A dream location and a spectacular view at the end of Haad Yao - but dust in both rooms we saw, even after an upgrade at double the price.
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Some hotels have an almost unbelievably beautiful location, yet the experience of staying there tells a completely different story. Haad Yao Bayview Resort & Spa on Koh Phangan is one of them.
The hotel sits at the end of Haad Yao beach, overlooking a beautiful bay surrounded by green hills and tropical vegetation. It is the kind of place where one look at the view from the rooms is enough to make you want to book a night.
In February 2025 we arrived there late at night, during a busy period around the Full Moon Party. We were looking for somewhere to sleep, and the options in the area were already limited.
In the end we found ourselves moving between two rooms, paying double for an upgrade and spending a night we will never forget - and not for the right reasons.
The experience also made us look into the history of the hotel, which once received glowing reviews but has, over the years, also built up quite a few complaints about maintenance and cleanliness.
We arrived at Haad Yao Bayview late at night. The hotel was one of the few options left to us in the area, and at first we were offered a ground-floor room.
The view was amazing. From inside the room itself you could see Haad Yao beach and the bay. But the excitement lasted only a few seconds.
As soon as we walked in, we could feel the room was full of dust.
One of us is sensitive to house dust mites, so for us a dusty room is not just a matter of cleanliness. It can genuinely affect how she feels physically. Right at the door it was clear to us that we could not spend the night there.
We went to the staff, who offered to move us to a room on the second floor, in a newer wing, for double the price.
We decided to pay the difference. After all, we had arrived tired, it was late, and we just wanted to get into a pleasant room and rest.
When we walked into the second room, we were thrilled.
It was huge, spacious and impressive, with a jacuzzi on the balcony and a beautiful view. The air conditioning was already on, the air felt pleasant, and for a moment we felt the upgrade had definitely been worth the money.
But quite quickly a bad feeling set in.
One of us started to feel nauseous and congested. As time went on she felt worse, and we realised that the dust in this room was affecting her too. The air conditioning that was running when we came in had probably made her feel fine at first, so it took us a little longer to recognise the problem.
There were also clear signs of the level of cleanliness: the coffee cups waiting in the room were covered in dust, and there were traces of dried coffee left on the spoons.
We do not expect every hotel in Thailand to be new or designed to the standard of a luxury hotel. We actually love traditional wooden furniture and places with character. But cups and spoons that have not been cleaned are another matter.
When one of us started to feel unwell, we went out onto the balcony to get away from the dust. Out there she felt better, so we stayed outside for the evening.
In the end we spent a sleepless night on the balcony of a room we had paid double for.
When morning came, the view that makes this hotel so sought-after spread out in front of us.
Haad Yao beach, the sea and the green hills around the bay looked simply wonderful. From the room's elevated position you could see the coastline from a particularly striking angle.
The balcony was without doubt the best part of the stay.
And that is exactly what made the experience so frustrating: the hotel has a wonderful location, rooms that can be very impressive and real potential for a pampering holiday. But in our case, the state of cleanliness stopped us enjoying any of it.
After our visit we were curious to read what other guests had written. In reviews on Tripadvisor over the years, complaints about cleanliness and maintenance come up again and again, alongside consistent praise for the location and the view. Older reviews are far warmer, and some guests write that standards have dropped over the years.
Haad Yao Bayview reviews on Tripadvisor ↗
It is important to remember that not all the reviews are negative. There were also guests who enjoyed the hotel, the location and the value for money.
But for us, the fact that similar complaints have appeared at different times is a good reason to check the condition of the rooms carefully before booking.
Haad Yao is one of our favourite areas on Koh Phangan.
The beach combines a lovely stretch of sand with restaurants, cafés, bars and places to stay in different styles. It suits anyone who wants a relaxed beach holiday while still being close to places to go out in the evening.
Haad Yao Bayview sits at the end of the bay, and its big advantage is the view that opens up from some of the rooms towards the beach.
This position gives the hotel a different character from the places to stay along the beach itself. Instead of seeing only the sea in front of you, you can enjoy a wider view over the bay.
That said, not all the rooms at the hotel have the same view. Check the location and category of the specific room before booking.
If you are still deciding whether to stay in the area at all, we recommend also reading our guide to Haad Yao beach, where we go into the atmosphere, the beach, the restaurants and the accommodation options nearby.
We have no way of knowing.
During our stay we went into two rooms in different wings, and in both we came across a significant dust problem. But we did not check the hotel's other rooms, and some of them may be in better condition.
It is also worth remembering that our visit was in February 2025. Since then there may have been renovations, changes in management or improvements in maintenance.
So if you are still considering staying here, check reviews from the last few months, especially those that mention the cleanliness of the rooms and not just the view or the hotel's facilities.
We would also check whether the photos on booking sites reflect the current condition of the rooms, and whether there are significant differences between the wings.
For travellers who are sensitive to dust, we would recommend extra caution and finding out about cleanliness and maintenance in advance.
The hotel's prices vary with the season, the room type and availability.
We do not remember the exact amount we paid in February 2025, so we will not quote a price. What we do remember clearly is that moving from the first room to the room in the newer wing cost us twice as much.
This experience taught us not to assume that a more expensive room will necessarily be cleaner or better maintained.
If you plan to come to Koh Phangan during the Full Moon period, bear in mind that demand for accommodation goes up not only around Haad Rin, where the party takes place, but on other beaches too.
We like to leave room for spontaneity when we travel, but in this case we would rather have booked ahead than arrive late at night with limited options.
Not on the basis of our experience in February 2025.
The hotel's location really is exceptional, and the view from the balcony was one of the most beautiful things we saw in that area. The upgraded room was also impressive in its size and the facilities it offered.
But for us, cleanliness and maintenance are the foundation of a good stay. In this case, even after moving to a more expensive room, we could not stay in it comfortably and had to spend the night on the balcony.
The hotel may well have improved since. We hope so, because it has enormous potential.
But until we know things have changed, we would choose somewhere else to stay on Haad Yao beach, for example Long Bay Resort.
The bottom line: Haad Yao Bayview is a hotel with a dream location and an interesting history, but our experience there was very disappointing. The view alone could not make up for the state of cleanliness, and even the expensive upgrade did not solve the problem.
This article is based on our own visit in February 2025 and on travellers' reviews. It does not establish the current condition of every room at the hotel.
At the end of Haad Yao beach, in the west of Koh Phangan, with a view over the whole bay.
Not on the basis of our experience in February 2025: dust in both rooms we saw. Things may have improved since.
Recent reviews that mention room cleanliness, and the view and wing of the specific room.
