Lanta Andaleaf Bungalow - SHA Extra Plus

We had a pleasant stay at Andaleaf Bungalows and immediately felt a nice beach and holiday atmosphere. The location is great – just a few minutes’ walk to the beach, with many cafés and restaurants nearby. We especially enjoyed a fresh café right next door, where we had breakfast every day. The bungalows have a charming, relaxed feel, and it’s nice to sit outside on the terrace. The rooms are basic but sufficient, with large beds and a small fridge. Overall, it’s a good place if you are looking for a simple and laid-back stay close to everything.

The rooms are quite basic and not very well insulated, which makes them warm. Air conditioning is available but comes at an additional cost (around €20 per day), which was not entirely clear to us before arrival. Also, card payments come with relatively high additional fees, so it’s better to bring cash. Considering the overall price, this was a bit unexpected.

The bungalows were lovely and the staff were so lovely and helpful! Approx 2 minutes walk to the beach, quite a rocky beach but lovely to go to in the evenings and try all the restaurants. Really helpful that you can rent a motor bike through the hotel.

We didn’t realise that you had to pay extra for the air-con and without it the rooms get very hot. We paid around 500bht a night for air con which I found to be quite expensive. The room does come with a big fan but I didn’t feel it did much :(

We spent three nights in a Lanta Andaleaf bungalow in late December and had a brilliant stay. The rooms are all nicely spaced out in a lush garden that feels like a peaceful escape from the main road just behind. The balconies are a great place to enjoy a morning coffee or escape the heat of the day. Our bungalow was closest to the beach and it took about three minutes from the front door to the sea. When you hit the beach you can turn left and be spoiled for choice with bars/lounges/restaurants or turn right and feel like you have the whole place to yourself in a couple of minutes' walk. The staff were brilliantly friendly and helpful and made us feel so welcome. They also sorted out our laundry and some taxi bookings - they can also hire out motorbikes and book excursions if you need. So close to the beach that we didn't feel the need to do much else for the rest of our short stay. There are loads of taxis that can take you around the island if needed though. We had some great Thai food at Three Sisters restaurant on the main road and in Patty's secret garden a bit further down the beach. For western food, Bow's pizza is also good. Away from the beach, Sabai Sabai is a bit of a walk up the hill (10 mins roughly) and offers great views/sunsets - although I'd recommend booking if you want one of the big hammocks. Lazy Bird just across the road does lovely takeaway coffee.

First of all, the price does not match the quality. During this and other trips, we spent many weeks in Thailand, and for a similar price we stayed in four-star hotels with a pool and breakfast included. Here we were given an outdated bungalow lacking even basic things — there wasn’t even a bar of soap. We had to ask for a duvet, and one of the windows didn’t have a curtain, which was also difficult to get. The guy at the reception also didn’t seem particularly pleased with our “fancy” requests like soap or a curtain, he acted like he had to bear with us. The floor creaks with every step, the bungalow is very old, and so is the bathroom equipment. At times, there is also an unpleasant sewage smell.

On the positive side, the garden is beautiful, the beach is nearby, and the cats are absolutely lovely.