Mandalai
Great waterfront rooms
More on Ko Pha Ngan
Set overlooking the water at the centre of Chaloklum village and roughly modelled on a traditional trader's house, Mandalai offers easily the smartest rooms on Chaloklum, providing a comfortable respite from typical island bungalows.
Travelfish says:
Smart and comfortable rooms are arranged across both floors of the U-shaped building, with a small swimming pool at the centre and the beachfront rooms facing onto a shared terrace and the beach beyond. The rectangular pool is small but pleasant enough, with a couple of deckchairs and an aqua-coloured table setting shaded by a frangipani.
Rooms are very spacious, with oodles of space for an extra bed, immaculate hot-water bathrooms, plenty of windows with venetian blinds and all rooms include a Jacuzzi set right beside the firm bed. Decor is modern and well done, with a trio of small statues in an alcove above the bed, bedside lighting and dressing gowns in an inbuilt wardrobe. Other facilities include free WiFi, cable TV, complimentary coffee and tea and air-con throughout. While we had a second-floor pool-view room, if you can, you really want to get one of the ocean view rooms (preferably upstairs) to enjoy terrific views over the water – they are worth the extra money.
There are also table settings by the pool and out overlooking the water there are a couple more with linen umbrellas and a few small palms. There is no restaurant on site, but you're just minutes away from a gaggle of the seafood restaurants in the centre of Chaloklum. Staff are friendly and we found them to be super helpful and obliging, especially regarding suggestions on where to eat.
At the rear of the second floor beach-view rooms there is a staircase you can use to get onto the roof – there is no table settings or anything, but the views, especially at sunset, are great. Note though that neither the stairs nor the roof have any railings or other safety guards, so keep an eye on any kids!
Overall this is a smart and comfortable modern option which will appeal to those looking to break out from typical island bungalows. Recommended. Shop online for a competitive rate.
Contact details for Mandalai
Address: 2/3 Moo 7 Chaloklum, Ko Pha Ngan
T: (077) 374 317; F: (077) 374 318
Email: reservation@mandalaihotel.com
Web: http://www.mandalaihotel.com
Coordinates (for GPS): 100º0'20.2" E, 9º47'11.04" N
See position in Apple or Google Maps: Apple Maps | Google Maps
Room rates: 1,500B to 4,000B
Room rates
What we were quoted as a walk-in.
| Standard double room Garden view | 2,000 baht | 2,000 baht |
| Superior double room Pool view | 2,500 baht | 2,500 baht |
| Deluxe double room Ocean view | 3,000 baht | 3,000 baht |
Reviewed by
Stuart McDonald
Stuart McDonald co-founded Travelfish.org with Samantha Brown in 2004. He has lived in Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia, where he worked as an under-paid, under-skilled language teacher, an embassy staffer, a newspaper web-site developer, freelancing and various other stuff. His favourite read is The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton.