Aonang Princeville Villa Resort & Spa
by the TopOfHotel team
Princeville is one of the very few resorts that genuinely sits on Ao Nang beach, and it leads on that beachfront spot and good-value Pool Villas more than on top-to-bottom luxury.
Princeville is one of the very few resorts that genuinely sits on Ao Nang beach, and it leads on that beachfront spot and good-value Pool Villas more than on top-to-bottom luxury.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Aonang Princeville Villa Resort & Spa picked a spot that is hard to match in Ao Nang — it is genuinely beachfront on the Pai Plong Sand Bar at the southern tip of the beach, so some rooms open straight onto sand with no road to cross. There are 80-plus rooms and villas across several tiers, from a Deluxe of 32 sqm from about $80, up to a Jacuzzi Pool Suite with a large in-room jacuzzi at 45 sqm, and a Pool Villa with a private 4-by-8-metre pool and 60 to 80 sqm of space. The look is contemporary Thai: teak, marble and Thai woven textiles. Real reviews on Trip.com (8.7/10) split fairly cleanly: guests in a Pool Villa or Jacuzzi Pool agree it is roomy, good-looking and worth the money, while those in the older Deluxe wing flag tired rooms with visible wear and damp. The fix is simple — book a Pool Villa or Jacuzzi Pool.
Food and amenities
The highlight here is the spa, which has a real name around Ao Nang. The Princeville Spa uses traditional Thai herbal treatments and its therapists come up constantly in reviews — a 60-minute Thai Massage runs $34 to $43 and a 90-minute Hot Stone is $71 to $86. The resort is GHA WellHotel certified, an international mark that its spa and wellness facilities meet a set standard. There are 2 pools — a main pool in the middle of the resort ringed by gorgeous limestone karst, plus a shallow kids pool. The main restaurant serves Thai, Western and fresh seafood, and breakfast is a mid-sized buffet with decent range but less than the bigger resorts; the street restaurants out the side gate are far better value. There is a small gym and Wi-Fi throughout. Overall score: 8.6/10.
Location and getting there
Princeville sits at the southern end of Ao Nang beach, in the middle of a tourist strip where everything is walkable — seafood places, massage shops, bars, the night market, small malls and convenience stores all within 5 to 10 minutes on foot. Ao Nang Pier, the departure point for boats to Railay, Phi Phi, the Hong Islands and the 4 Islands tour, is a 5-minute walk — very handy if you plan to island-hop every day. The beach out front is a 2-kilometre run of white sand with gentle waves in the dry season (November to April), good for swimming but busy all day; if you want quiet, look at Centara Grand Pai Plong, reachable only by boat. West Railay is a 15-minute boat ride from Ao Nang. Krabi Airport is 17 km away, a 22-minute drive, with a Grab fare around $11 to $17.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. First, choose your room type well — the Deluxe rooms in the older wing are the ones that draw complaints, with visible wear, faded curtains and a faint damp smell. Stepping up to a Jacuzzi Pool Suite or Pool Villa adds $43 to $100 a night but is well worth it for the better condition. Second, Ao Nang beach gets crowded, especially from 10am to 5pm when visitors swim and wait for island boats; for a quiet stretch, go down between 6 and 8am or after 5pm. Third, noise at night — central Ao Nang has pubs and bars open until midnight to 1am, so rooms deeper inside are quieter while front rooms near the road catch some sound.
Our take
Aonang Princeville Villa Resort & Spa is the sweet spot for couples who want to sleep beachfront in the middle of Ao Nang without blowing the budget. A Pool Villa with its own pool at $186 to $271 is a real bargain next to pool villas at Rayavadee or Phulay Bay that start at $571-plus. If the trip in your head is staying on Ao Nang beach, walking to restaurants and the pier, a good spa and a budget that does not run away, this is the right answer — just book a Pool Villa or Jacuzzi Pool. Overall we give it 8.6/10, best for couples who want to sleep on the sand at Ao Nang on a mid-range budget and walk to dinner.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- The location is hard to beat: genuinely beachfront on the Pai Plong Sand Bar at the southern tip of Ao Nang, so some rooms open straight onto the sand, and you can walk to restaurants, the night market and Ao Nang Pier in 5 minutes.
- The Princeville Spa is the standout — traditional Thai herbal treatments with therapists who get named again and again in reviews. A 60-minute Thai Massage runs $34 to $43 and a 90-minute Hot Stone is $71 to $86.
- Upgrade rooms feel like a steal: the Pool Villa has its own 4-by-8-metre pool and 60 to 80 sqm of space from about $186, well under the $571-plus that Rayavadee or Phulay Bay want for the same idea.
- The resort is calm and the main pool is genuinely scenic, ringed by limestone karst, with a separate shallow kids pool — and it carries GHA WellHotel certification for its wellness standards.
- You're in the middle of everything: seafood places, massage shops, bars, the night market and convenience stores are all a 5-to-10-minute walk, and Ao Nang Pier for boats to Railay, Phi Phi, the Hong Islands and the 4 Islands tour is 5 minutes on foot.
- Pick your room type carefully. The Deluxe rooms in the older wing are the ones reviewers complain about — visible wear, faded curtains and a faint damp smell. Paying the extra $43 to $100 a night for a Jacuzzi Pool Suite or Pool Villa is worth it for the better condition.
- Ao Nang beach gets crowded, especially from 10am to 5pm when day-trippers come to swim and wait for island boats. If you want a quiet stretch of sand, go down between 6 and 8 in the morning or after 5 in the afternoon.
- It can be noisy at night. Central Ao Nang has pubs and bars open until midnight or 1am; rooms deeper inside the resort are quieter, while front rooms near the road catch some of the sound.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Krabi
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Insider Tips
- Ask for a Jacuzzi Pool or Pool Villa when you book — it is far better value than the Deluxe for an extra $29 to $57 a night.
- The spa is fully booked in the evening 5pm to 7pm window, so reserve your treatment 2 to 3 hours ahead.
- Step out the side gate to eat at the street restaurants along Ao Nang — much cheaper than dining inside the resort.