jchand

Thanks . Really looking forward to it. I guess I will play it safe and take snorkel gear with us.

ananthar

We were at the Conrad Koh Samui July 10-18, 2013. Everything was fine, except that after promising us early during the stay that the Conrad Turtle would be delivered the last night, it wasn't. They claimed that last night, it was because they couldn't do the turn down service because we left the "do not disturb sign", did we want them to do it now ? We said yes, but the maid that came knew nothing about the Turtle. So we called back the front desk right away, and they now admitted that they hadn't had them for some time, but we should leave our address with them next morning and they would mail it to us in USA.

We left our US address with the front desk next morning, but so far have not received anything in the mail after 12 months.

It is a small thing but it does not inspire trust to be given the run-around in this fashion by Conrad Koh Samui.

lewende

Same thing here - just move on.

The hotel itself is amazing but the service is very mediocre - I am speaking in the context of the hospitality industry of Thailand. After all, Conrad is not a top tier brand anyway even in HHonors system.

itchief

I stayed last April and booked two villa's for 7 nights. My entire party, 5 people, received free breakfast. I am the only one that had any Hilton status. YMMV.

lcnyc123

Hi - For those that have stayed recently and dined at the inhouse restaurants - can you tell me what the attire is? The website says Jahn is formal and Zest is casual during the day and formal for dinner.... I asked the hotel if that's really the case and their response said it is formal, but smart casual clothes is required... so now I'm confused!

Is it really formal in the sense that men need to wear suits and ladies in nice dresses... or can men get away with nice jeans or khakis (just no shorts) and a polo shirt and ladies in a more relaxed dress? It's our honeymoon so we don't want to have to pack super fancy if we're just hanging out most of the time! Any guidance is appreciated. Thanks!

zombietooth

I have been there many times in shorts and flip-flops. Unless things have changed since I was there in March, I wouldn't worry and pack light.

The only places in Thailand where I have ever had a dress-code enforced were in Bangkok at the more upscale hotels.

54austin

Does someone recall if there is a DVD player in the room?

zombietooth

There is an Apple Mini with a CD slot, and it is part of integrated entertainment system that you can use AirPlay with, so I assume that you can play disks, or stored/streamed video content from any Apple product.

ArmyFlyer05

So I have read through this whole thread and the only thing I am concerned with is how isolated the hotel is. Last year we stayed at the Six Senses Yao Noi for our honeymoon and we didn't realize until about halfway through the trip that you could really leave the hotel and eat elsewhere. My wife is concerned we will get stuck doing the same thing and eating at the hotel and not really taking advantage of the relatively cheaper prices at nearby restaurants. She is also concerned we are going to be missing out not being near Chaweng Beach.

So to mitigate her concerns should we rent a car or split the stay with 2 nights at the Conrad and 2 nights at the Vana Belle? I have a pile of HH points and SPG points, so I am open to options, I am just not sure if I want to pack up and move again. This is the 2nd stop of our trip, 3 nights in Siam Reap, 4 nights in Koh Samui, 4 nights in Bangkok.

more4less

Hi,

We went twice for dinner to the Green Talay with a taxi booked by the hotel. IIRC the cost was 500 bath return.

Enjoy your trip!

lewende

I went to 6S Yao Noi this summer and Conrad Koh Samui last summer. Conrad has much easier access to a lot of restaurants on the island. You may go to Green Talay or even the town and there are lots of good options.

However, the rooms at 6S Yao Noi has a lot more privacy than Conrad Koh Samui. As to the service, 6S beats Conrad hands down in every aspect.

sbams

I am a Thailand fan, and I am a Hilton fan (Diamond most years). Your concern is the reason why the Conrad Koh Samui does not even feature on my plans. Not so much the cheaper prices but the whole isloation thing as opposed to immersion in the Thai scene. Being on the northeast side of the island, either in or close to Chaweng, is the location to be. It's a NO for me.

ArmyFlyer05

Thanks for the replies, it almost sounds like we should consider a different property. My wife really enjoyed the W Bali and 4S Ubud when we were there this year, because we had access to the local culture and weren't captive to the hotel. I don't want to stray too far off topic, but how does the Vana Belle compare?

TRAVELSIG

Samui is a tourist destination and there is almost zero local culture left on the island - people come here for that reason.

If you want local culture head to Koh Chang or the North.

Personally I thing Chwaeng beach was destroyed years ago and I would strongly avoid now.

The 3 places to stay on Samui are the FS, Conrad, and 6S.

zombietooth

I agree completely with you here.

The non-isolated parts of Samui are just like Phuket--crass commercialism run amok. I am not judging them for their Western-oriented development because it has increased their standard of living, just don't go to Samui expecting something different from Phuket. Chaweng reminds me of Patong, and is in no way reflective of local culture. It's like Khao San Road in Bangkok was transplanted on Samui.

The reason to go to the Conrad is precisely because it is isolated.

I just completed another stay there and, IMO, it is the most beautiful resort in the world. Every room has incredible views of the 5 islands and gorgeous sunsets over the islands/mainland in the distance. There are no crappy, neon tourist bars anywhere to ruin your views. You get an incredible sense of peacefulness and privacy at the Conrad that I have experienced almost nowhere else. The downside is that there is no good ocean swimming or reef to snorkel---but, if you want that, you should go to the Maldives.

And, if you really need to go to Chaweng, the hotel now provides a free shuttle van at 1300 and 1700 with returns at 1800. If you want to return after 1800, you will have to take a taxi.

They also have multiple free speed boat trips (4 times a day when I was there) to some of the isolated island beaches near by. They visit multiple islands/beaches, and can pack you a nice lunch for an extended stay. The islands are very rustic however, with no facilities. They bring along plenty of water an beach towels, but there are no loungers or toilets, etc. Snorkeling at any of the islands I visited was nothing special, but feeding the fish is colorful and fun.

The food is excellent at all of the restaurants (I have never dined at The Cellar, however, so I know nothing about it), just don't expect any Thai food you order to taste like the excellent local/street food in Thailand. It is "Farang-Thai". I recommend the Wagyu of Beef Massaman at Jahn, just go light with the Massaman sauce, it overpowers the subtle flavors of the beef.

Tesco in Lamai no longer carries Bombay Sapphire, a change since my previous stay in March.