Views for Days at the Pimalai Resort & Spa in Koh Lanta

After our latest trip to southern Thailand, the five-star Pimalai Resort & Spa will come to mind whenever we hear the words ‘luxurious island getaway.’ This beachfront resort on Koh Lanta has Thai-styled villas snuggled into a hillside jungle, panoramic views of the Andaman Sea, and a dreamy, secluded vibe. It’s the perfect choice if the popular tourist destinations such as Koh Samui, Phuket, or Koh Phi Phi aren’t what you’re looking for.

We have visited the Pimalai Resort & Spa twice before. Once on our very first trip exploring Koh Lanta in November 2015 and again during the incredible Yacht Week Thailand just a few weeks later. Even now, a year and a half after our first stepping foot on the property, it’s as gorgeous as ever.

Pimalai is unique in that it’s one of the only luxury resorts on Koh Lanta. It is tucked away on the tree-covered cliffs and overlooks the Ba Kantieng Bay (หาดบากันเตียง) near the quiet southwestern end of the island. It has everything you could want in a luxurious island getaway including several incredible restaurants, two infinity pools, and a huge beach practically all to yourself.

Our experience at the Pimalai began after arriving at the Krabi International Airport. We were ushered into the Pimalai’s plush 10-seater van and driven to a private dock on the mainland of Krabi. Then we hopped in a private speedboat on our way to the 5-star resort on Koh Lanta. The views of the limestone karsts along the way were incredible!

For Pimalai’s best rates, book through Agoda or Booking.com. 

Rainy season? The weather has been absolutely gorgeous since we arrived in Koh Lanta! 🌳☀️🌺 Plenty of opportunities to take advantage of Kantiang Bay and all of the infinity pools at @pimalaikohlanta. #KohLanta #Krabi #AndamanSea #ThailandIuxe #กระบี่ #ประเทศไทย

A post shared by Thailand Travel Blog 🇹🇭 (@tielandtothailand) on Jun 19, 2017 at 8:06pm PDT

After another short journey by a private van, we arrived at the Pimalai’s elegant seaside property dotted with Thai-styled villas. We received a refreshing lemongrass limeade welcome drink and a cool jasmine scented cloth on arrival. After taking a few minutes to check in, the place was ours!

Hillside Ocean View Private Pool Villa One Bedroom

The Pimalai has a variety of high-end rooms, suites, and villas for all tastes and budgets for luxury travelers. For this particular visit, we stayed in a one-bedroom ocean view villa. It came with our own private pool and outdoor lounge area, which separated the master bedroom and ensuite bathroom from the living room.

The villas are tastefully designed with teak, bamboo and smooth river stones. Our bedroom was spacious and opened up to a romantic king-sized canopy bed with an incredibly comfortable mattress and comforter. Not only were the rooms cleaned every day, we received turn-down service in the early evening, too.

The master bathroom was gigantic. Inside was a giant tub, his and her sinks, a rain shower, and plenty of closet space. You could practically have a private day spa there if you wanted to!

Ample amenities came with the bathroom including toothbrush and toothpaste, sewing kit, vanity kit, and shower cap. We approved of the little eco-friendly ceramic bottles that housed the soaps and lotion, which had fresh scents like lemongrass and ginger.

The separate living room had a huge TV, a day bed, reading chair and three walls of natural light. What isn’t pictured above are the second bathroom and a small but fully equipped kitchen. It had a large fridge, stove and oven, sink, microwave, and a single-serving espresso maker. We put that espresso maker to good use every morning!

Outside on the veranda was a small breakfast table for two and another chaise. The bedroom had two additional lounge chairs with our own private view of the sea.

Beach Views, Infinity Pools, and Manicured Grounds

The Pimalai Resort & Spa is built into the jungle-covered limestone cliffs and maintains a feeling of ‘peace, serenity, and solitude.’ The property is dotted with thatched-roof pavilions that blend seamlessly into the jungle grounds that are gorgeously manicured. Walking paths wind throughout the resort and there is plenty of beachfront property to explore.

Our favorite places to relax were at the infinity pools. How could we not love them? There are gorgeous views while laying on plush lounge chairs and day beds. Staff offered ice water while we lounged around and took our orders for poolside cocktails and snacks.

Another highlight was, of course, the beach itself! Ba Kantieng Beach, with its crescent-shaped bay, was not only gorgeous to look at while swimming in the infinity pools, but absolutely lovely to walk along. It’s effortless to have a relaxing beach day because Pimalai provides umbrellas, lounge chairs, and beach towels free to its guests.

