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Aava Resort and Spa is spa resort in Khanom, southeast Thailand. Scandinavian influence can be seen in our unique architecture and design. Aava-design is created by Finland's top designers. Aava Resort and Spa combines traditional Thai friendliness and family values with Scandinavian quality and elegance. The values of Aava Resort and Spa evolved from the idea of serving our guests with traditional Thai friendliness without compromising high European standards. Rating 4 star.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
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Aava Resort & Spa is celebrated for its comfortable rooms with beach proximity, despite minor ergonomic concerns. The resort's array of amenities, including diverse dining options, tours, and a lauded spa, consistently earns praise from guests. Visitors revel in the welcoming atmosphere and the tasteful design, while the outdoor seating adds to the charm.
Although some luxury services carry a premium, the overall value is appreciated, especially with the inclusion of a kids club and reasonable laundry services. The resort's cleanliness shines, with a well-kept pool area, though an isolated jacuzzi issue was noted. Service is generally heralded for staff friendliness, with few hiccups in efficiency, and the tranquil beachfront location is a highlight for those seeking serenity.
Location
Beachfront
Atmosphere
Inviting
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Outstanding
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We chose this resort on the mainland to avoid the crush on the Koh Samui and I am so pleased that we did! We went with the intent of having a relaxing holiday with lots of Kindle time on a pristine beach and this place really delivered.
We stayed in a family unit which is luxuriously appointed with little extras (baked treat appeared everyday when room was serviced). We were surprised with a birthday cake for my son one afternoon which was a really nice touch ( I presume they knew from our check in information) ! Our unit had a private jacuzzi on the rooftop and we felt really spoiled.
The pool and beach are literally a two minute walk from any unit and I found myself getting up early for every sunrise photo opportunity - so easy to just walk out the door and snap.
The food was excellent - priced higher than a number of other Thai hotels we stayed in but still good value if you are travelling with USD/GBP. Menu options include many western/fusion options and my usually fussy family had no complaints. Interestingly, my young birthday boy who deems himself a pizza connoisseur rated their margarita pizza a 9 out of 10 which has never happened before in all his history of rather excessive pizza eating :-). So your kids will be happy. They have a kids club which we never used because my kids were happily occupied by the beach and pool everyday.
We used the laundry service which was not excessively priced and very quick.
We did not use the spa services which looked typically luxurious for a resort of this nature - and priced to match. There are massage parlours on the same road which were more bare bones and were fine for what I wanted (to sort out cricks in neck and back).
I can see myself returning to this resort and staying for a couple of weeks (I imagine they do have some relatively long stayers as they offer 7 day yoga and exercise packages)
Overall definitely a place to return to and one of the best beach holidays I have had!
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Great view and the beach is beautiful Also the staff was really good and helpful for any help or go for example in the market which was nice The breakfast was great with different foods The swimming pool also is properly located in front of the beach
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Wonderful hotel in a very peaceful and picturesque location. The premises and the pool are beautiful and well maintained. Excellent staff at the reception and restaurant. The latter was particularly impressive. The food was truly outstanding and the selection of drinks commendable. The room’s design seemed a bit weird as if it was started by one architect and finished by another - very questionable ergonomics, not particularly convenient. However since even the rooms farthest from the beach are still one minute walk away, I doubt there’s much sense in staying in a room for a long time. Moreover each room has a lovely outside seating area. Despite some questionable architectural features, what I liked is that inside the room they have all the necessary amenities including bathrobes, umbrellas and some beach paraphernalia such as bag, towels and slippers which is extremely useful. All in all the hotel is an excellent place to unwind and totally ticks all the boxes in terms of price to quality ratio. And special accolades to the chef of the restaurant for amazing gourmet experience.
