[ARCHIVE to 2017] Conrad Koh Samui {THA}
Mar 7, 2014, 10:41 am
#1246
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: WAS
Programs: AA PLT, Honors Diamond, Global Entry
Posts: 477
I just checked the Hilton website for Monday 3/11 and Tuesday 3/12 - both nights are available for ฿4,665 + 32,000 HHonors Points per night. I booked two rooms at this rate for the same night earlier in the week. After ฿866 in taxes and service charges, it comes to $171 plus 32k points, which nets 2.07 cents per point at the ฿26,000 currently prevailing rate per night. This has to be one of the best HHonors redemptions in the system at the moment.
Mar 7, 2014, 1:16 pm
#1247
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: IAH
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt/Hilton Diamond, Marriott/SPG Gold, Hertz Prez
Posts: 162
Ok, I'm seeing 38,000 points + $192 on some dates. Is November typically a nice time of year on Koh Samui?
Mar 7, 2014, 5:24 pm
#1248
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Houston
Programs: UA Million Miler; UA-1K; Hilton Lifetime Diamond; Marriott Lifetime Platinum; SPG Platinum
Posts: 49
Mar 7, 2014, 5:34 pm
#1249
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
www.kohsamui.org/weather
The Rainy Season / September - November
................ Also known as the monsoon season. It's still hot and normally there are many sunny days in the monsoon period. On some days you might find yourself in a refreshing monsoon shower for a moment. The rain showers are often short and as these island's water supplies are finite, the rain is needed and important.
Samui Weather Statistics
Temperatures in Celsius. These are average values:
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Max. temp 31 32 33 33 31 31 31 31 30 31 31 31
Min. temp 23 23 24 25 25 25 25 24 24 24 24 24
Water temp 26 27 27 28 28 28 28 28 28 27 27 27
Sun hours 280 258 237 231 215 162 108 138 128 176 231 290
Rain mm 38 8 12 62 186 113 143 123 210 260 302 98
Last edited by scubaccr; Mar 7, 2014 at 5:43 pm
Mar 21, 2014, 3:36 am
#1250
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Germany
Programs: HHonors Diamond
Posts: 7
Arrived at CKS today. Will be staying through Thursday (27th). Any others users here as well?
Mar 26, 2014, 9:40 pm
#1251
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 5,001
Great Wiki you created.^
We are here now.
PM if you would like to meet.
zt
Tesco in Lamai did have Schweppes tonic water and Bombay Sapphire, which IME, are difficult to find in the smaller stores.
Mar 27, 2014, 2:28 am
#1252
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Germany
Programs: HHonors Diamond
Posts: 7
Sorry, didn't read your post until now. We're just about to leave. Have fun here.
Will post trip report in the upcoming weeks.
Will post trip report in the upcoming weeks.
Mar 27, 2014, 12:43 pm
#1253
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: LH SEN, FB Plat., HH D.
Posts: 5,050
as I mentioned a few months ago in this thread, on the way from the airport we stopped at many stores, including Tesco, and we could not find Schweppes Tonic water. We found it eventually at the store next to the Green Talay.
Enjoy this great hotel.
Mar 30, 2014, 11:18 am
#1254
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,338
Long Trip Report
Five flights and countless hours later, we arrived in Paradise. It was well worth the time and effort. Much has been written about the gorgeous views and the stunning villas, so I will focus on some other aspects of this resort.
Breakfast at Zest:
We arrived at the Conrad Koh Samui before 9:00 a.m. Since we had not notified the hotel of our early arrival, our villa was not ready. The receptionist suggested that we go to Zest for breakfast. The breakfast buffet offers a variety of Western and Asian dishes, plus an omelet station. In addition, one could order egg dishes off the menu. That first morning, I ordered a delicious Thai Eggs Benedict. My favorite breakfast item was the noodle station with glass noodles, minced chicken, pork slices, and vegetables. There are some bowls already prepared with all the ingredients and one simply adds broth and condiments. However, I always prepared my own bowl with my preferred quantity of each item.
Aside for breakfast and the cooking class (more on that later), we did not have any other meals at Zest. Do ask if you don’t see something on the menu or the buffet. If available, the staff will bring it. I had a daily fresh coconut juice and Thai iced tea. Later when I developed a cold, I switched to ginger tea. The Zest staff gladly prepared a box of sliced ginger, lemon wedges, and honey so that I could make ginger tea throughout the day in our villa, which comes with a coffee maker and a hot water heater.
