Koh Samui

The Aloha resort is located at the quieter end of Lamai Beach, but within easy distance (10 to 15 minutes walk) from Beer Bar Central, the main bargirl enclave in Lamai. The swimming pool, immaculate grounds and beach are what sells here. Rooms, especially in the lower categories are a little dated and in need of renovation but are clean, spacious and provided with everything you need. WiFi on the other hand is poor throughout the resort either loosing connection or extremely slow, except for a tiny area in the reception area. There are ample sun loungers around the pool and beach, not too much towel reservation going on. No pool bar though, a little annoying to have to go in the small restaurant each time to ask for a beer. No fault to the staff, which are super sweet and are doing their best although some language difficulties. In the end: Quiet location but not far from the action, nice pool & beachfront area. Accommodations are simple, furniture older but not bad value for the money overall. Have a look below for the pictures of the room and hotel amenities.

The AM Samui Palace really got a lot going for it. 1st, the location offers the best of both world, within a 5 minutes walk you can either have your toes in the sand at the Lamai beachfront or doing some nighttime shenanigan in the company of bargirls at any one of the towns beer bar enclaves (Beer Bar Central or Lamai Central Plaza). 2nd comes the amenities, Once locked inside, the AM Samui Palace feels like a little oasis of peace with well manicured tropical gardens, two beautiful swimming pools, loads of sunbeds and a fantastic swim up bar to chill around during happy hour (2-6pm). 3rd the rooms: Spacious, modern, well furnished and with a big balcony, some even with direct pool access in the newer wing. WiFi throughout the resort works great. Awarded TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence. Would highly recommend this hotel! Have a look below for the pictures of the room and hotel amenities.  

Definitely not one of the cheapest options in Chaweng at over $100/night but if you are looking to splurge a little, this is hands down the best guest friendly property in Koh Samui. Voted “Travellers choice of 2018” on TripdAdvisor, it’s achieved their highest recognition and is rated one of the Top 25 Hotels in Thailand. The main reason for the award at this 4-star hotel is the level of hospitality and attentiveness you get from the staff, nothing is ever too much trouble. From the moment you check into the resort you are treated wonderfully and met with cold towels and a refreshing drink by the lovely reception staff. After a few brief formalities you are escorted to one of the 32 rooms that make up this beautiful, intimate resort and shown around the nicely manicured tropical gardens which feel like an oasis separated from the hustle and bustle of the Chaweng outside. The dipping pool and beach are maximum 2 minutes walk from the furthest room. The rooms are tastefully decorated in traditional Thai style with all the facilities/amenities expected from a top resort. Bed and pillows are super cozy and the rooms are serviced twice a day, […]

The Chaweng Garden Beach Resort is well priced for its location sitting between the main strip, almost directly opposite to the bustling nightlife scene of Soi Green Mango with its load the beer bars/clubs/Go go bars and the turquoise waters of Chaweng beach. Comprised of multiple low rise buildings it is surrounded by beautifully maintained tropical gardens, there are two swimming pools. A newer one with bar which was recently added to the one nearer to the beach. Security is good, guards are posted near the main entrance and will kindly ask for the ladies ID you bring back overnight. Although a little outdated the Superior rooms were clean and well presented, featuring a fairly spacious private balcony with small table and two loungers. Room was relatively quiet for the location, no complaints during my stay, very good AC unit, great Wi-Fi signal, large bathroom with a separate tub and shower and all the needed toiletries. Breakfast is served near the beach, you get to chose from an ample selection of both asian and western buffet spread. At night loungers are swapped for tables by the sea where you can enjoy diner by the beach before going out. The Superior Rooms come […]

The COSI Samui Chaweng Beach a brand new hotel attached to the Samui CentralFestival Mall. Location is very convenient as everything is walking distance from here, in less than five minutes you can have the sand in your toes at Chaweng beach or be enjoying a drink at one of the many beer bars or clubs of Soi Green Mango. The hotel is geared at a 20-30something crowd looking for something cheap, modern and smart. Closest thing that comes to mind would be a hipper version of a Tune Hotel or Ibis. Facilities are limited but include a chill out area above the reception, nice rooftop pool and a little cafe where you can use up your daily 200 Baht complimentary voucher for food and drinks. Rooms are all very small at 18 to 21 sqm, so to be manageable you probably will want to book here only of you spend very limited time inside. Otherwise the design is modern and all the amenities you need are provided: Bed is quite comfortable, not some cheap mattress and pillows, 43-inch Smart flatscreen TV comes with some good channel selection, multiple usb charger points are found for your electronics, some clothes hanging […]

