Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra, Thailand 🇹🇭 – Relaxed resort, perfect for excursions to the limestone mountains and offshore islands

Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra offers colonial charm, the largest pool in Thailand, and a great location for excursions. Relaxation and adventure go hand in hand but see for yourself if a stay here is worthwhile.

Review #5

Location

Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf Resort & Spa is located in southern Thailand, about a 40-minute drive west of Krabi Airport and on the coast of one of the most beautiful island worlds Thailand has to offer. Ko Yao Yai and Ko Yao Noi are located within seeing distance; Ko Phi Phi and Krabi are a little further away, but also easily accessible by boat.

Arrival

You can get to Krabi from Bangkok several times a day on various low-cost carrier flights, but also on premium airlines. Most flights are very cheap and easy to get hold of, even at short notice. Of course, you can also travel by bus. This is possible from all major cities, but takes way longer. From Krabi, there is also a ferry that goes via Ko Phi Phi to Ao Nang without having to change boats.

Last week, we stayed at Pimalai Resort & Spa. So just a little spoiler: we awarded Pimalai 11 very well deserved out of 10 points! So it’s really worth taking a look!

How to get to the resort

We arrived at Krabi Airport with a transfer from our previous hotel, Pimalai Resort & Spa, and from there we took a grab to the Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra taking us less than 45 minutes. As everywhere in Thailand and most of Asia, the ride-hailing service is a very affordable and super convenient alternative to taxis, tuk-tuks, or hotel transfers. We have always had good experiences with grab and can recommend this service.

Check-in & Welcome

After arriving in our car directly in front of the open Lobby of Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra, our suitcases were unloaded and stored. The reception desk is located up the stairs to the right. However, for the check-in process, we were led to one of the three canopy-style sofas placed in the center of the vast room.

After a while, we were given two fragrant cold towels and a welcome drink. It seemed to be quite busy (although there weren’t that many guests to be seen…), because it took about fifteen minutes for the employee to come and take care of the formalities.

Since we arrived before 3 p.m., our room was unfortunately not ready yet. So we were invited to wait at the Lounge and enjoy afternoon tea there.

After about half an hour, our room was ready and we were accompanied there by a friendly member of staff. Waiting for us on the table was a welcome gift consisting of two macarons and two small bars of chocolate accompanied by a welcome letter. The bed was also lovingly decorated with a “Welcome to Sofitel Krabi” sign made of flowers and palm leaves.

Sofitel Krabi at a glance

Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra was voted sixth best resort in Thailand by Code Nast Traveler readers in 2023. Pretty cool, right?!

The Sofitel Krabi complex is quite large and spacious. The buildings are all colonial in style and in really good condition. The houses are grouped around and along the largest pool in Thailand. The lobby, restaurants, and spa are located relatively centrally on this long property. At the rear of the lobby, you will find the Kid’s Club, the gym, and the cooking school, as well as two tennis courts and even a butterfly and herb garden. Directly opposite the driveway is the hotel’s own golf course. Unfortunately, the hotel is separated from the beach by the coastal road.

Suite

As always, we booked the cheapest room category. In this case, that was the Superior Room. Thanks to our Platinum status with Accor and because Fabi had kindly sent a reminder email beforehand, we were upgraded to a Prestige Suite. The Suite was located at the very end of Wing A, as far away from the Lobby as possible. This meant that we had quite a long way to walk. We were kindly accompanied and only had to walk straight ahead from the Lobby.

As we arrived at Suite 248, we stood in a long hallway that ended in the living room right behind the door. Here, there is a sofa with an armchair and a small glass coffee table. Opposite the couch, there is a TV mounted on the wall, and right next to it is a desk with a telephone and all the necessary writing utensils, as well as hotel information. Behind the sofa is another small table with two chairs.

Right at the end of the hallway is a sideboard that serves as a kind of bar. On top of the cabinet are the capsule coffee machine and kettle, as well as the corresponding capsules and tea bags. Snacks are also provided here, and you will find a selection of ready-mixed cocktails. The minibar in the cabinet contains soft drinks, juices, and beer. Except for coffee and tea, everything is subject to a charge.

Right next to the sideboard were a beach bag and shoes for use at the resort.

The bedroom is located in the adjoining room and features a king-size bed with a total of four pillows and a large blanket. The telephone is on the left-hand bedside table, along with a notepad and pen. On the right-hand side, there are two bottles of water and an information folder with a menu for additional pillow types, as well as everything else you might need that is not available in the room and must be ordered from reception. To the right of the bed is an armchair with a small table, and opposite, against the wall, is another desk and the television.

