I recently stayed here for two weeks, all-inclusive, booked through the operator TUI. First impressions of the hotel were good. The lobby was small but modern, and the hotel complex was inviting (although accessed up a very steep road – I believe small shuttles were available to carry passengers back and forth but we didn’t use this). Unfortunately, the good impressions did not last – but this was probably more the fault of TUI than the hotel. We landed in Thailand at 7am, and the airport was so efficient that we were at the hotel by 9am. We could not check into the room until 2pm, so we had 5 hours to spend around the hotel, tired and in need of a shower, and we could not even start to use the full hotel facilities. Breakfast would have cost 650 THB each. A waiting area was provided, and we eventually managed to explore the hotel complex a little, but it was sub-optimal when we had some luggage with us (big bags were stored but we kept smaller bags and valuables), and really just needed to sleep and eat. When we checked in at 2pm, the room was pleasant, spacious enough and comfortable. There was good air conditioning, a TV and sofa, a small balcony and a nice, modern bathroom. The only problems with the room were storage and the duvet – there was a wardrobe in the bathroom with enough hanging space but not enough coat hangers (more were provided on request) but only three small drawers. We had to use kitchen drawers for excess clothes. The duvet on the bed was also too short, meaning that it was difficult to remain covered fully, and our feet would stick out the bottom and get cold in the night. In the end we managed to get used to it but it was an annoyance and something that should not be an issue. Otherwise, the bed was comfortable and there were plenty of pillows. Housekeeping was consistent and did a good job, but on a couple of occasions they did not replenish bath gel and shampoo and we had to ask at reception three times before this was done. Food in the hotel was probably the biggest issue for us. We booked all-inclusive expecting buffets, but there is only one restaurant and the pool bar (both using the same menu) and it was entirely a-la-carte except for Fridays, Saturdays and Tuesdays which were a seafood-heavy buffet. My partner is vegetarian, and the menu only had 4 vegetarian dishes, so this got very repetitive over two weeks. Only once did the buffet have any vegetarian dishes at all, but luckily we were allowed to order from the menu on buffet nights. I would not recommend this hotel at all to vegetarians unless they are self-catering. We ate externally on a few evenings even though we were all inclusive, just for some variety. For me, an omnivore, the food was nice, varied and fresh, although service was sometimes slow and dishes sometimes forgotten or mixed up despite the restaurant never really being busy. Breakfast was a buffet, and runs 6:30-10:30, but for anybody arriving after 9am, things start to run out and it gets very busy. Coffee is not self-service but has to be ordered from the bar, and this can also take some time. The staff in the restaurant were always very helpful and friendly, but sometimes could not keep up with the rush at breakfast, especially when some guests had a tendency to stockpile certain foods, break the pancake machine or take all the teabags. On two mornings, no breakfast tea was available. Although we had booked all-inclusive, this did not entitle us to everything on offer. There were separate menus for both food and drinks which were not included in the all-inclusive package, and there was nowhere to get snacks or smaller meals outside the set restaurant meals. Drinks at the bars were included (although again, not the full available range) but the mini-bar in the rooms was not included and only two 500ml bottles of drinking water were provided in the room each day - additional bottles were charged. However, bottles of water from the bar were available included in the package after 11:30am. If we asked before this time, we were refused, so we stocked up a bit when we could. For all food and drinks, even just water, it was necessary to sign a receipt (which showed zero value due to the all-inclusive package). This took quite a bit of time as the printers were slow, so even getting a drink from the bar was not quick. The main pool is a nice area, lovely warm water and a mix of sunny and shady areas. However, sun loungers were quite limited and we could never get a space there in the daytime. The roof pool on building 7 was also always full, due to its location next to the rooftop bar (which was, however, never open during the advertised hours during our stay). However, we always found sun loungers free on buildings 1 and 5 rooftop pools – sometimes having the whole roof to ourselves. But there are no parasols on these roofs, so there’s no shade to be had when sunbathing or relaxing. There are also surprisingly few loungers – only 3 on rooftop 1, and 5 on rooftop 5. There are some round basket-style beds, but these don’t have cushions or padding and so they are far too uncomfortable to lie on. More loungers and parasols are definitely required around the rooftop pools. There is a shady kids’ pool, but again, this only had 4 loungers available around it. There are two small gyms in the hotel. Both had some equipment that was not working during our stay, neither had towels, wipes or paper towels to clean equipment or to mop sweat, and only one had drinking water, which was often empty. The hotel complex is hilly and steep, which is expected as it’s built up the side of a hill. But due to the steps, rooftop pools (only accessible by elevator up to the floor below – you have to walk up the last floor) and long distances between buildings, this hotel would not be suitable for any guests with mobility limitations. The area the hotel is in is safe and has some good facilities. Surin beach is only 1km away, and there are some shops for souvenirs, groceries, pharmacy supplies etc very close. Surin beach is beautiful, less crowded and with fewer facilities than Bangtao beach (which is a 30-minute walk away at a good pace) but it’s still beautiful and a perfect place for the sunset. To conclude, this was a pleasant hotel with friendly staff, but due to the limited food options, lack of permanent buffet, lack of shady sun lounging areas and limited facilities, I would not stay here again. There were some more accessible and traditional hotels along the beachfront, such as Sunwing, Amora, Arinara or Twinpalms which looked like they could offer a comparable experience in better facilities.