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Stayed at the Khao Lak Merlin Resort for 7 nights late April 2013. I chose the resort as I was a solo traveller, looking for a safe, quiet resort where I could relax, it was perfect. I agree with everything everyone has said about the delicious buffet breakfast, the friendly staff, the jungle surrounds, and the beautiful beaches and pools.I used the fitness room each morning. It is open from 8am and small towels are provided. I managed to fill in an hour with the basic equipment: treadmill, x-trainer, bike, weights. There is no music so bring your ipod or else it is really quiet.Other than breakfast I never ate at the resort. Lunch was always fresh fruit and corn-on-the-cob from the stand to the left of the resort on the beach. It was run by a girl and two boys and you could buy delicious fresh snacks for 50baht each. I ate at the local restaurants: 999kitchen, Mali, Bamboo, Kaylana and Jos Seafood. They were all excellent, great seafood, friendly eager staff. All restaurants provided extras eg spring roll appetizers, a salad bar, plate of fruit at the end of the meal. I went into Khao Lak twice. I found the large village to be very boring: lots of cheap souvenir shops, restaurants and massage shops. More of what is just outside of the resort. Down the Nang Thong Supermarket side street I found the Coconut Massage shop that offered a fantastic fish massage which I tried (500baht 80 mins). I also went to the Tsunami Museum and the Bang Niang market. Both of these are worth a visit. You cannot barter a cheaper rate with the taxis, it is a set rate to/from the resort: 150baht to Khao Lak, 250 to the Bang Niang market and Museum.I had amazing daily massages at Komol Corner cafe (up the beach to the left of the resort). 1hour for 250baht, The cafe is small, the staff friendly, the view beautiful. I also had a facial at the resort day spa. It was OK, it was advertised for 60mins, but realistically only went for 40mins.

Once again we stayed at the Merlin late March early April, and we must say again that The Merlin have done themselves proud...Everthing from checking in, rooms are large and spotless, pools you have your choice, fantastic breakfasts each morning, great beach to walk along, yummy restaurants and of course we cant speak highly enough of all the wonderfull staff and a big thank you also to Ching for making our stay with our family a memorable one.

Nothing to say except "PERFECT" don't hesitate this location is better that patong if you are going with children or with your wilfe,the service is perfect the resort is huge with 4 swimingpool just near the beach. In front of the hotel there is many agencies that can organize you some activities. Choose one of them and discuss all the prices with them and keep the same agency

We stayed at the Merlin Khaolak from 13th March until 23rd March. We had a lovely room overlooking pool 2. The hotel has many different pools dotted around the grounds of the resort. There is a wonderful jungle atmosphere with large trees, plants and flowers all through the resort. There are a lot of steps and slopes to get from the top of the resort to the bottom and this may be difficult for those with mobility difficulties, we found it a blessing as this was the only exercise we got whilst staying at the resort. The beach is one of the nicest we have seen in Thailand and the sea is simply gorgeous, very clear and very warm. We only ate twice in the hotel and this was at lunch at the beach bar. The food is adequate, a mixture of thai ,burgers and pizzas but I would recommend taking a short stroll along the beach(out of the hotel and right) to eat cheaper and nicer traditional thai food, we also walked into the area outside the hotel that I liked to refer to as the village where all the restaurants were happy to serve a lunch as small or large as you liked.There is approx. 12 restaurants in the village and about 6 different bars, we found this more than adequate to cater to all our needs. The food is all of a similar quality and very tasty, but the service does vary. We particularly liked 999kitchen, which was just out of the village on the main road and Mali which serves both Thai and indian food and is just past the 4 tailors shops.Our favourite bar was The Blackjack bar which did cocktails for 100baht., but the service was also good at the tiger bar,just a the bottom of the slope opposite the entrance to the emerald hotel.We did get a taxi into Khaolak centre for a change of scenery this will cost you 150baht. There are many restaurants, shops/stalls and supermarkets in the centre and its well worth well worth a trip in. We also visited Bang Niang market, 250baht in a taxi, it gives you a real local feel, with stalls selling meat,Fish,veg as well as the requisite tourist items. There are also a myriad of cooked food stalls selling very cheap satay chicken,squid etc.All taxis can be picked up in the village and all are set prices.All in all we loved this hotel and would return, the only downside that I could find was that British tourists don't seem to have found this hotel unlike the Germans and the Swedish.Oh and weather was superb throughout our stay.

From jungle to beach delightful.We staid at the Merlin for two weeks until 10th March.After 24 hours traveling we arrived early our room was not ready, the reception staff altered our accommodation and we were in another room within 20 minutes.They put us in room 3222 an upstairs room overlooking the pool by the restaurant. We thought it might be noises but it proved the opposite very quiet with delightful views through the tropical landscape. Another benefit being close to the bar we were able to get free wifi on the balcony.The room was large and airy, with a control panel for a/c fan and lighting, a good size bathroom with walk in shower and sicken bath. The maid service was excellent.Breakfast was a buffet selection with two egg stations, a very good selection covering local and European tastes. The waiter staff kept your table clear and topped up you tea and coffee efficiently, they really work hard and are so polite, it's great to be greeted by a smile in the morning.The grounds of the hotel are in a tropical jungle stile with various pools and water features, the ground maintenance staff work hard in a low key manner to ensure this theme works.The sun beds are on a lawn in front of the beach, they are a bit dated but serve there purpose. The hotel is occupied 98% German so the towels go out early in the morning, tried going down after breakfast but most of the beds had towels on, in the end had to go and put towels on us beds before breakfast. This is the only area I think the management should control. Plus a lck of sun beds when the hotel is fully occupied.We did not eat in the hotel opting to eat locally. If you stroll out of the hotel and down the hill to the village there are many restaurants, our favourites were the Bamboo, Maleevan across the main road good traditions food a lot of locals eat here. Also as you come out to the main road there is a restaurant on the right hand side can't remember name but very good, also do a mean cocktail.Used the local taxis to go into KhaoLak centre a few nights ate at Smile had a good meal and at Joe's steak house twice very good but ate from their thai menu and Walkers inn just at the beginning of the town very good. Beaches, the beach at the hotel is great turn right and walk about 15 minutes to the start of jungle, turn left and you can walk for 30 minutes passing great little beach shacks offering good priced food drinks and massage. If you turn left and walk around the bay at approx 10.45 the elephants are trekking along the beach.We did a few trips, used the hotel echo lak travel to go to James Bond Island excellentday out, taking in sea canoeing, floating village spend some time exploring the back alleys to see how they live, And the golden Buddha in a cave.For our other trips we used Mr Moo a great guy you can get to him by turning left on the beach and walk for ten minutes then about 50 yards inland. He will put together what you want and is very knowledgable with reasonable prices.Went to the Similan islands for the day, please go the colour of the water is turquoiseand the beaches pure white sand all with good snorkelling, it gets a bit busy in the afternoon but well worth the trip, you stop at two islands for the beaches and another two for snorkellingWent to Chiewlaan lake for the day with our own guide, a very early start but once there the scenery is like stepping back in time to Jurrasic Park. You travel around the lake by long tail boat, the lake covers 165 sqr kl, you also do a jungle walk and a ride on bamboo raft to visit limestone caves. The topographic vista of the lake and tree covered limestone hills is majestic.Took a taxi to Bang Niag market very interesting local market, also agree with another trip advisor review the banana pancakes are great. While there cross the main road and visit the wreck of the police launch washed inland by the surname, now being transformed into a national monument. We walked from here to the beach and it brings home the pow