To the left of the passageway to the bedroom, a hallway leads to the bathroom. This is where the wall cupboard is located. The cupboard contains the iron and ironing board, as well as bathrobes and slippers. Of course, the laundry bag and yoga mat are also stored here, and there is a built-in safe.

Bathroom

In the bathroom, there was a sink on the left and a bathtub on the right. Straight ahead was the toilet and a shower with glass walls. As a nice touch, there was a wooden shelf on the bathtub where you could put books or cell phones while bathing.

All the usual amenities were stored at the sink. The toiletries consisted of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion from the Balmain brand.

View

The living room opens onto a covered terrace. There were two curved teak loungers with a small table for guests to use. The terrace wasn’t particularly large, and unfortunately the loungers didn’t have cushions and were really quite uncomfortable. When we called to ask if cushions could be provided, we were told that this would be no problem.

Unfortunately, the cushions did never arrive during our stay. Basically, because of the location at the very end of the building, we had a beautiful view of the sea and the beach. However, we also had a very good view of the street right next to the terrace and an even better view of the guard house at the entrance. So we didn’t really get that great view feeling – unfortunately.

Lounge

With Platinum status at Accor or when booking a corresponding room, you get access to the Club Lounge which is located in the Lobby building of Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra, directly opposite the bar, and, like the entire hotel, is decorated in colonial style. This feature gives it a very cozy charm. It is designed as an enclosed space, but has a kind of covered garden terrace facing the Lobby, where you can sit outside. Bella, the heart and soul of the hotel, was waiting to greet us at the lounge. She takes excellent care of the guests and is the perfect person to contact for any concerns, needs, or requests.

At Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra, breakfast is also served here for Club guests with. More information can be found in our Breakfast category below. Refreshments can be enjoyed here throughout the day. Tea time and evening Cocktail hour with canapés are also offered.

Activities

Pool

Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra proudly claims to have the largest pool in Thailand. It forms the centerpiece of the complex and stretches along the waterfront in an organic shape. A huge air-filled climbing structure has been set up in the central pool area. To be honest, I wasn’t a fan at first and thought the structure was out of place in a hotel like this. But I was proven wrong and, like many other guests young and old, had a lot of fun climbing, crawling, and falling into the water 😂😍.

There are plenty of sun loungers with parasols around the pool and as soon as we had chosen our loungers, a member of staff came straight over handing us towels. A cool feature of the parasols is that you can press a call button to summon a member of staff working very well in our case.

There is an area near the Wing A buildings that is reserved for guests aged 18 and over. Also in this area of the pool, there is a wooden pavilion built on an island, which is accessible via a bridge and can also be used as a wedding pavilion.

Kid´s Pool

On the opposite side of the pool, there is a separate area that is used as a kids’ pool. Here, there is a small play area with mini slides and water features. The entire kids’ area is surrounded by a small fence, so parents don’t have to worry about their little ones wandering off unnoticed.

Pool Suiten

Further along the pool, there is an area that may only be used by guests staying in the Pool Suites at Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra. These Suites have direct access to the pool, and guests can step into the water from their rooms via a staircase. To ensure the privacy of these Suite guests, pool use of the area directly in front of these rooms is restricted. We found this to be a very good solution — the pool itself is really big enough anyways.

At the time of our stay at the Sofitel Krabi, these Suites were all being renovated and were not available for booking.

Beach

To get to the beach at Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra, you have to cross the road. There is a small staircase and a gate that can be used as easy access to the beach during the day. At night, however, the gate is locked and can no longer be used to access the resort. On the opposite side of the road, you will find a table with towels for the beach.

There are a handful of sun loungers available for use right on the beach. To be honest, however, the beach itself is rather disappointing. On the right-hand side is a pier for cargo ships, which exudes an industrial charm, and the water is quite murky. In the distance, however, you can already glimpse the beautiful offshore islands.

The water sports center is also located here. You can rent all kinds of water sports equipment and use it on site.

Gym

The fitness center offers a good selection of cardio and weight training equipment, as well as a free weights area. Refreshments and towels are also available. Here you will also find the sauna and steam room. In addition, you can also use the tennis court.

Golf Course

The Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra also offers its own 9-hole golf course directly adjacent to the hotel. Here you can improve your golf skills while enjoying the sea view or simply relax and enjoy a round of golf.

SO/ Spa

The SO/ Spa at Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra is located right next to the Lobby in its own small building. Here, too, everything is decorated in a colonial style with lots of warm wood and a really cozy flair.

The individual treatment rooms are located along a beautiful central patio featuring a water basin. Most rooms are equipped for couples’ treatments with two beds. Of course, all rooms have their own showers, and one even has its own Jacuzzi. The cooperation with L’Occitane is evident in the care products used and in the display of items for sale.