The D Varee Diva Avenue Samui is located just a stone’s throw from Soi Reggae, so if you like to be near the bargirl scene there is plenty of selection just a few steps away. The hotel is split into two separate buildings, the better of the two which hosts the superior and deluxe category rooms has the reception, pool and restaurant. the second, the “residence wing” has the older rooms and gym. Price is very reasonable for what you get but there is nothing really amazing about this hotel. The rooftop pool, which is the main feature is great to have quick dip to cool off but there’s no bar and very limited seating. The superior category are actually quite nice, of decent enough size, bed is average, not exactly hard but could be softer, Led-TV did provide a few good channels to watch, you could see they had fitted a new new air con unit recently and made some renovations. large fridge, decent balcony, electronic safe and the usual coffee/tea making facilities where also present. Wi-Fi was a bit hit and miss especially at peak usage times. Bathroom is of open-glass type with shower, pressure was actually very […]

The Kirikayan is smaller 4-Star Boutique Resort with just a handful of rooms located near the quieter southern end of Chaweng Beach, about a good 20 to 30 minutes walk from the nightlife of Soi Reggae and Green Mango. Amenities include a lovely infinity pool with swim up bar facing the beach and ocean from where wide steps lead down to a beautifully kept beachfront, on one of my favorite patches of sand of the Chaweng strip. I ended up spending most of my days moving back and forth between the loungers on the beach and the ones beside the pool. Room are in Thai style, very comfortable and cosy with lovely gardens on the lower level. Awarded TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence in 2018, the Kirikayan will please those looking for a small and intimate guest friendly resort away from the hustle and bustle of central Chaweng. Have a look below for the pictures of the room and hotel amenities.

The Lamai Bay View Resort stands at the quiet end of Lamai bay in a peaceful location a good half an hour on foot from the beer bars of the Lamai city center, or just only a quick drive by motorbike which can be rented at the property. For those are uncommon with the area, one of the most beautiful strips of sand of the island: Silver beach is only 15 minutes walk away. The property grounds are very inviting, about two dozen individual bungalows are spread in a tropical garden on sloping terrain that ends in a beautiful beach. Bungalows price depend mostly on size, not so much of amenities. Definitely not 5-star but pleasant and well maintained, furnished with all the basics: Big fridge, decent A/C unit, TV set, electronic safe, coffee making facilities and Wifi. The private terraces all offer splendid views. The resort amenities also include a swimming pool, open air restaurant and a small private beach with some sun loungers and hammocks. In the end a great a place for those looking to relax and totally unwind during the daytime, not so much for those who need nightlife and entertainment right at their doorsteps. Have […]

The Manathai Koh Samui is Located at the northern tip of Lamai beach, about a 15-20 minutes walk from the beer bars and nightlife of the Lamai center. The resort is split in two by a road, the main hotel portion of the resort itself is quite beautiful, reminiscent of an old colonial house with a small pool, two restaurants and a pub on site. The main pool and beach club are on the other side, it’s pool is big and the view overlooking the sea is very pleasant, waterline bar next to it is excellent, lots of sun loungers around to sit back and relax. Staff are very polite and friendly, the food here is also quite good although a bit expensive. Beachfront is a little disappointing as it at the top of a cove with rocks, shallow with no direct swimming area at all, for that you will need to walk a further 500 meters further down to find very nice swimming beach. Booked a deluxe room on the ground floor with a private outdoor patio, decently sized at 32 m², bed is super comfy and large, TV reception a little is fuzzy, reasonably priced mini-bar, plenty of power […]

The Marina Beach Resort is an excellent no frills beachfront accommodation, set a bit back from the main road so quiet and relaxing once inside but only 5 minutes walk to the beer bars, wide stretch of beach and sand right on the doorstep, perfect for swimming and sunbathing, deck chairs available as well as free towels, small pool seen better days. Tried the bungalow category, which are not exactly stand-alone but more like a duplex, quite basic and old-fashioned, bed was too firm to my taste, Wifi slow, otherwise rest of the amenities: Air conditioner, TV, safe, bathroom/shower satisfactory. Nice little balcony to pop open a beer, no noise from the bars. Cheaper rooms are also available in the main building but haven’t tried yet. Overall while in the budget category, the resort offers good value for money, the location is top with the beach almost at your front door and the nightlife just 5 minutes walk away. Recommended! Have a look below for the pictures of the room and hotel amenities.

The Pattra Vill is a beautiful resort right at the heart of Lamai, literally right nextdoor to the towns largest concentration of beer bars and nightlife: Beer Bar Central and only a 6 minute walk to the lovely Lamai beach. Situated in a well-maintained, beautiful garden, the highlight is certainly the large and inviting swimming at it’s center, the perfect antidote to a long night out partying. The accommodations, which make up a total of 22 rooms or villas are all very spacious with high ceilings. The smallest room category at the The Pattra Vill Resort starts at 50 m² and come equipped with everything you need: Beautiful finishes, great mattress, linen, and pillows, larger-than-bar-size fridge, flat-screen TV, Reliable and fast WiFi signal, kitchenette, front patio to relax on, etc. If you enjoy partying all night and you want to be staying as close to everything as humanly possible, to after go back and fall into your private little comfort space, then this is definitely the place to be. Maybe a little expensive but if you got the budget, this is wonderful new resort with great accommodations, a big and inviting pool surrounded by a beautiful garden at an unbeatable location […]

