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Varana Hotel by The Tabkaak Group offers minimalist luxury overlooking the Andaman Sea in Krabi Province. Enjoy a complete wellcation experience, with natural healing, top chef-prepared food, diverse sports, spa and onsen, and sustainability in mind. With a focus on simplicity, grace, and modernity, the hotel minimizes wasteful materials while maximizing utility. Choose from 141 rooms across six buildings, including spa suites, pool access suites, and various horizon and luxe room types.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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The Varana Krabi Hotel is celebrated for its spacious and well-appointed rooms, boasting cleanliness and design that often feature breathtaking views. Nestled in a serene location near Ao Nang, the hotel offers easy access to dining and beaches, with an atmosphere that harmoniously blends modern luxury with Thai culture.
Guests commend the Olympic-sized pool among other amenities, though there are mixed feelings about the value, with some concerns over additional charges. The staff's friendly and attentive service is frequently highlighted, despite occasional hiccups.
Location
Secluded
Atmosphere
Tranquil
Rooms
Well-designed
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Comprehensive
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The hotel personnel was very polite, friendly, attentive and professional. They would always smile and their smile felt genuine. The check in took about 5 minutes. Our room, 315 was beautiful. It was at the end of the hotel, so it was a 2-3 walk to our room. It had a view on the Olympic pool and quick access which was great for attending the morning activities. I cannot recommend enough participating in the hotels daily activities, such as the morning stretch (my personal favorite), hiit, hiking, etc. since the hotel is new, its bed, pillows, linen and towels are very soft and feel amazing compared to other hotels. Many sockets for your devices also available in the room. They provide a beach towel and a beach bag which was also very convenient, as I was planning on buying these and luckily I did not have to. The hotel also provides umbrellas. The Olympic pool was my favorite as it was warm and you had 50m to swim one way. The complementary dinner at Xin restaurant was delicious. All the dishes were very well thought and tasted amazing. We also tried a cocktail at the SIP pool bar which was also very good! Now the breakfast! It was AMAZING. You have many options: you have an eggs station where they cook the eggs you prefer, a big variety of fresh fruit, açaí, yogurts, Thai breakfast, English breakfast, there are plenty of options and they all taste superb. But most importantly, they have great coffee. Our cappuccino with oat milk was very good. Finally, the one negative thing is that at night, the toilet has a bad smell, so you need to close the door before going to bed. The hotel has a good location, but generally it is quite isolated from krabi nightlife and it is very quite. The taxi to Ao Nang was 900 THB, however at that time we didn’t know that we could use Grab. Compared to Phuket I just feel that I got a better feeling of the Thai experience and Thai people.
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Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Participate in the hotels activities
Download Grab for cheaper taxi
Try the barria carnitas at...
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 Saktip Panyarachun, Owner at Varana Krabi Hotel
Responded 1 Jan 2024
Dear Khun Christinak, Thank you for sharing such a detailed and wonderful feedback of your stay with us! We are delighted to hear that our personnel made a positive impression with their politeness, friendliness, attentiveness, and professionalism. It's heartwarming to know that their smiles felt genuine, and we're glad the check-in process was efficient. We appreciate your thoughtful description of the room and how its location allowed for quick access to the Olympic pool and morning activities. It's fantastic that you enjoyed the newness of our facilities, especially the soft bed, pillows, linen, and towels. Your recommendation to participate in the hotel's daily activities is noted, and we're glad you found them enjoyable, especially the morning stretch. We're also pleased to hear that you appreciated the thoughtful amenities in the room, including beach towels, a beach bag, and umbrellas. We're thrilled that you had positive dining experiences at Xin restaurant and SIP pool bar, and that the breakfast options exceeded your expectations. Your feedback about the bad smell in the toilet at night is duly noted, and we apologize for any inconvenience caused. Rest assured, we will address this issue promptly. Regarding the hotel's location, we understand that it may feel isolated from Krabi nightlife. Though we're pleased to inform you that a beach club has recently opened opposite the road, providing an additional entertainment option for our guests. We hope this addition will contribute to a more enjoyable experience for those seeking entertainment and fun. Thank you for choosing to stay with us, and we look forward to the opportunity of welcoming you back for another superb experience. Warm regards, Saktip Panyarachun (Champ) Head of Experience at Varana Hotel
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I can’t recommend this hotel highly enough. It has absolutely beautiful surroundings, very clean and well maintained. Our room was lovely with an enormous bed, sound system, robes, slippers, beach bag and beach towels. We got clean beach towels every day too. There was a good variety for breakfast, you can get eggs or pancakes any way you like cooked fresh plus a special dish daily, with other hot and cold foods. The food and drinks from the bars and restaurants were all nice too, including the beach club across the road which was cool and a nice vibe. Some nice touches I found were umbrellas at all room entry ways, restaurants, lobby etc - we were there during rainy season and these were so appreciated, a really great idea. Also a few times we were offered a lift back to our room by their hotel Tuktuk if it was raining or if we even just seemed tired - outstanding service. The staff here are so nice and every single one we encountered from the wait staff, bartenders, receptionists and cleaners all greeted us so warmly and went out of their way to provide amazing service. They truly are a credit to the hotel.
