Review: Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, Thailand
#31
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
I am a fan of the resort, and think it is without doubt the best option on Koh Samui.
From what I have been told, Minor has no intention of rebranding any of the remaining FS properties, as they all benefit from Four Seasons management and marketing. The rates Koh Samui, Chiang Mai, and Golden Triangle achieve more than justify the management contracts. Four Seasons Bangkok, on the other hand, could not achieve the same kind of premium given the competition in Bangkok and the property’s age. It was apparently a goal of theirs for a long time to rebrand it as Anantara’s flagship, and it’s an hotel that I love more and more with each stay. They have maintained the highest standards, at least from my perspective, and I believe Anantara Siam is even more profitable now than it previously was under FS management.
#32
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
I am a huge fan of Anantara Siam Bangkok - I think it is 100% better than before. I was curious, though, as to whether Minor would eventually rebarnd Koh Samui, given that Anantara are upping their sandards so much. It looks to me as though Minor is trying to create a Four Seasons standard brand with Anantara. OK, it may take a few years, but judging by some of the newer Anantaras, it could be a possibility, in which case....
I recently had a great conversation with the lovely head of PR for Minor Int’l over dinner, and we talked all about how Anantara is evolving into an increasingly exciting high-end brand. However, one issue they encounter as a relatively new brand is name recognition bias amongst travelers who are less enlightened than we are about the brand. This apparently was very interesting following the rebranding of Anantara Siam, as guests suddenly commented negatively on aspects of the hotel, such as breakfast quality, that were in fact completely unchanged from what they had been under FS management.
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
FS bangkok >
dec 23 announce reflag
jan 5 announce new FS
not a coincidence
even gallivanters guide has experienced bad service, vs some agents here saying they always get better service
i had a reason to ask re different treatment (can happen for many reasons) >
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxu...l#post29933535
dec 23 announce reflag
jan 5 announce new FS
not a coincidence
even gallivanters guide has experienced bad service, vs some agents here saying they always get better service
i had a reason to ask re different treatment (can happen for many reasons) >
An Amazing Time
Amanpulo
Four Seasons Koh Samui. Had a great time with the cocktail class and rum tasting. The steak night was fine, but getting rained out and having to dine under cover dampened the experience. Excellent kids’ club — our daughter still talks about the ball pit. Their Sunday brunch was one of the best meals we’ve had at a resort. They were completely full during our stay
Four Seasons Chiang Mai
Excellent Places
Amankila
Amanpulo
Four Seasons Koh Samui. Had a great time with the cocktail class and rum tasting. The steak night was fine, but getting rained out and having to dine under cover dampened the experience. Excellent kids’ club — our daughter still talks about the ball pit. Their Sunday brunch was one of the best meals we’ve had at a resort. They were completely full during our stay
Four Seasons Chiang Mai
Excellent Places
Amankila
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Jan 24, 2019 at 1:33 pm
#35
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Canada
Programs: Virtuoso TA, Four Seasons Pref Partner, Rosewood Elite TA, Ritz Carlton STARS TA
Posts: 4,734
#36
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
Have only stayed there once and it was a while ago. But you can't change the following...
1. It's a beach resort, and the beach is very poor.
2. The facilities are really crammed in. No elegant sense of space.
For these reasons, I would never go back.
Things that might have changed.
1. Food was ho-hum.
2. Service and GM were outstanding.
1. It's a beach resort, and the beach is very poor.
2. The facilities are really crammed in. No elegant sense of space.
For these reasons, I would never go back.
Things that might have changed.
1. Food was ho-hum.
2. Service and GM were outstanding.
#37
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP (OWE), VA PLAT, EY GLD, SPG PLAT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton DIA, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,522
I've looked at this resort multiple stays after checking out of the W after 2 nights when it first opened. One of our challenges is often the living spaces for these villas are outside or they are studio setups and we look a separate living and bedroom area. The photos on the website actually make the rooms look quite dark.
Have looked at the Conrad but I loathe Hiltons.
I am curious to try Vana Belle next, even though they are all essentially studios again. I believe you can order F&B anywhere in the resort and you will be served.
Have looked at the Conrad but I loathe Hiltons.
I am curious to try Vana Belle next, even though they are all essentially studios again. I believe you can order F&B anywhere in the resort and you will be served.
#38
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
I've looked at this resort multiple stays after checking out of the W after 2 nights when it first opened. One of our challenges is often the living spaces for these villas are outside or they are studio setups and we look a separate living and bedroom area. The photos on the website actually make the rooms look quite dark.
Have looked at the Conrad but I loathe Hiltons.
