus

Booked a room in the Oceanside wing, but was not expecting a full view of the ocean! We were pleasantly surprised to have a balcony (and bed!) only metres from the sand. It was an amazing spot to sit and relax while listening to the waves crashing on the beach. Bed was super comfortable and the room size was great. We had breakfast included in our booking, and this was also great. The range of food available is incredible, and could not find any faults. Hotel is only a short walk to shops, restaurants, etc and also markets a few times a week. If it's too hot to walk, there are taxis readily available.

I stayed at La Vela for two weeks during low season. The hotel is directly on the beach, at the end of a street dotted with small shops and restaurants that are decidedly better and much cheaper than the ones inside. The complex is built from stone, wood, metal and immersed in a tropical garden, giving it a minimalist, eco-friendly atmosphere. It has banned single-use plastics and provides two free glass water bottles per day, which you can refill in the public areas. Breakfast is a real banquet held at the Spice Cafe, elbow-to-elbow with tropical birds. It's truly spectacular - honestly one of the best I've experienced at a hotel of this level. There's an entire room just for 20 types of breads, pastries and brioches; two huge buffet lines where they make soups, noodles and every possible egg dish you can imagine on the spot; a sushi corner; a station for hot and cold beverages. In addition to the Spice Cafe there is a bar with a library (which makes great coffee and terrible cakes, even though they look nice) and a restaurant and cocktail bar on the beach. The hotel has two beautiful pools plus one near the beach. It also offers a small gym, a fabulous spa, a skate park, equipment for water sports (for a fee), free beach towels, and a daily program of free soft activities like yoga on the beach, which I highly recommend. The room was equipped with every possible comfort: a beautiful tub on the balcony (not a hot tub), a walk-in shower, a huge bed that was almost as tall as me, a minibar area with a large fridge and kettle, wine glasses and various amenity kits. You can adjust the lighting with a panel. During the day you can hear some noise from the nearby hotel under construction, at night just the music of the waves. Outside the hotel, as I said, there are many shops and excursion stands. I also recommend taking a taxi to the most beautiful beaches, since the one at the hotel is a bit disappointing. The staff is incredibly kind and helpful.

This was our 2nd stay at La Vela, 6 yrs apart. There is lots of vegetation now & is well looked after. All the staff from checkin to departure were exceptional. Meals were very good & catered for all nationalities. The Pool Access Room that we had was large & comfortable. All rooms have a large fridge, air con worked well & the pool was large & water quality was good with no black or green algae present. The huge xl king size bed was very comfortable & linen was changed daily although not necessary. A huge PLUS was that a buggy service is available for us seniors who find it difficult to walk too far. Just phone Reception & the buggy will take you to where ever you want to go within the resort & pick you up to return you to your room.

What a stunning Hotel! Our stay was perfect from Check in to Check out. Lovely happy friendly staff - special mention to JP who had great chat and bent over backwards to ensure everyone had their requests/expectations met. Our room was amazing... spacious and airy, a big balcony (with a bath!) and very comfortable outdoor furniture, an awesome shower and the hugest most comfortable bed - all with a tranquil view of the pools and garden. The location is wonderful - walking distance to everything you need... Massage, great local eateries and of course the Bang Niang Markets. Breakfast was absolutely mind blowing, as was the food at the famous Kokulo Restaurant. Beautiful spacious pools at the perfect temperature. Top points all round from us - we have already booked again for next year!

This was our fourth visit to La Vela and again our three week stay was amazing. One of the best breakfasts we have had with a great variety of different food to select from.The staff are professional, friendly and will go out of their way to help in any manner. The buffet dinner and Fire Show are not to be missed. This hotel lends itself to couples and has limited activities for young children.