Chongfah Beach Resort

Accessed via a pristine walkway
lined with lush tropical plants, Chongfah’s
lobby is open and airy. The sea breeze flows through partial walls and the
space is covered with an enormous, vaulted wood-beam roof. Contemporary wicker chairs hang
from the ceilings and wicker couches are scattered across the
immaculate gray tile floor. There are bookshelves at one end where guests sit
and read, as well as a laptop workstation. Outdoor wooden walkways lined with palm trees and
tropical plants lead to guest rooms and bungalows. Seaborn Restaurant is also airy and open, surrounded by
glass walls and a deck a that looks out
over the water. There are clusters of simple dark wood tables and chairs, a
full bar, and umbrella-covered tables outside. Guests -- who are mostly couples on holiday plus a few families -- gather around the long infinity pool that runs alongside the restaurant and is lined with lounge
chairs, umbrellas, and tropical plants.

Situated on a stretch of beach along the
Andaman Sea in Khao Lak, this
small resort is surrounded by larger resorts and local seafood restaurants. This is not Phuket, and guests looking for wild nightlife will want to search elsewhere. The beach is also subject to tides, and a rocky sea wall prevents the high tide from overtaking the resort, making swimming ideal only at lower tides. Khao Lak town -- with its handful
of local shops selling crafts and clothing, plus money exchange offices and a
few local restaurants -- is within a 15-minute
walk or five-minute bike ride of the hotel. There are restaurants along the way like the popular Pinocchio Pizzeria, eight-minutes from the hotel on foot.  Phuket International Airport is an hour away by car or
shuttle, and the town of Phuket is an hour and a half away. Patong Beach is two
hours away by car.

There are 30 rooms at Chongfah include 14 bungalows, eight of which have gorgeous sea views. All rooms are spacious
and modern, with super-comfortable beds, air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi access, flat-screen satellite TV with several English channels, a minibar, and coffee machine. Decor is tasteful and minimal, with large floral canvases hung on sage-green walls, and warm wooden floors with dark, Ikea-style furniture throughout. Hanging lanterns add a bit of local, tropical flair, and all rooms are large, with Deluxe Rooms starting at 59 square meters (or 635 square feet). Bungalows are especially
spacious (75 square meters, or 807 square feet), and have wall-to-wall glass doors leading onto a private, shaded patio with
ample furniture to relax. In addition to the modern bathrooms throughout the property -- which have with contemporary bucket sinks and enormous
glass showers -- the bungalows also have private outdoor showers and two-person hot tubs.

For a boutique-sized hotel, this place offers a good deal of freebies and on-site features, including the scenic beachfront set with lounge chairs underneath palm trees. Breakfast is free and offers an ample selection of fresh fruit, breads, yogurts, eggs and meat. Seaborn Restaurant, which faces the Andaman Sea, also has a full bar and serves a
variety of local and western dishes for lunch and dinner. The infinity pool is adjacent to the restaurant and the bar is easily accessed from the pool deck, plus there is a smaller, shallower section of the pool with built-in lounge chairs on a lower deck that's better suited for children. Thai massages are available, as are
airport transfers and laundry service -- all for a fee. There are free bike rentals and a welcome drink upon arrival. It's worth noting the level of service here, which is on par with much more luxurious resorts and receives almost universal praise.