Ban's Diving Resort

Ban's Diving Resort descritpion

On Sairee Beach, Ban's Diving Resort features a PADI certified professional dive center. This 4-star property features 3 dining options, an outdoor pool and air-conditioned suites with a private balcony.
Modern Thai interiors and elegant wood furnishings are featured throughout the cozy suites. Overlooking the garden, all units are fitted with a minibar, personal safe and bathroom with shower facilities.
Guests can take up diving courses, snorkel, or take a walk on the grounds. Travel and sightseeing bookings can be made at the tour desk.
Darawan and the Beach Front restaurants serve a variety of Thai and international food. Light snacks and refreshing beverages are av aat the Fish Bowl Bar.
Ban's Diving Resort provides a free pick up service from Koh Tao Pier. Nang Yuan Island is a 15-minute boat ride away.
Sairee Beach is a great choice for travelers interested in Nightlife, Diving and Beach.

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Facilities of Ban's Diving Resort

Outdoors ：Outdoor Pool | Grounds

Pets ：Pets are not allowed.

Activities ：Golf Course (within 2 miles) | Fishing | Diving | Snorkeling

Food & Drink ：Restaurant | Bar | Restaurant with Dining Menu

Internet ：Free!WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.

Parking ：Free!Free private parking is available on site (reservation is not needed).

General ：Safe | Shops (on site) | Air Conditioning

Languages Spoken ：Thai | English

Reviews for Ban's Diving Resort

Review 1：-The only complaint is that we felt having stayed at many places in Thailand that the breakfast didn't compare to some other resorts, the general cleanliness of the breakfast area, the amount of seating and in particular the hot food was not to a standard we would expect from this kind of establishment. We also thought we would be eating in the lovely restaurant by the beach which was a bit of a let down. In the end we skipped the breakfast (although we paid for it in our room price) in favour of finding somewhere else along the beach. -We found the wifi to be a little confusing with separate codes for different areas of the resort - this is understandable due to the size of the resort however was a little annoying as we only received 1 code when checking in.

Review 2：My sister and I stayed here for a few days this January. I have been to Koh Tao before and knew I wanted to stay at Bans having seen the resort the last time I was here. We loved our room which was a standard garden view with a balcony. The location is fantastic as right near amenities, the beach and adjacent to the fishbowl which is one the best bars on the beach playing live music and then more commercial dance later on. Excellent service from the reception team who were friendly, accommodating and always happy to help. We organised a fantastic boat trip with them as well as our ferry and transfers when we left the island. We didn't experience their diving package however we intend to come back to do this next time.

Review 3：The reception staff were moody and had no interest in speaking to us. The staff for the free breakfast much the same. not sure if this is a Koh Tao thing or not? Very loud with drunks returning home between around 2am - 4am every night. Also I hate to moan about something so stupid as the wifi but it was useless.

Review 4：We liked the location.

Review 5：Resort was amazing!! Great pool and views! Staff were helpful! They provide a free shuttle from koh tao pier (they dont advertise it) as well as free shuttle back to pier. Rooms were great, short 10 minute walk from excellent restaurant( barracuda, farange, etc). Breakfast was great!

Review 6：Extremely noisy at night, did not sleep at all. Room is small for the money, breakfast lousy.

Review 7：They gave me a refund when I checked out early after I had not slept for two days. Did not get a refund for the sleepless nights though

Review 8：Loud music from the Fish Bowl untill late. If you can find a room more higher, do so, but then the walking is longer. Since this is a divers hotel and most boats leave at seven, it would be nice to start breakfast service at 06:30 not at seven !! And I realy would like to see the manegement take action against staff who are more concerned with their phones then with the guests...

Review 9：Well-positioned with access to beach and shops

Review 10：Room wasnt really clean when i checked in. floor didn't get cleaned at all...shower was moldy

Review 11：Great for diving Had a room in the last building, which was great so you stay away from the party noise but still just walking distance to the bars and beach The beach was very clean

Review 12：The staff in the restaurant could have been a little more friendly/attentive at times.

