Islanda Hideaway Resort

Having stayed in Thailand for over 18 years, I have visited many hotels and resorts. Some were more pleasant than others. However, with Islanda Hideaway Resort, I was pretty disappointed. 1: Despite confirming with the resort to have transportation arranged to the resort, they managed to have forgotten. Mind you, they confirmed twice via email about transportation. My initial emails had all the flight details, which they also confirmed. On the day of arriving at the airport, no one was there. I had to call several times because no one bothered to pick up the phone. On my 3rd try, someone eventually picked up. I asked about the transportation. They claimed that the driver was at the airport until 12.40 pm. My plane landed at this time; however, the driver left at 12.40 pm, expecting me to show up at the arrival exit at precisely 12.40 pm. 2: The beachfront was dirty, with washed-up bottles, etc. I saw five bottles of Duck Bathroom cleaner washed up. 3: Happy hour seems not to be happy hour. By my understanding, happy hour is buy one, get one free. At Islanda Hideaway Resort, you must purchase two and get one free. 4. The restaurant was the worst food I have eaten in Thailand. I know Thai food well, but the taste of the food served at Islanda Hideaway Resort was not good. It had a lot of MSG, hence the dry mouth afterward. Everything tasted sweet, and sadly, it was very overpriced. They have the advantage because there aren't any 7-11 stores or local grocery stores on this island. We managed to get one of the bicycles and find some locally-made food. The price I paid for two huge boxes of food, two drinks, and one Thai dessert was equivalent to one dish at the Islanda Hideaway Resort. 5. Restaurant rules. It seems the staff at this restaurant can't be bothered to enforce specific ethical rules, like not allowing guests to smoke, especially in the restaurant area. A tourist couple sat several tables down, smoking after every bite. The staff did not seem bothered. I won't return to this place again. Sad. The setting is lovely. The sunsets are magical. It is very peaceful. However, staff and management managed to ruin everything because they couldn't be bothered to take proper care. If someone at Islanda Hideaway Resort reads this, they will take it to their hearts and start working on some well-needed changes.

If you are looking for a place to simply unwind, then Islanda is the resort. The staff are absolutely wonderful, always providing service with a smile. They will arrange your tours and all the travel involved from the tuk-tuk, long boat or taxi, just turn up at the agreed time. Accommodation is comfortable, providing a toilet with a view. Thank you to everyone at Islanda for a relaxing and most enjoyable stay.