Booked a room in the Oceanside wing, but was not expecting a full view of the ocean! We were pleasantly surprised to have a balcony (and bed!) only metres from the sand. It was an amazing spot to sit and relax while listening to the waves crashing on the beach. Bed was super comfortable and the room size was great. We had breakfast included in our booking, and this was also great. The range of food available is incredible, and could not find any faults. Hotel is only a short walk to shops, restaurants, etc and also markets a few times a week. If it's too hot to walk, there are taxis readily available.

I loved the pool. Breakfast was good with a decent choice. Staff were extremely friendly and helpful. Rooms were superbly airconditioned, clean and beds very comfortable. Bathroom was very clean as well.

The room we had wasn't beach front. And sadly the sea was very rough so we could not swim. And the resort has quite a bit of walking to do with stairs. Not recommended for aged people.

I stayed at La Vela for two weeks during low season. The hotel is directly on the beach, at the end of a street dotted with small shops and restaurants that are decidedly better and much cheaper than the ones inside. The complex is built from stone, wood, metal and immersed in a tropical garden, giving it a minimalist, eco-friendly atmosphere. It has banned single-use plastics and provides two free glass water bottles per day, which you can refill in the public areas. Breakfast is a real banquet held at the Spice Cafe, elbow-to-elbow with tropical birds. It's truly spectacular - honestly one of the best I've experienced at a hotel of this level. There's an entire room just for 20 types of breads, pastries and brioches; two huge buffet lines where they make soups, noodles and every possible egg dish you can imagine on the spot; a sushi corner; a station for hot and cold beverages. In addition to the Spice Cafe there is a bar with a library (which makes great coffee and terrible cakes, even though they look nice) and a restaurant and cocktail bar on the beach. The hotel has two beautiful pools plus one near the beach. It also offers a small gym, a fabulous spa, a skate park, equipment for water sports (for a fee), free beach towels, and a daily program of free soft activities like yoga on the beach, which I highly recommend. The room was equipped with every possible comfort: a beautiful tub on the balcony (not a hot tub), a walk-in shower, a huge bed that was almost as tall as me, a minibar area with a large fridge and kettle, wine glasses and various amenity kits. You can adjust the lighting with a panel. During the day you can hear some noise from the nearby hotel under construction, at night just the music of the waves. Outside the hotel, as I said, there are many shops and excursion stands. I also recommend taking a taxi to the most beautiful beaches, since the one at the hotel is a bit disappointing. The staff is incredibly kind and helpful.

During the low season, the common areas flood and there is a real risk of slipping on the stone steps and in the corridors. The sea was muddy and rough, so to swim I had to go to the nearby beaches. What bothered me the most though was the strong musty smell in the room, as you can read in other reviews. I think it comes from the air conditioner filters that are never cleaned and it's so intense that it makes it difficult to enjoy staying in the room. Which is a shame, because the rooms are beautiful. Opening the windows or deplying dozens of candles and essential oils is completely useless: the smell will come back the moment you turn on the AC. I think it's urgent that the hotel resolves this problem, because it ruins an otherwise magnificent experience.

We liked the room with all the amenities and the great balcony viewing the sea and the luxuriant palm trees. We enjoyed the facilities, the kids club, the enormous swimming pools and different activities. The breakfast is fantastic, with many many options both occidental and asiatic. We enjoyed also the spectacular fire show at Kokulo Beach Bar in the evening. It is a must seen. Considering all the above, the hotel is 5’ walk from the streets with the restaurants and shops. Super friendly and helpful staff also.

The biggest issue is the smell of damp or mold in the walls. We’ve been one night in a building with a very strong smell and it was impossible to sleep in, even though we tried to ventilate it to the maximum. Next day we asked a different room, we changed the building which was much better for our stay.

This was our 2nd stay at La Vela, 6 yrs apart. There is lots of vegetation now & is well looked after. All the staff from checkin to departure were exceptional. Meals were very good & catered for all nationalities. The Pool Access Room that we had was large & comfortable. All rooms have a large fridge, air con worked well & the pool was large & water quality was good with no black or green algae present. The huge xl king size bed was very comfortable & linen was changed daily although not necessary. A huge PLUS was that a buggy service is available for us seniors who find it difficult to walk too far. Just phone Reception & the buggy will take you to where ever you want to go within the resort & pick you up to return you to your room.

My only negative was the TV channels available for english speaking movies etc. Netflix is available but you need to buy a Netflix subscription so don't leave home with out your subscription details.

Our 6th visit to La Vela Rooms are well appointed, clean and modern. Large rooms that have a sofa bed, lots of space to store luggage and a full size refrigerator. The breakfast is one of the best we have had . A large choice of hot food, egg station with many choices, sushi freshly made, good variety of breads and pastries and fresh fruit. There is also a dedicated barrister. Staff are amazing and will do everything possible to make your stay memorable. Three pools to choose from and the beach as well. Kokulo Club has a seafood Buffet three times a week which is not to be missed. Also has a bartender show and fireshow three times a week. The location is excellent with many restaurants within a short walk. A number of minimarts a five minute walk away.

Everything was perfect...hence we have rebooked for our 7th stay.

What a stunning Hotel! Our stay was perfect from Check in to Check out. Lovely happy friendly staff - special mention to JP who had great chat and bent over backwards to ensure everyone had their requests/expectations met. Our room was amazing... spacious and airy, a big balcony (with a bath!) and very comfortable outdoor furniture, an awesome shower and the hugest most comfortable bed - all with a tranquil view of the pools and garden. The location is wonderful - walking distance to everything you need... Massage, great local eateries and of course the Bang Niang Markets. Breakfast was absolutely mind blowing, as was the food at the famous Kokulo Restaurant. Beautiful spacious pools at the perfect temperature. Top points all round from us - we have already booked again for next year!

Soundproofing room doors would make a huge difference. We could hear people talking and returning to rooms through the night.... (not really a huge deal when you're on holiday in paradise)

The hotel is amazing for people with kids. There's a kid play area that has plenty of toys and books for kids to enjoy. There's a playground, an aqua park, plenty of pools which make up for the beach being a bit less nice. One of the best breakfast buffets we have had was in la vela

The beach doesn't have enough shade and it isn't the finest grain sand. You can take a scooter or a cab to any of the other nearby beaches with white sand. The food outside of breakfast was a bit underwhelming and overpriced for the quantity you get

This was our fourth visit to La Vela and again our three week stay was amazing. One of the best breakfasts we have had with a great variety of different food to select from.The staff are professional, friendly and will go out of their way to help in any manner. The buffet dinner and Fire Show are not to be missed. This hotel lends itself to couples and has limited activities for young children.

The rooms were not cleaned thoroughly. In the three week stay our balcony was not once cleaned. The rooms require maintenance , paths needed sweeping, the pool edging required scrubbing.

Wowzers! This is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Hard to beat Khao Lak. Hotel is new, and very modern. If you are into modern architecture and sharp angles, this is the place for you. The Thai food served is excellent, and the drinks are generous. The pool is absolutely stunning. Breakfast is great, with lots of variety. The place is very popular with European retirees, and there were very few North Americans. I think we were the only ones. The Hotel throws a free cocktail party at 6PM for guests. Hard to beat a couple free glasses of wine and some sushi...

There were lots of cigarette buts around some of the beach chairs from smoking guests. This is the fault of the smoking guests, who should know better than to throw their cigarette buts onto the beach where the filters can wash into the sea and harm the ocean. This is NOT the staff's fault. The hotel should prohibit smoking entirely.