The Sarojin Hotel, Khao Lak

Following on from our colossal Cambodian adventure here at Coolector HQ, we were fortunate enough to also spend time at another majestic hotel, this time in the Khao Lak region of Thailand and it was every bit as luxurious, relaxing and memorable as all that preceded it. Say hello to The Sarojin Hotel, a mesmerising hotel in a quiet, charming and breathtakingly beautiful part of Thailand.

Beach resorts will typically triumph or fail based on the calibre of the beach on which they reside and, we’re delighted to report, the White Sands Beach which tickles the edge of The Sarojin is stunningly attractive and stretches as far as the eye can see along the Khao Lak coastline.

The Sarojin doesn’t rest on its laurels from having such a miraculous beach and the quality pervading across the entire resort really is unparalleled.

After a 1-hour private transfer in a wi-fi connected SUV that had soft drinks and beers in a cooler (it’s as if they knew about my penchant for ales), we were already in a pretty relaxed mood upon arriving at The Sarojin but the warmness of the welcome and impeccable friendliness of the staff across the entire resort is something that adds that extra touch of enjoyment to any stay and at this superb boutique beach resort, you’re really made to feel welcome and we cannot commend the staff and resort manager, Kade, highly enough here at Coolector HQ.

Verdant Luxury

The first thing that strikes you when making your way through the lobby and out into the wonderful sunshine at The Sarojin is just how green the resort is and how carefully it’s been landscaped in order to maximise the space they have and the visual impact it delivers really is second to none. The Sarojin Hotel takes its spirit for hospitality from the Lady Sarojin, the eldest daughter of a prominent Thai nobleman who became mistress of the house upon her mother’s accession. Following this, she was responsible for not just the upkeep and smooth running of the residence and grounds, but also for the comfort of her father’s guests – and this dedication to providing a truly memorable stay remains to this day.

With an attention to detail that will leave you astounded from the minute you arrive, The Sarojin in Khao Lak is the sort of beach hotel that you’ll never want to leave and the weight of the world just fades away as you’re swept up in the resort’s spectacular grounds which includes a host of restaurants, a sensational swimming pool and, of course, the exceptional beach where you can relax still further or, if you’d prefer, partake in the free water based activities that the resort offers such as sea kayaking or paddle boarding.

A variety of residences await within the tropical grounds of the Sarojin including pool villas and spa suites so you know that you’ll be in for an incredibly rejuvenating stay right from the start and with an amazing spa on the resort where you can enjoy a variety of massages, beauty treatments and therapies, you’ve got no excuse not to come away from this resort feeling like a whole new person – something that we certainly did after our five nights at The Sarojin here at The Coolector.

Activities and adventure play a big part in what The Sarojin has to offer and whether it’s a round of golf at a local course, a day trip to the islands off the coast or the amazing selection of watersports on offer, a stay here can be as relaxed or as active as you like and, whilst we certainly leaned more towards the relaxed side of things during our stay, it’s great to know you can do so many things so simply from the resort.

Whilst we say we were remaining relaxed during our stay, we did actually head out on a 20km bike ride through the rolling countryside of Khao Lak taking in a number of local towns and historic landmarks and we can’t recommend this activity enough as our great guide, Au, showed us some of the traditional sides of the area and, poignantly, the memorials from the devastating tsunami of 2004 that badly effected the region.

Phenomenal Service, Exceptional Design

It is impossible to find fault with any part of the layout of The Sarojin and everything you could possibly want is invariably within a couple of minutes from your, gloriously luxurious, room. We stayed in a room more or less equidistance to the pool, lobby, restaurants and beach during our supremely relaxing stay at this luxury boutique beach resort and the ease with which everything is on hand and the friendly welcome of the staff each day – from the gardeners and waiters through to the resort managers – really did add an extra level of enjoyment to the stay.

The vast swimming pool, with the stunning cabanas dotted along its edges, are a real stand out feature of The Sarojin and if you don’t feel like sunning yourself on the White Sand Beach, this is unquestionably the next best place to do it. With great service from attentive pool boys, you’ll always be able to get a cocktail or two whilst enjoying the rays whether you decide to do it at the beach or next to the resort’s incredible swimming pool.

As big food fans here at The Coolector, it would be remiss not to mention the quality here as well because, having eaten at each of The Sarojin’s dining options, we can safely say that the food was amongst the best we had in Thailand – especially the curries and asian cuisine to be found in the resort’s Edge restaurant, situated to give you a spectacular view of the beach, something we particularly recommend at sunset.

We always find ourselves gravitating towards boutique hotels here at The Coolector and The Sarojin in Khao Lak is definitely one of the finest we’ve encountered in our years of travelling to date. If you want to experience true Thai luxury and stunning hospitality, this is the place to do it and the fact that it was away from the crowds of Phuket really was another feather in the resort’s already many feathered cap. An unforgettable stay in the most magical of surroundings.

Prices: £150+ per night approx

Bookings: The Sarojin