The Sarojin – Review

Set within 10 acres of tropical gardens that open onto a secluded stretch of white-sand beach, The Sarojin in Khao Lak offers a serene, highly personalised escape that captures the essence of barefoot luxury. Boutique in scale, with just 56 residences housed in low-rise residential style buildings discreetly dotted around its lush gardens. Dining is central to the experience, with two main restaurants and imaginative private dining options, including candlelit meals beside a waterfall and castaway-style dinners on a secluded sandbank. Guests can shape their stay around their own rhythm, whether that’s sunrise yoga, unwinding in the open-air spa, or beginning the day with a champagne breakfast served until 6pm. The Luxury Editor returned (after a five-year absence!) and found it felt exactly like coming home. Read on to discover why this remains our favourite luxury hotel in Thailand.

Opened in 2005, The Sarojin was the vision of British couple Kate and Andrew Kemp (read interview here), who set out to create a luxury boutique residence that felt more like a private home than a traditional resort. Their choice of location, Khao Lak, then relatively unknown, was intentional, drawn by the region’s unspoilt landscapes and rich local culture. Ten days before its planned opening, the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami devastated the area, however, rather than abandon the project, Andrew and Kate rebuilt The Sarojin from the ground up while also setting up the Sarojin Khao Lak Community Fund, which has helped restore infrastructure and livelihoods around the local area.

Check-in & Lobby

Kate and Andrew’s vision of The Sarojin as a private residence comes to life from the moment you arrive. The open-air lobby pavilion, with its high gabled roof, feels more like a welcoming courtyard than a hotel reception. A team of staff are on hand to greet you by name, relieve you of your luggage, and guide you through to the cushioned banquette and sofas overlooking the lotus pond. There is no formal reception desk, instead, check-in is handled as you settle in with a chilled drink and cool towel. Adding a personal touch to the arrival experience, Khun Kade, the wonderfully enthusiastic resident manager, often appears to greet guests himself.

Gardens

The hotel is arranged around one large tropical garden, with low-rise buildings positioned so that no two residences overlook each other. Meandering pathways weave through coconut palms and lily ponds, creating a quiet rhythm to the design. This layout ensures that even when fully booked, the property never feels busy. As evening falls, the gardens and buildings transform into something truly magical. Buildings are softly illuminated, mirroring themselves onto the ponds beneath them. Pathways glow underfoot while palm trees are gently lit from below, and the sound of cicadas and frogs mixes with the rustle of leaves in the night breeze.

Location

Set along a peaceful stretch of Khao Lak’s coastline in Phang Nga Province, the resort is bordered by the Andaman Sea on one side and dense jungle on the other. It’s just 10 minutes from the centre of Khao Lak town, with easy access to the Similan and Surin Islands for snorkelling and diving, or the nearby Khao Sok National Park for rainforest hikes and wildlife encounters. The resort is an hour and 15-minute drive from Phuket International Airport, and private transfers to and from the airport can be arranged.

Residences

There are 56 residences in total, spread across eight low-rise buildings. Garden Residences start at (95 sqm) and include a private outdoor sala and an indoor spa-style bathroom with a freestanding tub and a rainfall shower. Pool Residences come in one-bed (120 sqm) or two-bed (215 sqm) configurations and offer their own plunge pools and sun terraces. Jacuzzi Pool Suites, located on the upper floors, come in at (150 sqm) and feature a full-size jacuzzi, sun terrace, spacious living areas, two bathrooms, an outdoor rainshower and a bedroom with a four-poster bed.

All residences include à la carte breakfast served until a relaxing 6pm in Ficus, freestanding bathtubs and rainshowers, king-size beds, a range of amenities including locally made bath products, and a beach bag with flip-flops.

My Room During My Stay

During my stay, I was hosted in a Garden Residence. Spacious and relaxing, these suites are contemporary in style with Thai design influences like the carved wooden screens between the bedroom and bathroom and teak style flooring and an outdoor sala. Cleverly laid out with a raised work desk behind the king-sized bed, which then flows into the bathroom, and floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open onto its private terrace.

The hotel team add personalised touches, like remembering I’ve stayed before, as on arrival, a personalised floral message on the bed welcomed me home.

The bathroom is an indoor garden-style space with twin porcelain basins, a walk-in rain shower, and a terrazzo tub set among white pebbles. When I arrived, the bath was already drawn and scattered with petals, inviting me in for a soak (which I did).

The residence includes everything you need to settle in, sustainable glass water bottles, a minibar, a Nespresso machine and a complimentary aluminium bottle per guest. Whilst finishing touches like the daily replenished ice bucket and fresh fruit bowl don’t go unnoticed.

House Keeping

Housekeeping comes twice a day, once in the morning and again during turn down, with a separate staff member visit to refresh your fruit bowl each day. The team are attentive without being intrusive, and genuinely care about your wellbeing. One day, I returned and housekeeping let me know I’d forgotten to lock my door. Later that evening, they had secured the room for me and left the key safely at reception.

