Kata Ocean View Condominium

After booking (crystal 1 bedroom), I was informed by the rental program manager, Sally Ann, that there was an additional service fee of 300 THB per day (for laundry, internet and the shuttle bus) as well as a 20.000 THB deposit to be paid upon arrival and a 1000 THB extra if you require late check in. Although I don’t mind paying any extra small fees/costs, I do think that the service costs should be noted upon booking, esp. since the booking confirmation noted that the rental fee incl. all services and tax had been fully charged to my credit card at the time of booking. However, Kata Ocean View informed me that Asiawebdirect’s service charges were separate to theirs and they had contacted Asiawebdirect to rectify this. Strangely enough Asiawebdirect didn’t seem to be aware of these extra charges, when I contacted them to confirm this. Within days, they replied that they had contacted someone from Sales & Marketing at Kata Ocean View and apparently there had been some internal miscommunication, as there were no extra service charges after all. I have to admit that all of this didn’t make a good first impression and I was a bit weary when checking in.
Upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised when I received a warm welcome and was offered something to drink. I was asked for my passport, as a security deposit, instead of the 20.000 THB and they didn’t charge any extra costs for service fees. After checking in, my bags were swiftly brought up to my apartment. The apartment was clean, although the couch was quite dusty. There was a small living room area with a medium sized LCD screen and an open kitchenette which is fully stocked with design utensils, a micro wave, fridge, electric kettle and coffee maker, which I liked. Another pro is the elaborate information booklet I found in the living room, detailing all the relevant contact persons and an overview of the tours which can be arranged. What I didn’t like was that there was barely any space to walk around in and the neighbors’ windows looked right into the living room, compelling me to leave the curtains drawn. The bathroom is also very small, with a small shower which barely fits. There is a nicely sized bedroom however, with a wardrobe closet and bathrobe and slippers. When I opened the curtains, I discovered that the windows look onto a construction site. In this context it should be noted that there is construction going on nearby (7 days a week until 9pm). There was a small safe in the wardrobe, which was too small for a laptop, but more importantly could just be picked up and carried out of the room, which in my opinion kind of defeats its purpose! Needless to say, I decided to bring my laptop, camera and other valuables with me every time I went out. When you check in you’re asked to verify a detailed list of all the items in the apartment, right down to the nr. of dessert spoons!
There was a nice small rooftop pool just outside of my apartment with a stunning sea view and a shuttle service to the beach (departing at 10am 1pm and 4pm on Mon-Sat), which comes in handy, since this apartment complex is on a hill quite far off from any stores and restaurants. Keep in mind that taxi drivers will charge extra to drive you uphill.
Another thing I should add: don’t drop off your laundry if you might need it the next day, ‘cause you might not get it back on time. I dropped off a pair of pants on Saturday afternoon and was supposed to get these back on Monday afternoon (or evening at the latest); however, it wasn’t until Tuesday morning that these were returned; it's also quite pricey compared to other laundry services offered in the area.
In conclusion, I thought the service on location was fair in most aspects, but this apartment complex is too secluded and its facilities are extremely limited, which is why I wouldn’t recommend it to a friend.

The hotel is modern and very clean, with all the necessary amenities. We will definitely be staying again