I am curious to try Vana Belle next, even though they are all essentially studios again. I believe you can order F&B anywhere in the resort and you will be served.
Have looked at the Conrad but I loathe Hiltons.
I am curious to try Vana Belle next, even though they are all essentially studios again. I believe you can order F&B anywhere in the resort and you will be served.
I like resorts that are unique, and along with that often come various quirks and design characteristics inherent with building a spectacular resort into a place like this cliffside location. I fear that someone having never tried this resort could get the wrong picture from this thread, and miss out on the excellent experience it has to offer.
Last edited by MikeFromTokyo; Jan 30, 2019 at 1:43 pm
#39
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Don't know....
Programs: BA LTG, SQ TPPS, CX DMP, AA EXP, Bonvoy LTT, ALL PLT, Hilton DM
Posts: 4,008
We enjoyed this resort. We though the food was pretty consistent and we are Asians who like good Asian food. The housekeeping was very good when we were there. Loved the Thai Boxing instructor. The main pool was beautiful especially when there are no kids there. Overall, we will return again.
#40
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 102
We are currently staying in FS Koh Samui and really enjoy our stay. We have been here for 3 nights and have 2 more nights to go .In general we are not a fan of FS but this one is an exception. What really defines this resort compared to other FS we have stayed in it the really personal, authentic and friendly service that we are are experiencing. Everyone knows us and our children by name, seems genuinely interested in us and our activities and is proactive in making our stay the best experience ever.
- Location.the ideal location for a relaxing stay, and it’s only a 30 minute drive to the airport, personally don’t mind the fact that it’s also a longer drive to any other location as there is not a lot to do around the resort
- Arrival. Beautiful setting standpoint, one of the most spectacular arrivals for me, the view at &beyond Serengeti where I stayed in januari was nicer but for me this is really a close second. It really sets the scene for the destination and the uninterrupted ocean views.
- Rooms: The buggy ride down hill to the room was real fun like a rollercoaster and the children loved it. The first room they gave us was sold to us as an upgrade (room 901) as its a lot closer to the beach, however as it has the same category as the one we booked it’s not really an upgrade and they shouldn’t emphasise this at checkin, same as the other FSPP benefits that we didn’t receive.The villas are generously sized and the children loved their small room in the back of the villa more than any other room they have stayed in, it’s really not a huge room where they are sleeping, but they loved it 😊 The terrace, small infinity pool and view are really nice.
- An issue: what they didn’t tell us when giving us room 901 is that it’s located on top of Pla Pla restaurant, about 2 hours after check in I called the reception and told them there was a constant humming on our terrace (we didn’t know that our room was located on top of the restaurant yet) and they told us that they would look into it. Later on came the smell of grease and food on the terrace that made things more clear. The exhaust fan of the kitchen of PlaPla is located right in front of room 901
- A solution: during the evening dinner (3 hours after raising the complaint the front office manager came to our table and told us that we could receive another room tomorrow at 3 pm, this room would be located higher up. We also received an apology from her. We had to repack all our stuff, were ready 2pm to move and waited in our room untill at 3h30 after a small delay a buggy picked us up and escorted us to room 601. While located further from the beach, the views are a lot better and there is no disturbing sound or smell whatsoever.
- Views.the views at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui are simply stunning,
- Beaches. The beds are good The sand quality is fine, and the beach is combed regularly. The view from the beach is nice. Service is good as towels are set up swiftly and the water is refilled regular. We spend 1 day at the beach and didn’t see any extras as the complimentary corn BBQ or ice or smoothies that existed here before. But real genuine and nice service
- Pool. The main lengthy swimming pool, fronting the beach but elevated and enjoying infinity edge views, is absolutely stunning and a great place to enjoy. The pool is served by CoCoRum bar. We ordered food and drinks and the pizza and wraps were good.
- BBQ beach dinner: the first evening we had a BBQ beach dinner that was simply amazing, including a spectacular fire show on the water, food was good and service as well
- Kids Club. The kids club at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui is very good, our children like it and they are in general not a fan of kids clubs
- Restaurant Koh Thai : we had dinner here twice and enjoyed the food and the service very much
- Service and housekeeping. could be better, small issues forgotten during service or coming at the wrong timing, nothing major
- The breakfast is consistent good throughout our stay, although we miss granola as an option and coffee service is really slow
- Mosquitoes: we have never seen a resort that has too many mosquitoes, we are generally not really disturbed by them and understand that they are difficult to avoid, but even with a lot of repellent we all have 6-7 bites daily
In general a really nice beach resort experience and we look forward to our last 2 days here that we will most definitely enjoy.