Incredible Thai & Western Dining Options

As much fun as it is to sample whatever tasty meals local restaurants have to offer, sometimes it’s a welcomed change to enjoy what’s right at arm’s reach without having to leave the resort.

The Pimalai has four onsite restaurants: Seven Seas Wine Bar, The Banyan Tree Poolside Cafe, Spice and Rice, and Rak Talay. The dining atmosphere ranges from fine dining to casual beachside eatery. Each restaurant offers its own unique dining options and the menus have a nice selection of both Thai and Western dishes.

Pimalai’s food was delish! We ate mostly Thai dishes and got our fill of the local seafood. The red curry with duck, pineapple fried rice, and seafood salad with shrimp, mussels, scallops, and squid were among our favorites. There are also European options available such as pasta, pizza, sandwiches, and salads.

Pimalai also has a phenomenal Western breakfast buffet every morning with views of the Andaman Sea. There was nothing more satisfying than starting off the day with a fresh cappuccino and plenty of pastries and tropical fruit. They also had one of the best egg stations we’ve ever had.

And if those restaurants aren’t enough, Pimalai also provides a multitude of dining options. There’s room service, which has options ranging from breakfast in bed to late night snacks. There’s also @Home Dining” option in which staff will bring a BBQ to your room or villa and grill all sorts of meats, seafood, and vegetables. Lastly, if we had wanted to cook in our kitchen, staff will even deliver groceries.

Resort Activities

Pimalai Resort & Spa offers an array of activities for hotel guests to enjoy during their downtime, including:

Pimalai Spa
Spa treatments are a must on a tropical island! Pimalai’s spa is separate from the resort and is nestled in a quiet part of the jungle. They offer all sorts of massages like Swedish oil, sports, and Thai massages. They also have facials, mud wraps, body scrubs, manicures, and pedicures.

Yoga Classes and Gym
We like having the option to work out during vacations. Whether or not we go is another story! Pimalai has a gym room with free weights, weight machines, and cardio machines. The resort also offered yoga classes three times per week.

Thai Cooking Class
If you ever want a speedy lesson in Thai cuisine, sign up for the Pimalai’s cooking class. Your chef will take you to the market, help prep your ingredients, and teach you the Thai techniques in a way where even the most inexperienced guests will have fun.

Escape to Koh Ngai or Koh Kradan
Depending on what time of year you visit, take a speedboat to one of two nearby islands. There you can swim and snorkel to your heart’s content and enjoy a seafood BBQ on the beach.

Sports & Recreation
The resort has facilities or equipment for activities such as badminton, basketball, biking, fishing, kayaking, snorkeling, soccer, and table tennis.

Service and Amenities

We couldn’t write about our experience at the Pimalai without mentioning the incredible hospitality and attentive service. The staff was wonderful from start to finish. Our time at the resort would not have been as fantastic if it wasn’t for them. Whenever we needed something, whether it was another sunset cocktail, calling for a driver to pick us up at our villa, reserving a rental car, or checking out, they delivered. The staff’s training shined through – thank you! We truly appreciated the Western quality service.

Here’s an at-a-glance summary of Pimalai’s extra amenities:

• Excellent WiFi throughout the entire property; multiple devices can connect per room with ample electrical outlets
• Drivers to take you around the property in small open-aired carts, shuttle service to and from the airport, and car rentals
• On-call doctor
• Childcare`services and business center
• Snorkeling, diving, hiking, and golfing excursions
• Banquet facilities and wedding packages

Pimalai Resort & Spa Contact Information

Phone: (075) 607-999
Website: Pimalai.com or check rates on Agoda or Booking.com
Address: 99 Moo 5, Ba Kan Tieng Beach, Koh Lanta 81150 Thailand

Staying at the Pimalai Resort & Spa was an all-around incredible experience and as effortless as it gets in terms of vacationing. If you’re looking for a five-star resort on one of Thailand’s quieter islands, then we suggest adding this to the top of your list. Between the gorgeous views, incredible hospitality, and overall relaxing atmosphere, it’s an absolute must-visit resort!

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Disclosure: Our stay at the Pimalai Resort & Spa was sponsored but all of our opinions are our own. We are happy to share our experience so that you can choose whether to include this resort as part of your upcoming trip to Thailand.