Originally Posted by
milelion
Recently stayed here for the third time (but 1st time post-covid).
Here's my tl;dr for those who have visited before
- Occupancy was at 20% when I stayed in late January 2022, but the staff mentioned the resort was close to full in December 2021 before the Thai government pulled the rug on Test & Go. They expect things to pick up again in February and March, even more when the silly Day 5 test requirement is removed
- COVID has taken a visible toll on the resort in some places. While the 1, 2 and 3-series villas are in good condition, several of the Residences have fallen into disrepair, with empty pools, construction debris and overgrown greenery. This may be contributing to a mosquito problem, which wasn't rampant, but definitely noticeable in some areas
- Some of the fun touches have been eliminated, like personalised bathrobes and slippers, or free neck and shoulder massages at breakfast
- Gold and Diamond members no longer get freebies like drinks coupons and the welcome lucky dip (where you could win things like complimentary spa treatment vouchers). They do enjoy 25% off F&B, but that's courtesy of Hilton's Dine Like a Member promo
- Cost of spa treatments has fallen dramatically. A 60-minute body massage is now THB 1,400, versus THB 3,500 in 2018
- The gym has been relocated from the swimming pool area to the breakfast area, and the resulting facility is state-of-the-art
- The quality of F&B has improved tremendously, with the hotel now running its own farm (called Iris) and taking "farm-to-table" very seriously. They roast their own coffee, smoke their own salmon, rear their own chickens, grow their own fruits, churn their own butter...I could go on and on
- Existing F&B concepts have been reinvented. Jahn operates as a private dining only venue, there's a reimagined Santorini-style pool restaurant called Azure, and Zest's menu is no longer a confused hodgepodge of Western and Asian dishes, focusing instead on Thai food. Cocktails at Ko Lounge are inspired.
- Iris Farm is a must-visit, especially for those raised in cities who have no idea where their food comes from
- The beachfront seating area has been upgraded, now with power outlets and USB ports
- The resort now has its own jet ski, and the staff will happily offer you a 5-minute free trial
- There's technically a THB 120 charge for drinking water at restaurants, but enforcement is lax. The staff would often pour ice water for free and not charge us anything
- There was no requirement to wear masks when outdoors, though everyone wore masks when approaching the buffet line
- Some beloved eating places in the vicinity like Green Talay have closed down
Have written a full review, but not allowed to post links until I hit 5 posts. Feel free to ask me any questions about the Conrad USM experience post-COVID.
Thanks so much for this. We were last there in Jan 2020 when we stayed for the first time and loved it just before Covid kicked off (although the mosquitoes were there then as well). We were supposed to return last year but that didn’t happen for obvious reasons although we’re back in a few weeks. I just came on here to ask if anyone has stayed recently and saw your post which answers all of my questions. Great to know the F&B is even better although it was still very good back then. I really liked Azure - they did the best steak and chips! I guess it’s not on the menu any more. What’s the Dine Like a Member deal if you don’t mind my asking - I tried to find details but was a bit confused by the limited info I could find with one article suggesting it’s best for solo travellers and groups of 4. There will be 2 of us and we’re Diamond - is it automatic or do we have to register somewhere?