The Cove Phi Phi

Simply Awful. Booked 3 nights here as a "highlight" of a 4 week tour of Thailand. It was by some margin, the most expensive place I booked and during our tour we stayed in 5-star to "home-stay" accommodations: We had a beach-front Bamboo Cabin. It had working Aircon, which was the only positive. Small (4ft 6) double bed with a ripped mosquito net. Ants in the bathroom handbasin in permanent residency. The shower looked like it hadn't had a polish since it was time began. The cabins are detached and made of bamboo. The downside is that sound really, really travels, so we were subjected to the noises from the neighbours behind us as they were having a lot of very loud sex. We didn't enjoy the neighbours to the side because we could hear them use the toilet (not talking about flush-noises either). Facing the beach is like being on a main road in the daytime as there is a constant procession of longtail boats sailing across the beach. Now the food offering. I didn't think it was possible to get bad food in Thailand, from a street seller to a rooftop restaurant, we had it all. But this place was appallingly bad. Everything was way, way overpriced which I would not have minded, after all we're on an isolated beach, right? We had an early dinner, 3 tables in the restaurant and still my wifes order came out and mine half an hour later. The first night food was so awful, I kept myself to plain rice and fruit smoothies. Breakfast was the Cove's way of showing their total contempt for guests as I've had better offerings in youth hostels. For day two I booked a full days private longtail boat tour from the hotel at 4500B. The boat turned up an hour late, none of the promised water on board, and dropped us back at 1pm. The hotel gave us 1000B back, and I later found out the same tour out of Tonsai Pier is 3500B. By this point we'd had enough so I informed reception we would leave one day early and told they why. The reception guy just smiled; no refund given and tbh, I knew it was a write-off. So next morning we leave. Their water taxi is WAY overloaded. It hits rocks. The boat starts to take on water. We end up 1km from Tonsai pier and hit more rocks, so we have to beach the boat and for another boat to pick us up. I write this review as someone who owns and runs his own small guest-house (in the UK) and the Cove is really just set up to drain money from tourists. Every place we stayed we felt like guests...at the Cove we felt like money-cows coming in to be milked. So my recommendation is to avoid this place completely. If you want the isolated beach experience there are plenty others on the island with equally beautiful beaches, and I'd suggest the farther you are away from Tonsai Pier, the better, as it will make for fewer load boats sailing right across your beach. Finally, I have written this review from our next destination: Elixir Resort on Koh Yao Yai, which is everything the Cove is not, and I am looking forward to writing a positive review there. I really don't like being negative...and I look forward to forgetting about The Cove.

The experience of being at this resort was none less than serene and relaxing. Staff is the key. They are so humble so good at hospitality and treat their guests like anything. Being a vegetarian I had issues with food, but they took care of it by keeping my requirements intact. I enjoyed there yummy food. Be it the curry the breakfast the welcome drinks everything was so good. The rooms are just amazing. If you are looking for a peaceful vacay from the chaos of urban life, you should go there. You have a private beach for your own where you can snorkel, you can kayak or can just have a great time by relaxing at the peaceful beach.