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Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nuttee Worawisut, Sales at Aava Resort & Spa
Responded 28 July 2024
Dear Valued Client, Thank you for sharing your experience of staying at Aava Resort & Spa. We are very happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us and really hope to have an opportunity to welcome you again in the near future. Best Regards, Aava Resort & Spa Team
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We left the hotel after only one night out of the 14 nights we had booked. We spoke to the management who has only agreed a part refund which isn’t acceptable. We asked for a full refund less the first nights stay. There were many problems with the hotel including not least that the bath taps didn’t work and came off in the hand with water spouted out. The chipped paintwork and mirrors. unclean surfaces Damp and peeling paint on the walls and ceiling. There were insufficient black out blinds at the windows. The bed had dangerous, unmarked sharp corners that were a hazard, particularly when using the bathroom during the night, this is a safety concern as I hit my leg very badly and had considerable pain. The food was very poor, I had a meal on arrival that I couldn’t eat The breakfast was not replenished with fresh food The quality or quantity of the food offered were not satisfactory, in particular the watery yoghurt and berry compote consisting of only two berries in a thin liquid. There was just one small, dry croissant between all the hotel guests. We requested more food and it was refused. We were not late to breakfast as it was around 8-8.30 in the morning. The swimming pool had an oily residue and appeared unclean, hence we were reluctant to use it, as a number of the guests appeared unwell with bad coughs. The advertised hotel yoga didn’t exist other than a local person who would collect “the client” from the hotel in their car and take them to an unknown location! The photo of the ‘beach yoga’ was misrepresented as the sea almost reached the hotel decking, with not enough room for a sun bed on the beach , let alone a yoga class. A staff member explained the beach had been eroded over the years due to severe storms and bad weather, hence the lack of beach area. In addition to the above the local area was not as depicted on the website. The insignificant existing “extensive beach” was covered in debris and rubbish, in fact the hotel requested that the guests join onto regular beach clean up sessions with the hotel staff! Many of the properties along the beach front to the left of the hotel were derelict and completely destroyed by the storms. Even the remaining iron framework was corroded leaving a very bleak view and undesirable location. The staff member explained that Covid had also had an effect on the rundown environment. Hence there were very few alternative suitable restaurants, if any, where we could eat outside of the hotel, which was a concern as the hotel food was inedible. I hope other guests have a better experience.
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Don’t make the mistake we did and pay in full up front before you have seen and experienced the...
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Response from Atte Savisalo, Owner at Aava Resort & Spa
Responded 1 week ago
Dear Alison Thank you for sharing but unfortunately your feedback is highly exaggerated, misleading and partly simply not true. So allow me to correct few points. Firstly you had booked your stay with non-refundable rate. You knew that very well and you were the ones you proposed 50% refund which we agreed on. However after receiving the refund you start demanding us to refund the remaining half or we would need to read these reviews online. I find this behavior unethical and since we had fulfilled our part of the agreement we refused any further compensation so here we are. Unfortunately you arrived a day after a big storm which is quite unusual during the time of the year. We are aware that right after the storm the beach is not showing its best qualities. In this case the waves sucked out lot of sand exposing some structures that usually is supposed to be covered by sand. It is also normal that lot of debris will wash up on shore with big waves. Of course we do our best to keep our beach front tidy and as soon as the waves calm we can restore the beach to the state as it's suppose to be. If you would have stayed couple of days longer you would have seen the beach that you were expecting for. What comes to the yoga during your stay we did organize yoga sessions daily and they were available for you too. However we don't organize the yoga classes on the beach but we have indoor studio room and open air yoga deck instead. Both located inside the resort property so nobody would take you to any unknown locations. I'm sorry to hear you didn't enjoy your meals in Aalto Restaurant. Overall our customer feedback for the restaurant staff and food is very good but of course everybody has a different taste. What comes to the breakfast it is true that the morning you had breakfast there was only 1 croissant left. We bake croissants fresh every morning and trying to estimate the consumption to avoid food waste. Anyways we still had a variety of other breads available. We serve only very limited buffet for breakfast. Mainly breads and fruit and main dishes you order ala carte. You can order as much food you want and nobody would refuse you to order more food if you're still hungry. There were few maintenance issues that you mentioned. We inspected the room after your departure and it's true there was small area in the bathroom with peeling paint (about 10x10cm). The bath tabs do come out but you really need to use force and would never come out in normal use. For these small repairs we do our best to get them fixed as soon as possible and we would be happy to get the feedback while you're still at the resort. It is true also that this specific room type you can't get totally blackout dark since there's a small ceiling line window that can't be covered with blinds. Most of the people are not that sensitive for light as long as it's not a direct sun into the room. Again this issue you can inform us and we can cover those windows in case it's too disturbing. We are very sorry about the accident that you had with the bed frame. We had this incident couple of times since we changed our floors to matching color with the bed frame. We recognize this as a safety issue and it will be sorted soonest. Just to sum up. I understand that coming to Khanom after a big storm you might not get the best impression about the area. I also totally understand that you wanted to move to other location after the first night stay. However I feel it would have been better to discuss the issues before you leave and not just by e-mail several days after your check out. I'm sorry your holiday with us wasn't meeting your expectation and I hope the rest of your trip was more enjoyable.
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We stayed at this hotel during covid a few years ago, this time we returned for a stay during more normal circumstances so it's easier to rate the hotel. This resort has some strong points but also clear areas of improvement. Considering there is not much competition from international hotel chains in the area unless taking the ferry to Koh Samui, then I cut them some slack.
