To tell you the truth, when I first arrived in Ao Nang I was pretty skeptical about the level of quality hotels on offer in the area. The entire strip is wall to wall in money exchange offices, tour companies offering trips to nearby islands and the same old Thai/Western restaurants that always seem to sell the same food. There is also a McDonalds and a Starbucks side by side! I soon discovered, however, that there are a lot of beautiful hotels and resorts in Krabi hidden away behind the main drag including the beautiful Aonang Cliff Beach Hotel – with its spectacular views and infinity pool!
Krabi can quite busy and touristy, so to escape the crowds consider checking out some nearby islands such as Koh Trang.
READ MORE: Where to stay in Sri Lanka: Best Luxury Hotels
AoNang Cliff Beach Resort
As always my misconceptions were quickly brushed to the side once I stepped inside the beautiful AoNang Cliff Beach Resort. I think what impressed me the most was that this hotel, despite being located on the main strip in Ao Nang, has created a peaceful oasis where you feel like you are a million miles from the hustle and bustle of the street. The complex is quite large but is nicely spread out on the sid elf cliff and is comprised of various terraced blocks of rooms, all with amazing sea views.I was lucky enough to stay in one of the rooms in the panorama block, which meant I had a spectacular view of the cliffs, the beach, the town and even the islands in the distance. From the moment I stepped into the room I knew I would never want to leave. Honestly it is the kind of bedroom where you could happily hibernate for the duration of your stay!
I loved the fact that everything was built around making the most of the view, so you could still enjoy the view while lying in bed or even while taking a shower thanks to the large glass window connecting the bathroom to the bedroom. The best thing about the room, however, was the little hidden gem waiting for me on the balcony…my very own private bath tub! I can’t count the number of baths I had there in my short 48 hour stay…let’s just say it was not enough!!
While staying in your room will be very tempting if you staying at Ao Nang Cliff Beach Resort, once you set your eyes on their stunning infinity pool which has literally being built into the side of a cliff and comes complete with the best panoramic views in all of Krabi…you won’t be staying in there very long!
There is also a rooftop bar, perfect for photographing the sunset, where I had lots of fun hanging out with some other travel bloggers during my stay. It’s always so fun o meet up with other bloggers, brain storm and of course to have a drink or 10 together! 😉 Be sure to check out their blogs: Travelling Weasels and Travel Tom Tom.
If you wander around the resort like I did you will also find a second pool, a spa and an all-you-can-eat buffet which is located right next door to the hotel and a place I made the most of on my first night!Definitely one of the best hotels in Ao Nang, without a doubt!
Alisea Boutique Hotel, Ao Nang
If you are staying in Ao Nang for longer than a few days and want to mix things up a bit, I highly recommend checking into the Alisea Boutique Hotel. A lot more affordable than the Cliff Beach Resort, this hotel has a lot of character. From the moment you arrive you will notice the mosaic tiles and the beautiful stain glass windows wherever you look.
The staff were so friendly and helpful and welcomed me with a cold fruit juice and wet towel to help cool me down. It’s SO humid in Thailand right now! My room was on the third floor (sadly no elevator so would not recommend for anyone that find the stairs a struggle!) and overlooked the swimming pool of the hotel next door. Things I loved about my room in the Alisea:
- The bed was unusually high. I can’t quite explain why, but I really loved this about it. It was also, naturally, super comfortable.
- The bathroom had a wall to floor glass window looking out into the bedroom. This meant that I was able to lie my laptop on my bed, put on my favourite music videos and watch them while taking a shower!! I’m sure other people would like this glass window for other reasons! 😉
- There was a cute wooden stairs that led up to a loft which had a cute chilling out area with a daybed. Perfect for reading in the late afternoon.
- There was an absolutely MASSIVE wooden hot tub on the balcony. On my private balcony, that is. It was so large it took forever to fill but once it was hard full I jumped in and started laughing at how big it was. I could lie down and my feet still did not touch the far end. Loved it – definitely my favourite thing about the room!
The Alisea is a very chilled out place which meant the pool area (besides sunset) was always relatively quiet and I loved the chill out music that they played at the pool bar. While the view may not seem that special (sadly the view of the ocean is sort of blocked) it was really calm and peaceful, and in a weird way sort of felt like you were surrounded by a jungle. I loved the outdoor shower area, the comfy beanbags and of course…the sunset!
By far one of the nicest hotels in Ao Nang, complete with character and what feels like an oasis way from all the madness of the main strip. Be sure to stick around for the sunset – you will get some great photos!
Note: Thank you so much to Jenna for inviting me to stay at these stunning hotels. Although it was a blogger trip, all opinions are obviously my own and I would totally recommend my friends and family to stay in these beautiful hotels. x