Chaw Ka Cher's lush, well-maintained grounds and spacious, stylish rooms (note: all with connected outdoor bathrooms and toilets; it can get hot and buggy out there) are a fabulous value. Similar rooms in the States or Caribbean would be well over $200, and my friend and I paid a quarter of that.

But -- even though we thought we'd trade off on-the-beach location for something a bit more stylish, we realized a beachfront hotel is the reason one travels to Ko Lanta...and there are plenty of appealing hotels to choose from along Long Beach or further down the main road. It was annoying to have to tuk-tuk or walk to the beach each day.

And then I must corroborate another reviewer's report about the owner's chintziness. She charges 25 baht for bottled water consumed at breakfast but offers it free in the room. The breakfasts were portioned rather small. And she charged me inflated repair costs for a motorbike I rented for the day. To her, minor scratches were a big, big deal -- and she was thoroughly inflexible and unpleasant about it.

The place is new and not as far from the sea as some comments state it (approx. 1 km from the nearest beach: the relax hotel beach) The rooms are very clean, well equipped and the outside bathrooms are gorgeous. The staff is friendly but don't speak a very good English. I think the basic rooms are better value than the more expensive ones which are overpriced.

I don't know why the following elements are still mentioned on the website as they do not exist!: *no thai buttler (staff dressed like regular hotel staff) *not 40 staff (approx. 10), *no service of refreshing water when you wake up, or of hot water in a bowl when you go to bed, *no massage... just a regular "good" hotel but no need to cheat about the service which is nothing but normal.

Moreover, we were very disappointed when leaving the hotel, we were asked to pay 150 Baht for a broken glass!!! we had just spent 15.000 bahts in the place and were asked 150 bahts for a glass we had not even broken but had fallen while we were away !! incredible but true... and not very fair.

This resort is really great value and very well maintained. Staff are excellent, the rooms and pool are immaculate. It is not on the beach but it's only a short tuk tuk /moped ride away. We looked at lots of other resorts whilst we were there and didn't see another place that offered such quality accommodation at such a good price.

Ko Lanta is my favourite Thai island as it's such a real, natural and friendly place. Unspoilt by the seedy commercial side of Thai tourism you get on other islands. Go there!

My partner and I stayed here for 4 nights in early January 07. We had researched places on Koh Lanta and chose this as it seemed what we were after - quiet and nice facilities.

It is new, maybe less than a year old. the staff were excellent and the food was good. the rooms were really nice, but the real winner was the outdoor bathroom. the beds were the best also.

It is a small resort the only downside is its on the road and when we first got here I thought I would not enjoy it being on the road. But I never noticed it. We hired scooters and went out each day.

I can highly recommend Koh Lanta and would alwys stay here again. On price comparisons this one wins hands down - its just not on the beach, so if you are happy to venture off on the scooter it is great.

We looked at others and stayed the last night on the beach, the sunsets were great which Chaw Ka Cher doesn't have