Larissa Samed Resort

I took a tuk-tuk from the pier, 20 Baht per person. I always print out the hotel name and address on a small piece of paper; it's more convenient and safer than using my phone when going somewhere. The hotel isn't far from the pier; I'd stroll from the hotel to the pier every day. I'll mention this again later. The tuk-tuk drops you off at the nearest parking spot to the hotel, and then you have to drag your luggage yourself to the hotel. After all, cars can't drive directly to the hotel's location, but it’s not far. Check-in is at 2 PM. I arrived at noon, stored my luggage, and relaxed on a rocking chair in the hotel's common area, facing the sea, and took a comfortable nap. The hotel's small beach has rocking chairs, sun loungers, and swings. First, let's talk about the hotel facilities. It's an independent small villa. The room size was much larger than the one I stayed in Koh Lipe. The air conditioning cooled down quickly, and the hot water for the shower also came on fast. I booked a king-size bed and could roll around freely, haha, I’m not sure about the twin beds. There's a wardrobe, full-length mirror, refrigerator, and toiletries, but no conditioner. I bought a hair mask at the 7-Eleven at the alley entrance. The hotel has a one-hour power outage every day. I experienced this early on in Koh Racha, and it's no big deal since I'm out playing all day, so an hour doesn't affect anything, unless you want to take a nap, of course. If you need housekeeping, hang the sign; otherwise, flip it over. Even when I didn't need cleaning, they still left water and fresh towels at my door. Each room has a small balcony where you can enjoy coffee or a small breakfast. There's a drying rack, and even if it's windy or raining, your clothes won't get wet. The hotel doesn't include breakfast and has no in-house dining. You'll need to buy food from 7-Eleven. There are two 7-Elevens at the alley entrance, so you can buy anything. Prices are about 5 Baht more expensive than in Bangkok or Pattaya, which is normal for an island. The hotel boasts an excellent snorkeling spot; you can snorkel directly from its private beach. This is a popular snorkeling spot for day trips in Koh Samet; you'll see tour boats anchored here, all snorkeling in this area. I went in late August. In the morning, the water level was at its lowest, so you must wear snorkeling shoes when entering the sea. The water was too shallow, full of coral, making it difficult to walk. My international friend from the next room and I held hands and went into the sea together. The big Italian guy cried out in pain from bumping into the coral, haha. Honestly, I wasn't much better; I had bruises on my knees and a piece of skin scraped off my ankle. But I have to say, there are so many giant clams in this area, big and small, colorful, more than I saw in Koh Lipe. It would be perfect if the water visibility were a bit clearer. I usually bring my own snorkeling gear, but the hotel actually provides snorkels, life vests, and snorkeling shoes for guests. If you don't have much luggage allowance, you can use the hotel's, but make sure to use your own mouthpiece for the snorkel. The hotel also offers motorcycle rentals at the same price as outside, 400 Baht per day, with a full tank. The hotel next door is a bit more expensive. My friend with kids stayed there. I was out playing all day, so there was no need to stay at a pricier place. Plus, the beaches and rocks between the two hotels are connected, so you can just walk over without going through the lobby. From the rocks, you'll discover the famous heart-shaped tree right in front of you, hahahaha. I spent my last morning playing and taking photos at the neighboring hotel. I need to talk about taking a tuk-tuk to the pier. When leaving, the hotel helped transport my luggage and me to the tuk-tuk parking spot. However, tuk-tuks depart every hour. If you want to leave immediately or are in a hurry, it's not 20 Baht; it's 100 Baht. I had a boat at 12 PM and left after 11 AM. The tuk-tuk driver asked for 100 Baht. I initially wanted to ask the hotel staff to take me to the pier and offer him money, but the tuk-tuk driver immediately said 'NO.' What? Is this a monopoly? The hotel staff, being honest, didn't dare to take the business. I didn't want to waste any more time. The tuk-tuk driver probably thought I'd pay 100 Baht, but I picked up my luggage and walked off. I've been weightlifting and working out, so this was my moment to shine! The tuk-tuk driver was stunned, haha. The hotel isn't far from the pier; even with luggage, you can walk there in about half an hour at a slow pace. I wasn't going to give him that 100 Baht. However, after walking less than 500 meters, an empty tuk-tuk came along. I waved, it stopped, and it was 20 Baht per person to the pier. So, everyone, make sure to allow plenty of time when leaving the island.

An absolutely terrible experience. I booked two rooms, and even though it showed availability, only one was successfully confirmed. I was then forced to stay at another hotel about a 10-minute walk away. My elderly parents and children stayed at this one, which was incredibly inconvenient. The front desk staff were maliciously suspicious, constantly implying that four people would be staying in their room, with endless warnings and disbelief, which was very infuriating. There's no breakfast, you can't eat inside the room, and the outdoor chairs were covered in sand and leaves that no one bothered to clean. There were quite a few mosquitoes inside the room, so make sure to keep the windows closed and remember to bring your own mosquito repellent and spray. If I had to say anything good, it has a very small private beach where you can see the sunrise. However, it's not a sandy beach, but a rocky one.

The room was much better than I expected, mainly because my expectations were so low. Some photos in the comment section and reviews on a certain social media platform made me quite worried. However, once I entered the hotel, the overall environment was actually very good. The room layout was simple but not rundown, damp, or uncomfortable. Both my friend's room and mine were relatively clean and fresh – perfectly acceptable. What really stood out was the price, plus the convenient location very close to the main street. There's also a small private beach behind the hotel. My friend and I enjoyed snacks on a long table by the sea at night, and a big black dog even joined us, hoping for some treats, haha! It was a very comfortable experience. The hotel staff were also very friendly; I didn't feel any discrimination. They always helped with luggage when we came and went.