We never had any issues getting sun beds at the pools and we were a group of 5. It was low season so likely a little quieter than normal.
It’s a good location outside the main hustle and bustle of Ao Nang but this is only 15 mins away so no problem at all to get to. The hotel can arrange a taxi for you, or you can arrange your own. We just got a Tuk Tuk home one night and would arrange pick ups and drop offs directly with that Tuk Tuk owner as it was a bit cheaper, this is so easily done. There’s a few nice restaurants nearby plus a nice massage centre across the road, scooter rental, a Pharmacy and a 7 Eleven just up the road too so plenty of nearby amenities.
I personally could not find a single fault or niggle with this hotel. I would love to return and would recommend to anyone.
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Not ideal for anyone with mobility issues as there is stairs to breakfast venue and to the pool...
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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A sensational experience that could well be the best resort in Krabi. 1) The staff are the best and I do mean the best everyone is do happy ,smiley and sooo friendly. They are like your family a special mention to Lee who is a amazing part of the team who would continually check on us and organise anything for us she made our experience wonderful. 2) The resort itself is beautiful,the pools are the most amazing design 5 separate pools with different types including a massive olympic size pool. Everything here is premium quality. 3) The spa with the Onsen is out of this world good it is a Japanese spa where you go to cleanse and heal yourself me and my wife loved it sooo special so premium. 4) Food is sooooo fresh sooo clean just real quality all hand made thoughtfully curated again premium 5 star. 5) The trip to Hong island in your own private boat is a must really good value for money and a must to beat the crowds highly recommended.
To conclude I really think this is the best hotel in Krabi it offers everything we had our little daughter and this place gave us everything we needed to unwind. I love the concept of the wellness hotel and I highly recommend this brand new hotel to visitors you will have the most amazing time.
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
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.
Response from Pattaramol Seehamongkol, Guest Services / Front Office at Varana Krabi Hotel
Responded 6 Sept 2023
Sawasdee ka Khun SciFi27, Greetings from Varana Hotel – Krabi's first wellness destination! Thank you very much for choosing Varana hotel - the wellcation experience as your recent holiday destination and for taking your time to sharing your fantastic experience at Varana Hotel in Krabi! It sounds like you had an absolutely sensational time, and your detailed feedback is greatly appreciated. It's wonderful to hear that the staff at our hotel made you feel like family, especially Lee who went above and beyond to enhance your stay. Exceptional service can truly elevate a vacation. The hotel's beautiful design and variety of pools, including an Olympic-sized one, sound like a paradise for relaxation and enjoyment. The Japanese spa with an Onsen experience must have been truly rejuvenating. It's great to know that you and your wife found it special and premium. Fresh, clean, and quality food is a key ingredient in any memorable stay, and it's fantastic to hear that the hotel delivered on this front. Exploring Hong Island on your private boat sounds like a dream come true, and your recommendation to beat the crowds is valuable advice. In conclusion, it's evident that Varana Hotel left a lasting impression on you and your family, offering everything you needed to unwind. Your recommendation carries a lot of weight, and it's clear that Varana Hotel provides a top-notch experience for its visitors. Thank you for sharing your glowing review! We promise to share this feedback with our team to maintain this standard of operation. We can't wait to be welcoming you back for another wellcation stay. We look forward to your return to Varana Hotel again soon. Best regards, Pattaramol Seehamongkol Front Office Manager
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I recently stayed at Varana Resort, and while the overall experience was satisfactory, there were two major issues that need improvement. I had requested early check-in well in advance, and the hotel had responded positively. However, upon my arrival at 12:15 PM, the reception staff informed me that the room was not ready and would only be available at 2:00 PM. Despite my request to prioritize housekeeping for a room, they showed no flexibility. If early check-in was not possible, clear communication beforehand would have been appreciated instead of creating false expectations.
Another significant issue was the language barrier at reception—none of the staff could communicate in English, making even basic interactions frustrating. For an international resort, having English-speaking staff at the front desk is essential for a smooth guest experience.
Aside from these concerns, the hotel's facilities and cleanliness were up to the mark. However, service consistency and communication need serious improvement. I hope the management addresses these shortcomings to enhance the overall guest experience.
