My wife and I are frequent visitors to Thailand and stayed at Mandalai for a week in late August 2008. We prefer smaller places in areas that don't feel too touristed however aren't hippie backpacker venues, and that's what we found at Mandalai. We booked one if the rooms facing the ocean, the room ....
The water drip from the ceiling in the bathroom was annoying to say the least. This happened on the two nights I stayed. I had to get up early to ask for a bucket and extra towel to mop up the water drip which was messing up the whole bathroom.
Otherwise, the staff was very helpful and cooperativ....