First the strong points. We stayed in a pool side villa before, this time we booked their highest room category: the family villa. Design-wise, the villa looks very good. There was a king size bed downstairs and two twin beds on the second floor, each floor having a full bathroom and there was also a jacuzzi on the top floor balcony. Sea views were a bit limited due to the placement of the family villas on the resort so this is not an ideal fit for people who like views but the villa itself certainly stands out from the ordinary. One of the few negatives about the room is that there are no blinds in the small windows at the top of the ceiling so people sleeping upstairs were exposed to light early morning.
The restaurant for breakfast is in a lovely setting right by the beach. There was a combination of buffet and a la carte menu; overall breakfast was enjoyable.
The main problem during our stay was a somewhat dogmatic attitude (at first) for something as simple as bottles of drinking water. We have a newborn baby who is breastfed so it requires drinking a lot of water during the day. We asked for extra bottles and we were denied and told to go to a shop to buy more if we wanted. If they had said you have reached your limit and for extra bottles you need to pay, then fine but they would look stingy. But to tell us to get off the resort to go shopping when guests are intending to relax on site, well that did not go down well. I told them we have never been told no for water during breastfeeding by any hotel before in the numerous ones we stayed in the past, and that it makes them look like a cheap Ibis who is penny pinching, more than a resort who tries to be as luxury as its close cousins in Koh Samui. In fact, it made them look worse than an Ibis. Fortunately they came to their senses later during our stay and said they would simply give us what we need.
Overall I think the hotels in Koh Samui are better than in Khanom and there is also more choice in KS than in Khanom. However for people who are driving rather than flying, Khanom avoids the inconvenience of taking the ferry, and the beach where Aava Resort is located is as good as the beaches in KS, if not better. Aava is not technically part of a hotel chain but they are part of Mr & Mrs Smith, which was recently acquired by Hyatt so they are now sort of affiliated with a chain in a way. That means I will be open to return to Aava Resort in the future to give them another chance rather than treat them like any other independent hotel in Khanom.
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Date of stay: April 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
When we arrived in Aava, we were greeted with a very friendly welcome. The resort has a nice facade and the complex is just the perfect size, 28 apartments. Aava is in a great location and if you want a quieter location in Thailand then Khanom and Aava can be recommended. Our room was spacious, modern and very comfortable. The only downside was the mould in the bathroom and the lack of ventilation. The restaurant was nicely located on the beach, the food was ok and the service was friendly. Although orders were often missed. One night we waited over an hour for drinks, only to find out they had been completely forgotten. We asked for free drinks as compensation, but they only agreed to a 10% discount, which was ridiculous. Luxury restaurants can't afford such constant forgetfulness, but apparently the staff were mostly trainees. And the service was friendly anyway, which is the most important thing. The biggest plus besides the location was the staff, everyone was very helpful and serviceable. The drivers were good and reliable. A special shoutout goes to Mr. Luke 🫶🏼 a lovely guy who was very helpful and really fun to be with, which is why I would come to Aava again.
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Date of stay: January 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I like Aava for its generosity, beautiful beach and hospitable F&B team.
It is rare to find ground coffee in the mini bar and smoked salmon in breakfast at a hotel that costs under THB7k (~USD200), but Aava has both even though room rates start below THB3K. Food and drink outside breakfast time are also reasonably priced. The beach is stunning. Nevertheless, the part I like most about the resort is people at the restaurant, who are both polite and friendly.
The part that I like the least is the one where a staff member showed me to my room. She led me to the room, opened the door for me, said “The key is behind the curtain the red sofa.” and excused herself. I said “pardon?”, she repeated the same phrase and left.
Most of the explanation was already done by the front office staff, so there was not much explanation for her to do, but she could have at least showed me where things were. I had to figure out which curtain she talked about, where the mini bar was and what the wifi password was all by myself.
I have to deduct one star here because this was not the kind of hospitality i expected and it made me worried the stay might end up as a disappointment. Luckily, staff at the pool and the restaurant did a better job and turned things around.
Overall, Aava is a lovely resort on a stunning beach which is not overly expensive. All this sets it apart from many other beach hotels in Khanom and Sichon areas that have not much to offer but ask for the same prices as big-brand hotels.
