Although we don’t alway seek out eco resorts during our travels, if I find a hotel that suits our needs and can boast some impressive eco credentials, I’ll always opt for that one over another. On researching where to stay in Ao Nang I discovered the stunning Anana Ecological resort Krabi and just knew we had to try it.
Located slightly out of the main tourist area of Ao Nang, the hotel is a quiet retreat, perfect for a few days exploring Krabi and the surrounding area. It’s surrounded by abundant jungle foliage and the towering limestone cliffs which are legendary in the area. Read on to discover why I think it’s the best option for a stay in Krabi.
This post may contain affiliate links to tours and hotels. These help me earn a small commission if you book via one of them at no additional charge to you. I received no payment or complimentary stay for this review. All opinions are completely my own.
List of Contents
An Eco Friendly Hotel in Krabi
Whilst this beautiful hotel is most definitely environmentally friendly, it does not scrimp on luxury. All over the resort you’ll find charming touches that elevate this hotel from good to great. I loved how bright, clean and natural everything felt. Although I’m sure there are few hotels in Thailand that can claim to be 100% eco friendly, the Anana definitely tries it’s hardest and seems to be just at the start of it’s journey towards sustainable tourism.
I particularly liked that they use heat pumps and low consumption air conditioners to conserve energy. Don’t worry, we never felt too hot or cold! They have volcanic mineral swimming pools and the complimentary water that appears in your room each day comes in reusable glass bottles. Plus it’s all plastic free! The onsite farm is currently a bit of a work in progress but this will hopefully become an integral part of a farm to table offering soon enough. More on the farm further down!
BOOK THE ANANA ECO RESORT KRABI ON BOOKINGThe Anana Ecological Resort Krabi used to be called the Pavilions Anana Krabi Hotel so don’t worry if it appears as this on your searches.
Facilities at this sustainable resort in Krabi
The Pools
As we travel as a family of three, pools are very important to us. Piper will happily spend all day splashing about in the water. The Anana has two pools, one I think looks like it is for exclusive use by those staying at the pool villas but is actually open to everyone.
We were more than happy to spend time in the main pool outside reception. It was the perfect temperature with plenty of loungers dotted around the deck. We never struggled to find somewhere to settle.
This is also where you’ll find the pool bar, our favourite pace to end the day. We enjoyed the fresh coconuts and happy hour cocktails. The atmosphere was lively but never too much.
The Farm
The hotels one-acre Permaculture farm is an excellent addition, located just across the quiet road outside the hotel. I love the farm to table aspirations of the hotel and enjoyed wandering around the grounds spotting tasty produce I knew would make their way into my dinner, as some I didn’t even recognise!
The farm focusses heavily on composting and water conservation and it was great to learn about some of these sustainable farming processes during our stay. This is brilliant if your visiting Krabi with kids and may even inspire some little ones to try growing their own back home.
Make sure you check out my post on Krabi with kids to discover more great things to do in the area.
The Asana Spa and wellness philosophy.
The whole hotel is very much focussed on the principles of wellness. From the healthy welcome drink you’ll receive on arrival to the treatments in the Asana Spa, you can’t help but feel invigorated. The hotel has a sauna and steam room, Himalayan salt room and all spa treatments use organic essential Thai oils and herbs. They also hold daily sunrise yoga sessions on the roof of the hotel.
There’s also a small gym at the hotel if you fancy a more intense work out than simply splashing about in the pools.
Dining at the Anana
We ate at the hotel several times during our stay and found the food to be excellent. If you’re as obsessed with sunsets as we are then don’t miss the rooftop bar and restaurant on the top floor. The views across to Ao Nang and the Andaman Sea were totally breathtaking.
Again the cocktails here were delicious and the dinner menu extensive. We opted for the Thai curries and some pasta for Piper. It wasn’t as cheap as local street food but the prices were pretty reasonable and the taste was excellent.
Breakfast is included in your room rate at the Anana and is definitely not one to miss. It is taken in the restaurant next to the hotels reception rather aptly named Streats. The offering is probably not as extensive as breakfast buffets at other Thai resorts but we could always find something we wanted.
I loved the fresh egg station where you could order eggs precisely the way you like them. Whilst Piper order all the fresh fruit on offer, discovering some new favourites each day.
The pool bar also offers afternoon snacks and larger lunch offerings although we never found time to eat there.
If you’ve had a particularly busy day then you can always oder room service. The menu is the same as in the restaurants, as are the prices.
