Palm Driving Range & Resort — a small resort in a palm grove with its own golf driving range, near Krabi Airport
Picture this: you wake up, open your balcony door, grab a club, and hit a few balls on the private driving range right in front of your room — then pack up and drive to the airport just 10 minutes away. Palm Driving Range & Resort is a small, family-run resort set in a palm grove in the Krabi Noi area, and its selling point is clearly different from other places to stay in Krabi: it has a golf driving range right inside the resort, plus a location that's very close to Krabi Airport · This is not a luxury beachfront resort, nor an in-town hotel you can walk everywhere from. It's a budget stay for people who want a room that's spacious, clean, and quiet, starting at about ฿800/night · The scores from real reviews sit at TripAdvisor 4.1 out of 5 (33 reviews) and Google 3.9 out of 5 (38 reviews)
Palm Driving Range & Resort overview — who it's for — to put it as simply as possible, this is a small budget resort for people who are mainly looking for "a place to stay near Krabi Airport," not somewhere to laze on the beach all day · It's a small, family-run resort with only about 8 rooms, set in a palm grove in the Krabi Noi area of Mueang Krabi district, which sits along the road between the airport and town · According to real reviews, the people it suits best are travelers with a very early flight or a late arrival who want to sleep near the airport for a night before moving on, golfers or anyone who wants to practice their drive without going far, and budget travelers who have their own car or motorbike and don't mind being outside town · On the flip side, if you want a place where you can walk out and find restaurants and convenience stores, or you want to stay by the sea around Ao Nang, this may not be the answer — its strength is the quiet of the palm grove and the location near the airport, more than convenience for getting around on foot · It plays the "good value and convenient for flying" angle well, in exchange for needing your own transport and setting your expectations to match a small resort · It has been running as a family business for a long time, and as of the latest check it is still taking guests, with ongoing reviews across several platforms
Location and getting around — this is really the heart of Palm Driving Range & Resort · The resort sits in the Krabi Noi area, in a palm grove just a little off the main road · The thing everyone agrees on is that it's only about 4 kilometers from Krabi Airport (KBV), roughly a 10-minute drive, which makes it ideal for the night before an early flight or a late arrival · Krabi town is also around a 10-minute drive away, and you can walk to the Tesco Lotus and the shops in that area within about 2 kilometers (a real walk of about 15–20 minutes, which many people swap for driving or a motorbike instead) · A point that comes up repeatedly in reviews is onward travel — because the resort is outside the community area, Grab may not always be available right away at certain times, and there are no restaurants or convenience stores within walking distance around the resort · The resort offers an airport shuttle (for a fee), and some reviews mention a charge of about 100 baht per person, which is convenient if you book ahead · If you're planning to visit Ao Nang or head to the pier for an island-hopping boat, you should arrange a rental car or motorbike, because Krabi's main attractions are some distance away and no public transport passes directly in front of the resort
"A really good place to stay if you need to sleep near the airport — they offer a shuttle at a reasonable price, the room is spacious and clean, and in the morning it's a ten-minute drive to the airport. Genuinely great for the night before a flight."
