After a glorious flight from Bangkok to Koh Kood (and a short nap – jetlag is a cruel mistress) it was time to really explore this incredible villa that would be mine for the next three days.
Soneva Kiri is a luxury Thai resort located on the lesser known island of Koh Kood – which is closer to mainland Cambodia than it is to mainland Thailand! It is remote, it is scenic and best of all, Soneva Kiri is quite possibly the most luxurious place to stay in all of Thailand!
Once I arrived I was given a short and sweet introduction to the resort and all its features, but as much as that was helpful and amazing – I was really hanging out to check out my new Thai digs. Before too long, I was able to open the doors to Villa No. 5 – a one bedroom Ocean View Pool Villa – pretty swanky stuff!
I collapsed into bed pretty much immediately, and it was only once I woke up from my slumber that I realised how truly amazing this place was.
Boasting an enormously fluffy king size bed adorned with your personal choice of pillows, two bathrooms, three showers, a huge outdoor bath tub, a pool that wraps around the villa, more minibars than you can poke a stick at, a dedicated dressing room and enough lounges to comfortably seat 50 people, it is safe to say that this villa is far from being pressed for space!
Also supplied – fresh fruit daily, welcome sweets, bath products with your choice of scent, your own personal golf buggy to get you around the resort and a wine bar filled with wines specially chosen to suit your preferences and palate – talk about attention to detail!
I wish I could say that I slowly tasted and savoured the welcome sweets pictured above, but the truth is that I shamelessly unhinged my jaw and devoured them all in about 5 seconds flat!
The vibe of the resort is a kind of rustic, tropical, jungle minimalism. I love these suitcases stacked at the foot of the bed. While they appear to be just a stack of vintage suitcases, when you open them up, they reveal an entire home entertainment system! There is a library of films near reception, which is just a short buggy ride away.
And in the these unassuming drawers? The sound system of course!
As I visited in off season, the ocean was not exactly forgiving! The tides were either very low, or the water incredibly choppy, so I really did not get a chance to make use of having such easy access to the beach, but I imagine that people who visit in the non-wet season months would have better luck. To be honest, I wasn’t overly perturbed by this, because I had…
…an amazing private pool!
This stunning body of water wraps around the entire front of the villa, and is by far the biggest private pool I have ever seen in a hotel or resort, and this is just in the one bedroom villa! Imagine the size of the pools in the villas with six bedrooms!
Seriously though, how is this only supposed to cater for two people!?
The next few pictures are of the dressing room, which I loved. I am a (sometimes stereotypical) woman, and I love space to get ready! With floor length mirrors and a vanity with amazing lighting for when I put my face on, this room was a little slice of heaven!
Though I have stayed at a lot of amazing resorts this year, I have also slept in a lot of dodgy budget hotels, cramped hostels and firmly believe that I have stayed in 10 bed dorms smaller than this room! Space is such a luxury to someone who is on the road as much as I am.
Okay, so before I go any further, I should preface these next photographs with a warning. You may want to buy yourself a one way ticket to Koh Kood after seeing this incredible outdoor bathroom! Scroll through the next bunch of pictures and check out how incredible the place is! Whoever designed these outdoor bathrooms is a genius.
Soneva Kiri has the motto ‘no news no shoes’ which is meant to encourage guests to slow down the pace of their lives. Stop checking the news, ignore your work and kick off your shoes – literally. I put my birkis in this bag on the boat to the resort and didn’t put them back on my feet until I left the island.
Seriously, there are no words that can do this place any justice.
If you are wondering how Soneva Kiri can cater so well to individual needs (personalised pillows, wines, bath products etc) I can tell you right now that they have it down to a fine art. A couple of weeks before you arrive you will receive an email asking you lots of questions about everything from dietary requirements to what kind of music you like to listen to. The resort is stunning (obviously) but where it truly excels is in its approach to client care.
You could have the weirdest tastes or strangest requests (or oddest fetishes – no judgement from me) and I would bet my left kidney that the staff here would not waste a second or bat an eyelid before seamlessly catering to your needs and wishes. It is service like this that makes a place truly unforgettable.
Soneva Kiri – I pretty much love you and I really never wanted to leave!
