During our time in Krabi, Thailand, we chose to stay at the Varana Krabi Hotel. Constructed in 2023, this is a modern wellness-focused luxury hotel. It is located about 20 minutes from the town of Ao Nang, in the Khlong Muang area of Krabi. This area is quieter and calmer, which was perfect for us as a couple who were looking for some relaxation time. We stayed here for four nights.
Room
We stayed in the Luxe Ocean room option, which had a great view of the ocean. Note that the hotel is across the street from the beach, so the ocean view rooms also include a view of the resort. The rooms were really nice, earthy modern, and had plenty of space. I especially loved the balcony space!
Half Board Package
After comparing multiple booking sites for the best rate, we ended up booking our room directly through the hotel’s website. We were able to book a half board package, which included daily breakfast as well as either lunch or dinner daily, for the same price as just the room on other websites. While there are several other affordable restaurants near the hotel, it was nice to be able to stay on the hotel’s property for some of our meals. Especially with Mike getting sick and wanting to rest as much as possible!
Breakfast
The breakfast buffet is included for most guests and is located in the Kin restaurant. We really enjoyed having a nutritious and delicious breakfast each day. If you like bao buns, make sure to try the steamed buns with custard – I am still dreaming about those!
Lunch & Dinner
We had four meal vouchers given to us when we checked in and we were told we could use them for lunch or dinner any day. For two people, the meal voucher was good for one set menu (including an appetizer, two entrees, one vegetable, and a dessert) or you could order a la carte items worth 1800 baht (as of February 2026). The Nook restaurant serves both lunch and dinner, and Sala serves only dinner. I liked the open-air vibe of Sala a little better. Both restaurants have similar menus, with many items overlapping.
We really enjoyed the carbonara, pad see ew, shrimp risotto, sticky rice dessert, creme brulee, and the strawberry smoothies. Note that drinking water is not free! After we learned that during our first meal, we brought water with us to each of our meals so we didn’t get charged.
Pools
The pools are a big highlight of the property. There is an Olympic-size lap pool, a mid-level wellness pool with hydrotherapy jets and jacuzzi zones, and a smaller pool in the front with a swim-up bar. All of the pools were surprisingly quiet during our time here. It was very relaxing!
Other Activities
This hotel heavily focuses on wellness and fitness. They have a rock climbing wall, jogging track around the property, multiple fitness classes, state-of-the-art gym, and more. They also offer a Naam Wellness experience, which includes a DIY hydrotherapy circuit with mud masks, hot and cold pools, floating salt bath, meditation pool, and an herbal steam.
Beach Club
Since the hotel itself is across the street from the beach, they have partnered with a beach club to give hotel guests beach access. We spent one afternoon here. The lunch and drinks were really good. There are bean bags directly on the sand that are free for hotel guests to use. If you want to sit on pool chairs or in a cabana, there is an extra cost (or a minimum spend depending on which option you choose). We really liked the vibe here!
Driving & Parking
We had rented a car for our time in Krabi, so we were able to drive everywhere. The hotel includes free parking for guests. The parking lot was small, and when we arrived, there were no open parking spots. We let the staff know, and they moved one of their company vehicles so we could park there. I was worried we would have this problem for the rest of our time there, but we never had another issue getting a parking spot.
If you don’t want to rent a car while you’re here, you can take Grab or Bolt (ridesharing apps) to get around, and they are reasonably priced. The town of Ao Nang is only about 20 minutes away so a rental car is not necessary.
Sustainability
One aspect I really enjoyed was the hotel’s sustainability-forward design. Some of their initiatives include groundwater banking systems for irrigation and cooling, electric tuk tuks, zero-waste initiatives, organic gardens that supply the restaurants, and recycled materials throughout the property.
Overall Thoughts
I really loved staying at Varana Krabi! It is more suited to those interested in wellness and fitness and/or couples looking for a quieter vacation. It is a beautiful property and I would recommend staying here!
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