Cooking Class at Zest:
The class occurs daily from 3:00 to 5:00. At booking, we selected one item from each of three categories. We chose a spicy minced chicken salad, a pad Thai, and a curried duck dish. The kitchen staff chopped and assembled each ingredient in advance. All we had to do was throw the ingredients into the pot in the proper sequence. This is definitely a low effort cooking class and I loved it. After all, who wants to cook while on holidays?
After the first two dishes, the chef asked if we wanted to eat before preparing the third dish. We opted to eat. We managed to finish the pad Thai. Since we had no room for the chicken salad and the curried duck, the restaurant staff offered to refrigerate the dishes for us. That night, they delivered the chicken salad to our villa. The following night, they delivered the curried duck. At 2,500 Baht per person, the cooking class was a real bargain because we got three meals out of our efforts. Plus, we got to keep our apron as a souvenir.
Tasting Menu at Jahn:
We had the tasting menu on our last night. At booking, I had mentioned that I wasn’t fond of raw oysters. The restaurant had no problem providing us with a substitute starter. Each dish was well presented and tasty. Service was good and low key. I had worried about the “formal attire” requirement for Jahn, but the hotel said that it was meant to keep out bathing suits, T-shirts, and shorts. Business casual attire was completely appropriate for dinner. As it was our last night, the staff decorated the final dish of petit fours with “Have a Safe Trip” – a very nice touch.
Truffle Dinner at The Cellar:
This dinner was advertised as a Thursday event. We were leaving Thursday morning and I mentioned to Simon, the Director of Operations, that I was sorry to miss this dinner. Not a problem. Simon immediately made a phone call and arranged the dinner for us on a Tuesday night. (Hint: Ask and you will be pleasantly surprised.)
The Cellar is on the cool side and I was glad I brought a light jacket. The Cellar is a small room with bottles of wine on all four walls. As it was a Truffle dinner, every course included truffles. The ceviche of scallops was excellent; however, my favorite course was the artichoke and truffle soup. The risotto with truffles was a bit too al dente. Risotto is difficult to prepare well and The Cellar might consider replacing it with a linguine with truffles – much easier to prepare.
The main course was tournedos with a huge piece of foie gras. The foie gras was excellently prepared, but I found the Madeira sauce on the tournedos to be overwhelming. Others might want to request the sauce on the side. And for once, I was unable to finish dessert, which was followed by a plate of chocolates.
The Cellar dinner was our favorite meal. The setting was an intimate table for six, but we were the only guests. Cha, the sommelier, was an excellent server. She left us alone while we ate, but was available whenever we had a question. At over $100 per person without drinks, I would still rate it a bargain meal for the quality. If you can afford one special meal, The Cellar dinner would be the recommended one. The personalized menu (i.e. with our names) makes for another nice souvenir.
Daily Happy Hour:
Happy Hour takes place at either Azure, the pool bar, or at the Lobby Bar next to Zest. Drinks are “buy one, get one free” during a two-hour period (4:00 to 6:00 at Azure and 5:00 to 7:00 at the Lobby Bar.) In addition to beer, there is a limited choice of cocktails. I much prefer the drinks offered at the Lobby Bar.
At Azure, we had to order two of the exact same drinks to get the second one free. At the Lobby Bar, we simply paid the price of the more expensive of the two different drinks. As I developed a cold halfway through our stay, I enjoyed the Ginger Prosecco – very strong and spicy. I also liked the Vodka watermelon granite, which was very soothing on my throat.
Spa Treatments:
The spa offers specials and I took advantage of the “get the second massage for 50%.” I had a 90-minute massage on arrival day and had the second one two days later. I had the same masseuse the second time because “she already knows your preferences.” I was also in the same treatment room both times – a lovely view with two beds so that couples could get massages at the same time. Each time I requested coconut oil instead of one of the scented massage oils - heavenly and I am now addicted to the lovely smell. Each treatment room includes its own shower and steam room. I spent about 30 minutes in the steam room after my second massage and never felt pressured to vacate the room.
Mosquitos, Ants, and Buggies:
I am allergic to mosquitos and am happy to report that I did not get a single mosquito bite at this resort. I don’t know if the lack of bites is due to the hotel’s spraying process or pure luck.
