Akyra Chura Samui, Chaweng

This new hotel offers a great location at the Northern end of Chaweng Beach with a fairly secluded beach, at least for Chaweng standards. It's a nice and quiet location, just at Chaweng city limits but still within easy reach of all the conveniences and hustle and bustle that Chaweng offers.

The hotel offers massage in it's spa's, a garden, a fitness center, and a nice outdoor pool and the beach as already mentioned.

Akyra is Sanskrit and stands for the light or warmth of the sun.

The hotel hosts two restaurants, Barracuda Bra & Grill and Suikin, a Japanese restaurant.

All this at good mid range prices give this hotel a well deserved location on Samui's hotel map and is absolutely worth trying out.

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One Bedroom Suite Sea View

One Bedroom Suite

Grand Deluxe Sea View

Grand Deluxe Suite

Swimming pool

Renaissance Koh Samui Resort & Spa, Lamai

The Renaissance on Koh Samui is part of the Marriott chain and is located on a lovely small land tongue near Lamai. A great location that didn't go unnoticed to a few more big hotels in the same area but each hotel still manages to give it it's own secluded feel.

The hotel has two parts and you need to cross a small road in-between the two buildings. With it's 6 floors, 42 rooms and 35 suites, you can easily find accommodation that suits your budget or convenience level.

The beach is not easily accessible and very rocky, so it may be better to use the hotel pool, the lap pool or the private pools that come with the suites.

It's a great location to relax though and Lamai and Chaweng are both just a short cab ride away.

A good choice for relaxation and a convenient holiday time.

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Koh Samui villa

Beachfront pool villa

Garden view pool villa

One bedroom sea view suite

Swimming pool

Panalee Resort, Bang Po

The brand new Panalee resort in Bang Po is in the modest price range and suits those looking for a quiet location, away from the hustle and bustle.

The resort is located across the road from Bang Po beach, so you have to cross the road in order to get to the beach. 

Facilities near the hotel are fairly scarce although there is a restaurant near by and a little bit down the road are a couple of very good local seafood restuarants.

The 14 villas and 18 rooms are straightforward but with an appealing offer and a nice pool and wireless in the room to make it attractive.

The location is fairly near to Nathon, which is a nice break away from the beach, the busier parts of the island are a lot further away.

Good value for a nice and quiet location on Koh Samui.

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Pool access

Pool view

Deluxe villa

Swimming pool

Exterior

Silavadee Pool Spa Resort, Lamai

During my recent visit to the Silavadee resort in Lamai for the Hawksbill turtle release I took the opportunity to have a view and inspection of the resort and it's facilities.

It's a very nice and impressive resort indeed, with plenty of spacious and green areas to walk around in order to get to the 19 pool villas. There are also 36 Deluxe rooms and a new part of the hotel is being build, as good as out of sight from the current facilities.

The hotel and it's friendly staff will pamper you all day long. You have access to the outstanding 'The Height' restaurant, where besides and excellent breakfast, you can choose between Asian and international dishes for lunch and dinner. The 'Wellness Spa' is also worth a visit.

The resort has also access to an exclusive beach in a small bay, which you reach over a wooden bridge like walk way, build over the spectacular rock formations surrounding the hotel premises.

Much thought has been given on how to keep the native landscape can be retained, with great success, allowing the 'back to nature' concept to show it's beauty.

The name Silavadee means 'beautiful rock' in Thai, as it's located on Laem Nan Beach, near Lamai.

An exclusive and luxury retreat or hide away, it's all to be enjoyed at the Silavadee pool Spa Resort

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Ocean view pool villa

Ocean view pool villa

Ocean view pool villa

Ocean view pool villa suite

Secret beach view

Akaryn, Choengmon

Akaryn, Choengmon

We're back in the life of luxury and with the Akaryn you will be in good hands. As the hotel calls it " We call it intuitive luxury. It means we know what you want, almost before you do. It means the freedom to indulge indulgence, restore wellness, explore romance and embrace nature. It means service that need not shout its name, and ‘wow factor’ in lower case."

The location in Hanuman Bay, in Choengmon, is perfectly chosen since it's a very secluded bay with only the Akaryn and the beach has a 70 meter sand bottom area surrounded by spectacular granite headlands. Seclusion is your to enjoy!

The 52 stand-alone suites and villas offer all that can be expected on tropical modern, full of light and space, graced with private pools and mature gardens, pointed towards the turquoise arc of the bay. Wifi is available throughout the resort but was that even a doubt at all?

The prices are accordingly but currently they run an amazing special deal. Enjoy this secluded enclave to the fullest and get some class A relaxation and rest.

