Koh Samui, Thailand Hotel Decision
#2
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Luxembourg
Programs: HH Dia, AClub Plat, Hyatt Dia, FB Gold, LH SEN, TK *G
Posts: 655
I would definitely opt for the Four Seasons as I find the pavillons much more charming than the ones at the Conrad. The resort is itself more stunning as well, at least in my opinion.
One thing that might be annoying though is the fact that you almost constantly rely on buggies to move from your villa to the beach or to the reception or the restaurant. They come nonetheless rather quickly (never waited more than 5 minutes).
One thing that might be annoying though is the fact that you almost constantly rely on buggies to move from your villa to the beach or to the reception or the restaurant. They come nonetheless rather quickly (never waited more than 5 minutes).
#5
formerly known as deathscar
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Virtuoso | Four Seasons Preferred Partner | Rosewood Elite | Hyatt Prive - and more
Posts: 2,096
Haven't stayed, only visited the Four Seasons. Didn't have time to visit Conrad as it was just opening the month after I was last there.
I love the location of the Four Seasons though.
I love the location of the Four Seasons though.
#7
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: DL SkyMiles PM/2MM, AA Plat, IC Diam. Amb., Peninsula regular, amanjunkie
Posts: 5,844
Four Seasons. Great pavilions and beautiful property with stellar service.
FWIW, I rarely used the buggies, even when going long distances, unless I was running late for an appointment or something.
FWIW, I rarely used the buggies, even when going long distances, unless I was running late for an appointment or something.
#9
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: my heart is on the shores of the north Italian lakes
Programs: LX Senator Lifetime, Relais&Chateaux Club5C, ex ! "Amanjunkie", ex LHW LC, hate chain hotels
Posts: 2,510
#11
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 37
Was on Samui in April last year.
Stayed at Banyan Tree, great villas, great service, food was ok.
Had a breakfast at FS, the view is even better than the view at Banyan Tree, the facilities I could see where great, according to their website their villas seems a bit smaller, especially the pools. Breakfast at FS was much much better than in Banyan Tree.
Also tryed Napasai and found everything really bad. Although the price is much lower than at BT and FS the value for money is much worse. Villa was ok, Food was bad, Service was bad, Pool Facilites were bad and the way into the ocean is full of big stones, which made it painful to enter the water.
Stayed at Banyan Tree, great villas, great service, food was ok.
Had a breakfast at FS, the view is even better than the view at Banyan Tree, the facilities I could see where great, according to their website their villas seems a bit smaller, especially the pools. Breakfast at FS was much much better than in Banyan Tree.
Also tryed Napasai and found everything really bad. Although the price is much lower than at BT and FS the value for money is much worse. Villa was ok, Food was bad, Service was bad, Pool Facilites were bad and the way into the ocean is full of big stones, which made it painful to enter the water.
#12
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: 1A
Programs: UA GS, NH Diamond, Hyatt Lifetime Globalist (formerly Courtesy Card sadly), Amanjunkie, CLEAR
Posts: 3,709
My limited experience on the island was really centered around the FS, although I visited The Library and a few other properties. FS has a great, terrible location.
Great in so much as it's beautifully located in a private corner of the island with rather private vistas of the sea and beyond. Terrible in that it's far from most island activities, although perhaps that's by design as staying on the property there certainly is amenable and obviously preferred by the hotel.
Overall I'd say, like I've read in other threads before, this isn't an Aman style experience, but perhaps the best the island has to offer. I'd definitely recommend an upgraded villa. I had a private pool villa, just overlooking but not directly on the beach - privacy was paramount in my selection.
Very nice villa, despite the issues with hot water and bugs, but overall quite pleasant. What wasn't quite up to par about this resort was the service. I found it to be below other FS, even those domestic properties in America (gasp!), which could have been due to language issues or simply training. FWIW, when I contacted the GM, he made it right and then some. I was impressed with the management response.
Overall if I was going back to USM, I'd stay at the FS again. But I am in no rush to return to Samui. So many other places to try, and so many desires to go back to Amanpulo.