The Samui Beach Resort is secluded on the quieter southern of Lamai and is best for those looking for a very relaxed atmosphere away from the crowds. While still within walking distance (15-20 mins) from the main beer bar area just renting out one of their scooters at 200 baht/day would make sense to come and go as you please especially at night. The resort is generally very good value for money year round, definitely not in the high-end category but got all the basics covered for a good stay: Lovely gardens with plenty of places to lounge around, small swimming pool, a restaurant/bar all just a few meters from the beach. The accommodation ranges from older rooms in a two stories building to classic garden bungalows and a more posh deluxe beachfront bungalows category. Personally tried only garden bungalows, no real issues found, kept fairly clean, AC worked perfectly, good bed, flat screen-TV with good reception, mini-bar, maybe the WiFi not too stable, dropping out here and there otherwise no complaints. In the end a great little budget resort at the end of Lamai beach, bit of a walk to town, recommended to have rent a scooter or be ready to […]

The Samui Laguna Resort enjoys a good location on a quiet part of the beach just a 5-10 minutes walk from all the pubs and beer bars of the town center. This part of the beach is fairly large, clean and the sea is good to swim in. Amenities include a nice little swimming pool and a beachfront restaurant offering a generous Happy hour from 12pm to 7pm with plenty of sun loungers around. They offer bungalows near the beach and a cheaper rooms in their main building. The bungalow are a bit old fashioned but fairly large in size at 40 m²/431 ft² with a generous verandas, not luxurious but in the 3-star category, maids do a decent job at keeping the place spotless. Bit disappointed by the old crt type TV and the fact there is no electronic safe in the room, otherwise everything else was of good standard. In this end good value for money, short walking distance from the bars, bungalows close to the beach, pool and bar with long happy hours, what more do you want or need? Have a look below for the pictures of the room and hotel amenities.

The Samui Seabreeze Place Hotel is located in a quieter end of Lamai just a very short, hundred or so meters walk from the beach across the road. Nightlife and Beer Bar Central are also conveniently located only two hundred meters away down the road. Atmosphere is Friendly and chilled, the main building could do with a little TLC here and there but otherwise but the pool area and facilities are in great shape. Rooms themselves are quite small, but clean and functional with all the basic necessities: Mini-bar, proper air-con, electronic safe, older TV set with a decent selection of stations, WiFi, decent enough walk-in shower with hot water and a balcony. Never been bothered by any noise at night from the nightlife area as you could hardly even hear it from the balcony. No restaurant in house, but all you need to do is cross the street to their sister resort, the Sea Breeze Bungalows from where you can enjoy a meal and all their beachfront facilities. In the end a nice little no-frills hotel in a quiet location, close to the beach with a nice little swimming pool. Have a look below for the pictures I have […]

The Seascape Beach Resort is a good option for travellers on a budget looking for a beachfront resort. Located on the quieter southern end of Chaweng Beach, it’s about a 20 to 25 minutes walk from Soi Green Mango, the center of Chaweng’s nightlife. While a little tired in some areas, the Seascape still offers some very decent value for money. Pool is small and in need of an upgrade but the beach was clean and well looked after. The staff were very attentive and always ready to find you some space to fit you with a sun lounger and parasol around the pool or at the beach. Resort has its own restaurant as well as beach bar snacks. Drinks and bar meals always brought to you swiftly on request. Deluxe rooms are clean, bright and spacious with a big balcony overlooking the garden. Amenities include a comfortable king size bed, TV, air-con, free WiFi throughout the resort, all you need really, if I was to be picky I’d say the shower didn’t have much water pressure. No elevator might be a problem for those with mobility issues but the building is only 3 floors high. Free breakfast is sufficient […]

Nested on a steep hill top about a 10 minutes walk from the Lamai viewpoint, the Tropical Sea View Residence is made up of modern studios and apartments offering gorgeous views over Lamai beach. Rooms are large, comfortable and have all the modern amenities you could expect from a private residence, TV’s all the rooms, WiFi, kitchenette, efficient and quiet air con units, ample wardrobe and storage, floor to ceiling glass partitions and large terraces with in a Jacuzzi in case of the deluxe category apartments. Common area only include a swimming pool, staff is polite and very easy going, but do keep in mind these are not serviced private residences so cleaning and change of bed linen/towels only occurs twice a week. Renting out your own transportation vehicle or motor bike is also a necessity as it’s otherwise a harrowing task up and down into town every day. Highly recommended for those looking for private modern residences with magnificent views over Lamai beach from your balcony. Have a look below for the pictures of the room and hotel amenities.