T H E L O W D O W N
Getting to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi: The busiest airport in Bangkok, you can fly to Bangkok from any major airport hub
Getting to Soneva Kiri: Click here to learn more about Soneva Kiri’s Slow Life Flights
Soneva Kiri: One of Thailand’s best resorts, click here for more info
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M1 with M.Zuiko 12-40mm f2.8 lens
Blue Maxi Dress: Tigerlily ‘Kira’ maxi dress – available here in rose
Purple Maxi Dress: Tigerlily ‘Roza’ maxi dress – available here
Bikini Top: Tigerlily ‘Anse Tara’ Bikini Top – available here
Remember: Bring extra camera batteries, this place is guaranteed to make you snap happy!
Don’t forget to add me on Snapchat and Instagram – @wwellend – for more foolishness and travel adventures!
Disclosure: My stay at Soneva Kiri was provided FOC by the Soneva Resorts group, however, all thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are unbiased and in no way influenced by the Soneva Group.
seems so beautiful….. lovely pics…..
Thank you very much, it is a stunning resort on a stunning island 🙂
😃😃😃
Looks amazing!
Definitely looks like heaven on earth 🙂
I never wanted to leave!
Wow, soooo beautiful a place Ellen!!! Amazing, and you look so beautiful too. I love your Maxi dresses. xxx
Thanks John, so do I 🙂 They cover up the blinding paleness of my legs ha
Serenity plus!
No kidding! So bloody peaceful 🙂
Wow that looks amazing! Love the dressing room and outdoor bathroom! 🙂
Makes me want an outdoor bathroom at home!
Nice one! Enjoyed the place from the read itself!
I would like you to suggest Sri Lanka, the tropical island and the paradise island, pearl of the Indian Oceanas many know, for your travels, if you have not already visited!
You’ll be amazed with the diversity here!
Good luck with future travels!
Sri Lanka is definitely on my radar! Hopefully I can get there soon 🙂
Hope you will be able to visit here, Sri Lanka!
If you are planning to, just let me know as I could help you suggesting a few places!
Beautiful pics
I’m really impressed by the design, the materials used, and the minimalist design. Thank you. :0)
Thank you for reading, glad you enjoyed 🙂
Lovely photos!
I love your travel reviews! They are so interesting and this apartment is truly amazing! 😀
Thank you littlegreenraven! I am glad you enjoyed and look forward to bringing you more travel reviews 🙂
I haven’t heard much about Soneva Kiri, but I will be in Bangkok in March and will have to check it out! Beautiful photos!
Awesome! What brings you to Bangkok?
This place looks amazing!! Great photos!
It is simply stunning – was hard to take a bad photo of the place!
That bathroom though!
I know! I want it forever!
that’s so amazing! and all the images are too beautiful plus you are also looking beautiful
Aww thank you so much! It is the relaxation vibes of the place that do it 🙂
Wow! This looks amazing! I want to go on vacation RIGHT NOW.
Got any holidays coming up?
Sadly, nothing planned for the next couple months until maybe Jamaica in the December, which would be fun!
Oh man Jamaica would be bloody brilliant!
Wow, looks so relaxing and beautiful! #travelgoals
You and me both girl!
You must have felt like a queen in that place. Sounds like they spoiled you. HAHA.
I did, and they definitely did! I love Soneva!
Total wow, all of it….I love “I shamelessly unhinged my jaw,” so fun!
Beautiful post, stunning!
Hahaha well I am sure that would have been what it looked like if anyone had been watching!
Like a dream… what a beautiful place! Your post and pictures are stunning.
No kidding right! Such a stunning island getaway <3
As I wander through your posts, I’m learning a lot about the many lovely and unique getaways out there in the world!
😎 never thought of wanting to fly to thailand – this post may have changed this 🙃
I must admit, Thailand was never super high on my list, but I am so bloody glad I went!
I would never want to leave, it truly does look like heaven on earth 🙂
Check out time was horrible :'( I practically had to be dragged away!
Is this a dream? Beautiful!!
Looks absolutely beautiful!! Another one for the bucket list…!
This looks amazing – gorgeous pictures!
awesome place…!!!
wow! so luxurious
It truly is an incredible resort!