Review 13：The staff running the dive shop were amazing, friendly, helpful and organised. My room was very nice and on top of the quite steep hill with a good view.

Review 14：WiFi could improve. It constantly disconnects and asks for logging is with a username and password all over. The internet speeds were also not great. We felt this was the one thing that really needs improvement. The pools are often taken by scuba lessons but its expected from a diving resort.

Review 15：Room was quiet, large and comfortable. Bed was good. Air con was good. Staff was good.

Review 16：Nothing

Review 17：The location was excellent, the breakfast included was just lovely, extremely clean and great staff. There is a really nice pool and the diving is extremely well taught and makes you feel very safe.

Review 18：Only downside was no lifts to rooms on higher floors! This was mainly problematic trying to carry luggage up and down!

Review 19：Great location on sairee beach, staff very helpful1

Review 20：Great place to stay with very friendly and helpful staff. Excellent location on Sai Ree Beach and they are very good when it comes to diving lessons and such. Room was very fair for the price paid. Definitely a recommended resort!

Review 21：Great location! Nice and big room. Pool is great. Great place if you want to do some scuba diving be it your Open Water PADI Cert or a fun dive. Koh Tao is pretty small so everything is within walking distance!

Review 22：i didn't know i need to tell someone about cleaning. i was unpluged with my phon and every thing i needed i had to pay accept for free inter calls

Review 23：the room is smelling good, it feels very safe to be here with all activity you need:)

Review 24：Our deluxe room was situated at the front of the property nearest the beach, the placement seemed good until nighttime when the restaurant come nightclub pumps loud music until very late, we could understand every word and feel the bass vibrations. On complaining we were offered to change to a room which was no where near to the deluxe standard that we paid for and was atleast a 15 minute walk up steep hills to get there. Wifi barely worked and had to reenter the username/password every time the phone was locked. Housekeeping did a very poor job including leaving rubbish in the room and one night there was actually stones made into the bed. The restaurant staff were unfriendly and ignored attempts to attract attention, even looking straight at you and then walking away. However, the breakfast was very nice and the staff in reception were fine. The room was nice enough but lacked a luxurious and polished feel that is advertised and did not match the expensive price, overall it was a disappointing stay from day one. It's worth a note that the free shuttle is only one way unless you book your exit ferry through bans, we were waiting for a taxi near a family who was waiting for the bans shuttle which came so late they joined us in our taxi, so we don't know if it ever arrived. Very poor and we would not return.

Review 25：The breakfast was nice and location along sairee beach was good

Review 26：The breakfast was fantastic, but didn't open until 0700. If you were diving in the morning (0720), that wasn't enough time to get breakfast. We had prepaid for our breakfast...and missed a few of them.

Review 27：Ban's is a fairly large resort, but the staff knew who I was every time I walked into the reception. The staff was so helpful! The view from our deluxe hotel room on the hill was amazing day and night.

Review 28：For anyone doing diving courses, their rooms should be located as close as possible to the centre of the resort. Our room was on top of a hill and it would help if there was transport around the resort. Even though the staff were helpful they could be a little bit more friendly.

Review 29：We booked ourselves into an open water course which lasted for 4 days. After this we know we will be back to do more courses soon! Resort staff were helpful and attentive. They sorted out transport for us on our departure and there is a hotel shuttle to the pier. Location of the resort is right sairee beach like most diving resorts on koh tao.

Review 30：reception closed too early no hot water blocked toilets cockroaches cabby to our room please

Review 31：restaurant was amazing, resort atmosphere was good. varun the DJ needs a raise. nice bathroom spacious room comfy bed nice pool nice views good cleaning

Review 32：The fact that I'd paid 3,000 TBH a night for a room that was 10 minutes up a mountain! And breakfast was horrific! Stay at Sairee cottages! Way better and 1300 a night on the beach and more central!

Review 33：The room.

Review 34：Having to leave the people where so nice

Review 35：I went there to chill and try the diving love it and will be coming back to do my open water just wish as part of my trip that I had spent more time there

Review 36：Reception staffs not look professional, less of service minded. Room is included breakfast but food is so bad, a lots of cats in every areas. The cats jump on the table and eat food on buffet lines. A few choice of food for breakfast when compare with the room rate. The toilet so noisy seem like it need a maintenance.

Review 37：Room, view and good location

Review 38：Breakfast was poor but laid on for free so a welcome surprise especially if your a backpacker, if your on holiday and can afford it then you just eat out.

Review 39：Bans has a bit of everything, all be it the hill top rooms are a bit too far up the hill for my liking they are ok if you have a moped or quad which everyone does. I've stayed at bans 3 times now and they never disappoint

Review 40：The breakfast starts at 7:30. As I went diving at 7 every day, I never had a chance to test the hotel breakfast. The resort lies on a very large area and there is no proper map of it, so it may be challenging to find what you are looking for during a short stay.

Review 41：The staff is very helpful. Rooms are spacious with a good size balcony. Also the grounds are well kept, although the resort lies on a very large area.

Review 42：The place maybe have a great diving school, but as an hotel it is the worst place I've been. We couldn't sleep because of the noise from the party. The water at the shower were salty. And the staff didn't care about you at all.

Review 43：Probably the rooms near the beach can ear the noise from the pub behind.

Review 44：Everything. I was at the suite on the hill and the seaview was incredible. Also for these rooms there are a beautiful swimming pool that is not the one busy from the dive lessons.

Review 45：Pools were very busy for people who weren't diving. If you are going to so scuba diving it is the best place Restaurant service wasn't great but Okish

Review 46：Best place to scuba Location Atmosphere Comfort Clean

Review 47：Such a fantastic pool, great location-quiet but convenient.

Review 48：none

Review 49：facilities

Review 50：Access to beach, Diving, View

Review 51：really bed breakfast, many mosquitos. cats all over, not realy clean. huge hotel, focues only on diving.

Review 52：Nice towels for the beach.

Review 53：The staff and instructors are great. The room was nice and the air con was very good. The infinity pool was great and there are also 2 other pools.

Review 54：everything

Review 55：nothing

Review 56：Amazing location on sairee beach and amazing dive school for first timers like ourselves.

Review 57：Efficiency

Review 58：The Will Foster look-a-like The Centipedes Every other guest Wifi

Review 59：A view Slippy floors in the hotel room The black cat The tarter sauce

Review 60：Whole place is run by unexperienced young people, often even kids who happen to work there because there is so many turists. The villa was published as an individual bungalow in reality is a room in a several story building. Breakfast pathetic for the money I was paying for the room.

Review 61：Great location, nice view from the villa.

Review 62：We were put in a 'hill-top' room. Wow - they weren't lying it was in the hill! Took 20 mins to walk to and from the beach. I really wouldn't recommend it unless you are truly fit as a fiddle and don't mind the long walk in the blazing heat. Perhaps we are simply lazy but we wanted to relax whilst on holiday and just didn't fancy to constant walk up and down the hill/steps. Luckily we requested to move, and they had a room available for our 2nd day, so it was only one night up the hill. The only sacrifice was that for the same price the room was much smaller - but so much worth it to just be located with the rest of the hotel. After we moved we were so much happier and can honestly say I recommend Bans.

Review 63：Scuba diving was the best part of our whole trip to Thailand and we did it right here at Bans. I couldn't recommend it more. We did the full open water diving course, which we were apprehensive about at first because we thought we may regret using up so much time. 100% we would do this again and recommend it. To be honest the whole island is very diving/snorkelling based, so there isn't loads to do or see, so definitely worth doing the diving. Island is beautiful nonetheless and sunbathing is of course possible, although we didn't do loads of it here. Night life is good, bars and restaurants. Only visiting Bans restaurants for breakfast but that was fantastic.The menu looked great but we wanted to try out other places.

Review 64：Stayed in a Hilltop Deluxe for 6 nights. Yes, it is up a steep hill - but totally manageable and well worth it to be away from the crowds and noise. We were so stoked with our choice to stay here and couldn't fault the resort at all. We rented a scooter for the week which made everything much more accessible and had the ability to really explore the island - amazing bays off the beaten track (you gotta have a little bravery for this, the roads can be pretty sketchy), but if you've had some experience on a bike you'll have no troubles and it's well worth it. Must eats - The Gallery, and Thaita Italian restaurant. Both served some of the most amazing food we've ever eaten. Happy days!

Review 65：We booked a suite with garden view but the staff did not want to show our room. Instead they showed us two family rooms 1500 bahts per night more expensive, one opposite the bar that was playing music until 2 am and one in the mountains. AC was broken and they did not fix it even as we told them about this problem. Bugs on bathroom floor and ants on balcony. Breakfast was poor. Overrated hotel, we can really not understand the 4 stars on this hotel. We expected more as we have been to Koh Tao last year.

Review 66：Nearby the beach

Review 67：We enjoyed our stay at this resort, everything was spot on. The only bad thing we would have to comment on is the main restaurant did not have any of the dishes available as what was stated on the menu. Otherwise a pleasant stay.

Review 68：The staff are friendly and happy to help you out. It is a busy place and lots going on so I suggest not to get a room closer to pool area if you want peace and quiet. We ended upgrading our room as the one we were given was not the correct one we had paid for on line but the staff were happy to assist and provide us a room more to what we originally wanted. We would definitely return to this resort again!!

Review 69：tatty old bathrooms, mosquitos a real nuisence, up hill and down dale to get anywhere. the swimming pool is not useable by a non diver as it is constantly full of learner divers. tried to overcharge upon check in and wanted paying up front on day one! overall this hotel is way over priced for the facilites(lack of) and the poor state of the rooms. we paid 3000 baht for a deluxe room and they tried tyo charge us 3500 but in reality the room was only worth 2000 baht, disapointing stay to say the least.felt ripped off and do not eat in the restaurant across the road where breakfast is served it is vile!!!! the tea was un drinkable, the eggs cremated and as for the rest forget it! not good at all, flys and ants everyway and it stank :-(

Review 70：walking distance to the beach. aircon rooms, kettle and plenty of hot water

Review 71：Room looks like it is confortable but isn't at all. Very very noisy at night (till 2AM). Smells sewers like hell in the room. Shower wets the whole bathroom. Cleaning is unsatisfactory. Very expensive. Not value for money. Breakfast is not good.

Review 72：Very warm welcome at reception. Ideal for diving. Super diving coaches.

Review 73：Too noisy - room was near "The Fishbowl" bar which plays loud music until at least 1am. Make sure to ask for a room away from there if you want a quiet night. Diving groups can be very large

Review 74：Comfortable well equiped room (Garden Suite) with hot shower and air conditioning Two restaurants to choose from Close proximity to loads of bars, restaurants and shops on the beach front Great diving facilities

Review 75：the facilty was not clean and had a lot of mosiquitos as because of that.

Review 76：staf was kind and helpful. rooms were clean and had hot water. location was great.

Review 77：A very steep and long climb to the hilltop room but worth the effort.

Review 78：We stayed in the hilltop deluxe room which was lovely and very spacious. The diving facilities are amazing - we did padi and advanced padi courses and the instructors were brilliant.

Review 79：Terrible place!!!Have no idea who wrote those good comments inbooking.com, it was the most terrible hotel we stayed in for the wholetrip in Thailand (including hostel for 900 Baht). Everything was bad:the room was ugly, with terrible smell!!! I had to fill a glass of waterfrom the sink about 20 times to wash my hair because the water pressurewas too low in the shower), the water was cold all the time! Extremelyunpleasant staff, didn't help us with anything! Very noisy huge pubjust in front of it, so if your plans are not to get drunk-forget aboutsleep and rest! And the last "present" from the hotel was thebreakfast: 50 min we were waiting for the disgusting food they serve atthe restaurant located 15 mוns walking by very steep road!!!

Review 80：Only location was normal ( 3 min walk to the beach

Review 81：I wouldn't recommand the restaurant, you're not quite sure what kind of bacteria the waiters have (because they have their fingers everywhere on your food, sneeze on it aso....iiikkkk)and all in all it wasn't good.

Review 82：the room itself was really nice, we were in the deluxe top hill, but you have to have a good physical condition :) due to a steep climb to the room :)

Review 83：Breakfast is not good. No bufet, and staff no english. We rentedmoterbike what we thought was from the hotel, and ended up in a scamwhere we had to pay 3000b to get passport back, starting claiming 9000.

Review 84：We liked ban :-)

Review 85：The staff were in a word- relaxed. We checked in and the girl helping us didn't seem to care. She then forgot to give us our key but gave us a look of "what are you still doing here". It smelt a bit like sewerage around the hotel and it was not really very clean. Overall it was very expensive for what we got, compared to other hotels in Thailand.

Review 86：The hotel was in a good location and offered good diving packages

Review 87：DO NOT rent a motorbike at the Laundry/Motorbike rental facility on the way from the main Ban's hotel to the newer rooms. They will absolutely SCAM you. The first room smelled like mildew and had exposed wires. We moved to the 'newer' rooms which was far off the Ban's complex.

Review 88：The newer rooms were clean, beds were comfortables, and the A/C worked well. The balcony was great with a nice view of sunset. The breakfast buffet and restaurant Dawaran was pleasant.

Review 89：Did not care for the loose fittings in our room which let in wildlife. Staff also lacked enthusiasm in anything, particularly their customers. Did the beginners diving course which was good but could have done with more qualified instructors.

Review 90：We stayed in a hilltop villa and the view was amazing. Room was comfortable.

Review 91：Breakfast was awful, complaint at reception was just ignored . The carge 3% extra for the use of credit card. Staff at the reception was unfriendly.

Review 92：Hilltop rooms has great sea view and are in good condition. Hotel park is fabulous.

Review 93：There should offer more information about what is going on in Koh Tao atthe hotel. There are plenty of other things happening in the island butthey werent too forthcoming about information, unless it was divingrelated. Also as they want to promote their own restaurants, they dontmention any other hiddent gems on the island- information that usuallythe reception would offer up

Review 94：We really liked the general feel and vibe of the hotel. It is relaxedbut definitely has more of a luxuripus element to it. The staff are muchmore helpful than most other hotels and have very good command ofEnglish. The two hotel restauants did not offer amazing food but didhave a nice atmosphere to them. The general clientele is nice, not tooboisterous as most people are there to dive but at the same time itgenerally is a quite youthful and active clintele

Review 95：we stayed in the hilltop villas and the were fantastic. All the facilities in bans are top class and the staff are great. We did the diving which was brilliant and the instructors were amazing.

Review 96：- The pools are always filled with divers, which I suppose you can expect from a dive school, but seeing they also advertise for non- divers they should have better/more facilities for those who just want to swim- food isn't al that great - taxi's from the hotel itself are way more expensive than those from other hotels or private taxi's - some rooms are way uphill, so if you're not that fit I wouldn't recommend it - only hotel in Thailand where I've stayed (and I've stayed at a lot) where the WiFi isn't free

Review 97：+ Located in a good area

Review 98：Lots of noise from construction of new building in the Resort, noisydorm rooms so if u want peace book an upper hill bungalow or otherhotel. The hotel has 2 Outdoor pools which are usually used for divinglessons so its not too relaxing.

Review 99：The garden, flexible staff

Review 100：Internet and breakfast not included, surcharge for payment with creditcard. Staff at Reception not friendly. Diving program tailored tobegineers, and swimming pool always used for trainings. The beach isvery small (I would say not existing!) And nothing special. Diving Staffallows guests with dive master licence to lead the fun dive, which Ifound not very professional, especially because the dive master was not"customer oriented" at all.

Review 101：Room was very nice, with nice terrace and garden view. Darawanrestaurant is super (but not cheap compared to Thai standards).

Review 102：We were deeply disappointed because this resort is absolutely a rip-off.First the room did not look like the room on the foto. It was quitesmall, and there was no mosquito net. Plus we missed the "livingroom" that was described. After we had complained we got a freeupgrate, but our new room was still quite small (no living-room). It wasclean, had a balkony but was still rather "simple". We used tohave far more luxury for the same price before in Thailand. Also, it wasnot for sure that the room was made up every day - you had to tell thereception in advance. The staff was very unpersonal and unfriendly.After we had complained about the room at the reception, the staff usedto be even more unfriendly. One evening we went there to get informationabout diving and the staff started to say something in Thai and laughedat us. Other points that annoyed us: 1. the pool was quite dirty andreserved for diving courses. Noone would have liked to hang aroundthere. There was a second pool for "normal" use, which wasacross the street, it took 10 min by walk through the hot sun to getthere and this swimmingpool was even smaller. What else? The resort islocated at the beach but there are no sunloungers so you have no realadvantage of the location. We had to walk all along the beach to findsome loungers of other hotels. Moreover we could hardly find sleep,because there was loud music till the early morning ( often even badlive music which made me first think it was karaoke) .This place was ment to be a wonderful end of our trip to Asia. What a bummer!

Review 103：Location at Sairee Beach

Review 104：The hotel overcharged me. We found out from other divers and instructorsthat they had discounts for people who take diving lessons. When I askedfor the discounts, they wouldn't bother. Ban's management didnot leave a good impression for me.The facility was not clean and it was poorly lit. AC and TV weren't working. If I had gotten the discounts, maybe it would have justified for the conditions. However, we paid premium rates and got the short end of the stick. Do Not Stay at the Hilltop Villa, it's too far away from the beach and it's a ridiculous hike.

Review 105：Becky, my diving instructor, was amazing. She was funny, charming, andgood at teaching. I got my open water and advance open watercertification from her.Koh Tao is a beautiful island and it has beautiful beaches.

Review 106：rather expensive

Review 107：diving school great, nice teachers, great location, beautiful island and diving spots, internet partly free, lot of things to do around

Review 108：The food in the restaurant on the beach could be better, but the dinner in the Darawan was great

Review 109：We stayed in one of the newly built villas and it was really amazing. Fantastic room with a great shower. Bans is a lovely resort in the heart of Koh Tao and I would very highly recommend staying there!

Review 110：Our rooms were close to the beach which was good but very noisy in theevenings. The reception manager was a bit of a cow, she could havesmiled more often. When we checked out she didn't even make eyecontact let alone say thank you, miserable bee-arch. Also not great thatbuilding work is currently in progress.

Review 111：The pools and surrounding area were not very clean. The lighting was very poor at night in the hill view rooms.

Review 112：Room was spacious and comfortable.

Review 113：Great friendly staff, really enjoyed the try dive, so much so we're already looking at coming back to do our open water next yeart

Review 114：the bathroom was gross

Review 115：Great location, cool hotel, nice restaurant.

Review 116：Nothing.

Review 117：Everything The diving school is good too.

Review 118：Location Food Views from room

Review 119：Overpriced and the hotel mediocre

Review 120：Good location and the diving crew is wonderful. So it's comfortable to dive at the same place you host

Review 121：Very Veyr small rooms, totally over-priced.. doesn't worth the money. awfull service.

Review 122：Location, and that's it.

Review 123：Great location Stunning view from hilltop room Good Bar/Restaurant

Review 124：Without diving, too expensive.

Review 125：Clean, tidy, nice rooms. View was excellent.

Review 126：staff and location

Review 127：Staff unfriendly Too expensive for what you get Beds not comfortable

Review 128：Centrally located Rooms are clean

Review 129：Go the other side of the road if you want some sleep. Music blaring till 3am from the beach bar. More suitable for a younger clientele

Review 130：Quite packed, little beach ( narrow and short, no space for lying down), restaurant is average, diving school for masses

Review 131：Nice rooms, good location

The Fine Print

Please note that an extra fee will be added when guests pay by credit card.