Six Senses Resort, Koh Yao Noi

Independent Review

Introduction

This resort’s main theme is also its most attractive feature – blending in with nature via the avoidance of the use of unattractive building materials such as steel, plastic, concrete and chrome. This is what stimulates in the visitor a certain sixth sense, one of harmony with the surrounding natural environment.  This natural setting is also perfect for romance and the stimulation of the seventh sense – if you want to make a baby then these are fertile grounds.

The resort can be described as possibly Thailand’s best eco-lux resort. While many 5 star resorts have good green credentials, the eco theme is taken a stage further here at Six Senses. Numerous vegetable gardens and even a mushroom garden are dotted all over the resort, in order to provide the kitchen with the freshest possible of ingredients.

	The emphasis on blending in with nature is nowhere better demonstrated than in the water pavilion which graces the front of the lobby building, where floating lilies and a sunken seating area  enhance the wood word and waterworks to stunning effect.
Paradise is an illusion and is nowhere achievable. In the case of the Six Senses resort the Achilles heel is the beach. The resort actually has two small private beaches, one of which offers reasonable swimming at high and low tide. Neither beach, due to the brown sand and small size, can be described as particularly noteworthy.
	This is a resort for people who love great sea views and pool villas, but if a first class beach is also on your list of requirements, you need to look elsewhere, maybe at Pimalai  on Koh Lanta or at the Seven Seas on Koh Kradan. The resort has no pool large enough for laps, so serious swimmers should look elsewhere too.

The sunrise view from the Six Senses is in the opinion of this travel writer, after visiting over 300 resorts in the region, the best in the entire region. The karst formations that make up the archipelago to the east of the island are truly a beautiful sight, their silhouetted ranks overlapping with different shades of blue. These blues, when combined with the reds of the rising sun, turn the area to the east of the resort into a virtual tropical aurora borealis at sunrise.

All guests receive the attentive service of a butler, who can be contacted at all times of the night or day to arrange whatever the guest requires. An extra TV, a ride to the top of the hill to admire the sunrise, or a flower-decorated bathtub - most such services are free, and all can be whistled up with no fuss whatsoever.

Restaurants

As is to be expected from one of the top 5 star resorts in the region, there are several quality restaurants at this resort, as follows:

The Dining Room – this classy establishment is supported by polished Chiang Mai palm tree trunks and features a glass floor beneath which a stream flows underneath the restaurant. Serving European food, this restaurant features a fresh ice cream stall and a cake bakery, which tantalizingly conjures up the aromas of the best of Parisian boulangeries.

The Den – serving tapas, snacks and drinks to guests reclining on eco-art deco seating, this restaurant treats the guest to a huge view.

The Living Room – this restaurant serves Thai food and breakfast.

Accommodation

The rooms at the Six Senses are plushly decorated and lavishly equipped. Their most distinctive feature is the same as that of the resort – the eco-lux theme where no artificial building materials can be seen. The regular polishing that the hardwoods have received has resulted in warm, glowing woodwork which is as attractive to the eye as it is expensive to build with.

All rooms have a luxurious bathroom featuring an indoor shower, an outdoor shower and a large bathtub with a view. These luxurious love-nests provide lovers with a range of places to get intimate - the variety of places for romantic assignations provides the perfect scene to rekindle the flames of an over-familiar passion, or to add spice to new love lives – in either case these rooms certainly set the scene for seduction.  

Hilltop Reserve

This 3 bedroom house accommodating up to 9 guests can be booked, but is not often occupied. When it is not booked it is available for the rest of the guests in the resort to make use of.

The pool here is the biggest in the resort, but still not big enough for serious simmers to do laps in. The infinity pool looking out over the bay has a stunning backdrop of the sea behind the pool, backed by serried ranks of superimposed karst formations rearing out of the sea.

The sea views from the Six Senses are quite stunning, and the Hilltop Reserve offers the best view in the resort.  The sunrise view from here is, in the opinion of this travel writer, having visited over 300 resorts in the region, the best in the Andaman region.

The Retreat

This huge 2 bedroom unit is suitable for up to 9 people and offers great views, easy walking access to the beach and a headland garden.

	The pool is large enough for all the occupants to play and relax in, but not for serious swimming exercise. It has a sunken bar in the middle of it, so is perfect for pool parties.
Our only small criticism is that there is no TV in the living room, but it is possible to request a loan TV, a service for which there is no extra charge.

Beachfront Pool Villa

Featuring a private pool, these duplex units have a bedroom upstairs, while downstairs there is either a second bedroom or a living room, according to the guests’ preference.

	They all offer direct beach access, which in most resorts would make them the most desirable units in the resort, but it must be remembered that here the beach isn’t all that great and that the units further up the hill get better views.
A beachfront location is thus maybe something that the guest can forego, in exchange for a fantastic view from one of the less expensive villa types further up the hillside (see below).

The best Beachfront villa is number 5, as it has the most direct beach access, if you book through us we can request this villa for you.

Ocean Panorama

	These 1 bedroom pool villas are the best ones in the resort to go for if you are after an amazing view and want a private pool, but also want to watch your pennies a little too.
Perfection is a theoretical imposibility, but we could not find a flaw with these units.
	The views from villa numbers 40 and 44 are the best, if you book through us we can request one of these two villas for you.

Deluxe Ocean Pool Villa

These 2 storey, 1 bedroom pool villas also all offer sea views, but not quite such good views as the Ocean Panorama units.

The best one is number 37, as it is close to the shortcut to the restaurants & reception. It is also close to the path to the hill top ,so is conveniently located for access to everywhere.

Ocean Pool Villa

These 1 storey units are a good choice, as they are relatively affordable (well, as affordable as anything in this uber-exclusive resort).

The best units are numbers 29 and 30, as they offer the best views, because they face directly out to sea.

Hideaway

All of these 1 or 2 bedroom pool villas offer a garden view except number 51, which also offers a partial sea view. Numbers 6 and 8 are built on 2 stories, which works very well and can be recommended.

	Only the following villas can be made into 2 bedroom villas : Numbers 6, 8, 9, 48 & 51. Number 9 offers a diverting  view of buffalo wallowing in a rice paddy.
For honeymooners number 32 is arguably the best one to go for, as the surrounding trees and shrubs make this unit very private, contact us to request this villa.

The View

While this villa has no private pool, it does offer one of the best views in the resort, plus is located in the midst of a virtual bird sanctuary – the guest is likely to see up to 11 rare hornbill birds from his balcony.

For guests who are not insistent on a private pool, this villa is a superb choice.

The only issue this travel writer has with this villa is that he can not afford to stay there.

The House

This is the only 4 bedroom house at the resort and accommodates up to 12 people.

Prices

Andaman Sky, Co., Ltd, 454/2 Moo 1, Ao Nang, Thailand