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Everyone dreams of an island escape, but with a tropical destination as popular and over-run with backpackers as Thailand, it can be hard to find that slice of tranquility and heaven. But hope is not lost, the small island of Ko Kut, also known as Koh Kood, in the Gulf of Thailand is a less-traveled piece of Thailand that offers that serene, remote island escape.
When it comes to finding accommodation on Koh Kood, you’ll find backpacker party hostels are replaced with boutique gems and luxury beach side resorts – so if it’s quiet island life you’re after, this is the place.
Choosing between the luxury beach resorts can be a challenge though, as they all offer such delightful offerings, but if you’ve discovered Soneva Kiri Beach Resort on Koh Kood and think it might be right for you – then here is our complete review based on our stay there.
Although this is a very exclusive resort, we thought it was worth a peek, so we jetted off with our two kids to see what it was like!
About Soneva Kiri Beach Resort
Luxury and children is not something that typically go together, but on the island of Koh Kood in Thailand, we have found the perfect Koh Kood beach resort for the whole family.
Located just 80km off the mainland of Thailand is the second largest island of the Koh Chiang archipelago; Koh Kood, also known as Koh Kut.
Described as ‘Thailand’s last unspoilt island,’ it’s a secluded paradise home to around 2,000 villagers and remains largely undeveloped, with no landline phones, no 7-Eleven, only a handful of ATMs, and few cars (though lots of scooters, of course – it’s still Thailand!).
The ecologically constructed 5* resort of Soneva Kiri blends in beautifully with the unspoilt island. Set on a beautiful white-sand beach on the North West side of the island, and backed by jungle hillsides and ancient rainforest, this is the ultimate place to stay if you want total relaxation.
It’s location in the North, near the iconic Secret Beach and overlooking the remote island of Koh Mai Si, its position is quiet and remote, away from the busier parts of Koh Kood, although Koh Kood never gets busy.
It features luxury villas and suites, most with private pools and outdoor bathrooms, and all with direct beach access, and seamlessly blend luxury and eco-friendly amenities. There are only 32 villas, ranging from one bedroom to five bedroom, allowing every guest to have privacy and intimate service.
Getting there is an experience in itself, due to its relative remoteness. You first need to catch a bus from Bangkok to the Trat province, followed by an hour’s boat ride from the mainland. You can book direct transfers from Bangkok using 12Go.Asia, the number one transfer booking service in Thailand.
The good news about luxury accommodation in Thailand is that it’s typically way cheaper than luxury in any other country. So if you are going to splurge, this is place where you get the most for your money!
What We Loved About Soneva Kiri Resort
Soneva Kiri Beach Resort’s detachment from the hectic lands around offers families a relaxing beach paradise. It’s great for parents to relax and unwind, while still offering plenty of other activities either the children or the whole family can get involved in.
Here are some of the things we loved about Soneva Kiri Resort…
Close to Diving Sites
The crystal clear waters make the ideal setting for water spots, as well as snorkeling and diving, placing you and your family in front of some of the most exotic sea creatures in the world.
Koh Chang National Park offers over 20 dive sites taking you from colourful coral thrives close to the surface, to around 30 metres below to experience the deep blue sea.
The Den
Unlike many luxury resorts, Soneva Kiri Koh Kood welcomes families and has some amazing facilities including ‘The Den’.
If the unspoilt Thai island of Koh Kood island doesn’t get the young ones imagination firing then The Den definitely will.
The Den is the Kid’s Zone, and is a purpose built playground designed to inspire their imagination.
With its drawbridge entrance shaped like a huge manta ray, this bamboo built structure is an amazing place complete with music room, games room, library and art room where children can let their imagination run riot under the supervision of the resort’s professional child-minders.
There is also an onsite tennis court that kids can play with.
The Chocolate Factory
The Soneva Kiri Koh Kood Beach resort also has its own Willy Wonka style chocolate factory, ‘Ever Soneva So Chocoholic’ – a child’s and chocolate lovers favourite.
Here guests can choose from a selection of chocolates, truffles and drinking chocolates all prepared from scratch on the island.
If this isn’t enough the resort also boasts the ‘Ever Soneva So Chilled’ outdoor ice cream parlour where guests can choose from over sixty ice cream and sorbet flavours.
The only problem you could have with taking your kids to The Chocolate Factory is that they’ll never want to leave. Then again, you probably won’t want to either!
Outdoor Cinema
The Soneva Kiri Koh Kood Beach Resort is host to the island’s only open-air cinema; ‘Cinema Paradiso’ where the family can relax after a hard days adventuring and watch classic movies or contemporary films under the clear nights sky.
This paradise island outdoor cinema experience is accompanied by a menu of American inspired burgers, homemade popcorn and chocolates making it the most luxurious movie experience we’ve ever come across.