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Date of stay: April 2024Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nuttee Worawisut, Sales at Aava Resort & Spa
Responded 14 Apr 2024
Dear Valued Customer, Thank you very much for your stayed at Aava Resort & Spa and for sharing your experience. Your comments will be a guideline for improving our services and facilities to be better. We really hope to have an opportunity to welcome you again in the near future. Best Regards, Aava Resort & Spa Team
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Just back from 5 nights in AAVA Resort and Spa. Aava was the last destination of our two week- trip in Thailand. We had just been to the Elephant Hills and we were looking for some relaxation. The hotel was not busy when we went (early June – high season in July). We had the pool to ourselves and only few people at the restaurant every night. The reception area as you enter the hotel was quite impressive. Our room – a deluxe bungalow – was very nice and very clean. Every day our room was cleaned, fresh towels (shower and pool) as well they left us some small, sweet treats. The restaurant is on the beach and the people working there could never do enough for us. We had breakfast and dinner there every night. We loved it. We had a massage one day at the spa too. We really enjoyed it. The last two days we went for half day excursions. One day we went to spot the pink dolphins and we visited the monk island. The second day we had lovely Sha as our guide and we went first to the local market (every Friday). She was explaining what kind of food the vendors were selling and we tried a few bis too. Then we went to Khao Wang Thong Cave to see the stalactites and stalagmites that are been formed over the years. It was a unique experience. Then we went to Torn Tarn fish spa where the little fish pick on your feet skin. It was fun. Finally, we were taken to a high spot where we could observe Khanom from above. Lovely views. We enjoyed our time in Aava, but be aware it is quite remote, nothing close by.
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Date of stay: June 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:It is a bit remote but we knew that in advance
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
These reviews are machine translated from their original language. Show machine translations?
We spent two weeks in January 2025 in one of the resort's pool villas. Has travelled a lot in the world and this accommodation, along with restaurant, service and beach is on "our list", top two.
We were looking for a quiet and genuine holiday and that was exactly what we got! However, if you are looking for party, shopping and partying, choose a different destination.
The beach is 9 km long and amazing, but a bit rubbish between the hotels. The excursions were very good and a special thanks to our guide Sa. You're just the best.
The service in the restaurant was very good along with great food and great selection on the à la carte menus. Many thanks to Watt and Shanaine and all the rest of you in the restaurant. Thanks also to those of you who cleaned our room and the reception staff. You are all professionals at what you do, we really felt your concern for us as your guests.
We are already longing to return to you, see you again!
Best regards Ulrika Klein and Lennart Jansson
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Date of stay: January 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed in Aava poolside villa for two weeks in the middle of January. What we really appreciated in Aava is that the hotel is not too big, rooms are very comfortable, food is good, everything works well and staff is absolutely amazing. All this makes you feel very welcome and cozy. When hotel is not too big and crowded, you learn to know the hotel staff and other customers, but at the same time you still have your own space. Our poolside villa was very nice with private terrace, big bathroom and comfortable beds. Extra bonus about air conditioner with silent mode for sleeping. Every morning we opened the curtains and woke up watching the sunrise; what a start for a day.
Hotel staff is the best! Our special thanks go to Cha Cha, she really is a diamond and you can count on her with everything. Ying; the smiling and the most kind lady at the breakfast, Arm; thank you for very nice conversations and service at the restaurant, Sa; our wonderful and friendly tour guide with pink dolphins and monk island.
During your stay we recommend you to rent a scooter and drive around. Roads are good and quiet. Hotel reception will handle the scooter rent for you, just ask. They can also recommend some nice places to visit. Alternatively hotel can arrange short trips with hotel car and chauffeur, with a very reasonable price.
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Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nuttee Worawisut, Sales at Aava Resort & Spa
Responded 25 Feb 2024
Dear Sir/Madam, Thank you for sharing your experience of staying at Aava Resort & Spa. We are very happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us and really hope to have an opportunity to welcome you again in the near future. Best Regards, Aava Resort & Spa Team
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Hi, I didn't go to Nakhon Si Thamarat airport, but it's just around or 15min shorter than from Surat Thani airport.
Shuttle bus: I think you should ask the hotel directly as I only used private van when I was there. Hope this helps and wish you a great time there :)
Dear London Gourmet,
Thank you very much for you inquiry.
Yes, we do have a kids club and it is available for kids from 5 to 12. you can leave your kid with our babysitter and it is free of charge. if you also need a special evening or going somewhere you can speak to our front office for us to reschedule their roster to look after your kids and also free of charge. Both babysitter are local Thai resident and speak a little English.
we are looking forward to meet you.
We have asked the manager for recommendations, I suggest you do the same. He recommended le petit saint tropez and an Italian restaurant of which I don't remember the name. It was very cool because from both restaurants someone came and picked us up and returned us to the hotel at no extra cost.
There are more places to choose from in the Khanom area.
PRICE RANGE
AU$129 - AU$217 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
aava hotel khanom, aava resort and spa
LOCATION
ThailandNakhon Si Thammarat ProvinceKhanom
NUMBER OF ROOMS
32
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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