Lakeview is a wonderful welcoming haven, fifteen minutes from Khao Lak. The bungalows are beautiful, modern, immaculate, and each one an individual style. Most are one level, from a simple but pretty room, to a cottage as big as a small house. Our favorite room was in a tower, up two flights of stairs, but with an incredibly tranquil view of cocoanut palms and quiet meadows with grazing water buffalos, and an occasional elephant. The room is stunningly lovely, simple and unfussy. I think there are about eight or ten bungalows. I think all the rooms have their own fridges.
The restaurant is superb, all the food is prepared by Mon, one of the owners, and is fresh and absolutely delicious, and very reasonably priced. the restaurant is a very pleasant thatched roof pavillion, where guests tend to chat together and it feels like a family. You don't have to socialize, you can have total privacy if you desire, but it is easy to be included if you like.
The other owner, Carl, speaks excellent English, although he is German. and was amazingly helpful to us. He is a huge help for people to find the activities and snorkle and diving trips that are best for them. They absolutely love Americans at this place.
The bungalows are set in a tropical garden, shady and full of banana trees, cocoanut palms and all manner of tropical flowering shrubs. Lakeview is set on the edge of a small lake, sometimes you see Buddhist monks strolling on the other side. The road in ends at Lakeview, and there is no traffic. You do need your own transportation, but they rent very good motorbikes for a very reasonable price. We had a wonderful time exploring on them, and going to some of the waterfalls in the area.
The beach is a fifteen to twenty minute walk, along a nice sandy path through the trees and fields, safe and lovely. The beach is beautiful sand, with only a little local palm thatched restaurant, we had it pretty much to ourselves. You can swim anytime during the day, tides and currents are not a problem. You can walk along the beach for about ten minutes and find chairs, massage, restaurants and all that nice Thai beach stuff.
People go to bed early, by about ten, and it is not a "party place". Party-ers should look elsewhere.
It is best to call Carl on the phone to make a reservation, sometimes the emails don't get there. His English is great in person, but on the phone I noticed I needed to speak slowly and use plain uncomplicated English.
We plan to go back next year.