Where is the Anana Ecological Resort, Krabi?
The Anana Eco resort is located on a tiny back road about ten minutes drive from Ao Nang. It took us just over half an hour to drive to the hotel from Krabi International airport. If you don’t have a rental car then the hotel can arrange a pick up for you, just email reception with your details. We found that the hotel had plenty of covered parking. It’s slightly up in the Krabi hills which means amazing panoramic views, but also that you’re a bit further from the beach than other Ao Nang resorts.
As the hotel is located away from the main tourist strip, it is a lot quieter than many other hotels in the area. There’s not much within walking distance of the hotel. We actually saw this as a benefit, we loved that we were tucked away, it felt like a real retreat away from the busyness of Ao Nang. We found driving directions easy enough and made use of a couple of tuk tuks to get to and from the hotel. It’s just best to be aware of this before you go ahead and book.
Read Now: A secret beach in Krabi
If you’re confused about this hotel being called Anana Krabi but being located in Ao Nang, basically Ao Nang is the tourist part of Krabi, by the sea and near the main attractions, best beaches and where most Krabi resorts are located. Krabi town itself is a little further East. I would always opt for a hotel in Ao Nang over Krabi itself.
The hotel offers a complimentary shuttle in to Ao Nang if you don’t have your own transport. This finishes at 9pm.
Approximate Distances from the Anana Krabi
Here’s a quick idea of some distances from the hotel. All either by car, tuk tuk or shuttle bus unless stated.
| Anana Ecological Resort to Ao Nang Beach | 10 minutes |
| Anana Ecological Resort to the start of the Monkey Trail | 15 minutes |
| Anana Ecological Resort to Krabi Boxing Stadium | 20 minutes |
| Anana Ecological Resort to Tiger Cave Temple | 30 minutes |
| Anana Ecological Resort to Krabi International Airport | 35 minutes |
| Anana Ecological Resort to Dragon Crest Mountain | 40 minutes |
Rooms at the Anana Eco resort in Krabi
We like to travel with a hefty dose of luxury but we’re always sensible with our budget so we opted for the cheapest room available. This was a a Thai studio and was more than enough for our needs.
The beds were mattress style on a raised platform, a huge double for us and a smaller single for my daughter – all laid out in a row. The room wasn’t huge but we didn’t spend much time in it and managed to live out of our suitcases for the three days we were there as storage was limited. We had a small balcony overlooking the farm opposite the hotel which was a great place for an evening sundowner and my first coffee of the day.
The room had all the facilities you would expect from a luxury resort. I loved the coffee machine with pods that were replenished daily, the smart woven beach bag, safe for our valuables and matching bathrobes.
The bathroom was spotlessly clean with a lovely rain shower and complimentary toiletries.
If you’re after a little more space and feel like really treating yourselves then the pool access suites look absolutely fabulous or you could opt for a spa suite with you very own freestanding spa bath. You can see more about all the room options on Ananas website.
YOU MIGHT LIKE: Paradise found – Pai Plong Beach, Krabi
The people at the Anana Ecological resort
During our stay we met the owner of the hotel, Wolfgang Grimm. He is clearly very passionate about the Environment and has a deep love for Thailand. He calls himself an “ecopreneur” and was keen to ensure we had everything we needed whilst answering our many questions about the hotel itself.
Everyone else we met was equally chirpy and happy to chat. From reception staff to the staff manning the bars all our queries were dealt with in a prompt and professional manner. We really did feel like they wanted us to have a fabulous time. We got some great advice on local activities from the bar staff – insider knowledge can be so valuable.
if this doesn’t sound quite right for your family have a look at these other great ideas for where to stay in Krabi with kids.
Anana Ecological Resort Krabi Price
We stayed at the Anana in May 2023 which I booked on Agoda. It cost us £116 per night for the three of us which included breakfast. Not bad for 5 star luxury!
For a couple prices are even lower, during shoulder season you can secure a pool access villa for as little as £100 a night.
Pin for later to book your stay at Anana Ecological Resort.
Other Krabi posts you might like:
Other posts about Thailand you might like:
Bangkok:
Ultimate guide to visiting Bangkok
Things to do with kids in Bangkok
Complete Guide to Asiatique Riverside
Koh Samui:
Visiting Pig Island Koh Mudsun
The Best Family Hotels Koh Samui
Best area in Koh Samui for families
Epic Koh Samui viewpoints you need to visit