The Golden Beach hotel occupies a lengthy piece of the best part of Ao Nang beach. This, the southern half of Ao Nang beach, has only a small and almost exclusively pedestrian road separating the beach from the resorts across it. While this road poses no obstacle to reaching the beach, it does mean that there are no beach loungers at this resort, so guests need to relax on beach mats instead. This is the case with all resorts in Ao Nang, if beach loungers are a priority then you should contact us for an alternative resort recommendation.
These three resorts on the best part of Ao Nang beach are the this one (the Golden Beach), the Ao Nang Villa and the Phra Nang Inn. The superb Golden Beach resort is the best of the three and has accommodation units to suit almost every type of traveller. A great family resort, honeymooners are very also well provided for, in units far enough from the pool to be peacefull.If the Golden Beach is full then the Krabi Resort is a good choice.
The resort's shady and spacious grounds are pleasantly uncrowded, even in peak season.
The resort's beachfront location give it great sea views, including those from the massage pavilion (image above). The quality of the massage on offer is rather variable in quality. For a more reliable spa experience go to the Boossabakorn spa instead - we offer 30% discounts on treatments at the Boossabakorn spa, click here for more.
The view from the pool of the magnificent karst mountains separating Ao Nang from the Railay peninsula is as breath-taking as is the sea view from the resort's massage pavilion, seafront bar and restaurant.
This view takes in not only the karst ramparts that rear out of the nearby southern end of the beach, but also the lovely Poda island, whose golden beach shimmers in the heat, particularly in the hottest month of April.
This pleasantly breezy bar and restaurant at the front of the resort can be difficult to get a table at during peak season, as it is a popular spot for sun-bathers on the beach in front to pop in for lunch or a drink. This minor annoyance is about the only thing that can be faulted in this resort.
The construction works that recently gave it such bad feedback have thankfully been completed, restoring the Golden Beach to its place among Ao Nang's very best resorts. The hotel is just the right size - big enough to offer a range of accommodation and facilities, but not so large that it becomes inundated with noisy children during peak season, as does the neighbouring Ao Nang Villa.
The food here has an average reputation, and most people dine out. The breakfast is OK, and includes French baguette bread.
Familes
The Pavilion Suite is ideal for families who need one extra bed and maybe a babycot. The extra bed is a full-sized one and the room is big enough to comfortably fit the extra bed in.
There are no connecting rooms in this resort, which is an issue for familes with more than one child requiring an extra bed. The resort does have a room type, the Superior Suite, which is suitable for families with two children and maybe also a baby, but there are only two of these units, and they are often full.
A pair of Pavilion Suites is a good choice for a family with up to four children, but bear in mind that there is no connecting door. The units are built in buildings that contain 2 units per building, one unit on top of the other. For families with children who are older than toddlers, these are an ideal choice. If a family has one toddler and two or three older children then a pair of Pavilion Suites is again an ideal choice, as the toddler can share with the parents, which the older children share the other Pavilion Suite.
Accommodation
Executive Pavilions
These detached bungalows are among Ao Nang's very best accommodation units. There is a small pedestrian road separating the beach from the Golden Beach resort, and all but one of these bungalows are located in the front row facing the beach, separated from it by 10 metres of grass and 4 metres of pedestrian road. One of these bungalows is set behind the others and does not get a seaview.
While these bungalows cannot be strictly described as beachfront due to the presence of the pedestrian road, they are very close to being beachfront.
The only true beachfront bungalows in Ao Nang are the Seaview Bungalows at the Krabi resort. Those bungalows, whilst perfectly clean and comfortable, are finished to a significantly lower specification than these Executive Pavilions at the Golden Beach, which can thus justifiably claim to being Ao Nang's best beach bungalows.
The price is correspondingly high, but for those who can afford the tarrif charged, these bungalows are a superb choice. Everything inside these bungalows is as immaculate as their hardwood floors, which gleam with the elbow-grease expended to keep them in that state.
In addition to a shower, the bathrooms feauture a large jacuzzi, next to which an exotic Cambodian statue of a couple embracing suggests that the occupants of the jacuzzi do the same.
For honeymooners these are a superb choice, as there are lots of places for fun and games - in addition to the oversized bed, jacuzzi and shower, each bungalow features a curtained and windowed alcove overlooking the beach and furnished with a pair of Thai-style loungers. Whilst they are tastefully furnished and beautifully decorated in an authentic Asian style, it is the bungalows' location that makes them so unbeatable, just across the little pedestrian road from the beach, a few metres from a massage pavilion, and only a minute's walk from the centre of Ao Nang.
The best of thse bungalows are the ones furthest from reception, as they are the quietest. The worst of them is the single unit located behind the others. We can request one of the best units for you as we know which the best room numbers are. We can not, however, guarantee that you will actually get one of the best units as this is beyond our control. In 99% of cases our customers get one of the requested units, but occassionally the resort does not comply with our request for one of the better rooms. If you book with us and end up in the worst unit, we will attempt to move you. If this is not possible we will pay you compensation.
Pavilion Suite
These units are contained in 1-up, 1-down buildings. The downstairs units near the pool are a great options for families with younger children and are not gloomy, like downstairs accommodation options often are.
The upstairs units, on the other hand, afford couples more privacy and a better view. Whether upstairs or downstairs, the units at the far back of the resort are not so attractive as those near the pool, as they are crowded and hemmed in on all sides by other units and by the boundary wall.
These units are large enough to comfortably hold one double bed, one single and a baby cot. The floors are decorated in a rather wierd mosaic pattern.
Whilst not all visitors will think this pattern is in the best possible taste, it is more likely to amuse than upset. These units are highly recommended for both families and couples. Smaller families should request a single downstairs unit, while larger families should request a pair of units one on top of the other. Families should read the section of text above entitled 'Families'. Couples should request an upstairs unit.
Pavilion Seaview
These are the same as the Pavilion Suites, with a seaview.
The seaviews from most of these units are disappointingly small - more like a postage stamp than a panormama. You are better off booking a 'Pavilion Suite' than one of these 'Pavilion Seaview' units with a tiny view, as the sea-views aren't worth paying extra for.
There are a pair of these units, however, which do have good sea-views, and are worth paying extra for.
One of them in particular has a great view. Surprise surprise, it's the one nearest the sea.
Deluxe
These rooms are in the same immaculate condition as the rest of the rooms in this resort.
Whilst the decor is uninpsiring, there is nothing to complain about, except in the ground floor rooms, which are gloomy. It is best to request a south-facing room on a high floor, as these get the best views and the most light.
Superior Suite
These immaculate units are furnished and decorated more lavishly and tastefully than the Deluxe rooms. They have 2 bathrooms and a large living room. It is possible to place an extra bed in the living room, and also an extra bed in the bedroom. The price in the table below includes occupancy by only 2 people.
This makes these units eminently suitable for families with young or not so young children: parents can close their bedroom door and have some night-time privacy.
There are only 2 of these units in the resort - one downstairs and one upstairs. The upstairs unit is preferable to the downstairs unit, due to the extra natural light it gets.
The downstairs unit is, as is commonly the case in downstairs units in big resort buildings, rather gloomy.
