Located in Ko Yao, Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort & Spa is by the ocean, within a 15-minute drive of Loh Paret Beach and At Lamiya Mosque. This 5-star resort is 4.9 mi (8 km) from Fasai Beach and 5 mi (8 km) from Loh Jark Pier.
Pamper yourself with a visit to the spa, which offers massages, body treatments, and facials. After dipping into one of the 2 outdoor swimming pools, you can spend some time at the private beach. This resort also features concierge services, babysitting (surcharge), and gift shops/newsstands.
Enjoy international cuisine at By The Sea, one of the resort's 6 restaurants, or stay in and take advantage of the 24-hour room service. Unwind at the end of the day with a drink at the bar/lounge or the poolside bar. A complimentary English breakfast is served daily from 7:00 AM to 10:30 AM.
Featured amenities include a business center, complimentary newspapers in the lobby, and a 24-hour front desk. Guests may use a ferry terminal shuttle for a surcharge, and free self parking is available onsite.
Make yourself at home in one of the 226 individually decorated guestrooms, featuring refrigerators and minibars. 40-inch flat-screen televisions with cable programming provide entertainment, while complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected. Bathrooms feature separate bathtubs and showers with rainfall showerheads and complimentary toiletries. Conveniences include phones, as well as safes and complimentary bottled water.
"We tried three different room types, and this one was the best. After talking to the front desk, we weren't given the best floor, but at least the view was still pretty good.
The restaurant near the lobby had delicious food, but the breakfast restaurant was just average with limited choices, though it did have a great view.
Getting to Koh Yao Yai was quite convenient, but you have to pay for it yourself. I traveled from Koh Yao Yai to Krabi directly by speedboat, which was very easy.
The island is almost exclusively frequented by Caucasians. As long as you can speak English, you'll get by fine. The staff were very enthusiastic, and I didn't feel any discrimination. There are plenty of activities, so you can stay busy even without leaving the resort. Just a heads-up: kayaking and paddleboarding are free for 30 minutes a day. If the weather is bad and you can't use them, the time doesn't carry over to the next day; it expires.
The hotel is huge, and transportation relies entirely on pickup trucks. There are many vehicles, which is convenient, but it feels a bit environmentally unfriendly. The island isn't big; you can get around by scooter, but there isn't much to do, just one sandbar.
There was a slight hiccup that I hope they improve. On our last day, when leaving the island for Krabi, there was a miscommunication with the hotel. We waited for a long time, but no staff member called us to get on the car, and our luggage was nowhere to be found. We watched as wave after wave of Europeans got on their buses with their luggage, but no one paid attention to us. I had to go ask myself, otherwise, we wouldn't have gotten on a car or seen our luggage."