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Pool suite sea view

Pool villa interior

1 & 2 bedroom pool villa

Swimming pool

Exterior

Melati Beach Resort, Choengmon

We're moving into the higher end of the luxury resorts with the Melati Resort. The bungalows, all 77 of them, including a remarkable presidential villa with around 250 square meters of space, are in the higher price segment but with that come all mod cons! There are also two restaurants on the premises in case you get hungry.

More than 70% of all rooms have a private pool and if that isn't enough, the resort is located at a private beach, hidden away in a Thongson Bay.

The architecture of the Melati has elements of traditional Southern Thai styles incorporating important parts of feng shui combined with modern day chic, thus creating a perfect harmony to pampering for guests at every level. A truelly 5 star experience indeed.

Located just 10 minutes away from Samui airport and about 15 minutes to the hustle and bustle of Chaweng.

Looking for luxury and a high pampering level, the Melati should be on your short list!

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Grande Deluxe room

Guest room

Pool villa

Swimming pool

Exterior

New Star Beach Resort, Chaweng

Located at Chaweng Noi, the New Star Resort is located near the noise and hustle and bustle of Chaweng, but a few minutes away, on it's own private beach in a quiet location!

The entrance is small and narrow but very impressing, you drive through a tunnel of plants and that's just the beginning.

Once you reached the reception area, it's all relaxed and tranquil, that's where the resort opens up and you'll be surprised how spacious the resort actually is. The staff is truly friendly and efficient and all 74 rooms are equipped with all you need and come with free wifi and you just immediately feel at home, away from home.

There are two restaurants, Lime for delectable international gastronomy and exotic local fare and Chill overlooking the pool and the beautiful stretch of beach in front of the hotel with clean water.

The resort has been in the same local Samui family since 25 years but a big renovation was had 6 years ago and 5 years ago the current version of the New Star Beach Resort came to live.

Weddings are also very popular at the resort.

The resort is in the medium price range bracket and the reviews are overwhelmingly positive wherever you look. I can only highly recommend the New Star Beach Resort and I'm sure you will enjoy it the minute you arrive.

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Suite villa

Palm room

Ocean view pool villa

View from the reception

Beach time!

Grand Sea View Resotel, Nathon

Grand Sea View Resotel, Nathon

With less than a kilometer away from the two major piers in town, the Grand Sea View Resotel in Nathon is a great option if you need to catch an early ferry to the mainland.

The hotel is located right on the beach and you can enjoy the most beautiful sunsets from their swimming pool. They can be spectacular. The resort boasts 20 city view rooms and 26 sea view rooms. Even though Nathon is the principal town of Koh Samui, it still has a laid back Thai country side atmosphere and has that 'original' Samui atmosphere that may be harder to find in the tourist areas of the island.

The hotel has a 'private' beach and the rooms aren't the luxury kind you find in the tourist hot spots but rather Thai country side or small town style, clean but basic. I like the style and feel of these hotels, it's a little trip back in time sometimes.

Need to get that early ferry or want a non touristic feel on Samui, the Grand Sea View may provide all this.

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Sea view suite

Superior

Deluxe sea view

Pool

Hotel exterior

The Scent Hotel, Bophud

The Scent Hotel, Bophud

The Scent is another great addition to the 'boutique' hotels popping up all over the island. It's relatively small with just 13 rooms but the whole hotel is styled to reflect the colonial style of the 1940's and 1950's to the smallest of details.

The rooms are decorated in a local, Western of Chinese style with all the convenience of the 21st century.

The Scent Hotel brand began in a small shop in Bangkok which sold scents created from ancient recipes in China. Karmakamet became known for having the best quality aromatic products in the whole of Thailand.

Located in the middle between Bophud and Bang Rak, on Koh Samui's North Eastern coast, you have the best of both villages within a short distance. Besides the great 'Le Jaroen' restaurant on the premises, both villages offer plenty of other top notch restaurants and shopping options. The airport is also not too far away, just under 10 minutes.

A beautiful location, quiet, near two lovely island villages, beautiful rooms, what else can you ask for?

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Balcony

See breeze suite

See front suite

Swimming pool

Beach

Hi Coral Cove Bungalow, Lamai

Hi Coral Cove Bungalow, Lamai

This time around a review of a long standing, 2 star place on Koh Samui, The Hi Coral Cove Bungalows ares actually located between Chaweng and Lamai, about a kilometer or two each side.

The location is really nice if you're looking for a splendid, quiet sea view, but other than that there's not much going on around the resort. You will need wheels to get to Chaweng or Lamai.

The rooms are very basic and are almost as time stood still, TV's with only Thai channels, aircon that doesn't always work and rooms that may have a tobacco smell. Budget travelling comes ti mind. Out of season the rooms are really nicely prices, well under a 1,000.-THB per night, in season I would find the rooms overpriced.

In need of cheap, budget accommodation, this might be the place.

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Standard bungalow

Standard bungalow balcony

Bungalows

Swimming pool

View on the hilly location