The Sands by Katathani

OrionIndigo

We went for a 6 night stay and had a lovely time. It rained, a lot, but you get that going in May. Our kids had a blast on the lazy river and water slides, and the pools were great. There is a beach, but it was too windy for us to really enjoy it, plus it’s far from the family rooms compared to the pools. The ladies working in the Kids Club are brilliant, but the activities are mostly add-on pay and are only on the hour, so the club itself is mostly a play area. They have a TV playing which we weren’t big fans of as we limit screen time for our kids and hoped KC would have more staff to play and interact with the kids. Only 2 staff makes it a challenge for them. The restaurants have a good selection and none of us got any problems from the food. The bars are ok, but if you’re on a “free happy hour” package, they have a smaller more limited menu than normal, and frankly aren’t great drinks (though the Tin Lounge voucher for bar directly next to the Talay restaurant is a must: it was lovely!) No free water at the restaurants—but you can order free water in your room—is really odd to us, as we had to genuinely bring our water bottles to dinner (which the food was part of our stay). Really odd and really inconvenient. All in all, a good stay and we enjoyed it, but a few little things could be better.

Hannah Trotman

We stayed in a swim up pool suite family room which was lovely and so spacious. Big bed and two single beds (one slid underneath the other so could be tucked away). Loads of towels for shower/pool and water provided daily. Aircon very powerful, bath was a nice addition too. Nice toiletries provided. Staff were lovely especially the pool guys and pineapple bar staff where we spent most our time. BUT our initial impression of the hotel wasn’t as good - the young guy who checked us in wasn’t very welcoming/friendly and when he led us to our room he was chatting to the luggage guys for ages and I kept asking him ‘are we getting on this buggy, is this for us?’ Whilst holding our baby in the heat and he just ignored us and kept talking Thai to his colleagues, then after making us stand there for like 5 mins he eventually walked us to our room. Despite this the hotel redeemed itself by being so good. The splash pad and lazy river are great for kids (and adults)! We didn’t use the swim up pool much but was nice view over the play area and splash pad. Kids club area is a nice addition for a rainy day. Did laundry cheaply for 50 baht but is very competitive to get a machine so you have to keep going back and forth. The cocktail buckets and pizzas are great. Appreciated happy hours too! Breakfast buffet is plentiful but a bit chaotic and flies everywhere. Would be better to have individual yoghurt pots for kids, didn’t want to serve yoghurt from a huge open bowl left out for hours. Would be better to have more evening bar places to go as I think only the reception bar is open late? And not much of an atmosphere. Walking distance from lots of restaurants/bars but we were there in torrential rainy season and it was quiet. Appreciated the room umbrellas! Didnt use the buggy’s to top of hill as needed to push our baby in pram but lots of people did. Beach/waves were very treacherous in rainy season so not usable. Overall a lovely hotel but it was chilly in rainy May in the pools so would definitely recommend thermal wetsuits for babies/rash vests for kids and adults as often got cold and had to go and buy our toddler an extra layer!

Victoria Duncan

We had a wonderful stay at The Sands for our honeymoon. I had read a few reviews beforehand mentioning there were lots of kids, but honestly it wasn’t an issue at all. The families mostly stayed around the kids’ pool and play areas, and there were adult-only spaces as well, so we always found quiet spots to relax together. The staff were a real highlight. Everyone was welcoming, kind, and genuinely helpful throughout our stay. We also really enjoyed some of the activities on offer. We tried the Thai boxing and a language class, and both were such fun experiences that added something extra to the trip. The resort itself has a great mix of spaces. Whether we wanted to swim, read, have a drink, or just sit somewhere peaceful, there was always a spot that suited our mood. Food-wise, there was plenty of variety across the menus. One thing to keep in mind is that while western dishes are available, they won’t taste exactly like home, and that’s okay. The local Thai options were absolutely delicious and easily the standout for us. The location is another big plus. It’s an easy walk to the main street where there are cafes, shops, and restaurants at much lower prices than the resort. We found a few great coffee spots there too if you’re craving something closer to an Aussie-style brew. Overall, The Sands was a fantastic place to spend our honeymoon and we’d happily recommend it.

Daniel McCall

We are just about to finish our 10 night stay here at the Sands and all I can say is what a wonderful, relaxing and beautiful resort with amazing staff!! They cater to all your needs and if you have kids, what a perfect spot the water park is, plus the lazy river is great for ages big and small. Big thanks to Jangi the maid who did the Birthday Arrangement for my wife’s birthday in the room before we arrived as a surprise, awesome thanks lady! Plus big Khop Khun Krap to Fit the bell 🛎️ hop who was always attentive to our needs and the lifts up the hill in the golf cart. Great job Fit. Plus all the team are amazing! We will be back next year and will bring some friends, thanks again The Sands. Dan, Tina and Lukey 👍

Steven Clarke

The Sands Khao Lak is a great family-friendly resort with plenty of fun activities for the kids. The pool and waterslide areas are excellent, and the swim-up cocktail bars offer a great variety of drinks. Our room was lovely — I had one overlooking the pond area, which I thought offered excellent value. Our friends had direct pool access, which was nice at first, but probably not worth the extra cost. The kids loved it though. The restaurants were hit and miss. Room service, the breakfast area, and the Manta Ray Bistro were all great. However, I found the Floating Market and Talay Restaurant quite expensive for what you get, especially when there are so many good dining options just outside the resort. The only real downside was a leak in our room that appeared every night. Unfortunately, the staff couldn’t resolve it and didn’t offer to change our room. Overall, it’s a fantastic resort and I would definitely recommend it for families.