Chaokoh Phi Phi Hotel & Resort

Chaokoh Phi Phi Hotel & Resort is a mid-range hotel in Tonsai town, within walking distance of every tourist convenience. When guests arrive at Tonsai Pier, they meet a hotel representative who hauls their luggage the three-minute walk to the hotel, where a receptionist provides a welcome drink. The lobby itself is an impressively modern and artistic space, with striking woodwork evocative of an underwater scene along the walls, ceiling, and columns. This contemporary aesthetic extends to the rooms, where cutouts in the wood walls illustrate fish swimming through coral. It's worth noting that the hotel is across the street from the beach, and there is an entrance hall near the beach street with hanging basket chairs, cushioned platform seating, and fans, but the lobby proper is located through the central garden, toward the rear of the resort. The garden consists of an open green space with wooden tables and chairs surrounded by two-story buildings on three sides. However, when we visited in summer 2018, Chaokoh felt like one part hotel, one part dusty construction zone. Some common areas were fenced off, under tarps, or behind cones, as they were undergoing repair in preparation for the upcoming high season. At the time of our visit, the hotel was in the very beginning stages of building a new room block, which means the jackhammering will be an issue for a while. We talked to several guests who were upset that the hotel had not communicated to them that they would be subject to construction noise from sun-up to sundown. Adding insult to injury -- the pool was closed during this time and the smell of sewage was distinct. But in general, the hotel's modern style and great central location near the beach should suit couples in families for a night or two.

Chaokok is located across the street from the beach in the main town on Koh Phi Phi, a three-minute walk from Tonsai Pier, where all arriving boats and ferries land. Thanks to its in-town location, the hotel is close to all manner of tourist conveniences: restaurants, bars, bakeries, dive operators, pharmacies, clothing stores, ATMs, and so on. Ferries to Phuket and Krabi leave from Tonsai, and both mainland towns have international airports. Ferry trips to Krabi and Phuket take about two hours.

Chaokoh's rooms have the same stylistic flair as the lobby, with a sleek woodwork design on one wall depicting fish swimming through coral. Rattan hanging lamps over either side of the bed and blue curtains and accent pillows reinforce their beachy look. All rooms have flat-screen TVs; air-conditioning; minibars (fee) with soda, water, and beer; and patios or balconies. Bathrooms have doorless walk-in showers (most with regular -- not rainfall -- showerheads), and basic toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, and bars of soap). Many guests have commented that the shower temperature is unpredictable and the water will go to scalding or cold. Open closet areas contain short waffle-weave bathrobes, slippers, turquoise umbrellas, and free safes. Coffee, tea, and Wi-Fi are free in the rooms, too.The entry-level Chaokoh Garden units start at 377 square feet and all rooms at the Deluxe level -- Deluxe, Deluxe Garden, and Deluxe Seaview -- are 430 square feet. Deluxe Seaviews are on the top floor, and have views of Tonsai Bay and the green mountains of the island's southwest arm. The 540-square-foot Deluxe Suites have sitting areas with a daybed, recessed blue lighting over the beds, and peekaboo bathrooms with extra-large soaking tubs in addition to rainfall showers.The hotel's sister property, Chaokoh Dorm Room, offers hostel accommodations for backpackers.

Chaokoh's main feature is its two-story restaurant right on Tonsai Bay. The restaurant puts out a breakfast spread -- Thai dishes, omelets, fruit, cereal, French toast, pancakes -- in the morning, but this costs a fee. By comparison, most area hotels offer breakfast for free. For lunch and dinner, the restaurant focuses on fresh local seafood. Depending on what's fresh, the menu offers lobster, blue crab, sea bass, mussels, clams, tilapia, squid, and tiger prawns. There is an outside dining terrace by the water, with lanterns strung through the low trees. Live acoustic bands often play during dinner. Room service is available, but only during certain hours.The hotel has a freeform pool in its garden, but it was closed at the time of our visit in July 2018, to the dismay of unknowing guests. Massages can be arranged, and the front desk offers luggage storage and a lockbox for safekeeping. Wi-Fi is free throughout the resort.