We stayed at the Pimalai for nine nights at the start of April. it was our first trip to Koh Lanta and we decided to stay at the South end of the island as its less developed and we really liked the idea of staying on a secluded bay surrounded by rainforest. We were transferred from Krabi airport by mini bus and then boat. The 2hr Transfer was swift and comfortable. Water provided on the minibus but not the boat. Arriving at the Pimalai by boat was a great experience- the views of the bay and rainforest are fantastic.
The resort itself is beautifully laid out- rooms and villas are peppered amongst beautiful trees, gardens, streams and lattern strewn pathways. The grounds are beautifully maintained and feel like an extension of the surrounding forest, which is great if like me you like the feeling of nature.
CHECK IN- charming and effortless- flower garlands, taken to reception by golf buggy, refreshing drink, cool towels etc.
ROOM- our deluxe twin was of a good size and of reasonable standard, however I suspect it might dissapoint those who equate 5 star with the latest high tech amenities and modern decor. What you are paying for here is the location and seclusion- all rooms have a terrace or balcony with fantastic views and are surrounded by trees and plants. Our room, like others had tasteful timeless teak furniture, pleasant art work, DVD and TV (old style, not flatscreen) and comfortable beds with light weight duvets. Aircon only works when the key is inserted into the slot by the door, which might annoy some, but is in keeping with the hotel's eco philosophy. Unfortunately the sliding doors in our room (204) didn't slide that smoothly but other than that everything was in good working order. The bathroom had a good shower and seperate toliet cubicle. The rubber curtains previously mentioned by reviewers were not present in our room- think they have since been replaced with glass doors. I actually liked the yellow tiling in the bathroom- its earthy and in keeping with the rainforest setting, but can see why others would prefer a more contemporary look. The bath tub wasn't great- not that deep so no chance of a luxurious soak.
SERVICE- all staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful, always smiling, greeting you and offering help. However, it was a bit hit and miss- we only got offered a turndown service 4 nights out of 9, we had to enquire about check out/transfer arrangements ourselves- the final bill and leaving instructions were put under our door sometime after 10pm on our final night even though we were departing at 7am the following morning- bit late by then! We bumped into the General Manager twice during our stay. Whilst he seemed a friendly fellow, we were somewhat surprised that neither time did he bother to ask us how our stay was or for any feedback.
FACILITIES- here the Pimalai excels- the two infinity swimming pools are fantastic, especially the one in the upper resort. The beach is glorious, relatively quiet and the best on the island compared with the others we saw. Lots of watersports available, most complementary- enjoyed snorkling and there were kayaks, sailing boats etc available for (free) use. Free internet access was available in the two libraries and bedrooms- the library by the Pool Villas is superb, the one in the main resort less so. We enjoyed a treatment programme in the Spa which whilst expensive, was worth it- very luxurious, beautiful surroundings etc. Rented a four wheel drive car one day from the hotel for 1,400 baht which compared to inflated prices for pretty much everything else seemed a bit of a bargain!
FOOD AND DRINK- the price and quality of food and drink at the Pimalai really lets the place down. Our breakfast was inclusive and fine, if a little tedious after nine days, but was definetely more 4 star than 5- for example when ordering coffee you are given a cup of coffee rather than a cafetiere. Quality of some of the hot food was variable- felt like mass catering. We ate lunch several times by the upper pool. Prices are very steep- around 350 baht for a sandwich and chips, 430 baht for a green curry or stir fry or salad plus 10% service and 7% Government tax on everything. This basically meant each dish cost around ten pounds sterling, and at those prices you expect something special and unfortunately the food wasn't. The homemade pimalai burger tasted more of bread filler than beef. The chicken and lemongrass salad was ok but really needed more chicken. The thai food was pretty good, but no better than thai food at a third of the price in other restaurants around the bay. We booked a table and ate one night at the hotel's Thai restaurant- Rice and Spice- which was a dissapointing experience. On arrival we were taken to a table at the adjacent restaurant- Baan Pimalai where breakfast and other meals were served, and just given a different menu! Spice and Rice was closed for the evening but no mention of this was made when we made the booking. We suspected this was due to lack of bookings. Food was passable other than an awful pudding- red kidney beans and jelly in a syrup- but hugely overpriced and not a patch on 'Same Same but different' along the beach. We also ate at the Seven Seas restaurant, which is touted as a 'Gourmet' experience. The food was better here- and so it should be with starters at 400-500 baht and mains at 550-1000 baht plus service and tax. Wine starts at 1400 baht a bottle (just about drinkable Chilean Sauvingon Blanc) again plus services and tax. The quality of the food and wine was nowhere close to justifying these prices. 2 starters, 2 mains, 1 desert and a bottle of their cheapest wine came to 4,400 baht, which given the current sterling exchange rate is close to a 100 GBP! - serious money! The food was bistro quality at best- scallops and sea bass were pretty good, the chocolate mousse which was meant to involve three different flavours but were all the same- less so. You could eat at any number of restaurants in Tokyo, New York or London far better for much less. Whilst I accept the costs of getting ingredients to remote locations and the inevitable premium 5 star resorts will charge, the Pimalai is just pushing it too far. To make matters worse, service whilst friendly and charming was a bit hit and miss and the restaurant was crawling with children (bit odd given the Seven Sea's billing as a gourmet, romantic destination).
We enjoyed cocktails at the beach bar during happy hour- buy one get one free. Despite the beach restaurant having a fantastic location and pleasant atmosphere no one seemed to eat there- not surprising when its BBQ night weighs in at 2,050 Baht plus service and tax (or 50 GBP) per person!
OVERALL- if the Pimalai improved its food, reduced its food and drink prices and ironed out service issues it would be a great 5 star resort. As is, its still worth going to due to its great location, facilities and fantastic beach, and represents reasonable value as long as you eat out (as a lot of Pimalai guests seemed to be doing!). Will I be going again? No, because being able to eat well at acceptable prices on resort is something I expect, but I will certainly remember the beautiful views and beach!