Room types and decor — Palm Driving Range & Resort is a small resort with about 8 rooms · What sets the rooms here apart from typical budget stays is that every room faces the golf driving range and has a balcony or front porch you can step out from to hit a few balls · Many reviews agree that the rooms are larger than you'd expect for this price, with several people calling them "very big." · Inside, each room has air conditioning, a flat-screen satellite TV, a fridge, a work desk, a sofa, tea and coffee facilities, free drinking water, and an en-suite bathroom with the shower and toilet separated · The decor is simple in the garden-resort style, focused on being practical rather than on luxury design · On the positive side, reviews mention the cleanliness, the size of the rooms, the quality of sleep, and Wi-Fi that's fast and stable, which many say is faster than expected for a small resort outside town · But to be straight with you, there are some things to note that appear in certain reviews: a musty, damp smell in some rooms, bug problems at certain times (some guests reported insect marks on furniture surfaces and bites that looked like flea bites), two single beds on casters that roll and squeak in some rooms, and hot water at an inconsistent temperature · These are the kinds of things you'll find at a small resort in a garden, and worth factoring into your expectations before booking, especially if you're sensitive to smells or bugs
Amenities, the driving range, and activities — the highlight that gives this place its name is the private golf driving range in the middle of the resort, which is the view from every room · Hitting balls is very cheap, as many reviews note — around 30 baht for one basket (about 40 balls) — and club rental is available for around 100 baht · It's an activity that gives the place its own charm for anyone who likes golf or just wants to hit a few in a relaxed setting · Besides the driving range there's also mini golf, free bikes to borrow, free private parking, free Wi-Fi throughout, luggage storage, and an airport shuttle (for a fee) · The overall atmosphere is shady with palm trees and there's a large fish pond on the grounds, giving it a quiet, garden-stay feel · To be honest, there's no swimming pool, no gym or spa here, and the golf gear you can borrow is limited — some reviews say there's only one small set of irons for all guests and no driver, so if you're serious about golf you should bring your own clubs · Another thing to note is that the hitting mats catch the sun in the late afternoon, so hitting in the evening is hotter than in the morning · Overall the amenities match the definition of a small budget resort — you don't come here for a full set of facilities, but for the quiet, the location near the airport, and the golf activity you won't find at a typical place to stay
Food and the on-site restaurant — the resort has a small in-house restaurant set by the fish pond in the palm grove, with a shady, quiet atmosphere · It serves Thai food and made-to-order dishes at reasonable prices, and according to the latest information it's open roughly 7:00 AM–8:00 PM · The thing to know upfront is that there are no restaurants or convenience stores within walking distance around the resort, so if you arrive late after the restaurant closes or want a meal outside its hours, you should pick up food or snacks from town or the airport beforehand · Some older reviews note that when the resort restaurant isn't open, finding food nearby is fairly difficult, which is a limitation of the palm-grove location you have to accept · On the other hand, people with a car don't see it as a problem, since they can drive into town or over to the Tesco Lotus side in a few minutes · In short, the food here is a homey extra rather than a reason to come specifically to eat, and you should plan your meals ahead if you're staying without your own transport
Service — one of the most consistently praised things about Palm Driving Range & Resort is its warm, family-run feel · Many real reviews mention the owner and staff being warm, welcoming, and happy to help with travel and the airport shuttle · The small size of the resort means guests get close, personal attention, and it feels more like staying at a relative's house than at a hotel · That said, there are some honest things to note in certain reviews — limited English at some times of day, especially during the daytime; the airport shuttle reported as running late on occasion; and a morning checkout where you sometimes can't find staff, since the resort is small and doesn't have a 24-hour front desk like a big hotel · These are natural for a small, family-run place, and arranging your shuttle and checkout times clearly in advance helps a lot in keeping things smooth
What real reviews say (the good and the bad) — pulling together TripAdvisor (rated 4.1 out of 5 · 33 reviews) and Google (3.9 out of 5 · 38 reviews), the picture is fairly consistent · On the praise side: a location near the airport that's great for the night before a flight or a late arrival, rooms that are spacious and clean beyond their price, very high value (the Value category on TripAdvisor scores as high as around 4.8), good sleep quality, fast Wi-Fi, an owner and staff with a warm, family feel, an on-site golf driving range you can use cheaply, and a quiet atmosphere in the palm grove · On the things-to-note side: the location category scores lower than the others (around 3.4 on TripAdvisor) because it's outside the community area, hard to get around on foot, with no restaurants nearby; the musty smell and bug problems in some rooms at certain times; single beds on casters that roll and squeak in some rooms; hot water at an inconsistent temperature; the inconvenience of getting a Grab and having to rely on the resort's shuttle; and contact information that's sometimes out of date · The overall picture is that most people who set the right expectations (staying near the airport + having their own transport) tend to finish their trip happy, while those expecting in-town hotel convenience may feel the location is a limitation
"The room was big and clean, the owner was lovely, and the price was a great deal · The only downside is that there are no restaurants nearby at all, so you have to drive into town, and there were some bugs in the room. Next time I'm in the area I'd probably stay again because it's so close to the airport."
