Woodlawn Villas in Koh Tao Island

Disappointing Experience – Poor Service, Hygiene Issues, and Lack of Accountability

We booked two rooms for our group of four via Trip.com more than 48 hours in advance, based on the hotel’s advertised availability. However, upon check-in, the receptionist (sunny) abruptly informed us we had to move rooms during our stay because the hotel was “busy.” and because we booked last minute less than 48 hours (which was untrue and not a valid reason to force room change). We simply did not want to be moved mid-stay and also was not informed prior. When we expressed this, the staff dismissed us rudely, stating we could “take our money and leave.” Their excuse about a “last-minute” booking was factually inaccurate and irrelevant given our confirmed reservation.

The forced room change disrupted our plans, with staff knocking early morning to rush us out. The “upgrade” room they offered was actually a downgrade; smaller bedroom, stuffy, and with an unpleasant smell. Additionally, the hot water supply was inconsistent throughout our stay, and the kettle provided had visible stains of presumably mould buildup underneath, which raised serious hygiene concerns.

That same night after room move, we found a cockroach on our bed. Next morning, the owner, michelle expressed shock and insisted this "hasn't happened before” which contradicts the staff's reaction when they arrived at night to clean the room, they appeared unbothered and simply said it must have come from the bathroom drain as if this were a common occurrence.

Despite reporting the issue promptly, it took an unreasonably long time for staff to respond, and they refused to offer a room change, claiming no rooms were available. They only changed the sheets and mopped the floor, which falls far short of acceptable standards for hygiene and customer care.

We did not ask for anything more than a clean room and a sincere apology. Unfortunately, what we received instead was defensiveness, denial, and blame, with the owner accusing me personally of having “an agenda from day one.” which was frankly inappropriate to say the least.

The morning after the cockroach incident, the hotel sent a massage voucher as compensation for one of our rooms. We politely declined because we had other plans and because I was snorkeling (while others in our group went diving). It is concerning that a hotel offering scuba diving services seemed unaware of universal standard safety advice against massages within 24 hours of diving.

Instead of addressing our concerns professionally, the owner reacted pettily. After accusing me of having “an agenda" for not taking voucher. It was quite clear that it was to keep us quiet from sharing our experience. she threatened to call Trip.com before we posted any review. This unprofessional and defensive behavior confirms the hotel’s lack of accountability.

We are sharing our experience not out of spite, but to honestly inform future guests. If you value respectful service, hygiene, and transparent communication, I strongly would recommend looking elsewhere. This hotel’s handling of our stay was far below the warm and welcoming Thai hospitality we expect as a local Thai residents let alone for any foreign nationals visiting Koh Tao for holiday.