We encountered very few ants. At arrival, we requested that the hotel empty the mini-bar fridge. The hotel had provided us with a plate of mangos, which we stored in the fridge to prevent ants. After eating each mango, we put the peels in a plastic bag and stored the bag in the fridge until we could dispose of it. If other guests did the same thing, they could avoid ants, also.
The hotel was aware of my love of macarons. Turndown service includes a bag of cookies from the hotel kitchen. I always got a bag of macarons instead and I would put them in the fridge if I didn’t eat them that night. One night I got a plate of macarons covered with plastic wrap. I didn’t put the plate in the fridge and the next morning the ants had gotten through the plastic wrapping. What a waste of delicious macarons! Lesson learned - put all food in the fridge.
The buggies (nothing to do with bugs!) always arrived promptly, usually within five minutes of our call. The driver would ring the doorbell upon arrival. If we had inadvertently left the “do not disturb” light on, the hotel would call to say the buggy was outside our door. With 52 buggies, the service is highly efficient.
Misc.
This hotel is popular with honeymooners and the hotel sprinkles rose petals in a heart-shape on the bed for them. At arrival, I was delighted to see the hotel had spelled out the word “WELCOME” with rose petals for this old married couple.
We did not meet Stefano, the GM, who was away on business. He asked Simon to take care of us, and Simon did an excellent job. My husband delighted in torturing Simon with minor complaints, but Simon always followed through with a smile. In fact, his youthful exuberance is contagious For example, one day my husband decided that the recessed ceiling light was not at the proper angle for reading while sitting on the sofa. Two workmen arrived within five minutes to re-set the light.
The hotel is in an isolated location. However, it offers several activities. The spa has a few complimentary DIY events that I, unfortunately, did not take advantage of. The fitness center offers early morning yoga and Thai boxing classes and mid-afternoon core workout sessions. I only took advantage of a Thai boxing class one morning and wished I had exercised more.
Do ask to see the two-bedroom and the three-bedroom villas. I am already saving my pennies so that I can book a three-bedroom next time.
Finally, do not miss turndown service on your last night. That is when you get your souvenir turtle. This resort is truly perfection in every aspect. All that is missing is a rubber ducky! : )
Breakfast at Zest:
We arrived at the Conrad Koh Samui before 9:00 a.m. Since we had not notified the hotel of our early arrival, our villa was not ready. The receptionist suggested that we go to Zest for breakfast. The breakfast buffet offers a variety of Western and Asian dishes, plus an omelet station. In addition, one could order egg dishes off the menu. That first morning, I ordered a delicious Thai Eggs Benedict. My favorite breakfast item was the noodle station with glass noodles, minced chicken, pork slices, and vegetables. There are some bowls already prepared with all the ingredients and one simply adds broth and condiments. However, I always prepared my own bowl with my preferred quantity of each item.
Aside for breakfast and the cooking class (more on that later), we did not have any other meals at Zest. Do ask if you don’t see something on the menu or the buffet. If available, the staff will bring it. I had a daily fresh coconut juice and Thai iced tea. Later when I developed a cold, I switched to ginger tea. The Zest staff gladly prepared a box of sliced ginger, lemon wedges, and honey so that I could make ginger tea throughout the day in our villa, which comes with a coffee maker and a hot water heater.
Cooking Class at Zest:
The class occurs daily from 3:00 to 5:00. At booking, we selected one item from each of three categories. We chose a spicy minced chicken salad, a pad Thai, and a curried duck dish. The kitchen staff chopped and assembled each ingredient in advance. All we had to do was throw the ingredients into the pot in the proper sequence. This is definitely a low effort cooking class and I loved it. After all, who wants to cook while on holidays?
After the first two dishes, the chef asked if we wanted to eat before preparing the third dish. We opted to eat. We managed to finish the pad Thai. Since we had no room for the chicken salad and the curried duck, the restaurant staff offered to refrigerate the dishes for us. That night, they delivered the chicken salad to our villa. The following night, they delivered the curried duck. At 2,500 Baht per person, the cooking class was a real bargain because we got three meals out of our efforts. Plus, we got to keep our apron as a souvenir.
Tasting Menu at Jahn:
We had the tasting menu on our last night. At booking, I had mentioned that I wasn’t fond of raw oysters. The restaurant had no problem providing us with a substitute starter. Each dish was well presented and tasty. Service was good and low key. I had worried about the “formal attire” requirement for Jahn, but the hotel said that it was meant to keep out bathing suits, T-shirts, and shorts. Business casual attire was completely appropriate for dinner. As it was our last night, the staff decorated the final dish of petit fours with “Have a Safe Trip” – a very nice touch.
