Bor Saen Pool Villa

“Secluded Family-Friendly Nature Resort: Great Value Villas, Slow Dining Service”

Coming from a true 5-star resort experience in Phuket, this place is a different category. I’d call it a solid “3-star” overall—but that can be perfect if you book it for what it is. The biggest strength is the setting: secluded, surrounded by nature and cliffs, and incredibly peaceful. Even when … more

Coming from a true 5-star resort experience in Phuket, this place is a different category. I’d call it a solid “3-star” overall—but that can be perfect if you book it for what it is. The biggest strength is the setting: secluded, surrounded by nature and cliffs, and incredibly peaceful. Even when the resort is busy, it feels quiet and private. We stayed in a 3-bedroom villa (13-01) and it was well laid out for a big family—comfortable common space for gathering, plus separate bedrooms (king, queen + single, and two singles), each with its own bathroom. The finishes are a bit run down, but everything was clean, and the private pool was a highlight—kid-friendly and great for relaxing. We followed other reviews and chose Villa 1301 closer to the restaurant/café and main pool, and that was a great decision. It made everything easy—when we wanted something we could just walk over, instead of relying on transport that could take a while and feel inconvenient. (More secluded villas may suit others, but this location worked perfectly for our family.) This is also a very family-friendly property with lots to do on-site: playground/treehouse, archery, paddle boats, a ping-pong table, and games like foosball/pool table, plus nature walks to waterfalls/caves. The main pool was another highlight—large, relaxing, and with a fun water slide—plus it’s right near the restaurants/bar, so it’s easy to grab drinks and snacks. We especially appreciated having that option because there was construction near our villa that got quite loud, and the main pool area was much quieter (and surprisingly underused). Wi-Fi and A/C were strong. Mosquitoes weren’t too bad, but they do come out at night. The main drawbacks are convenience and food timing. The resort is far from town and Grab is unreliable (or expensive), so having your own vehicle makes a huge difference. The restaurant food tasted good—especially the Thai dishes—but we found the Western options were not as strong. Also plan for at least a one-hour wait for meals; if it arrives sooner, it’s a bonus, but you’ll enjoy the stay much more if you go in expecting the slower pace. Room service is not recommended, go to the café. Our food came various temperatures and although the order was confirmed, not all came. Breakfast was the low point: crowded, chaotic, limited options, and quite oily. We also tried the spa—about a 6/10. Small setup with a simple atmosphere (and it can be warm), but the staff were friendly and it wasn’t overly expensive—just pricier than what you’d pay in town. Overall: I recommend this place for big families for 2–3 nights max when you want a quiet reset away from the noise and crowds of Thailand. If you come prepared (snacks, patience with meal timing, and ideally a car), you’ll have a great time.

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“Not quite right in the cafe but lovely villas.”

We stayed here as a group of 8 adults. 3 couples & 2 sisters. The villas were lovely, we didn’t use the facilities to cook etc but they were there. The pools were great, and the whole set up could be lovely. We’d booked this resort as a break in our journey and thought a peaceful haven would work w… more

We stayed here as a group of 8 adults. 3 couples & 2 sisters. The villas were lovely, we didn’t use the facilities to cook etc but they were there. The pools were great, and the whole set up could be lovely. We’d booked this resort as a break in our journey and thought a peaceful haven would work well. We really loved the villas and the staff were so friendly but this is where it stopped. Here’s what we didn’t like: The website shows canoes & pedalo boats. There were no canoes as the staff said they were letting water in! The pedalo boats were old, broken & had standing water in the bottom. We didn’t use any of them as we felt it was risky. Bridges also need some maintenance. We used the cafe for food, this was ridiculous! The waiter took the drinks order then went to other tables, he was run off his feet! He worked so hard yet got no help. The drinks didn’t arrive till after some of the food had. We had to ask several times where our other food was. Staff would bring the food from the kitchen to the bar & it sat there for a good 10 minutes before a waiter took it out. I ended up fetching our food from the bar myself. Others were serving themselves from the beer fridge as they were frustrated waiting. The manger was present and inputting data into the system but didn’t seem to have a handle on organising the staff better. It’s such a shame as this could be an amazing retreat. Lots of guests were complaining but nothing improved. A great local restaurant is tha sai seafood which is 10 mins by taxi. Hopefully things improve soon. Such a shame as the location is stunning.

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“Lots of privacy, outstanding service”

We stayed one night at this hotel as a group of friends and booked a villa with a private pool and secluded area. The villa was very pleasant, offering plenty of privacy and a lot of charm. However, it could use some renovation and more overall maintenance in certain areas. What truly stood out wa… more

We stayed one night at this hotel as a group of friends and booked a villa with a private pool and secluded area. The villa was very pleasant, offering plenty of privacy and a lot of charm. However, it could use some renovation and more overall maintenance in certain areas. What truly stood out was the service. In particular, a staff member named Apple helped us with great patience and dedication in organizing our onward journey, including coordinating taxis and the ferry. Her support was incredibly helpful and greatly appreciated. Despite some signs of wear, we felt very comfortable and would be happy to return.

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