Peace Laguna Resort: Pictures, Reviews and Rates

Construction notice: Peace Laguna Resort is currently building a new hotel wing (superior rooms). Work is scheduled to finish by the end of November 2008. Guests who wish to stay during this time will be placed as far from the building site as possible.

Easily the most stunningly located resort in Ao Nang, the bungalow / villas of the newly renovated Peace Laguna Resort are laid out around a curved lake with the majestic backdrop of the Ao Nang cliffs.

It is also, true to its name, very peaceful, being set back far from the road. Officially, if you follow the public highways, the resort is some 350m from the beach (and 200m from the main Ao Nang Beach Rd). Its physical location and an 'unofficial', gap-in-the-fence back entrance makes it, however, much closer than that - less than 50m from the sand of Ao Nang near The Last Fisherman Bar.

The new look bungalows, or cottages - as Peace Laguna prefers to describe them - have been designed in a trendy, contemporary Thai style with plenty of wood, objets d'art and pure silk soft furnishings. Facilities in room would fall into the 'luxury' category, although the amenities in the resort itself are around 3/4 -star.

Although the resort grounds are in a generous 21 rai of land (approx. 3.4 hectares), the 83 rooms themselves are packed in quite tightly - our only real quibble with this resort. While the interior of most rooms are extremely spacious, we felt a slight lack of privacy on the balconies and also in the outdoor bathrooms - although staff were quick to reassure that no one could actually peek at you taking an open air shower!

Because of the large grounds, there are 3 swimming pools on site (2 small and one main large one, near the reception and restaurant area), as well as golf buggies to get around. The restaurant serves international and Thai food and offers all-day dining; Ao Nang Beach with its many restaurants and bars is also only a short walk away.

Rooms
There are 83 rooms in Peace Laguna Resort. 25 of these are located in the 'old building', a fairly typical 3-storey block (which also underwent refurbishment). The rooms themselves are fairly spacious and decorated with an emphasis on colour and natural fabrics, which give them a warm and cosy feel. All have air-conditioning, king size or twin beds, a granite and marble bathroom with bathtub and shower (hot water), TV with local and satellite channels, fridge / minibar, IDD telephone, personal digital safe and a balcony with tables and chairs.

Moving on to the 'cottages' is a significant step up. Their unusually designed assymmetric roofs are based on the concept of a shell (harmony with nature etc. etc.). They come in two-storey blocks (ground floor: superior; upper floor: deluxe) and single units (private cottages). Each measures a generous 70sqm and is fully air-conditioned. There are also blocks of 4 rooms, which have connecting doors between floors for families or groups of friends.

Style-wise there is little to choose between Superior and Deluxe; but if you like the thought of polished teak wood under your feet rather than tiles, as well as a dramatic vaulted ceiling, go for the deluxe room. Both offer high-quality king size or twin beds, blanket chests, sprawling window-seat / daybeds, a verandah or balcony, ample storage, TV, a fridge / minibar with tea and coffee making facilities, digital safebox, IDD telephone and a large bathroom and bathtub, with walk-out open air 'rain' shower.

In addition, the Deluxe rooms have a jacuzzi facility on their bathtubs, as well as the latest technology to make your stay more comfortable: a DVD, CD and MP3 player; broadband internet access and a large screen TV.

The Private Cottages are exactly the same as the deluxe versions in looks and facilities, except that they are free-standing single-storey buildings, located the closest to the lake (the balconies overlook the water). If this position is not important to you, then the Deluxe rooms would probably be a better choice. They are cheaper and feel more private (shower outside in complete peace!).