The Dining Pod (Bamboo Pod)
For a dining experience out of this world, the resort has an onsite restaurant called The Dining Pod, which is an experience the whole family will never forget.
A bamboo-made dining pod is lifted 16 feet into the air giving diners a fantastic view of the Koh Kood coastline from within the canopy of the treetops and surrounded by forest, with dishes served by a harnessed ‘flying acrobatic waiter’ delivering gourmet meals on a zipline.
The food is prepared by Michelin star chefs, and is the best of Thai and international cuisine using the freshest ingredients, making it one of the most unique and luxury dining destinations on the whole island, if not the whole of Thailand.
The treepod dining experience is the luxury Swiss Family Robinson experience you’ve dreamed of! You can book your experience here.
Soneva Kiri Spa
What’s a trip to Thailand without a Thai massage? The Soneva Kiri Spa is a hidden slice of paradise offering eight couples’ treatment rooms, and four private steam rooms and sauna.
There’s also a yoga pavilion where you can use aerial yoga equipment or attend meditation classes.
The spa also has a Watsu pool, a spa beach sala, and a gym.
Amazing Sunsets
Since Soneva Kiri faces west, it’s the ideal location for sunsets. Head to the private beach for a secluded sunset experience, or head over to the nearby “Secret Beach” for views overlooking Koh Mai Sai Island.
Water Sports
If lounging on the beach isn’t going to keep you happy, then you can also partake in watersports, such as kayaking, standup paddleboarding, and snorkeling.
Luxury Villas
All the accommodation options available are luxurious. We stayed in a 3-bedroom beach pool villa suite which was designed for families.
It had a large master bedroom, plus a second bedroom for our two girls, and a separate living room and outdoor dining deck.
For the kids, there was a treehouse and waterslide into their own private pool.
There were sun loungers for us to relax on and read a book, and I particularly enjoyed having my own dressing room!
Electric Buggy Included with the room
You get a lot of complimentary inclusions with your reservations, from a welcome drink to free drinks in the minibar (non alcoholic only), but the best inclusion is the free electric buggy or bicycle to explore the resort grounds on.
You can’t take them outside the resort, but it was a fun way to ride around the resort in style!
Complimentary night after a three-night stay
If you book three nights at the Soneva Kiri Resort, you get a fourth night free, including complimentary daily breakfast. And trust me, you could easily be happy with an additional night on this unspoiled island!
Any Downsides to Soneva Kiri Resort?
By now you’ve probably noticed there are a lot of boxes ticked at the Soneva Kiri Resort, and of course, nothing is perfect and there is always something to be desired about a place.
The only downsides that we found, for us, are:
- Wifi isn’t too strong. This is not a reflection of the resort, this is on the whole island. The island is remote and secluded and doesn’t have a strong signal anywhere. It’s fine for updating social media, calling friends, and general scrolling, but it’s not fast enough to stream movies.
- Some rooms are a bit dated now. The Soneva Kiri Resort hasn’t updated its suites and villas since we have stayed there, and for a luxury resort, you would expect the upkeep to be a bit more frequent.
- The location is far from the rest of the island. Soneva Kiri’s appeal is that it’s secluded, but it may be too secluded for some. Most of the “action” on Koh Kood is in the South West of the island near to Bang Bao Beach, which is about 25 minutes away on a scooter.
Best Time To Visit Koh Kood
The best time to visit Koh Kood is in November and December after the monsoon season has passed, as this is when the waterfalls on the island are full and at their lushest. January and February are also good times for warm weather and beaches, but the waterfalls may have dried up then.
March and April is the hottest time of the year and also the busiest, this is due to the burning season in Chiang Mai. During these months, farmers burn their grounds and prepare it for the next growing season, which causes pollution in the north.
This means people from the north escape the pollution by visiting the islands in the south. It also makes the weather a lot hotter.
The rainy season runs from May until September, but over the past few years, we’ve also noticed it’s extending into October too, so from November you’re guaranteed good weather.
The Verdict: Would We Recommend Soneva Kiri Resort?
We could definitely get used to this island way of life. The calmness and the relaxation that we felt during our stay, makes us realize why we love Thailand so much.
We loved the seclusion, we felt like castaways and were able to enjoy quality time together as a family. We loved the fact that kids were catered for and that there were some unique experiences to wow them even though Koh Kood doesn’t have much to do besides beaches and oceans.
Koh Kood isn’t the place to go if you want a ton of entertainment – it’s a place you go to get away from it all. And the Soneva Kiri Resort is the most luxurious and quaintest place to get away from anything. In fact, you might even forget about what you’re getting away from!
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Which feature of the Soneva Kiri resort do you like the sound of most? Let us know in the comments.