The Stage is the budget offering from the owners of The Chill, located on the opposite side of the main road. And, like it’s far more expensive big brother, the Stage is a well-run, nicely designed resort. It’s only small, with 21 bungalows but boasts two pools. One larger one for laps and a smaller plunge pool for cooling off.
This is a good example of the money you can save by not being beachfront. You get a stylish, aircon bungalow and pool a few minutes walk from shops, bars and restaurants but with much more privacy than a bungalow on the beach and for half the price. Whilst the photos look nice, maintenance seems to be an issue with some rooms needing refurbishing and also the swimming pools are appearing tired now, with tiles needing to be replaced.
As it’s owned by The Chill, you might assume that you can wander through The Chill to get to the beach, but you can’t. So, I’d recommend walking down to the south end of Kai Bae beach where you get a longer, quieter beach to use.
A nice place for friends to stay as the pool area and gardens are popular with guests hanging out and socialising. Good choice if being on the beach isn’t a priority and you don’t need a huge buffet breakfast in the morning.(Breakfast at The Stage is pretty basic).
All in all, an OK place to stay that provides good value for money. However, it does need some refurbishing, so don’t expect pristine rooms.