Perfection

I am sure I am not the only one to say this, but I don't normally write hotel reviews. In the case of Layana however I have to make an exception as I could not fault our stay there. From the minute we arrived we were knew it was a special place - it was a pleasure watching the expression on other guests' faces when they arrived as you knew what they were thinking. The resort itself is small with only 50 rooms (& no children) which is one of the best features - it ensures the peaceful & relaxing vibe of the beautiful Lanta is unspoilt. The service from the staff is exemplory at all time and it was good to see the hotel manager and the operations manager were always milling around to ensure every one was happy. I cannot speak highly enough of all of the staff - always friendly, always helpful and so fast to attend to any requirements. They were the main difference between this and other hotels we have stayed at in other countries. The food was fantastic however we opted to walk down the beach most nights for something a little more casual and traditional - it was also far cheaper. Having the choice though was great and we really enjoyed the seafood BBQ night in the resort. My wife and I both dived when there and found Phoenix divers (the school contracted by Layana) struck exactly the right combination of professional yet friendly service, with good quality gear, a speedboat to ease the journeys to the sites (which are all 45mins+) and very knowledgeable staff. Before the holiday the diving was one thing I found difficult to find an impartial review on, so I would now like to whole-heartedly recommend Phoenix Divers, their team and the operation in general. They also compliment Layana perfectly with the level of service we grew to expect.
All in all Layana was a perfect end to our holiday, luxurious but attentive - I hope it is exactly the same when we go back next year.