Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort

Set on a secluded, 70-acre tract of land, the gorgeous and upscale Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort is easily one of the top properties in Phi Phi Don. It's also one of the oldest: The hotel's original Thai owners built a handful of humble beach bungalows in the 1980s, with no expectation that their enterprise would one day become a success story. The bungalows were a hit with divers, and with the 2000 release of "The Beach" (a film that made the Phi Phi islands overwhelmingly popular with tourists), Phi Phi Island Village's fate as a prized hotel destination was sealed. Today it is owned by the real-estate development branch of Singha beer. But while corporate ownership may seem like a death blow for a mellow beach resort, the operator has infused the resort with cash while maintaining its authenticity and laid-back vibe. Some recent examples of the improvements made are vast renovations done in the rooms and common areas (including the construction of 44 new rooms) in 2016 and the opening of the Marine Discovery Center (where guests can learn about the local ecosystem and see daily clownfish and shark feedings) in 2018.Phi Phi Island Village stretches along the private stretch of Loh Bagao, a pristine bay on the Andaman Sea. Paved paths loop throughout the grounds landscaped with coconut palms, magnolias, and jasmine and pomelo trees. Diligently darting about are birds, butterflies, lizards, and, at night, bats. An orchid theme is found throughout -- even the sand in the ashtrays is molded into the shape of the flower. In the open lobby, wooden clocks above the front desk display the time in major cities from Bangkok to Sydney. Those clocks may act as a reminder of the outside world, but everything else about the resort is designed to feel like a complete escape. Check-ins are greeted with a cold pina colada mocktail, a cookie, and a cold cloth, before being guided by buggy to their room -- all of which are individual bamboo bungalows or pool villas with traditional architecture and modern interiors and amenities.The remote location, big bay beach, and excellent facilities are a hit with travelers wanting an upscale stay away from the chaos of Tonsai. The shallow beach, huge rooms, and pool with waterslide appeal to families with children, but the clientele generally tends to be couples -- many of whom come to the hotel to celebrate an anniversary or even tie the knot. 

Nestled between coconut palm plantations and a turquoise lagoon of the Andaman Sea, Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort is set on Loh Bagao Bay on Ko Phi Phi Don ("Ko" means island in the native language). To get to the island, travelers must take a ferry or speedboat from Phuket and Krabi on the mainland. These go to Tonsai Pier in the island's main "town," from which guests must travel by another boat along the coast to the resort (no roads connect it to town). It is highly recommended that guests reserve the transfer in advance; a bellman will stand by the pier for those who reserve ahead of time. The resort itself is on Phi Phi Don's northern end, with nothing nearby besides a small local village with a handful of restaurants, bars, and massage parlors. Attractions on the smaller Ko Phi Phi Leh, like Maya Beach (closed to tourism indefinitely, as of 2018) and Viking Cave, are accessible by boat.  

Phi Phi Island Village's accommodations -- even the base-level units -- are among the best on the island. Nearly every room is constructed like a traditional Thai bungalow, complete with wooden stilts, a thatched roof, and bamboo exterior. Rooms start with the 72 Superior Bungalows (377 square feet), located in the heart of the resort, and go all the way up to the 12 Hillside Pool Villas (1,184 square feet), which have elevated views of the gorgeous bay. Regardless of category, all rooms are modern and equipped with daybeds, coffeemakers, minibars/mini-fridges, electric tea kettles, and bathrobes and slippers. Coffee, tea, and bottled water are all free, but minibar items come with a charge. Flat-screen TVs have DVD players and satellite channels, including National Geographic, Animal Planet, and BBC World. Every room has at least a front porch furnished with wooden tables, wooden patio chairs with ottomans, and wooden drying racks for wet clothes. The 754-square-foot Beachfront Junior Suites and the 636-square-foot Deluxe Sea View Rooms (on the second line from the sea) have extra outdoor pavilions. Two-bedroom units are available.There are large rainfall showers and separate water closets in all rooms. Showers contain pump bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel. Items like cotton buds, sewing kits, shower caps, toothbrushes, and body lotion are supplied, and bundles of fresh beach and bath towels are delivered daily to the porches. Closets are stocked with bathrobes, slippers, safes (free to use), and Philips travel hairdryers. Every room has individual temperature control and twice-a-day housekeeping. Beachfront Junior Suites have larger sundecks, and the upgrade also includes jetted tubs in the bathrooms and outdoor showers. There are also 12 Hillside Pool Villas (buggy service is provided) with living and dining rooms that have beautiful, timber-framed thatched ceilings, and enormous bathrooms with walk-in rainfall showers and separate soaking tubs. Outside, the villas have wraparound sun decks and their own six-by-four-foot plunge pools with views of the sea. Of the Hillside Pool Villas, eight units have one bedroom and four have two bedrooms. And while these are the top category, they have not been built or renovated as recently as all of the other rooms. Extra perks of the villas and the Beachfront Junior Suites include stand-by butler service, turndown with a cookie, and the option to have breakfast and tea time in the room.

Phi Phi Island Village has a full range of features, but the best is its private beach, where a low sea wall separates the white sand from hammocks, sun loungers, and umbrellas. Kayaks are free to borrow and scuba diving (through the resort's own PADI-certified dive center) and beach fishing and guided island-exploring boat tours can be arranged for a fee. Those looking for land-based activities can take advantage of the free tennis courts, the fitness center's cardio and weight-training machines, and organized activities like hiking, badminton, yoga, and beach volleyball. In May 2018, the hotel opened the Marine Discovery Center, a hands-on educational facility where guests can visit clownfish and reef shark nurseries (part of the center's adoption and release program) for daily feedings and learn about the marine life of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park. Phi Phi Island Village has four restaurants, the main of which is Api Restaurant & Bar. Api begins the day with a high-quality breakfast buffet and continues with casual Western and Thai food for lunch and dinner. At night, the bar hosts entertainment like live music, masquerade parties, Latin dance, and Hawaiian nights. Other dining options include a pool grill; Ruan Thai, a gorgeous and intricately carved wood building on the hill (pro tip: use the buggy service to get there); and The Beach House Grill & Chill, an outdoor beachfront restaurant that serves local seafood, like ceviche, bouillabaisse, and a grilled catch of the day. Reservations are required at Ruan and the Beach House. There are also Thai cooking classes, a coffee shop by the lobby with snacks and sandwiches, room service, and food and drink service by both pools.Besides the half-mile beach, the resort's flower-shaped main pool is a big hangout area. An island at the pool's center includes grassy layout areas and a whirlpool. In the main pool, kids practice snorkeling or take a whirl down the waterslide, and day drinkers laze on their own Instagram-friendly pool floaties or congregate by the lagoon-facing infinity edge. The swim-up pool bar and Api bar both offer daily happy hours. On the other end of the resort, the smaller Api pool offers a quieter atmosphere. The beachfront Wana Spa offers the full range body treatments and Thai massage (the oil massage is the most popular). There are three open pavilions by the main swimming pool for treatments.An on-site gift shop sells straw hats and bags, pool floaties, and swimsuits and rash guards. Long-tail boat transfers leave the resort (to Tonsai) five times a day, and make the return trip from Tonsai to the resort three times a day. The trip takes between 30 and 40 minutes each way and costs a fee. Boat reservations must be made at least an hour in advance through the front desk. A first aid center is on-site and seasick pills are available by the front desk. Babysitting is available for a fee. Wi-Fi is free throughout Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort.