Laguna Beach Club Resort

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside Dutch and Thai, so you can deal with the useful things without resorting to semaphore. Laguna Beach Club Resort is a 36-unit beachfront resort built around a mix of rooms, bungalows and larger suites, with enough variety to suit a couple who wants a simple base as well as a family who needs room to spread out.

The setting does the heavy lifting. You have direct access to Klong Dao's white-sand beach, a pool at the centre of the resort and a beach bar facing the sea. This is the sort of place where the important decisions are whether to sit by the water or by the pool, and whether the next drink should be a coffee, a cold beer or a Laguna cocktail.

You are in Ko Lanta, Thailand, directly on Klong Dao Beach. The sand is at the resort's edge, with sun loungers provided for beach time that requires no logistics at all. Kaw Kwang Beach is about 0.8 miles away, Long Beach about 3 miles away and Relax Bay Beach about 5 miles away.

Saladan is about 2 miles away, giving you access to the island's main local centre without putting you in the middle of it. You can reach restaurants along Klong Dao on foot: Bambies is about 450 feet away, Barracuda Beach Bar & Restaurant about 1,550 feet away and Jameji Restaurant about 1,950 feet away. Krabi International Airport is about 45 miles away by road, with the journey taking around 1 hour 28 minutes by car.

The choice is less about finding a room with a bed and more about deciding how much space and scenery you want around that bed. The Deluxe Room or a Deluxe Bungalow keeps things straightforward for two, while the garden-view versions give you a little more of the resort surroundings. A super-king bed is available in the Deluxe Room, which is a sensible detail when your legs have done enough work for one day.

For a family, the Deluxe Family Room and Family Bungalow accommodate a child alongside a super-king bed and a single bed. The larger Family Suite - Beach Front, Family Suite with Pool View and Family Room with Garden View offer more room to divide sleeping and sitting time. The beach-front family option is the one to look at when stepping straight towards the sand matters more than keeping the room close to the pool.

At the top end, the two penthouse options provide ocean or mountain views and a much larger layout. The Penthouse Suite with Ocean View is the natural choice for a couple who wants the view to do some of the evening entertainment. Across the accommodation, air conditioning, a fan, refrigerator, minibar, tea and coffee-making facilities, private bathroom and free WiFi cover the useful basics. Balconies or terraces are available, depending on the unit, and daily housekeeping means you can leave the day's salt and sand outside the room rather than making a project of it.

There are two bars, each with a different job. Laguna Beach Bar sits opposite the resort near the beach, serving freshly ground coffee, fresh baguettes, juices, cold beers and Laguna cocktails. It also serves light meals from 7.30am to 8.30pm, so an early start or a late return can be handled with sandwiches, burgers, salads, chips and spring rolls rather than a hunt for civilisation.

The breakfast set is not included with the room, but it is available from 7.30am. Expect eggs, ham or bacon, toast, coffee or tea, orange juice and fruit, with baguettes, ciabattas and sandwiches also available. That early opening suits dive days rather better than a leisurely brunch that starts when the first boat is already halfway to the reef.

Laguna Pool Bar keeps drinks, snacks and light meals close to the water, with the option of ordering while you are in the pool. For a fuller meal, you can walk to the Thai and international restaurants along Klong Dao Beach. The resort gives you the easy option; the beach gives you more choice when you want to eat properly.

The 34-metre outdoor pool sits in the middle of the resort, surrounded by rooms, bungalows and penthouses. It has a pool bar, a jacuzzi and a six-metre waterfall, so you can choose between a proper swim, a soak and the traditional post-water ritual of sitting down with a drink. Sun loungers and a private beach area cover the simpler version of the afternoon.

Massage is available directly by the beach, including Thai massage, oil massage, foot and facial massage, manicures and pedicures. Hair braiding is also offered. It is a useful arrangement when shoulders, feet or the general machinery of the body have lodged a formal complaint.

If sitting still becomes too ambitious, bicycle hire, sea kayaking and canoeing are available. The tour desk arranges trips including snorkelling around Koh Rok, Koh Haa, Koh Phi Phi and the four islands, as well as mangrove and cave kayaking around Koh Talabeng, Koh Phang and Koh Ra Pu Don. Other outings include the hot springs and Crystal Pool, elephant trekking and wildlife observation. Families have access to a children's menu, and children of any age are welcome.

The resort can arrange an airport shuttle on request, including a private transfer. From the ferry pier, tuk-tuks are available for the roughly 2-mile journey to the resort; by road, access involves the ferry from the mainland to Koh Lanta Noi followed by the bridge to Koh Lanta Yai. Detailed directions from Saladan pier are available, and car hire can be arranged at the resort.

Check-in is from 2pm to 8pm, with photo identification and a credit card required. Check-out runs from 7am to 11am. Private check-in and check-out, currency exchange, a tour desk, laundry and daily housekeeping are available, while free private parking is on site and does not require reservation.

Cots and extra beds can be requested, subject to the accommodation selected. The smaller Deluxe rooms and Deluxe Bungalows have specific restrictions on extra beds, so families should match the room choice to the actual sleeping plan before booking. Free WiFi is available throughout the resort, including the rooms.