Kid´s Club

Of course, entertainment for the little ones is also provided, and you can register your children at the Kid’s Club. There is so much to discover and experience there. The area is like a small daycare center with a playground and small dining tables. It seems to never be boring here.

Tours

Of course, there is an incredible variety of possibilities for spending your time in the Krabi region. You can discover the enchanted karst mountains and explore caves and temples there, or enjoy the fantastically beautiful island world right on your doorstep. The hotel will be happy to assist you with planning and implementing all your wishes.

Specials

The Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra offers two wonderful special places that you can discover on site. There is a beautiful little herb garden with clear signage showing which plants are native to the region and what they look like.

Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra also featured an enchanting little butterfly garden complete with a mini waterfall and pond. Both are really lovely to explore and, especially with kids, offer a great change of scenery where the little ones can also learn a little something at the same time.

Restaurants

During our stay, we didn’t eat at any of the restaurants at the resort, so we can’t give a propper review, but only had drinks at the two bars. A few minutes’ walk down the road, there are a few small local restaurants right on the beach. So we decided to have dinner there. We can particularly recommend the Baan The Lay Café. It is beautifully situated in the greenery on the beach, has a lovely individual design, the service is very friendly, and the food delicious and inexpensive. We say: go there!

Swim-up pool Bar

In this case, the pool bar is literally built into the pool. You can swim up to the bar, sit on bar stools in the water, and choose from a large selection of Cocktails, wines, beers, and soft drinks. A small food menu is also available. On the side of the pool, there is also a larger area with sofas, armchairs, and tables, which is also served by the pool bar.

Explorer Bar

In the immediate vicinity of the Lounge is the semi-open Bar, which is also decorated in colonial style. Here you will find a small Bar with seating on bar stools, as well as a handful of heavy leather armchairs where you can make yourself comfortable. During our stay, the Bar was not particularly busy.

We enjoyed our Welcome Cocktails here and can say that they were really delicious!

Venezia

Venezia Restaurant is located in the restaurant complex, which is part of the main building that houses all the restaurants and the bar. This Italian restaurant is located on the upper floor and has seating both inside and outside on the large terrace.

White Lotus

This White Lotus Restaurant is located on the same level as the Venezia Restaurant on the other side of the building. Here, the resort serves traditional Thai and Indian cuisine.

Breakfast

Lounge

For guests who have lounge access, Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra offers the option of choosing from a small buffet or selecting from a small à la carte menu. Experience has shown that it is usually more relaxed to have breakfast in the Lounges, so we decided to try breakfast here again this time.

We were greeted warmly, found a nice spot on the terrace, and chose our food and drinks from the menu. Unfortunately, not only did the food take a really long time to arrive at our table, but it also wasn’t very tasty. After a brief moment of irritation on our part, Fabi’s signature breakfast order — Eggs Benedict — was prepared again. But unfortunately was still not tasty at all. So we decided to go with the regular breakfast outlet for all guests.

Maya

Breakfast for all hotel guests is served in Maya Restaurant. The room is quite large with a live cooking kitchen in the back center and several stations with different displays distributed around this kitchen. The selection was quite large and, in addition to the standard European breakfast options such as bread, spreads, muesli, pancakes, and the like, the restaurant also offered a huge selection of Asian and, above all, hot options.

The buffet was really great and tasted fantastic. Personally, I found the room too big and noisy. Fabi, on the other hand, loved it. It’s just a matter of taste. We spent one day sitting inside the restaurant and took a seat on the large terrace the second morning.

Check-out

Check-out at the reception desk was pretty quick. We got our bill, paid, and were asked if we needed transportation. Everything was professional and hassle-free.

Costs

For our two-day stay at Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra, we paid 8,200 Baht in October 2023. At the time of our stay, that was about 210 euros. In our opinion, that was a really fair price.

Onward journey

We took a taxi back to Krabi Airport. From there, we flew with Bangkok Air to—you guessed it — Bangkok, and from there we continued on our way home to Germany. Krabi is very well connected and easy to reach by plane or bus.

Conclusion

Sofitel Krabi Phokeetra is a solid hotel. Here you can relax and have a great starting point for exploring the area. It is easy to reach and the price is reasonable for what is offered.

We would recommend this hotel to families, couples, and solo travelers alike.

Rating

We give it a rating of 9 out of 10 possible points. The value for money here is really great. There are lots of opportunities to experience new things, relax, go on excursions, dine, and enjoy yourself. However, we deduct one point for the breakfast in the Lounge.

Go there?

Yes!

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