Tanote Villa resort, Koh-Tao

Wonderful - loved everything about this place - great breakfast, large pools, short (steep) walk to the beach and snorkeling in the bay, transport to/from the ferry was easy. Far enough from the incredible but busy Tanote Bay to feel quiet. Even got to see a turtle swimming in the bay

We reserved two adjacent delux rooms with pool view and terrace, for a family of 5. The rooms were great, and so was the view. Staff were helpfull and friendly throughout our stay. The proximity to Tanote bay, a fairly easy walk downhill, is of great added value. The snorkling is great there, it's one of the best spots on the island. The complementary breakfast was very rich - plenty of good options. The hotel has a few free shuttles at fixed times, and other than that taxis are not that difficult to get to (even without Grab on the island). The fact that you are further from the center is obvious from the location, but that didn't bother us.

The hotel restaurant is quality wise certainly ok for lunch and dinner, be it a bit pricey compared to what we were used to in Thailand. There are limited alternatives in walking distance, but Sun Moon (an all you can eat with great views) is certainly worth a very short hike/walk. It pops up in other reviews: the swimmingpools, while magnificent, require a bit of caution in handling - the joints between the tills are not all filled consistently, creating sites where you can hurt yourself.

The highlight has to be the brilliant snorkeling from the beach. It's worth getting down early in the morning or at the end of the day as there are less people around.

Tanote bay was amazing for snorkelling. Sea views from hotel were beautiful.

The property felt tired and in need of repair. Staff also seemed tired and lacked energy. Food very average and breakfast awful. We mainly ate out, even though we’d paid for breakfast. The hotel was remote and taxis relatively expensive to get to west side of island.