Khao Lak Merlin Beach Resort

Went in Aug 2018 with wife and 11/14yr old girls. The hotel and ground are fantastic, genuinely felt like a tropical retreat. Loads of small swimming pools all over the places and plenty of wildlife and small rivers teaming with fish. We went all inclusive, not the done thing here but with kids felt it was just easier. The food at the hotel was genuinely good. I can be quite easy to impress, although there was only 4 themed nights that kept being re-cycled (BBQ, Thai, World food and Asian food) the dishes served each night varied. The thai foods served were very impressive and still the pizza, chips etc for kids. Rooms were clean and well kept. Although pools could do with a filter per pool rather than the big one that was wheeled to a different pool each day. The local village is 2 mins walk away and has supermarkets where you can get what you want to supplement your all inclusive for not a lot. All inclusive is not like it is at some other hotels, some chargeable foods (although we didn't need to choose them) and minibar in room is chargeable. Big downfall was that there was simply nothing to do at night. The main bar (Veranda at beach) opens till 11pm, but by 10 the staff, although v nicely, are trying to point you towards the door. I realise we were out if season (also rained badly for 3 days but that's not hotels fault) but there should be something to do after dinner. Ended up in bar stockpiling drinks so when the staff left at 11 we didn't have to. The bar / restaurant staff were generally fantastic, very attentive and seemed happy to have us there. First week approx. 40% British, 40% german, 10% French and 10% others. Second week almost all German. Didn't make it into the sea, 2 weeks and a red flag up every day. When it was badly raining we went to reception and asked if there was anywhere they could recommend we go to do something undercover. Their recommendation was "your room". Really could do with investing a bit of time and effort in something to do, particularly for kids when the sun has not got his hat on... Good, could be great.

The Merlin is an increbilbly beautiful hotel but there is hardly anything to do on the evenings. After dinner one evening, we went to the bar and we were the only ones in there. If you want a holiday with some entertainment in the evenings, then this definitely is not for you! After two weeks, the food became quite repetitive and uninteresting, although if you ask to alter something on the menu, they will accommodate you. No sun beds on the beach, so this was very disappointing, although there are plenty of sun beds around the pools and ga4den areas. Elephant Sanctuary was amazing and well worth it. You get to bathe the elephants in the river and feed them bananas. Khoa Lak is very safe to wander out of the hotel and explore the markets in the next town. Well worth bartering for items and great fun too.