Great in so much as it's beautifully located in a private corner of the island with rather private vistas of the sea and beyond. Terrible in that it's far from most island activities, although perhaps that's by design as staying on the property there certainly is amenable and obviously preferred by the hotel.
Overall I'd say, like I've read in other threads before, this isn't an Aman style experience, but perhaps the best the island has to offer. I'd definitely recommend an upgraded villa. I had a private pool villa, just overlooking but not directly on the beach - privacy was paramount in my selection.
Very nice villa, despite the issues with hot water and bugs, but overall quite pleasant. What wasn't quite up to par about this resort was the service. I found it to be below other FS, even those domestic properties in America (gasp!), which could have been due to language issues or simply training. FWIW, when I contacted the GM, he made it right and then some. I was impressed with the management response.
Overall if I was going back to USM, I'd stay at the FS again. But I am in no rush to return to Samui. So many other places to try, and so many desires to go back to Amanpulo.
#13
formerly known as deathscar
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Virtuoso | Four Seasons Preferred Partner | Rosewood Elite | Hyatt Prive - and more
Posts: 2,096
There's a Six Senses there too - that might be an alternative option, or indeed, the Banyan Tree (which I actually like more than their Banyan Tree in Phuket).
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: VCE
Posts: 14,165
My limited experience on the island was really centered around the FS, although I visited The Library and a few other properties. FS has a great, terrible location.
Great in so much as it's beautifully located in a private corner of the island with rather private vistas of the sea and beyond. Terrible in that it's far from most island activities, although perhaps that's by design as staying on the property there certainly is amenable and obviously preferred by the hotel.
Overall I'd say, like I've read in other threads before, this isn't an Aman style experience, but perhaps the best the island has to offer. I'd definitely recommend an upgraded villa. I had a private pool villa, just overlooking but not directly on the beach - privacy was paramount in my selection.
Very nice villa, despite the issues with hot water and bugs, but overall quite pleasant. What wasn't quite up to par about this resort was the service. I found it to be below other FS, even those domestic properties in America (gasp!), which could have been due to language issues or simply training. FWIW, when I contacted the GM, he made it right and then some. I was impressed with the management response.
Overall if I was going back to USM, I'd stay at the FS again. But I am in no rush to return to Samui. So many other places to try, and so many desires to go back to Amanpulo.
Great in so much as it's beautifully located in a private corner of the island with rather private vistas of the sea and beyond. Terrible in that it's far from most island activities, although perhaps that's by design as staying on the property there certainly is amenable and obviously preferred by the hotel.
Overall I'd say, like I've read in other threads before, this isn't an Aman style experience, but perhaps the best the island has to offer. I'd definitely recommend an upgraded villa. I had a private pool villa, just overlooking but not directly on the beach - privacy was paramount in my selection.
Very nice villa, despite the issues with hot water and bugs, but overall quite pleasant. What wasn't quite up to par about this resort was the service. I found it to be below other FS, even those domestic properties in America (gasp!), which could have been due to language issues or simply training. FWIW, when I contacted the GM, he made it right and then some. I was impressed with the management response.
Overall if I was going back to USM, I'd stay at the FS again. But I am in no rush to return to Samui. So many other places to try, and so many desires to go back to Amanpulo.
The Four Seasons is the best option if you want a hotel.
If you want to be closer to things, the best option is to rent a villa.
Six Senses is OK although I think it is overpriced for what you get.
The Library has an OK restaurant and that is it- no privacy, no concept of service, no swimming pool really (far more design oriented pool than anything else)- I wouldn't stay there- it is as if it has been designed entirely for a few "cool" photos to put on Facebook.
The restaurant at Zazen which somehow is very highly rated and somehow is called a boutique hotel is possibly the worst "fine dining" experience I have ever had in Thailand or Southeast Asia as a whole. They also insist on keeping the entire area pitch dark which they call Romantic and I suspect really is just so you cannot see the number of mosquitoes.
Four Seasons is definitely the option on Samui- and don't plan to leave too often as there is not much to see other than some tourist ripoffs and the completely destroyed Chwaeng beach- ruined by development with an often flooded road system- and don't think too much about the flood. The golf course by the way is pretty good actually although it could be kept in better condition and the caddy openly admits to never having played golf.