And for a bit of fun, the housekeeping team clearly enjoy flexing their towel-folding skills, each day a new creation appeared, from elephants with orchids to playful animals perched on the end of the bed.

During turn down each evening, the lights are dimmed and the bed refreshed, with a new palm-leaf creation left on the pillow each night in place of the usual chocolate, whilst the sala outside is subtly lit and softly glowing.

Pool Residence

The Sarojin’s 14 Pool Residences offer a villa-like experience with each one-bedroom suite positioned on the ground floor corners of the buildings and spanning (120 sqm), complete with a shaded outdoor sala, private 5.5m x 3.5m pool and enclosed garden, while inside following the same format as the Garden Residences.

Jacuzzi Pool Suite

Positioned on the upper floors of each building, the 14 Jacuzzi Pool Suites offer (150 sqm) of indoor and outdoor living space. Each suite includes a large outdoor sun terrace featuring a heated jacuzzi pavilion (2.2m x 2.2m) that comfortably fits four. Inside the bedroom a four-poster king-size bed stands proud and there is a spacious ensuite couples’ bathroom with a rainfall shower, double vanities and bath. A separate lounge area, which includes a four-poster daybed. This area includes a second bathroom and an outdoor rainshower and can sleep up to four guests.

Ficus

One of two restaurants at the resort, Ficus is their refined dining space overlooking the central lotus pond, shaded by the sweeping branches of a century-old Ficus tree. The menu leans Mediterranean, with seasonal produce and polished presentation led by Executive Chef Gogh, who has been with The Sarojin since 2006.

During our stay, we were treated to a tasting menu that showcased the breadth of the kitchen’s skill.

Breakfast

À la carte breakfast is served in Ficus and available until a very generous 6pm, making The Sarojin ideal for (very) late risers or those wanting to ease into the day at their own pace. Mix and match from its wide-ranging menu, freshly pressed tropical juices, acai bowls, chia seed pudding, local fruits, European pastries made fresh on sight each morning, eggs any style, and Thai-style congee. And if the mood strikes, you can order a glass of sparkling wine with breakfast, which I most certainly did!

Edge

The Edge is the hotel’s relaxed beachfront restaurant and bar serving vibrant Thai favourites, wood-fired seafood, and international classics, along with being a great spot for a sunset cocktail each evening.

Private Dining

Private dining is a signature experience at The Sarojin, offering some unforgettable settings. Be whisked away by private yacht to a deserted sand isle for a candlelit dinner under the stars, have a barefoot BBQ on the beach with your personal chef or opt for their candlelit waterfall experience, which is truly transportive: a single table for two set beside a jungle cascade, lit by hundreds of flickering candles.

We began our private dining experience with champagne on the beach before being guided to a private pavilion, dressed with candlelights suspended from hand-cut palm leaf stalks and flowers, to indulge in a multi-course Thai tasting menu.

Spa and Wellness

The Pathways Spa is made up of stilted open-sided pavilions connected by wooden walkways through the mangroves. Treatments incorporate local herbs and oils, with options for both individuals and couples. Daily yoga, meditation and bespoke wellness packages are also available.

Pool

At the heart of the gardens is its palm-fringed infinity pool, where three shaded cabanas stand guard over the water like sentinels of serenity. A calm evening swim before bed became my nightly ritual, accompanied by the rhythmic chorus of cicadas clicking and frogs croaking in the background.

Gym & Library

Located in the entrance pavilion building, The Sarojin’s gym is compact yet well-equipped, offering a selection of modern cardio machines, free weights and resistance equipment which I did try out! Just next door, the library provides a quiet spot to browse or borrow from a broad selection of books.

Experiences

In keeping with Kate and Andrew’s founding ethos of giving back to the local community, The Sarojin offers a curated collection of private experiences that immerses guests in the culture and nature of the region. From snorkelling trips to the Similan Islands and jungle treks through Khao Sok to Thai cooking classes that begin in the local Khao Lak market and heading out with a local fisherman.

During our stay, we tried the Thai wine tasting experience, the Thai cookery course and market visit and a palm leaf folding class, which quickly highlighted the intricacy and skill needed to fold even the simplest of turn-down decorative shapes.

Wine Tasting

Market & Cooking

Leaf Folding

Water Sports & Bikes

The Sarojin offers a wide range of complimentary watersports and land-based activities. Take to the water with a 16ft Hobie Cat, Omega Topaz dinghy, stand-up paddle boards, sea kayaks or windsurfers all available at no extra cost. While on land, complimentary mountain bikes offer an eco-friendly way to explore the surrounding area.

Final Thoughts

You don’t just stay at The Sarojin, The Sarojin stays with you. Perhaps it’s the stillness of the gardens at night, the genuine warmth of the team, or the feeling of being looked after without ever being intruded upon. Whatever the reason, it’s somewhere that quietly works its way into your memory and makes you yearn to return.

We have included the hotel in our guide to the best luxury hotels in Khao Lak