Hotels near Ko Samet, Koh Samet

How do I even begin! I went to Koh Samet with no expectations, but Le Vimarn Cottages & Spa is supposedly the second-best resort on the island. My overall impression wasn't great, mainly due to how the resort handled the broken air conditioning in our bungalow on the first day. We took a private car from downtown Bangkok to Ao Prao Pier (the hotel's private pier, which has its own lounge). Following the resort's email instructions, we boarded the 1:30 PM boat to the resort, which took about 15 minutes. The welcome drink upon arrival was quite good. The resort isn't very large, and there weren't many guests. When we discovered the AC was broken, we immediately contacted housekeeping. From housekeeping to engineering to the front desk, and then to Ctrip, we spent an hour in the sweltering room and outside before finally being moved to another room. It seemed like Ctrip had to intervene to resolve the issue before the front desk staff led us to our new room... The whole process was incredibly frustrating due to the heat! Later, the front desk found me on the beach and offered us an upgraded room. I went to see it but declined, as it was quite dark inside, and I prefer bright, airy rooms when I'm on vacation. She told me the room would be held for us if we changed our minds. Because I didn't move, the front desk came to find me again on the beach and offered a complimentary pizza as compensation. This proactive attitude was a definite plus. We stayed at Le Vimarn for three nights. The rooms are simple, Thai-style wooden bungalows. The 1.8-meter bed was just right for a family of three. The mini-bar is chargeable. If you're visiting Koh Samet, remember to bring a filtered shower head. Breakfast was pretty much the same every day, but it tasted good. We had dinner at Buzz once, and the food was good, but with a 10% service charge and 7% tax, it ended up being a bit expensive! The resort is a 15-minute drive from the main street (where the 7-Eleven is, 200 baht one-way). The front desk can arrange a taxi. Later, we rented a scooter, which we could park on a slope about a 2-minute walk from the front desk. I scraped my foot on a coral reef while swimming, and the front desk provided basic first aid. For the last two days, we stayed at Paradee Resort, which is a sister hotel to Le Vimarn, so they offered a free transfer. However, if you're traveling with kids, I'd highly recommend Paradee Resort – the environment, facilities, and staff are all much better.

Overall, I'm very satisfied! After arriving by bus, we walked about 600m to the pier reception, then took a slow boat to the hotel's pier. Baan is the closest of the four hotels to the pier (as shown in the last picture), which was a huge relief! It's just a 1-minute walk, saving us the hassle of getting a tuk-tuk. The hotel isn't luxurious, but it's quiet and elegant. I especially loved the tree by the beach. Being close to Christmas, the evenings here left a wonderful impression on me! The room was quite spacious, with an IKEA-esque style. There's an outdoor balcony, perfect for reading in the morning. Outside the room, there's a chocolate drink shop where you can grab a drink to enjoy on the beach. To the north, it's less crowded and beautifully scenic – I really love it here! Breakfast was also quite extensive, with several dishes you could select individually. The staff's attitude was much better than in many places in Bangkok. I'm especially grateful that on my first day, I forgot my DJI drone, and the front desk staff kept it safe for me until I returned. Thank you! Oh, and there's a small restaurant run by an old man to the north that's absolutely delicious! Try the Tom Yum Goong and Mama noodles! My husband and I, along with the Swedish couple at the next table, completely cleaned our plates. Highly recommend: ร้านเจ้กิวลุงเตี้ย

The resort is beautiful and the location is excellent. The rooms are clean, and room service is convenient. The natural environment is lovely; we often saw squirrels running around. However, the room facilities are quite basic. The bathroom didn't have hot water, and the bedside lamp and door lock were broken. The staff were generally friendly, but not particularly enthusiastic. We rarely experienced proactive or smiling service. On the way to our room, no golf cart offered to help with our luggage. When we asked to use a sun lounger at the private beach, the attendant surprisingly said, 'I don't know,' and we never saw any guests using the sun loungers there. We ate twice at Winkks, and the staff at the entrance never greeted us or proactively showed us to a table. When they found out we didn't have a reservation, they immediately said there was no availability, even though there were clearly two unoccupied tables indoors that hadn't been reserved. They only seated us after we explicitly said we could eat inside. The front desk staff on check-out day were quite good, but the overall service compared to other places in Thailand was pretty average. Overall, it's an unremarkable resort. If I return to Koh Samet, I would consider other hotels in the same price range.

