we stayed at the Layalina for 3 nights and thought it was a great little hotel.The staff were really friendly and they were also very efficient.We had room no 1 on the bottom floor and so had no one on the other side of us and the pool and loung chairs were right in front of our room.The open bathroom could be a bit of a problem for privacy, but we just pulled the shutters dwn and closed them so we didnt have to see each other using the throne.The breakfast was included and one morning I had the Thai congee with chicken + ginger and it was delicious!
all in all I thought it was a really great little place.

This small boutique hotel is a true gem, almost directly on Kamala beach. We stayed 6 nights and the hotel more than fulfilled our expectations. The staff was very friendly, especially with our daughter. No hotel is perfect though and we agree with other reviewers about the bathroom. It's very cool but not that "private". We will definitely come back when visiting Kamala again.

This place is a simple 16 room oceanfront place. It's brand new, built after the Tsunami. It has the charms of knowing the owner and very nice staff.

The bathrooms are super modern and the views can't be beat. The food at the place isn't that great, but there are plenty of places to eat in the neighborhood. The little town of Kamalai is fantastic, quiet, relaxing and very authentically Thai.

The value for the money for this place simply cannot be beat and we can't wait to come back one day!

The Layalina is a beautiful little hotel on Kamala beach. Its smallness is one of the nicest things about it - 15 rooms makes it feel more like a upmarket guesthouse than a hotel, and you feel less part of the whole tourism industry.

If you are looking for a quiet and relaxed holiday in some luxury, then you may want to consider the Layalina.

All rooms face the ocean with stunning views of sand and sea and we saw some beautiful sunsets. We stayed in the Private Heaven room. This is a room which has two floors - a spiral staircase leading up to a rooftop terrace. The room is very comfortable and tastefully decorated (king size bed, TV, you can bring your own DVDs along with you). A lovely hammock from Chiang Mai is provided for the balcony. The bathroom opens on to the bedroom with a large jacuzzi bath for two, and a rainfed shower.

The Layalina doesn't have its own kitchen, and sources its food from a neighbouring restaurant. You can sit and eat by the pool, with a view over the sea. The breakfast is fine. However, by Thai standards, we felt that the Thai food was generally below average. Having had a quick look around, we're not exactly sure whether this is because most of the restaurants were catering for foreign palates.

The Layalina has a small pool with space for four loungers. The theory is that the rooftop terraces can also be put to use, however (agreeing with other reviewers) while this is a good idea, it was far too hot to be up there in April with minimal shade.

We booked directly with the hotel, through their website. Staff response time was rapid and once at the hotel, they were warm, accommodating and competent.

We also appreciated the complimentary pick up and drop off at the airport and a 45 minute massage in our rooms!!