Truffle Dinner at The Cellar:
This dinner was advertised as a Thursday event. We were leaving Thursday morning and I mentioned to Simon, the Director of Operations, that I was sorry to miss this dinner. Not a problem. Simon immediately made a phone call and arranged the dinner for us on a Tuesday night. (Hint: Ask and you will be pleasantly surprised.)
The Cellar is on the cool side and I was glad I brought a light jacket. The Cellar is a small room with bottles of wine on all four walls. As it was a Truffle dinner, every course included truffles. The ceviche of scallops was excellent; however, my favorite course was the artichoke and truffle soup. The risotto with truffles was a bit too al dente. Risotto is difficult to prepare well and The Cellar might consider replacing it with a linguine with truffles – much easier to prepare.
The main course was tournedos with a huge piece of foie gras. The foie gras was excellently prepared, but I found the Madeira sauce on the tournedos to be overwhelming. Others might want to request the sauce on the side. And for once, I was unable to finish dessert, which was followed by a plate of chocolates.
The Cellar dinner was our favorite meal. The setting was an intimate table for six, but we were the only guests. Cha, the sommelier, was an excellent server. She left us alone while we ate, but was available whenever we had a question. At over $100 per person without drinks, I would still rate it a bargain meal for the quality. If you can afford one special meal, The Cellar dinner would be the recommended one. The personalized menu (i.e. with our names) makes for another nice souvenir.
Daily Happy Hour:
Happy Hour takes place at either Azure, the pool bar, or at the Lobby Bar next to Zest. Drinks are “buy one, get one free” during a two-hour period (4:00 to 6:00 at Azure and 5:00 to 7:00 at the Lobby Bar.) In addition to beer, there is a limited choice of cocktails. I much prefer the drinks offered at the Lobby Bar.
At Azure, we had to order two of the exact same drinks to get the second one free. At the Lobby Bar, we simply paid the price of the more expensive of the two different drinks. As I developed a cold halfway through our stay, I enjoyed the Ginger Prosecco – very strong and spicy. I also liked the Vodka watermelon granite, which was very soothing on my throat.
Spa Treatments:
The spa offers specials and I took advantage of the “get the second massage for 50%.” I had a 90-minute massage on arrival day and had the second one two days later. I had the same masseuse the second time because “she already knows your preferences.” I was also in the same treatment room both times – a lovely view with two beds so that couples could get massages at the same time. Each time I requested coconut oil instead of one of the scented massage oils - heavenly and I am now addicted to the lovely smell. Each treatment room includes its own shower and steam room. I spent about 30 minutes in the steam room after my second massage and never felt pressured to vacate the room.
Mosquitos, Ants, and Buggies:
I am allergic to mosquitos and am happy to report that I did not get a single mosquito bite at this resort. I don’t know if the lack of bites is due to the hotel’s spraying process or pure luck.
We encountered very few ants. At arrival, we requested that the hotel empty the mini-bar fridge. The hotel had provided us with a plate of mangos, which we stored in the fridge to prevent ants. After eating each mango, we put the peels in a plastic bag and stored the bag in the fridge until we could dispose of it. If other guests did the same thing, they could avoid ants, also.
The hotel was aware of my love of macarons. Turndown service includes a bag of cookies from the hotel kitchen. I always got a bag of macarons instead and I would put them in the fridge if I didn’t eat them that night. One night I got a plate of macarons covered with plastic wrap. I didn’t put the plate in the fridge and the next morning the ants had gotten through the plastic wrapping. What a waste of delicious macarons! Lesson learned - put all food in the fridge.
The buggies (nothing to do with bugs!) always arrived promptly, usually within five minutes of our call. The driver would ring the doorbell upon arrival. If we had inadvertently left the “do not disturb” light on, the hotel would call to say the buggy was outside our door. With 52 buggies, the service is highly efficient.
Misc.
This hotel is popular with honeymooners and the hotel sprinkles rose petals in a heart-shape on the bed for them. At arrival, I was delighted to see the hotel had spelled out the word “WELCOME” with rose petals for this old married couple.