Price comparison and value — the starting price is about ฿800/night at the regular rate (some promotional periods drop to around ฿700 or lower) and ticks up a little during Krabi's high season · Compared with other "hotels near Krabi Airport" in a similar price range, Palm Driving Range & Resort feels very good value in terms of room size and quiet — you get a spacious, clean room, free parking, free Wi-Fi, and the driving range thrown in, at a price that's cheap for what you get · The value category in real reviews scores especially high, which reflects that most guests feel they paid little but got a room beyond expectations · What you "trade" for this price is a location that requires your own transport, no swimming pool, and the limitation of restaurants around the resort · If your goal is to sleep near the airport for one night on a budget, or you're a golfer on a modest budget who wants to get some driving practice in too, every baht you spend genuinely comes back as value · But if you're set on a full Krabi sea trip and don't have a car, you should weigh it against a place in the Ao Nang area or in town that's more convenient for getting around on foot
Things to know before booking — there are several things that help make your stay smoother · One, if your purpose is to sleep near the airport, arrange the shuttle time in advance and confirm the price clearly, because reviews have found the shuttle running late on occasion · Two, the resort is in a palm grove with no restaurants nearby, so pick up food from town or the airport, especially if you arrive late after the resort restaurant closes (around 8:00 PM) · Three, if you're sensitive to musty smells or bugs, we recommend asking to change rooms right away if you run into a problem and running the air conditioning to clear the damp before you settle in, since it's a garden resort · Four, if you want to explore Krabi properly, you should rent a car or motorbike, because getting a Grab from here isn't always convenient · Five, serious golfers should bring their own clubs, since the gear to borrow is limited, and if you want a comfortable session, choose the morning when the sun isn't strong yet · Six, because it's a small resort that may not have a 24-hour front desk, tell them your check-in and checkout times clearly so someone can be there to hand over and collect the key
Summary — from all the real reviews, Palm Driving Range & Resort is the place that suits people who want to sleep near Krabi Airport on a budget, or golfers who want to practice their drive in a relaxed setting, best · Spacious, clean rooms, quiet in the palm grove, free parking, fast Wi-Fi, a friendly owner, and a driving range you won't find at a typical place to stay all make it good value starting at about ฿800/night · If you're set on a full Krabi sea trip, want to walk out to restaurants and convenience stores, or need full hotel facilities with a swimming pool, this may not be the answer, and you should consider a place in the Ao Nang area or in town instead · But for a specific goal like "the night before a flight" or "a budget stay with your own transport" — Palm Driving Range & Resort meets that need well at a price that's hard to match, and that's why its value category has consistently scored high in real reviews
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ About 10 minutes from Krabi Airport, great for the night before a flight or a late arrival
- ✓ Rooms spacious and clean beyond their price, good sleep quality
- ✓ On-site golf driving range you can use cheaply
- ✓ Free parking, fast Wi-Fi, owner with a warm family feel
- ! Location outside the community area, no restaurants nearby, hard to get around on foot
- ! Some rooms have a musty, damp smell or bug problems at certain times
- ! You need a car or motorbike; getting a Grab isn't always convenient
- ✓ Very high value among budget stays near the airport
- ✓ Big rooms with air conditioning, a fridge, satellite TV, free drinking water
- ✓ On-site driving range and mini golf, free bikes to borrow
- ✓ Quiet atmosphere in a palm grove, good for resting or an overnight stop
- ! No swimming pool, gym, or spa
- ! Limited golf gear to borrow; serious golfers should bring their own clubs
- ! A small resort that may not have a 24-hour front desk; arrange check-in and checkout times in advance
- 💡If you're on a full Krabi sea trip and don't have a car — this place is outside town in a palm grove, hard to get around on foot, with no restaurants nearby → consider a place in the Ao Nang area or in town that's walkable for sightseeing
- 💡If you're sensitive to musty smells or bugs — it's a garden resort, and some reviews found a damp smell and bugs in some rooms → run the air conditioning to clear the damp before you settle in, and ask to change rooms right away if you run into a problem
- 💡If you want full hotel facilities — there's no swimming pool, gym, or 24-hour front desk here → set your expectations around the value, the location near the airport, and the golf activity above all