Phi Phi Island Cabana Hotel — a resort in the middle of Koh Phi Phi, 2 minutes from the pier, with a Loh Dalum-view pool
Anyone who has landed on Koh Phi Phi knows the biggest headache is dragging your luggage onto a longtail boat to reach your hotel — and this is exactly where Phi Phi Island Cabana Hotel has a clear edge. It's a 3-star, 154-room resort on the isthmus between Tonsai Bay and Loh Dalum Bay, about a 2-minute walk (~100–200 m) from Tonsai Pier, so you step off the ferry and roll your bags straight in, no transfer. The main draw is a large outdoor swimming pool looking out toward Loh Dalum Bay and the limestone cliffs. From approx. ฿1,900/night. It scores 6.7 from real reviews — great for the location, as long as you can accept dated rooms and late-night party noise.
The first thing to understand about Koh Phi Phi is that the island has no roads for cars, no taxis and no shuttles — everything is on foot or by boat. Ferries from Krabi (Klong Jilad Pier) or from Phuket dock at Tonsai Pier, the island's main gateway. Most hotels on Phi Phi are further out along the various bays and need another longtail transfer, but Cabana sits right on the central isthmus, only about 100–200 m from the pier. You get off the ferry, roll your luggage in and check straight in — no second boat, no reloading your bags. For anyone travelling with big suitcases or with kids, this one thing is the whole reason many people book here.
The resort's location straddles a narrow isthmus that joins the two bays · on one side is Tonsai Bay, with the pier, shops, dive centres and rows of restaurants; on the other is Loh Dalum Bay, with its curved beach and shallow water. It's just a few minutes' walk from one side to the other, which means you're right in the middle of the island's buzz — an easy walk to grab food, book a tour to Bamboo Island / Maya Bay / Loh Samah Bay, or rent snorkel gear. If you're after quiet and privacy instead, Phi Phi has the Laem Tong and Long Beach sides, which are far calmer — but you trade that for a boat transfer and being away from everything.
The feature reviews praise most is the large outdoor swimming pool that faces Loh Dalum Bay · sit at the poolside and you look out over the curved sandy beach and the steep limestone cliffs that are Koh Phi Phi's signature — a postcard view you won't find at many resorts in the same price band. The pool is big enough for actual swimming and has plenty of lounging corners. Plenty of guests say that, dated rooms aside, the pool is the hero that keeps them coming back.
"The best part is stepping off the boat and walking straight to your room — no hauling bags onto a longtail like everywhere else on the island · the pool with the Loh Dalum view is gorgeous, we chilled there all evening."
There are 154 rooms spread across 6 low-rise buildings on about 12 acres of gardens · rooms are fairly spacious and every one has a private balcony, with a choice of sea view, pool view or garden view. Options range from the budget garden-view Superior, through the Deluxe with sea/pool view, up to the Grand Deluxe Cabana rooms and family rooms · all rooms have air conditioning, a TV, minibar, safe and hot water — enough for an island stay.
But let's be straight about the thing reviews complain about most: the rooms and bathrooms are dated and worn · plenty of guests find cracked tiles, toilets that don't flush well, weak water pressure and a decor that badly needs updating. Some beds are firm and the Wi-Fi is patchy (the Wi-Fi score on Booking sits at only around 5.2). What you pay versus the state of the room is where many people feel it's less good value than they expected — the value score sits at just around 5.9. Come here for the location and the pool, not for a plush room.
The other thing you need to be able to live with is late-night party noise · the Loh Dalum side is the heart of Koh Phi Phi's nightlife, with beach clubs and bars playing heavy bass until around 2–3 a.m. · many of the resort's rooms hear it clearly. If you're a party-goer, this location is heaven — you can walk back to your room in two minutes. But if you're here to sleep quietly and rest, ask for a room on the Tonsai side or one set deeper into the gardens, and pack earplugs just in case.
On food · breakfast is an American/Asian buffet at Maya restaurant (served roughly 07:00–10:00) with a decent enough spread · and there's the beachside Jungle Beach Bar & Restaurant for a drink at sunset. But like everything on the island, in-resort food prices run higher than outside — the upside is that a few steps out onto the Tonsai Bay front puts you among the village's restaurants, seafood spots and street-food stalls, which are cheaper and more fun.
A few more things to know about staying on Koh Phi Phi · recent reviews include occasional complaints about pests (rats getting into rooms in some cases) and inconsistent cleanliness — keep balcony doors shut tight and food sealed away · mosquitoes come with the island too, so pack repellent · and because it's an island, every trip is tied to the ferry timetable, which runs only a few times a day, so check departure times and get to the pier early. The good news is Cabana wins here again, sitting right by the pier, so on check-out day you don't have to sweat a boat transfer.
"The rooms really are a bit dated as the reviews say, the bathroom water pressure is weak, and you hear the bar music at night · but if you see it as paying for the central location next to the pier plus a lovely pool, it's still fine for a 1–2 night stay before heading out on island tours."
In short, Phi Phi Island Cabana Hotel suits people who rank a pier-side, central-island location above everything — no dragging luggage onto a boat, a few minutes' walk to restaurants, tours and nightlife, and a pretty Loh Dalum-view pool on a modest budget. But if you're expecting brand-new rooms, quiet, or luxury-level value — this doesn't get there, and you'd be better off on the Laem Tong side or at one of the island's higher-end, newer, quieter resorts. Come here understanding you're paying for 'location + pool', not 'the room', and you won't be disappointed.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ About a 2-min walk from Tonsai Pier, no longtail transfer needed
- ✓ Large pool with views of Loh Dalum Bay and the limestone cliffs
- ✓ Central island location, walk to restaurants, dive shops, tours and nightlife
- ✓ Spacious rooms with balconies, sea or garden view, helpful staff
- ! Rooms and bathrooms are dated and worn, cracked tiles, weak water pressure
- ! Party noise from the Loh Dalum bars carries until 2–3 a.m.
- ! Low value for the state of the rooms, weak Wi-Fi
- ✓ Central island location right by the pier, the most convenient on Phi Phi
- ✓ Pretty pool, great for chilling in the evening
- ✓ Walk everywhere, no need to rely on boats
- ✓ Rooms have balconies, shady resort grounds
- ! Rooms are dated and due for a refresh
- ! Music from the nightlife at night
- ! Some reviews mention pests and inconsistent cleanliness
- 💡If you want a brand-new, spotless room — the rooms and bathrooms here are dated and due for a refresh, with cracked tiles and weak water pressure → if the state of the room matters most, spend up to one of the island's higher-end resorts instead.
- 💡If you're here to sleep quietly and rest — the Loh Dalum side has bars playing music until 2–3 a.m., audible from many rooms → ask for a room on the Tonsai side / deep in the gardens, or look at the quieter Laem Tong-Long Beach side.
- 💡If value is your main priority — the price versus the state of the room isn't great (value score around 5.9) → come here when a pier-side location is genuinely what you need.