Location:  Aktiv Resort „La Solaya“

Where: Khao Lak Thailand

La Solaya in Khao Lak – villa village, sunset, and a pool bar from another era.

I was invited to stay at La Solaya in Khao Lak for two nights. I’m saying that right at the beginning because transparency matters. My impressions are still my own — and in this case, they were pretty clear:

La Solaya is one of those hotels you remember not just because of the room or the breakfast, but because of a certain feeling.

I already knew two properties connected to the hotel: La Vela and La Casa de la Flora. I have already written about both stays on Quergereist.de. When I heard that La Solaya had been newly taken over and reopened, I was curious. So I contacted the hotel — and was invited.

From the moment I arrived, one thing was clear: this is not a small boutique hotel. But it doesn’t feel like a large resort either. And that is exactly one of La Solaya’s greatest strengths.

Arriving at La Solaya

After my arrival, I was first welcomed by the social media manager, and later the Head of Customer Experience joined us as well. Together, we took a tour of the hotel. It quickly became clear that while La Solaya has many rooms and villas, it is spread across a very generous area.

You don’t walk through a compact hotel block here, but rather through a small tropical village of villas. Paths, gardens, pools, and little retreats everywhere. Simply a beautiful idyll.

Directly connected to the lobby, there is a pleasant lounge. This is practical if you arrive early and your room is not ready yet — or if your return flight is not until late afternoon. You can wait here comfortably, have a drink, freshen up, or simply take a breather in the air-conditioned space.

A Thai-style villa

My accommodation was not a pool villa, but a Deluxe Villa in Thai style. And it was exactly what you imagine when thinking of a relaxed stay in Khao Lak. There are 54 Deluxe Villas, each measuring 70 sqm.

The villas are spread across the grounds in small clusters. You step inside and find yourself directly in the spacious bedroom. Everything feels warm, calm, and pleasantly traditional without being old-fashioned. In front of the sleeping area, there is a small nook with daybeds where you can lie down, read, or simply look out into the garden.
There is also a small terrace in front of the villa. Nothing overly spectacular, but exactly right for sitting outside briefly in the morning or enjoying a few quiet minutes after the pool.

The bed was excellent. Truly excellent. There are hotel beds that you are happy to get out of in the morning. And then there are beds where you seriously wonder why you should do anything else at all.

A bathroom you want to stay in.

The bathroom almost felt like a living area of its own. Large, bright, and with a freestanding bathtub, with daylight falling in from above. Thanks to a kind of glass roof with wooden slats, the room feels open yet still protected.

There is also a walk-in shower and plenty of space overall. Not a cramped, purely functional bathroom, but a room where you deliberately take your time. Especially after a day by the pool or the sea, that is a real luxury.

Pools, villas, and plenty of space

In front of my villa, there was a large pool area. It also had a small section for children, including an inflatable play area. Even so, it was neither loud nor hectic. That is something that really stands out at La Solaya: even when there are many guests, everything spreads out very well.

Around the large pool, there are various garden villas. There is also an elevated pool area with loungers under a sala — a pavilion. From there, you can look out over the resort and get a good sense of how spacious the hotel actually is.

La Solaya is not a pure family hotel. It is better suited to couples, families, and guests looking for a high-quality resort without constant entertainment or a club-hotel atmosphere.

The highlight: the beachside pool bar.

For me, the absolute highlight of the hotel is very clearly the pool bar by the beach.
Let’s just say it directly: this bar is sensational.

It is located right by the infinity pool, just a few steps from the beach. The design is slightly reminiscent of the 1970s — somewhere between a retro bar, a tropical bar, and a touch of Venice. Add to that the mushroom-shaped roof, the lighting effects in the evening, and the view across the pool and out to sea.

During the day, it is wonderfully relaxed. You sit in the water, order a cocktail or mocktail, and simply look out. Because of my fair skin, I’m usually not much of a sun worshipper. But here, I put on a linen shirt, placed a straw hat on my head, and simply stepped into the pool. Two hours later, I was still there. It was pure relaxation.

In short, the food at the resort is excellent.

Onsen and massage outside the hotel

In addition, I received a massage from the hotel. However, the wellness area is not located directly at the hotel, but a few kilometres away. That was not a problem, though, as I was taken there by shuttle bus and brought back afterwards.

Before the massage, I first went to the onsen. This is a very hot pool — it felt like around 41 degrees Celsius. Afterwards, I had a one-hour massage, and it was truly fantastic.

Especially after sun, pool, and a boat tour, it was the perfect addition. Warm water, peace and quiet, a massage — then back to the hotel to wind down the evening. It is hard to imagine a better way to spend a holiday day.

Bootstour in den Sonnenuntergang

Ein besonderes Erlebnis während meines Aufenthalts war eine Bootstour mit einem Katamaran. Das Hotel La Flora – es gehört auch zur Hotelgruppe -liegt direkt neben dem La Solaya. Über eine Treppe und eine Tür gelangt man hinüber – unter anderem auch zu dem kleinen Anlegesteg, an dem die Boote der Hotels liegen.

Am Nachmittag ging es los. Wir fuhren einfach hinaus in den Sonnenuntergang. Keine überinszenierte Ausflugsshow, sondern eine entspannte Tour auf dem Wasser. Eineinhalb bis zwei Stunden unterwegs, mit Bier, Wasser, Cola, Schnittchen und viel Obst an Bord.

Der Skipper war ein supernetter Typ, die Stimmung war locker, und die Landschaft machte den Rest.

Wir fuhren zur sogenannten Affeninsel. Wie der Name schon sagt, leben dort Affen. Wir kamen mit dem Boot nah heran und warfen ihnen kleine Leckereien zu. Die Affen kamen aus dem Dschungel, sammelten sich am Ufer und bedienten sich. Danach ging es weiter in Richtung eines größeren Militärhafens, bevor das Boot langsam wieder abdrehte.

Pünktlich zum Ende des Sonnenuntergangs waren wir wieder vor dem Hotel. Das war einer dieser Momente, bei denen man nicht viel erklären muss. Boot, Meer, Abendlicht, ein kühles Getränk in der Hand – Erholung pur.

360-degree Tour: Luxury beach resort La Solaya in Khao Lak, Thailand.