Thanks both.

Kids are 1 and 3. Budget is up to 10-12k THB a night. We absolutely don't want a pool villa (i.e. where you have a private pool on the deck).

I think a hotel may be better (rather than a private villa) as we will only be there for 4 nights and arrive late on the first night.

I have been to Samui before, but that was in 2004 before the kids showed up so requirements were somewhat different. We probably would have stayed at the boathouse had it not been for the building work.

Oh and for what it's worth, I am a fan of tripadvisor - at least the hotels don't seem to have the ability to get the negative reviews removed, unlike I think it was travelocity...