Hip Seaview Resort @ Phi Phi3

The resort hotel "Hip Seaview Resort" on Phi Phi Island leaves travelers with highly mixed impressions. On one hand, the place charms with stunning panoramic views of the Andaman Sea and tranquility far from the noisy discos of the central Tonsai Pier. On the other hand, staying here involves serious everyday inconveniences, including climbing hundreds of steep steps daily and wrestling with outdated room infrastructure. In guest reviews, delight at the natural beauty often gives way to disappointment with mediocre service and poor housekeeping.

Key Observations

Mesmerizing views: The sea panorama from the restaurant terrace and most wooden bungalows is recognized as the hotel's main selling point, for which many are willing to overlook domestic shortcomings.

Serious physical exertion: Reaching the bungalows requires overcoming 140 to 200 steep steps, turning a stay here into a genuine endurance test under the scorching sun.

Administration problems: Guests regularly report rudeness from management at the reception, reluctance to resolve booking issues, and attempts to accommodate guests in cheaper rooms despite a paid booking.

Limited infrastructure: After 8:00 PM, the front desk closes and staff leave the premises, leaving guests without any support at night.

Main Pros

• Stunning ocean and island views directly from rooms and the restaurant area.
• Quiet and secluded atmosphere on the hill next to Long Beach.
• Free long-tail boat transfer from the main pier upon arrival and departure.
• Great snorkeling at the nearby Shark Point reef right in front of the hotel.
• A mechanical lift for transporting heavy luggage up the hill.
• Hearty breakfasts on the panoramic terrace surrounded by tropical greenery.

Main Cons

• The strenuous daily climb up numerous steep staircases.
• Worn-out condition of the bungalows, furniture, and plumbing (leaks, weak water pressure).
• Mediocre cleanliness: dust in rooms, ants, lizards, and insects due to gaps in the construction.
• Unstable, virtually non-working Wi-Fi in the bungalows.
• A specific unpleasant musty smell from towels.
• Pettiness of the administration: refusal to provide free drinking water from the lobby dispenser outside breakfast, charge for an extra blanket.
• Total dependence on paid taxi boats for trips to the island center (100–150 baht per person one way).

Overall Grade: B-

Hotel Overview

Basic Information:

• Name — Hip Seaview Resort @ Phi Phi
• Address — Long Beach, 166, Phi Phi Islands, Krabi Province, Thailand
• Contact — Tel.: +66 64 252 9494, email: [email protected]
• Year Opened — 2012 (renovation — 2016)
• Number of Rooms — 15
• Positioning & Category — a three-star resort complex of freestanding wooden bungalows

Description: The hotel's concept is built on maximum integration with wild nature. Simple wooden bungalows on stilts are perched on a steep hillside amid dense tropical vegetation. There is no pool, spa, or developed on-site infrastructure — the hotel offers only secluded accommodation with breathtaking views. The grounds feature a well-tended garden, and in the mornings, wild monkeys may visit guests on the terraces.

Target Audience: The hotel is ideal for physically active couples, solitude seekers, and snorkeling enthusiasts who value natural beauty and are willing to sacrifice creature comforts. The complex is categorically unsuitable for the elderly, families with small children, and travelers with reduced mobility.

Location & Transport

Location: The hotel is on the eastern edge of Long Beach, about 3 km from the noisy central village of Tonsai. This ensures peace and quiet but isolates guests from town infrastructure.

Key Points of Interest: The sandy Long Beach lies at the foot of the hotel's staircase. 200 meters offshore is the popular dive and snorkel site Shark Point, where you can observe blacktip reef sharks.

Transport: Getting to the island center is only possible by long-tail boat, 10–15 minutes. The fare is 100 baht per person during the day and 150 baht after sunset. Keep in mind that during strong low tides or storms, boats may refuse to sail to the hotel.

Walkability: The walk to central Tonsai takes about 40–45 minutes. It follows a winding jungle trail with steep climbs, tree roots, and rocks. The hike is pleasant in daylight, but becomes dangerous in the dark due to the lack of lighting.

Grade: B-

Rooms & Cleanliness

The rooms are freestanding wooden bungalows. They are reasonably spacious, equipped with air conditioning, a mini-fridge, a safe, and a Smart TV. However, the technical condition leaves much to be desired: guests complain about the severe floor slope due to the terrain, worn furniture and plumbing (shower leaks, weak hot water pressure). The rooms virtually lack wardrobes for storing clothes. Cleanliness is lacking: housekeeping is superficial, sand often remains on the floor, and towels smell musty. Gaps in walls and windows allow ants, mosquitoes, and lizards to enter the rooms freely.

Grade: C+

Service

Service quality elicits polarized opinions. The rank-and-file staff — waiters, boatmen, and porters — are smiling, polite, and try to help. However, the hotel administration, led by the manager named Gamm (Gamm), is regularly criticized for rude treatment of guests, unwillingness to admit booking errors during overbooking, and incompetence in solving daily problems. When injuries or breakdowns occur in rooms, staff may show indifference or provide assistance without observing hygiene standards. At nighttime (after 8:00 PM), the reception is deserted, and there is no way to reach staff.

Grade: C-

Dining

Breakfasts are served on an open terrace with panoramic sea views. Guests are offered hearty set menus (eggs, bacon, toast, yogurt, fruit, juice, and coffee) or a simple buffet during high season. Food quality is good, the coffee is praised, but variety is lacking for longer stays. The hotel restaurant serves Thai cuisine for lunch and dinner, but prices are inflated, and the dining area atmosphere is described by guests as somewhat neglected, so most prefer to eat at beach cafés.

Grade: B

Facilities & Amenities

There is no pool, gym, or spa area on the premises. Guests have access to a luggage storage room and a conveyor lift for suitcases, which significantly eases the check-in process. Beach towels are available at reception. Wi-Fi works extremely slowly and unstably, often disappearing in rooms located on the upper tiers of the hill.

Grade: C

Important Notes

• The reception operates on limited hours — from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Check-in is impossible outside these times.
• Children under 13 are not allowed; the concept is exclusively for adult travelers.
• When paying for services or accommodation by credit card on-site, an additional 3.5% fee is charged.
• Due to the wooden structure, bungalows may vibrate when walking or during strong winds.

Practical Tips for Guests

• Be sure to contact the hotel via WhatsApp or email a day before arrival to arrange the exact time for the free boat transfer from Tonsai Pier.
• Note that free boats from the hotel back to the pier depart only three times a day: at 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and 11:30 AM. Requests must be submitted half an hour before departure.
• Buy mosquito repellent and a sufficient supply of drinking water at Tonsai supermarkets before heading to Long Beach. Hotel prices are high, and the water dispenser at reception is for staff only.
• Do not leave shoes, food, or small items on the bungalow terrace. Wild monkeys regularly visit the bungalows and steal guests' belongings.
• Definitely bring a snorkel mask — the reef off the beach in front of the hotel will delight you with abundant fish and reef sharks in the shallows.

Final Verdict

Hip Seaview Resort lures with its unforgettable panoramic views and tranquility, but in return demands serious physical fitness and a willingness to put up with fatigued room conditions and polarized service.

Overall Grade: B-

Breakdown: Location: B- | Rooms: C+ | Service: C- | Dining: B | Facilities: C | Value for Money: C+

Best for: physically resilient travelers, young couples without children, snorkeling and wildlife enthusiasts willing to sacrifice comfort for beautiful views.

Not for: the elderly, families with small children, travelers with mobility issues, and those who expect flawless service and modern comforts.