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Date of stay: March 2025Trip 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.
Response from Front Office Manager VARANA HOTEL, Other at Varana Krabi Hotel
Responded 2 days ago
Dear Khun Haresh Modi, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are truly sorry that your experience at VARANA didn’t meet your expectations, and we appreciate the opportunity to address some concerns you have raised. First, we appreciate your comments on our facilities and services. Your remark on the quality of our facilities and services were shared with our management team. Regarding our reception, we agree that service consistency and communication need serious improvement as it is essential to setting the tone for a luxury stay, and we are sorry that this was not the case during your check-in. Our staff undergoes continuous training, and your comments will certainly be shared with the team to ensure we can better meet the expectations of our guests moving forward. Please rest assured that we take all guest feedback seriously and are actively working on improvements across the board. Once again, thank you for your feedback, while we regret that your time at VARANA did not meet your expectations, we are committed to using your comments to improve our operations. We wish you all the best in your future stays. Best regards, Management Team.
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2.5 STARS I just do not think this place is worth the money. I previously wrote an unfairly negative review, the Manager asked me to apologize and remove it and I did, but those traveling to Krabi and spending this kind of money for a room deserve to see a fair review about the property. Positives: -The rooms are great -The pools are nice -Great gym, especially for a hotel -while not in the best area, I enjoyed the quiet area it is in with a number of small delicious authentic restaurants around the hotel Negatives: -Our room was not ready at the time of check in and rather than upgrading us or comping us drinks/a meal they made us sit in the lobby for 30 minutes then told us to walk around until it was ready -I had high hopes for the Spa, and I thought it was slightly below average -The Hotel, while NEXT to the beach is NOT a beach hotel. They advertise the use of their beach club but if you want to use the pool or use a towel they will charge your room. -The cleaning staff turned our AC to 78 degrees while we were gone, which is not ideal to comeback to after a day in the sun and feels like a cost saving strategy. Overall, the property is fine and there are some positives but I don't think this is a 5star hotel and the negatives outweighed the positives. A note to management: My previous review was probably unfair but I thought it was handled poorly. The manager confronted my Girlfriend at check out infront of many other guests and begged us to remove our review. In the future, if you are trying to make things right for an unhappy guest, offering a future upgrade for a couple that lives over 10,000 miles away is not sufficient. If my stay was unpleasant why would I want to come spend more money at your hotel? I just feel it is sort of an empty favor to "upgrade you next time" when a couple is coming from the US to Thailand. If you want to make things right for an unhappy guest to remove a review, at least offer something in the moment, take $100 off the bill, offer to pay for our taxi to the airport, a free meal, something that shows good faith more than "Maybe we can do something for you next time." Also, it was rather embarrassing for the manager to beg us to remove a review in the middle of the lobby. If you are aware of the review, come to the room and apologize and work out a solution in private. A 5 star hotel should go above and beyond for its customers, Varana did the bare minimum when it came to our displeasure. This would have been a 1 star review if we did not enjoy the room and some aspects of the property.
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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.
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The hotel is simply perfect! The design of the rooms is a delight, every little detail has been thought out with care for the guests (there are slippers, flip flops, robes, a beach bag, the dental kit even includes dental floss), the room has a speaker for listening to music, perfect cleanliness, the staff was always friendly , breakfasts. I liked absolutely everything. Some wishes include more trees for shade on the beach and speed up the work of the pool bar. We will definitely come back again.
And also grab is not called in this area. It's better to get the number of a local taxi driver.
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Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Когда сильные отливы на море, можно ходить левее по пляжу, там где breeze beach massage море...
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.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Varana Hotel was an exceptional wellness experience. From beautiful, modern, clean amenities, impeccable service, gorgeous views and delicious food, we had an incredible stay here. The location is ideal; we traveled throughout easily and enjoyed the vendors and restaurants surrounding the hotel. We are so happy we took advantage of each wellness activity Varana had to offer—from the spa and hydrotherapy to the beautiful pools, shop and on-site cafe, every moment spent here was pure delight. The beach club is a very fun touch—we loved the dj and the beach was gorgeous. Highly recommend staying here! We dream of returning.
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Date of stay: February 2025Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Take advantage of the hotel offerings and plan trips with the vendors outside the hotel as well.
