JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa

Every time I return, I'm more impressed with this hotel. The rooms are beautiful, with a design and lifestyle that feels quite unique, setting it apart from typical hotels. It's beautiful, peaceful, and lush. Overall, I've clearly noticed a significant improvement in the service. Another thing I really love is the restaurants. Every one of them is excellently done, from the atmosphere to the food and service. There's a wide variety of shows, including Fire Shows, traditional Thai music, and I was particularly impressed by the magic show from Mr. Harry, which isn't something you often see in regular hotels. It's engaging for both kids and adults; everyone was quite interested and participated in the show, making the meal much more vibrant and memorable. The Olive restaurant with Chef Enzo is another highlight. The chef always takes excellent care of me every time I visit and often offers special desserts to try. These are the small details that make me feel warm and well looked after every time I dine here. Chef Enzo is truly a kind and attentive chef. Overall, I feel the hotel has improved significantly, both in terms of service, guest experience, and the various details that make each stay and meal feel special.

It was a shame I only found out about the running course at JW Garden at the very end of my stay. The Waterfront restaurant was under renovation, so breakfast was served at Drift Beach Bar and Olive. Drift had a better ambiance, but Olive offered a more spacious setting, which was nice. It's an absolutely perfect place for a hotel staycation.

The staff were incredibly friendly and always greeted us with a smile. The pool was cleaned daily. Our room on the third floor was great, offering good privacy. For the last three nights, we upgraded to a room with direct pool access for the kids to enjoy the water more easily. The first room we were given had a very strong mildew smell; after just ten minutes, I had a terrible headache. We immediately informed the front desk, and they promptly moved us to another room. This new room had no strange odors and wasn't as damp as I'd feared. However, the privacy was quite poor, as anyone walking by could see directly into the room if the door was open. Given that even guests not staying on the ground floor can use the JW pool, I don't think staying on the ground floor is really necessary. The food was excellent. On our first night, we happened to catch the Japanese buffet, and the next day was the Italian buffet – both were fantastic, and our five-year-old ate for free. The Thai restaurant's crab fried rice and Tom Yum Goong were also delicious, but the buffet version of the Tom Yum Goong was a bit disappointing, tasting completely different from the à la carte one. After mentioning this to the staff, the chef specially prepared another bowl of Tom Yum Goong for us, which would have cost 420฿ if ordered separately. This small bowl of soup had six large prawns in it – it was perfect! 😍 Overall, it was a very good stay. My daughter is already looking forward to our trip to Khao Lak next year!

The rooms and pool are big and great, and the staff are friendly. I especially remember the male staff member at Drift who was incredibly kind. The breakfast area felt a bit chaotic, possibly due to some sections being under renovation, and it was quite crowded for its size. On the first day, the table we sat at had ants crawling all over it, birds were flying around eating food from empty tables, and the seats at the far end even smelled of mold. Thankfully, the seating we got the next day was fine. Overall, I was satisfied and plan to return for my vacation next year.

Excellent facilities. The hotel is absolutely massive! Service was good. The restaurant was a bit crowded in the morning.

This is, without a doubt, my favorite hotel. I've stayed here twice in the past six months. The hotel boasts beautiful views, a massive swimming pool, a fountain trampoline, a wave pool, a huge kids' playroom, and a large garden. My children absolutely love playing in the kids' playroom and on the fountain trampoline, and I really enjoy feeding the animals in the garden and cycling. My family had a wonderful time here. I do hope the hotel's breakfast taste can be improved though.

The Indian lady at the front desk was so helpful; she even registered me for Marriott Bonvoy and upgraded me to a room with direct pool access. You can borrow bicycles from the gym, and there are other non-Marriott restaurants on the beach that aren't expensive.