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.

Our 6th visit to La Vela Rooms are well appointed, clean and modern. Large rooms that have a sofa bed, lots of space to store luggage and a full size refrigerator. The breakfast is one of the best we have had . A large choice of hot food, egg station with many choices, sushi freshly made, good variety of breads and pastries and fresh fruit. There is also a dedicated barrister. Staff are amazing and will do everything possible to make your stay memorable. Three pools to choose from and the beach as well. Kokulo Club has a seafood Buffet three times a week which is not to be missed. Also has a bartender show and fireshow three times a week. The location is excellent with many restaurants within a short walk. A number of minimarts a five minute walk away.

Wowzers! This is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Hard to beat Khao Lak. Hotel is new, and very modern. If you are into modern architecture and sharp angles, this is the place for you. The Thai food served is excellent, and the drinks are generous. The pool is absolutely stunning. Breakfast is great, with lots of variety. The place is very popular with European retirees, and there were very few North Americans. I think we were the only ones. The Hotel throws a free cocktail party at 6PM for guests. Hard to beat a couple free glasses of wine and some sushi...

The hotel is amazing for people with kids. There's a kid play area that has plenty of toys and books for kids to enjoy. There's a playground, an aqua park, plenty of pools which make up for the beach being a bit less nice. One of the best breakfast buffets we have had was in la vela