Honeymoon suggestions/Paradise Resort

After spending forever deciding on hotel for part of our very belated honeymoon/first anniversary trip in June thanks to TA advice have settled on Marina Phuket (Karon/Kata) for 7 nights and now get to do it all again to choose hotel for 5 nights in Khao Lak! Is all so overwhelming and confusing doing all this research (my hubby thinks I%26#39;ve totally lost the plot!) but I think well worth it in the long run and am so thankful to everyone who contributes to TA and look forward to paying back the favour after our trip.

OK back to Khao Lak. Was looking at the Haadson Resort and the Baan Khao Lak but am now leaning towards the Paradise Resort (beach front villa). There doesn%26#39;t seem to be a lot of info on this resort but I have read the few reviews already on TA and looked at khaolaklovers.com and the hotel website but wondering if anyone has anything they can add about Paradise Resort.

My wishlist includes a nice relaxing resort, preferably a smaller resort with a traditional Thai feel, beachfront bungalow type rooms or at least a decent sea view where we can sit and watch the sun go down, nice pool, walking distance to beach restaurants (also prefer a bath room with a bath included if possible). Pricewise up to 6000B/night is ok.

Any info or other suggestions appreciated.

Thanks!!

Honeymoon suggestions/Paradise Resort

The Paradise certainly lives up to its name and meets all of your criteria - and hopefully you can get it at within your budget. It is very understated in its advertising because,I think, it does very little without needing much. Also it appears that it gets a lot of repeat guests who want to keep it to themselves! Having had a tour of the property a couple of weeks ago I can understand why. Just as ';drop ins'; we we were treated like old friends and when we reached the beach were given hand towels and a glass of water to cool us down.

Not a big resort, it has a lovely pool area by the beach, beautiful and well kept gardens and walkways up to the entrance on the highway, the beachfront bungalows are excellent.

We met a Swiss couple who had spent part of their honeymoon there and were ';over the moon'; with it. Our German friends had a meal there and pronounced it exceptional, which was praise indeed for them.

It is on the very aptly named Sunset Beach together with some other fine resorts but the way it has been located you don%26#39;t get a hemmed in feeling. There are no beach restaurants in the immediate vicinity, the nearest being the Baan Krating%26#39;s delightful restaurant along the beach and up to the road and which provides the best views oveer Khao Lak andthe entire coastline to the north.

The main restaurants, shops and bars can be reached by walking along the beach (not recommended when dark especially if the tide is in) or along the walkway by the highway. It%26#39;s about 1 1/2 km but there are always local taxis parked across from the entrance or by it.

A great choice.

Honeymoon suggestions/Paradise Resort

Hi,

Surprisingly, your choices are exactly the same as the hotels we %26#39;checked out%26#39; last October for our recent visit.

So here is my summary-

Baan Khao Lak - Lovely, very white, rooms but may get noisy in peak season as the pool is close to the beachfront rooms. very close (easy walk) to the restaurants and shops in La On.

Paradise - Superb rooms, particularly the sea front villas. Decor much darker that BKL. Quite a narrow plot with a steep walk up to reception and a resaonable walk to La On.

Haadson - Exceptional value. Rooms not as luxurious as BKL or Paradise. Not all rooms with a view of the sea. The lakeside villas all have baths. A long way from La On (shuttle bus available). A good choice of local restaurants, but no local shops except for a supermarket about 1km away. A very laid back resort.

So now you may be wondering which one we chose?

Don%26#39;t tell anyone else, but it was the Haadson!

Thanks for the replies

Arandora, how long would it take to walk from the Paradise to the closest restaurant you mentioned? We would only be there 5 nights and would eat a couple of meals at the hotel but I like to venture out to the local restaurants too.

Russetsprint, great minds think alike :o) I was really drawn to the Haadson initially as it seems to be nice and out of the way and like the fact there are restaurants nearby but hubby really wants something with a beachview as our hotel in Phuket doesn%26#39;t have one and he adores his sunsets. Hopefully we%26#39;ll still get some nice ones in June!

The restaurant at the Baan Krating, the Muanlai (thanks Mike for reminding me of the name) is probably 10 minutes either along the beach and up the steps or up to Reception at the Paradise and turn right on the highway. For a greater selection of restaurants walk down the highway along the scenic walkway to the main area at Bang La On, then catch a taxi back or vice-versa or a taxi both ways. They%26#39;re not excpensive for the short trip.

How about this to increase your anticipations then?

鈥hotobucket.com/albums/鈥SC_0193a.jpg

Or this!

鈥hotobucket.com/albums/鈥SC_0151a.jpg

Those sunsets are stunning ... although we do get some nice ones at home we don%26#39;t have too many palm trees on the beach so its not quite the same.

Under 10 weeks to go now ... I want to go now!!