We did not meet Stefano, the GM, who was away on business. He asked Simon to take care of us, and Simon did an excellent job. My husband delighted in torturing Simon with minor complaints, but Simon always followed through with a smile. In fact, his youthful exuberance is contagious For example, one day my husband decided that the recessed ceiling light was not at the proper angle for reading while sitting on the sofa. Two workmen arrived within five minutes to re-set the light.
The hotel is in an isolated location. However, it offers several activities. The spa has a few complimentary DIY events that I, unfortunately, did not take advantage of. The fitness center offers early morning yoga and Thai boxing classes and mid-afternoon core workout sessions. I only took advantage of a Thai boxing class one morning and wished I had exercised more.
Do ask to see the two-bedroom and the three-bedroom villas. I am already saving my pennies so that I can book a three-bedroom next time.
Finally, do not miss turndown service on your last night. That is when you get your souvenir turtle. This resort is truly perfection in every aspect. All that is missing is a rubber ducky! : )
Mar 30, 2014, 12:57 pm
#1255
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,946
excellent report bamboola, thanks for posting.
Apr 5, 2014, 3:42 pm
#1256
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 390
The first junction when you leave the hotel has a few establishments that you can use:
1. Rent a scooter. We rented a scooter the first day we got there. It was cheap. The person has a shop near the junction when you leave the hotel bottom entrance (they will take you down for free to the bottom). The shop is less than 1 KM before the junction on the road from the hotel) You can walk there although some may find it far. If the shop is closed he has a house on the same side of the street. We arrived there at night and just rented from his house. Easy rental, I think we left no papers or CC.
2. Not sure why people go to Tesco, there is a convenient store at the junction. Also, during the day you can buy fresh produce next door.
3. A great family restaurant right on the corner. Wonderful food and Thai atmosphere.
4. If you want a cheap massage, you can find it as well there.
1. Rent a scooter. We rented a scooter the first day we got there. It was cheap. The person has a shop near the junction when you leave the hotel bottom entrance (they will take you down for free to the bottom). The shop is less than 1 KM before the junction on the road from the hotel) You can walk there although some may find it far. If the shop is closed he has a house on the same side of the street. We arrived there at night and just rented from his house. Easy rental, I think we left no papers or CC.
2. Not sure why people go to Tesco, there is a convenient store at the junction. Also, during the day you can buy fresh produce next door.
3. A great family restaurant right on the corner. Wonderful food and Thai atmosphere.
4. If you want a cheap massage, you can find it as well there.
& How far is the rental place from the hotel? 5 min walk?
Im torn between hiring Mr Samui for a few days, a jeep or a couple of scooters.
Apr 19, 2014, 4:22 am
#1257
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC LT Gold, HH Dia, MR LT Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Amex Plat
Posts: 13,773
Currently here and it is a great place. In many ways we prefer our 300s villa to the DWV at Rangali. Shall post fuller commentary later, we have only been here for a night and have a week left. The room layout is really somewhat similar to Rangali.
Thus far I have been pleasantly surprised at prices in the in house restaurants compared to other resorts with similar features (the most obvious comparison for us would be the deluxe beach pool villa at the Meridien Khao Lak).
One thing that I hadn't understood previously is that Diamonds get 4 drink vouchers in total for their stay (regardless whether one night or much longer). This seems a bit mean for longer stays.
Thus far I have been pleasantly surprised at prices in the in house restaurants compared to other resorts with similar features (the most obvious comparison for us would be the deluxe beach pool villa at the Meridien Khao Lak).
One thing that I hadn't understood previously is that Diamonds get 4 drink vouchers in total for their stay (regardless whether one night or much longer). This seems a bit mean for longer stays.
Apr 19, 2014, 4:35 am
#1258
Join Date: May 2012
Location: AMS
Programs: BA KL LH Hilton Marriott
Posts: 1,233
Enjoy the island!
Apr 19, 2014, 6:36 am
#1259
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,946
Unobstructed Views.....Corner Villa
Stayed recently in a 1 bedroom ocean view retreat pool villa. It was simply heaven. Below is short video of the villa room and pool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVaRFZBlfs4
Cheers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVaRFZBlfs4
Cheers.
Apr 19, 2014, 7:37 am
#1260
Join Date: May 2012
Location: AMS
Programs: BA KL LH Hilton Marriott
Posts: 1,233
Stayed recently in a 1 bedroom ocean view retreat pool villa. It was simply heaven. Below is short video of the villa room and pool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVaRFZBlfs4
Cheers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVaRFZBlfs4
Cheers.