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 Front Office Manager VARANA HOTEL, Other at Varana Krabi Hotel
Responded 2 days ago
Dear Khun Danielle, Thank you for sharing your valuable feedback with us. We are delighted to hear that you had an enjoyable stay with us at the VARANA KRABI HOTEL. It is wonderful to know that you appreciated the quality of the room, the attentive service from our team, and the culinary offerings. We take great pride in delivering exceptional experiences, and we are pleased that we were able to meet your expectations. As we are The Wellcation Experience, with our focus on sustainability, environmental friendliness, low carbon, organic, conservation, lifestyle, sports and wellness, we have drawn a blueprint for making this place a sustainable hotel of happiness. “Wellness is Happiness” We also appreciate your kind words about how our staff handled challenges with grace, it’s our priority to ensure every guest has an exceptional experience. Your recognition means the world to us, and we will gladly share your compliments with the team. We look forward to welcoming you back for another fantastic stay in the future! Warm regards, Management Team
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Beautifully clean hotel but fell short of expectations. The advertised 4 restaurants specialising in different cuisines - they all have the same menu! Food is to a good standard but one of our reasons for booking here was to enjoy the different cuisines and especially the Michelin starred restaurant. There isn’t one. We mostly visited the Sala restaurant where we received exceptional service from Wipa and Pond. There is no entertainment at the hotel and the restaurants were very quiet. Management may ponder the fact that you can obtain very good food nearby for much less money and often with live entertainment. The Olympic swimming pool was the saving grace for me. Only odd drawback was the “ surfing” lessons during the week often at peak times, a powerful cord bring the student from one end to the other. What could possibly go wrong…
The staff at this hotel were brilliant, nothing was too much trouble. The room was cleaned twice a day.
The Beach Bar across the road from the hotel is featured in the travel brochure. There are several adverts for it around the hotel. A hotel tuk-tuk will take you there from the hotel. People doing garden maintenance work had Verana workwear. All of which may make you think it’s part of the hotel? But it’s not apparently, which we found out when trying to get our lunch put on the room tab. We moved to a double bed near the sea, all were empty. We were told that you needed to pay 3000 Baht. 500 for the bed and the rest towards the bar bill ( where we’d already had lunch). So, turn right on the beach and you lose the night club level music and can grab a very comfy bean bag at one of the bars along the beachfront. A fraction of the price for drinks etc. Note sea is tidal and you need high tide to swim. Low tide you need to walk out a very long way.
So overall, we wouldn’t go back here, the hotel is great if you want a fitness focussed holiday but to us the hotel was somewhat sterile.
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Date of stay: December 2024
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.
Fantastic resort without beach BUT with a nice beach club. Rooms are beautiful, spacious, clean and smell fantastically well. Bed is super comfy and linen is soft and welcoming!. Bathroom has separate bath tub.and shower and toiletries more than enough in case your luggage is arriving delayed.
They have 4 stunning swimming pool, different bars and restaurants and plenty of activities not to be bored at all.
The staff cant be nicer and more helpful. Our stay was a 10/10... Highly recommend it
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Date of stay: November 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:mountain view rooms are nice, nothing in front
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.
This is the hotel of your dreams, trust me. Let me start with the property itself, it is beautiful. The owner really took the time to design in part of the hotel in a way that was aesthetically pleasing but also natural, renewable, reflective of Thai culture and top quality.
And If you are into nature it wellness, this hotel is for you. Imagine spending your entire vacation in a spa. The food is amazing in terms of taste and freshness. The breakfast was loaded with fresh vegetables (both cooked and raw), a wide range of fruits as well as traditional Thai and continental breakfast and lunch options. I did not easy appreciate how good this place was until I went to eat in a restaurant off the premises. When you experience brown vegetables (not fresh), lots of salt, sugar and msg elsewhere, you will realize the food is a gem. Every tree is labeled so that you can learn about the plants native to the region.
The spa, gym and wellness services are great. The wellness cold and hot water pool treatment were so healing for my body and also quite fun and intriguing. I mean, so much thought was put into the regimen. The massage I received was great. I did not want it to end.
The staff were extremely friendly and helpful. Even the waiters were giving us pointers for our trip and were very knowledgeable re: the hotel, surrounding areas and Krabi as a whole.
To wrap up (I could really go on), this hotel offers two main things a: a place you can spend your entire time, resting and rejuvenating/healing/building your body and for those who want to spend their days sightseeing, it offers you an amazing place to spend the night and fuel for the day.
The only partially negative thing, which for me was actually a plus, is that if you are looking for crowds, action, loud bars and partygoers and loads of shops, this area is not for you. You will be bored. For those seeing peace and relaxation, you will love it.
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Avoid if you are looking for crowds and loads of shopping and bars. Try Ao nang
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.
There are more places to choose from in the Nong Thale area.
PRICE RANGE
RM 731 - RM 1,174 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
ThailandKrabi ProvinceKrabi TownNong Thale
NUMBER OF ROOMS
141
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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