Khao Lak Merlin Resort

What an amazing holiday we had at this hotel, well situated in the rain forest, and right on a beautiful beach, room was tastefully decorated and comfortable. Food was out of this world, so tasty and fresh, we loved it. 5 minute walk to a little town of shops, restaurants and bars, and 5 minutes in a tuk tuk to the larger town of Khao Lak, hotel entertainment was low key, just perfect for us. Staff are amazing and the hotel management should be so proud of their staff. Had an amazing experience at the spa (twice) this was probably the best holiday I have ever been on and hope to return soon. LOVE LOVE LOVED IT 🥰

Stayed at the Merlin for 12 nights in October 2026. What a fabulous resort. After a long flight we got a private taxi transfer from Phuket (which we booked on a package with Tui) that took about an hour. The reception staff who greeted us were friendly and professional. Took us to our premium room which was clean and comfortable - had a hair dryer but no iron. We had taken one so it wasn't a problem. Grounds are very green and lush, and well kept with lots wild life. Food was exceptional in the Veranda restaurant, I have an allergy to onions and they went out of their way to accommodate. I spoke to other guests with allergies and they all said the same. My other half had a birthday while we were there and the staff did a cake and decorated the beach bar to celebrate. I just got my own balloons from supermarket. Staff are so friendly. A shout out to Kabis, Pla, Jenny and Fee - absolutely outstanding. All the other staff and mgt were great too however I didn't get their names. Made lots of friends as there's no entertainment (apart from a singer in the restaurant at dinner) and everyone said the same, that the place is incredible. Every single person said they would return. Thanks Merlin and staff for making our holiday incredible.

This is a truly amazing hotel. We were warmly greeted on arrival and shown to our room. We were in room 2206 which is the modern deluxe area of the resort near to reception. The room was lovely -clean, comfortable and spacious. We overlooked one of the pools and a water feature. The room had a small fridge- a fantastic bathroom and the most comfortable bed we have ever slept on!!! Everything in the hotel is located beyond and below the open plan reception area, go down some steps and you come to your first restaurant where you have a buffet breakfast and the most delicious a la carte lunches and dinners. No buffet for those meals. This is situated next to one of the two tiered pools and waterfall. Go a bit further on and then you come to the spa, then the second fabulous restaurant- another pool with a kids area and the gorgeous beach. Plenty of sunbeds available next to the beach, but not on the beach itself which is fine as they are mostly located in the shade. Beach towels are available free of charge in your room- much easier than paying a deposit- and they can be changed daily. The staff on the resort are fantastic- nothing is too much trouble and they are really helpful and smiley- their job is to make you happy and they achieve that to the max. As the resort says you are in the middle of a rainforest and all its wildlife- the noise of the birds in the morning and the crickets and frogs at night is amazing. Watch out for the monitor lizards though- they are quite big- harmless, but it can give you a bit of a shock when you see one next to the pool or beach! You can also book yourself on to a wildlife tour for a small charge. About a five minute walk from the resort you have a small shopping area with a pharmacy, 7-11 and other stores- really handy. Or you can get a taxi or tuc-tuc from the hotel to other areas including the night markets. A tip for anyone doing the James Bond or elephant sanctuary excursions- invest in some swim shoes as you will be walking on some quite pebbly surfaces.

This hotel has everything spot on!!! We visited for 8 nights from the UK, staying all inclusive. There’s lots of little touches that the hotel offers that you wouldn’t find in some other all inclusives. Table service instead of a buffet (with everything included) good quality drinks, and such a peaceful atmosphere. The hotel has so much character and you truly feel asough you are experiencing authentic Thailand. The staff are so friendly and are more than happy to help. They are a credit to the place. The tropical plants and the natural ponds really make you feel you are in the middle of a jungle, not just a resort. If it’s a rainy day it feels peaceful around all of the tropical plants and trees rather than boring. If you are going to Thailand and want a peaceful authentic stay this is your place!!! Such an amazing hotel.

Khaolak Merlin Resort is in a beautiful, quiet village with lovely local restaurants, shops and a waterfall nearby. Sadly, the resort itself felt like a very scenic self-service experiment. The response to my feedback clearly shows that they don't care approach to NOT take accountability and proves the observations and interaction experienced are spot on. Deflect is their speciality and unfortunately by responding in such a way does not make it professional. First, a small public-service announcement: don’t be dazzled by the five-star label on Booking.com or the dramatic “70% off” discount. At those prices, it still felt less like a bargain and more like paying premium rates for a resort that has misplaced both its upkeep and its hospitality. The discount may be 70%, but expectations should probably be discounted by about the same amount. Before arriving, we contacted the hotel to ask—only if available—about a possible upgrade for a special trip. Their response was warm and welcoming. On arrival at 10 pm, however, the welcome drinks and towels were placed on a table and abandoned with us. It set the tone nicely: welcome, now please manage yourselves. Check-in was another highlight. Most of our details were wrong, including nationality and place of residence. The staff blamed Booking.com, as though verifying a guest’s basic information was beyond the hotel’s jurisdiction. The check-in staff also debated our upgrade among themselves before telling us that children cannot stay in ground-floor pool rooms due to hotel policy. Fair enough—except nobody acknowledged the actual 8-year-old standing next to us. The policy became even more amusing when we realised there were no lifeguards, no pool attendants, and seemingly no one monitoring safety. Children were diving, crashing into each other on the rusted slide, and enjoying complete freedom. Safety policy: very strong in theory, mysteriously absent in practice. Our room was near what sounded like generators or laundry facilities, smelled of damp and mould, and had twin beds narrow enough to make turning over a sporting event. The landscaping felt uncared for, the recycled-water pond smelled unpleasantly like sewage, and trolleys appeared permanently parked outside rooms—perhaps they were also waiting for assistance. Over five days, we did not receive a single greeting from staff. Breakfast involved staff silently watching tables, clearing plates, and chatting among themselves. An egg-white omelette became a diplomatic negotiation. Asking whether Earl Grey tea was available resulted in a nod, a long pause, and finally: “No.” Housekeeping brought towels but did not empty our overflowing bin. When we mentioned the room smell, we were told to speak to reception—because the room apparently came with its own customer-service scavenger hunt. On the second-last day, I spoke to the front-desk manager about these issues. Her response was a nod and, “Thank you for the feedback, it helps us a lot.” A very polished way of saying absolutely nothing. The location has enormous potential and the nearby village is genuinely lovely. But do not come expecting hospitality, pool service, proactive staff, or anyone asking whether you want food or a drink. Come prepared to be a solo explorer in beautiful surroundings—with a hotel room attached. Low season should be when a hotel shines. Here, it felt more like everyone was on holiday at once.