The Sands Khao Lak by Katathani

This was the fourth and final stop on our family trip to Thailand, and we had 2 twin rooms between us. They were the standard rooms, and are quite large with a balcony and good sized bathroom. Our rooms were on the third floor, quite near the reception. There were better (read more expensive) rooms on the ground floor which access a semi private pool directly outside the rooms. A compromise might be to ask for the rooms near the adult pool, or overlooking the lake, as they would be more convenient for the pools and restaurants and with nicer views. There are plenty of pool options. We avoided the extensive family pools as our kids were both teens. The ones we spent time at were well kept and had a swim up bar. Unlike the other hotels we'd spent time at in Thailand, this one was busy, being a firm favourite with the aussies. They lived up to their reputations of liking a drink. Breakfast was extensive, and decent, if not amazing. We ate at the pool bar quite a lot, and the chips and questadias were recommended, as were the happy hour cocktails (£3). We only ate dinner at the hotel one night, as £20 per head for the buffet is quite pricey compared to other local options. The buffet was fairly good, with steak and prawns among the choices on the night we went, and lots of stuff on hotplates. Other themed nights did Italian, Thai etc. It was about on a par with the Turkish all inclusives, if you've been there. My personal tip is to ask the chefs to make you some fresh stuff, as they did me a thinly sliced sirloin, and also a nutella thai pancake fresh, which were a big improvement over the ones that had been hanging around for a while We'd actually recommend eating locally as the value and quality was better, albeit that all the restaurants are on either side of a busy highway/ road. We took a taxi to the night market one night (£5 each way) and found the vibe around there better and more relaxed, so thats worth thinking about for a change of scenery. All in all, it does what it says on the tin. Not boutique, not amazing, but a solid option.

Simply Second to None - Such an amazing place. Spent 9 nights here in the Junior Poolside suite. Pure luxury had set menu of 3 course lunch or dinner, free one hour drinks 3 times a day and one massage every day per suite. Great Great Value.

A great hotel for a fun, relaxed family holiday. A fab pool scene with options for a playful kids pool with slides and sprayers , a calmer pool or a quiet adults only. Our daughter really enjoyed the kids club. The only area that could be improved on is the breakfasts and the buffet dining. Not a great range of options, food wasn’t great but it was adequate.

The advertising of this hotel boasts ‘a resort for everyone’ which sounds great if it were true. It’s a beautiful resort, professional and polite staff, perhaps the best shower anywhere in the world, great location, fabulous food but the ‘everyone’ doesn’t seem to extend to childless couples. Every and I mean every effort is made to accomodate children and their parents which is lovely but it leaves us childless neglected, ignored and passed over. This is a wonderful place but if you are looking for an ‘adult’ retreat best look elsewhere.

We absolutely loved our stay at The Sands as a family of four with two boys (aged 3 and 5). We were lucky enough to be upgraded to a Family Pool Access Room, which was an absolute game changer. Being able to jump straight into the pool before breakfast each morning was such a treat for the kids (and us!). The facilities are fantastic. We spent hours on the waterslide, floating around the lazy river, and swimming in the front pool. There was never a shortage of things to do. The breakfast buffet had an excellent variety and was the perfect way to start each day. The beachside massages were amazing and very reasonably priced. Our boys also loved the kids’ club, whether they were simply playing there or joining in the organised activities. The Saturday night fire dance was another standout and definitely worth seeing. Our room was cleaned daily, bottled water was replenished every day (and whenever we requested more), and every staff member we encountered was incredibly friendly and welcoming. The on-site mini mart was handy for snacks, drinks, and souvenirs, and happy hour at the kids’ pool was a nice bonus. The complimentary golf buggy shuttle to the main street made getting around easy, and there were always tuk tuks waiting outside if we wanted to head elsewhere. We honestly couldn’t fault our stay and would highly recommend The Sands to families. We can’t wait to come back!