We only stayed one night, so I can only share that experience. We were greeted politely and checked in quickly. The room was clean and cozy, with a table and chairs, and essential dishes (spoons, cups, glasses). There were no toothbrushes, slippers, or other amenities. The best part was the location! There's a 7-Eleven in the next building, and various cafes and the main beach are just a stone's throw away. Despite this, the room was surprisingly quiet, with no outside noise, which was a pleasant surprise 🤔 In short, I recommend it! For the price, it's an excellent hotel with the bare essentials 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

Our stay was enjoyable. The beach is conveniently located just across the street, and there are plenty of restaurants in the surrounding area. The property also offers a small convenience store and an onsite restaurant, which added to the overall convenience. The location of the hotel was ok, Most of the restaurants, shops and services were a 8-9 minute walk. The room was decent, though somewhat small. I was not particularly fond of the door design, the automatic door closer made it difficult to enter and exit without fully opening the door outward or opening it wide enough and quickly getting in or out. However, I did appreciate the thoughtful “beach” amenities provided, such as slippers, bags, and beach towels. As well as the amenities. We rented a bike through them and the one day trip to the multiple islands which was an absolutely amazing experience and I highly recommend. Breakfast options were limited, but considering the size of the property, it was reasonable. Overall, it was a pleasant stay.

After booking, I wrote them over Trip.com, but never got an answer. When we went there personally to ask the day before check-in, the front-desk lady ripped my phone out of my hand without asking, to “check the booking”. We checked in into a room on the first floor, which was in front of a shallow pool. Room was spacious, with the bathroom divided in three sections. In the toilet section, the window can’t be opened, and there is no ventilator. There is a safety box, a beach bag, two umbrellas, a fridge, a kettle, and even a Nespresso machine. However, even though there are two cups and two glasses, there is only one capsule of Americano and one capsule of Espresso, and you have to buy the water, rather expensively, at the bar. There is no laundry rack on the porch or balcony. Bedsheets were spotless, but the bed was wet, hence we woke the next morning feeling like we’d slept on the beach. There are no bedside lights. In the next room, the huge TV was dangerously dangling off its 360° stand, and the balcony was dirty, with only the bathtub being spotless. They have few employees and many managers, with the employees doing what they can for many hours a day. Breakfast options are very limited for people with a plant-based diet. Beach towels are not always available at the pool area. However, the white-sand beach is easily accessible, and there are many butterflies and birds around the property. It is very romantic and nature-bound.

First off, the environment is nice, and the staff are all very good, especially the one who helped us with the small boat for snorkeling. Secondly, the pier is extremely far from the hotel, and there's no shuttle service – no pickup, no drop-off. A songthaew costs 500 Thai baht one way. There are no convenience stores nearby, so you're stuck at the hotel for all your food and drink, but the hotel food is really bad. There wasn't enough conditioner in the room. I called the front desk, and they told me they didn't have any conditioner. How can a hotel costing over 2000 RMB a night not have conditioner??? Good environment, but service needs improvement.

Everything is what you would expect from a resort. I stayed in a chalet which was nice. The chalets could do with a bit of tlc. There is a step form the bedroom area to the bathroom that could do with a yellow strip or something so you see it. Breakfast buffet is what you expect, had some food one evening while watching the fire show, the food was excellent. Not ideal for early sleepers as music is on until midnight, but I had a Seaview chalet so the ones further back might not be affected. All in all a solid 7/10

Great location on the beach. The beds are comfortable and the air con works perfectly. One thing to keep in mind, very rarely will they replace your empty toilet paper roll. I have stayed here twice and had to go to the lobby to ask for a new roll for a total of three times. I suggest stopping by the lobby when you come back from the beach (after housekeeping has been done), so you don't go to your room and find out there's no toilet paper the hard way. They will also ”usually ” replace your towels, but this time they just took them without giving a fresh ones in return. While this may all be bad for some, I now know what to ask for in advance, so I wouldn't mind staying again.

The most important thing about this place is its owner. Alex is a wonderful and friendly local islander. He truly puts his heart into what he does and does everything possible to make your stay as comfortable as it can be. Have a problem? Just talk to Alex and he’ll do his best to help. Need advice? Ask Alex! I think the main idea is clear As for the place itself, it’s calm and quiet, yet close to the central part of the island where all the main shops are located. The beach is a 3-minute walk away, another one is about 5 minutes away — everything is nearby. The hotel has its own bar and a private area, peaceful and relaxing. The main issue is mosquitoes, but that’s not really the hotel’s fault — after all, there’s nature right behind the fence, and a very unusual one at that. We even saw a giant stick insect on the property for the first time ever, lol 🙂 The bungalow has all the basic essentials: a bed, air conditioning, a toilet, a shower, and a kettle. It might be nice to have a wardrobe or some storage for clothes, but that’s just a small nitpick. If you’re not picky and don’t need five-star service, but appreciate a warm and genuine welcome, I can highly recommend this place! Thank you, Alex — if we ever come back to Samet, we’ll definitely stay with you again!