#41
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,598
The first few sentences of your review sound very enthusiastic and positive, though the more I read the more I am surprised about the service you received. Lots of issues...
Don't get me wrong, absolutely love that you're enjoying yourselves, however it sounds as though they are still going through some problems. I stayed at FS KOH in December 2021 and they are lucky to have a team of really kind individuals delivering stellar service. I hope the issues you mentioned (missing FSPP benefits, housekeeping spotty, missing treats at the pool, slow breakfast service, room allocation) will be ironed out.
Enjoy the resort!
Don't get me wrong, absolutely love that you're enjoying yourselves, however it sounds as though they are still going through some problems. I stayed at FS KOH in December 2021 and they are lucky to have a team of really kind individuals delivering stellar service. I hope the issues you mentioned (missing FSPP benefits, housekeeping spotty, missing treats at the pool, slow breakfast service, room allocation) will be ironed out.
Enjoy the resort!
#42
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP (OWE), VA PLAT, EY GLD, SPG PLAT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton DIA, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,522
The first few sentences of your review sound very enthusiastic and positive, though the more I read the more I am surprised about the service you received. Lots of issues...
Don't get me wrong, absolutely love that you're enjoying yourselves, however it sounds as though they are still going through some problems. I stayed at FS KOH in December 2021 and they are lucky to have a team of really kind individuals delivering stellar service. I hope the issues you mentioned (missing FSPP benefits, housekeeping spotty, missing treats at the pool, slow breakfast service, room allocation) will be ironed out.
Enjoy the resort!
Don't get me wrong, absolutely love that you're enjoying yourselves, however it sounds as though they are still going through some problems. I stayed at FS KOH in December 2021 and they are lucky to have a team of really kind individuals delivering stellar service. I hope the issues you mentioned (missing FSPP benefits, housekeeping spotty, missing treats at the pool, slow breakfast service, room allocation) will be ironed out.
Enjoy the resort!
In future, always request a quiet room. I do this specifically to avoid this scenario. Nothing worse than wanting to sleep and hearing music or bass or the restaurant.
#44
#45
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K \\ ConciergeKey
Posts: 531
Hi All,
Didn’t want to start a new thread with a review, since it seems like this one has some life in it. Wanted to give my take on the FS Koh Samui while it’s still fresh in my head (as I sit at the airport)
Arrival -
Just a quick update here - i’ll expand more when i’m back. Will talk about PlaPla + Koh Thai + Spa + anything else I missed. Any questions, feel free to ask!
Didn’t want to start a new thread with a review, since it seems like this one has some life in it. Wanted to give my take on the FS Koh Samui while it’s still fresh in my head (as I sit at the airport)
Arrival -
- No complaints on arrival. Was met at USM by the FS Staff//Driver, and taken straight to the property. The driver was kind and courteous, and I didn’t have to wait at all once stepping off the flight.
- Arrival to property was quick, check in was flawless (5 minutes of forms, exchanging card, etc) and then whisked away to room.
- Welcome drink was given, they noted that I am a non-drinker and stoked the room as such (no alcohol, etc)
- Stayed in villa 902 (Island/Ocean Pool Villa). It was a two minute walk to the beach/PlaPla/pool and I loved it. Was worried that I would be sitting on top of the restaurant and have to deal with the smoke, etc., but I am happy to report that there were ZERO issues at all.
- Room was large, spacious, and well maintained. Only gripe is that the bathroom sliding door is massive and takes some force to open (hard when you’re in wet and barefooted from the pool)
- Like the poster above said - service made the entire difference here. I know there were some comments from the earlier post, but happy to say that I saw none of that. Service was proactive, kind, and efficient.
- Breakfast always had a table for me, same spot, and always have my drinks, etc., already ready to go. They also remembered that I had been wanting to try a certain dish, but was always too full, so they made a small sampler portion for me on my second day.
- Every single person remembered my name, when I was leaving, asked how my day was going, how I enjoyed my outings, etc., the word “no” or “can’t do” was never said.
- Pool service was good. It’s not FANTASTIC, but could be a function of the fact that there was only 1-2 staff members there serving everyone at CoCoRum + the pool loungers. Don’t get me wrong, service was fine, but you had to look around and then flag someone down on occasion.
- Beach service was OK - it’s nothing to write home about, they brought water by, etc, but again, it’s nothing proactive where they are asking you if you need anything every 30 minutes.
Just a quick update here - i’ll expand more when i’m back. Will talk about PlaPla + Koh Thai + Spa + anything else I missed. Any questions, feel free to ask!