SponsorSFC

We have been allocated our preferred room 301 both stays as a Diamond, it was the room allocated in the app for online check in both times.

I suspect for a Gold it will come down more to availability on the day of check in, but as long as the hotel isn't at capacity or has a large number of Diamonds you will have a decent chance..

KRUXED

Cat88L3

Samui Explorer is charging 1000 baht to go back to the airport. The hotel charges 1500 baht. It's about a difference of 15-16 usd.

However, I'm thinking it would be better to use the hotel for this transportation since I have the Aspire and I'm diamond. I'm also doing the "Go More, Get More" promotion. Would the points outweigh the initial savings of the $15?

Thoughts?

Cat88L3

​​​​​​I was told the exact same thing and I'm Diamond. I declined as well. I arrive this Wednesday, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the comp upgrade to a 300 villa.

Abidjan

sbryans605

Good luck - let us know how you get along! Enjoy your trip

Cat88L3

Thank you! Will do!

Cat88L3

So OLCI gives me Villa 114...The app says to check in now and the hotel will do their best to upgrade me when I arrive...I still am hoping for that Level 300 upgrade as Diamond..
Should I check in now through the app or just wait til I arrive tomorrow? Would like to know of people's previous experiences with this scenario

KRUXED

pinniped

1500 baht is about $50. Assuming this posts to your folio...44 pts/$ if my math is right...call it 22 cents per dollar...or $11.

At that point, I'd honestly just do whatever's easiest and most reliable. Which in most parts of the world is usually the hotel car.

doubleaa805

I just returned on Saturday from a long trip that included 5 nights (paid) at CKS for our honeymoon. Sheirwein was amazing and added little touches across the board that made it a really special trip. I booked and paid for the stay prior to getting Diamond so I booked an Oceanview Villa outright and received no upgrade. We were placed in 310 which we really enjoyed with an unobstructed view, although the pool for 309 could easily see into our patio and vice versa. We enjoyed the proximity to Zest and the Lounge and walked down the hill (and a few times back up) to breakfast daily and it was a quick jaunt down to the pool and Azure or up the hill to the spa. Really anything in the 307 - 313 is pretty ideal if you want to walk to some of the amenities without being completely drenched in sweat and don't mind a little bit of a hill walk. 310 could use a little TLC in the shower (noted in post-trip survey) but it wasn't anything that made me want to request a change of rooms. The old library area under the lounge/Zest is currently being renovated to house the future (bigger) fitness center. That would make it a bit more accessible to the higher up villas. They will eventually convert the current fitness center to a larger kids club. We ate at Zest quite a few times but only once for dinner, when we went to their "curry experience" (I don't remember the exact title they gave it). We got to select a few types of curry, a few types of meat and 7 sides for a pretty epic spread. We were supposed to eat at Jahn as well, but my wife was ill that evening so we cancelled. Our last night we did the sunset dinner at The Cellar. That was an intimate dinner with just us and a server with a prix fix menu that was also amazing. All in all the resort was fantastic and the staff were top notch.

We used Mr. Samui to and from the airport (2000THB) and even recruited him to take us to the Lamai Sunday Night Market. We could have used the hotel shuttle for the market but it left the hotel at 5pm and left the Tesco near the market at 6 or 630 so we wouldn't have had much time to wander around. Its roughly a 20-25min drive to Lamai from the hotel. In the end Mr Samui charged 1400THB for the market trip, well worth it my opinion. If you want to see the Night Market, go there around 5 or 530 and its slightly less crowded. By the time it got to be 630/7 it was packed and it was hard to walk around. Give yourself 90 minutes to shop and eat and that should be good.

We also did excursions to Tamarind Springs Spa and InFusion cooking class, both were fantastic and highly recommended.

Cat88L3

I actually used Samui Explorer to arrive to the hotel from Mae Nam Pier. I was at Koh Phangan previously. They were very reliable and responsive when making the arrangements on What's App. Payment was made through PayPal. They even included a comp 10 minute stop at a 7-11 so I can pick up some snacks/beverages for my stay. I think I will just use them for the return as well.

I travel quite frequently internationally and my experiences are to not sleep on the smaller businesses for transportation needs. I pretty much have never used the hotel's transportation and found elsewhere .Doing some quick research such as these FT forums and TripAdvisor, you can find very easy, reliable, and cheaper transportation to/from the hotel. The only given is that the hotel transportation is the most expensive, but that definitely doesn't mean that makes it more reliable than others.
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Cat88L3

I'm here now enjoying a lovely stay. I was moved the next day as promised from Waterfront Villa 114 to an Oceanview Retreat Villa (The specific room number that I requested). The hotel was fully booked when I arrived, so I had to spend the night in 114. The tops of a couple of palm trees were in the way, but it really was still a very good view. My host is Tent and he has been absolutely phenomenal! He's always thinking 3 steps ahead.

The weather in the afternoon/evenings have been awful for the last 2 days. It's been raining/storming heavily for at least a few hrs. Doesn't even matter because the villa is wonderful and you can easily entertain yourself there.

Today, I'm going to order the floating breakfast for my pool (2500 baht). Hopefully, I can enjoy the sunset cruise to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum (1200 baht per person) with cooperating weather. It sucks that this isn't complimentary through the hotel anymore.

I placed an order with Tops Supermarket online for snacks, beverages, and alcohol. It's free delivery if you order more than 880 baht. I paid for it online and it was delivered to the hotel. CKS staff brought my delivery to my villa...Easy peasy. There's much much more of a selection with Tops vs the 7-11 and prices are cheaper too.

Also if anyone needs or is looking for a photographer on Samui, I can't recommend Dimas Frolov enough. I used him for a photoshoot here at the CKS - pics at my villa and on the beach. Wow!!! I've seen some of my photos and they haven't even been retouched. The guy does amazing work. He's very responsive, professional, reliable, and well-respected amongst other photographers as well.

www.Dimasfrolov.com

limkl1

Great to see this thread coming back alive! I am heading back again in Sept to CKS after my proposal @ CKS last year. A separate idea beyond just a direct transfer from the airport to CKS would be to hire a private car charter. I had a 4 hour charter on the last trip, he picked us up from the airport followed by an island tour (self planned) and tesco run, price was economical and worth doing. For anyone interested, it can be booked on klook, an OTA from HK. Basic rate comes with no guide and the driver speaks minimal English, but given the size of the island it was easy to plan an itinerary. I am planning to do another charter this time to look for hin yai, which we missed the last visit.

zwkchong

I see lots of talk of car transfer service and for those spending a little longer on the island, don't hesitate to rent a car. Almost all of the major international agencies are at the airport and rates are very reasonable (I paid 4800THB for a week with Sixt). Roads are much calmer than Bangkok, very similar to small European islands (ie Santorini).

Furthermore, valet service at CKS is fantastic. You call for a golf cart to your car and they drive you to the lobby where another employee has pulled up the car and has the AC running! On the way back, you just stop at the lobby and a cart brings you right to your door.