Aana Resort & Spa in Chang Island

Overall the hotel itself is fine, the rooms are clean, the location is good and the value for money is fair.
However one major issue really affected our stay, the attitude of the front desk staff.

We arrived at 12 o’clock knowing that check in starts at 3 PM, and were told that if a room becomes available earlier we could check in.
We saw several guests who arrived after us getting their rooms right away while we were left waiting until 3 PM.
When I finally asked if there really were no rooms available or if she just didn’t want to give us one, she suddenly pulled a key out of the drawer and handed it over.
It felt unprofessional and almost intentional.

The next day we tried to extend our stay for two more nights and asked about the price.
She gave us a rate almost double the one online and said there was only one night available.
I checked right there on my phone and booked two nights with breakfast at a much lower price, even after adding thirty percent more than what she quoted.

Honestly I don’t know if it was anti Israeli sentiment, discrimination or just poor professionalism, but it left a very bad impression.
Her attitude was cold, unfriendly and dismissive which really hurt the experience.
Apart from that the hotel itself is fine and offers good value for money, but the management really needs to look into how the reception staff treats guests.

Decent for 2-3 nights

We were really looking forward to a relaxing stay at Aana Villas and Spa, but unfortunately, it did not live up to expectations.

The biggest issue was the noise. The walls are incredibly thin – we could hear every step and sneeze from the room above. It was impossible to get a decent night’s sleep. On top of that, smoke from other rooms drifted into ours, which was unpleasant and frustrating.

There was also a leak in the bathroom ceiling, dripping directly onto the toilet paper, and ants were all over the bedroom. Not what you expect at this price point or from a hotel that presents itself as a high-end resort.

Of the two swimming pools, one looked quite murky and did not appear clean. There was no bar service at either pool, which made it feel a bit lifeless.

The boat service to the beach was great, and the food we ordered from the restaurant was genuinely good – probably the highlight. Breakfast was fine given the off-peak room rate, but would have been disappointing if we had paid full price.

What left a particularly sour taste was the lack of response when we checked out early and explained the issues. I mentioned we had not been able to sleep due to the noise, but the receptionist said nothing – no apology, no acknowledgment.

One thing to note: during low season, not much is open in the surrounding area. We had to head to Lonely Beach or White Sand Beach for restaurants, massage shops, and any sort of evening atmosphere. The hotel did help us call a songteow, which was appreciated, as they were hard to flag down on the main road during this time. That said, I would not choose this location again for that reason – it felt too isolated without much to do nearby.

Overall, it felt more like a basic guesthouse experience than a restful villa spa retreat. It looks pretty but under the surface, a low quality offering. A shame, as the location and restaurant have potential.