We've just returned from our summer holiday at the above resort. This hotel is popular with the Dutch and the Germans, which to us is always a good sign. They expect high standards when it comes to cleanliness and food. The hotel is amazing, actually built within the rainforest its a nature lovers delight. In the grounds there are geckos, monitor lizards, humming birds, butterflies, tree squirrels and the occasional venomous snake. Not to mention the hotel's three pet cats which receive oddles of attention. (Okay, mainly from me) The hotel boasts several pools, plus the grounds run right down to the beach and the sea.The top pool is secluded and generally quiet with loungers (rememeber we were there in low season, their high season being our winter when it's probably packed.) The second pool is a spa-type pool, slightly warmer, with water loungers but no land-based loungers so it tends to be quieter. There are water jets of various shapes. Sadly, though this pool seemed to be built for adults to relax and chill in, several guests allowed their young children to play ball etc it in which in my opinion defeated its objective. The third pool was my favourite, mainly because it was empty. It was a meandering lagoon and a bit colder, with an infinity drop-off to the next larger pool below. Across the grounds, there is a further large pool with large children's pool section and play area. There were loungers around the edge and a bar in the pool. Normally, we'd use this bar but the amount of children playing around it didn't really give us a chilled adult vibe. We obtained our drinks at the other bars. In addition, to these pools you can hire a chalet villa type room either sharing a small pool with another two/three families or, a private chalet villa and your own pool. Personally, I go on holiday to meet people as well as relax, and sitting in your own private pool sort of defeats the object, but it depends on your holiday aims. Though you can swim in the sea, the red flag was up the entire time we were there and the bay has a strong undercurrent. I would not recommend allowing children to swim unsupervised even without the red flag up as the sand drops off suddenly. The grounds are beautiful, slightly wild with small streams running through them. You can sun-bath around the pools, or on the grounds as loungers are spread all over the place. We booked the superior and the deluxe rooms. Our son's room the deluxe was lovely and looked like it had been recently upgraded. It had a large walk-in shower and a seperate free-standing bath. The two internal bathroom walls were made of glass with blinds which you could pull down. There were also two sliding doors into it. For me it didn't feel as private as I'd normally like to feel when seeing to my personl business, but it was a novelty. It depends who you are sharing the room with I guess. We requested a change from our larger superior room with super king-size bed - we had to wave goodnight to each other it was so large. The bathroom wasn't as nice as the deluxe either, a step down bath with shower attachment. Because of the monsoon storms there are often a number of temporary power cuts. They supply emergency torches in the rooms. However, in our room when the power came back on, every light in the room came on, then went out. If it had only been a couple of times during the holiday we might have managed but with 6 different lights over the bed alone, 4 times a night was enough. My husband pointed out that the electrics must be faulty for this to happen. We spoke to other guests with the same type of room. Several had no problems and some reported the same as us, but as they were leaving soon couldn't be bothered to change rooms. The food was amazing, although be prepared for everything you have ever eaten to be curried or deep fried. They have two dining areas. The Dining Room is a self-service experience. Breakfast is very good. Chefs will cook to order any type of eggs. You can find fruit, cooked meals, breads and pastries. Then biazzere curried items amongst grilled bacon. Dinner - very good again. Fruits, cooked meats, lots of salads and dressings and soup. Chef cook speciality dishes every dinner. Main meals 6 - 8 choices. Likewise desserts gateaux and mousses, plus ice creams and made to order waffles and pancakes. We went fully incusive which was well worth it. Second dining area - Veranda bar open nearly all the day until 11pm. Serves chicken and beef burgers, curries, fried chicken (beware 3 fillets is one portion) fillet steak - amazing.Likewise desserts expect lots of gateaux. They also do high-tea. Overall brilliant expenditure though we still ate out a couple of times it was good to know we didn't need to if money got tight. And most of the drinks are included too. I had so many Grasshoppers, Pina colada's and Alexanders I'm surprised they had any alcohol left. The staff were incredible, so helpful and caring. It'll probably be them we will miss the most, as well as the new friends from England we made there. The hotel also boasts a really good spa and you can have treatments, both inside in private and outside too under an roofed area. (this option is much, much cheaper and you keep your clothes on) Inside massages are for 1 or more hours and they don't have 'happy endings' in case you need to know. Our negatives? Like Mexico, we had booked thinking this was in a town, its not. Well, not in walking distance. Its taxis everywhere, which fortunately aren't too expensive. There is a free hotel bus but it only goes one way into Khao Lak. There are several bars, restaurants and shops at the crossroads nearby including a very good laundry and a pharmacy all within walking distance of the hotel, but the employees of these places are a pain because they never stop calling out to you. No quiet walk browsing. Another thing, we were told about the building works for a new hotel being built on one side, but not about the second hotel being built on the other side of our hotel too. We got used to the angle-grinding and thumping after the first week. I'm guessing this won't go on forever, so it depends when you book. Finally, there isn't a great deal to do at this hotel. If your plan is to lie on a lounger, stuff your face and drink for the entire holiday, or in my case finish your next novel, this place is definitely for you. If, however, you are looking for action and adventure the only place you will find these is on trips and outings. We played cards, Jenga, pool and more Jenga until we were sick of it. The upstairs bar does have a couple of people who come in at weekends to sing and play 'lift music' nothing newer than 1980, but apart from that - nothing. Miscellaneous Tips. The strange unearthly noise in the middle of the night occasionally and very early in the morning is a bird, truly it's a bird. Trips - we can reccommend the Sea Kayaking trip out to the islands ,expensive but worth it. Rooms facing the spa-like pool are quieter. Disabled access is considered however the angle of slope in places is extremely steep. There are no lifts, but plenty of steep slopes. Rooms starting with '4' have noisy AC units. Beware the housekeepers check the rooms twice a day.