Koh Samet Hotels with Pools

This was my second time here. The service was excellent, but there was an unpleasant experience when I was leaving. I had already paid for the fruit I ordered for the day at the restaurant the night before, but I was asked to pay again at checkout. The receptionist was quite loud, which made me unhappy. The fruit was only a few hundred baht, not much, but it upset me and affected my mood! I was also told I had to pay 150 baht for dry cleaning bags, which I don't understand. After talking to the receptionist, they said they wouldn't charge me… The first time I came in June, the service was much better. This time was a bit unpleasant, and there were so many mosquitoes! After two nights, my thighs and calves were covered in bites. However, my child loved it, especially the restaurant service, which was excellent. They even offered DIY ordering of meals: porridge and meat soup! But anyway, it affected my mood all day. It wasn't about the amount of baht, but being asked to pay extra was very annoying! I don't know if I'll go a third time. I'll think about it… but I'll stay at the hotel for two days anyway!

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.

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.

The taxi from the pier cost 250 baht. The beach right in front of the hotel is fantastic, and the male attendant who manages the towels was really good – he's the reason I gave the last 100 baht as a tip. His enthusiasm also led us to book a night squid fishing trip for 9 people. However, all the staff here seem to have two different attitudes: one for Western guests and another for Chinese guests. While everyone else managed basic politeness, the female server in the restaurant (pictured in photo 2) was incredibly rude to us. This is my fifth time vacationing in Thailand, and I've also traveled to the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, the Maldives, and Hamilton Island, but this is honestly the first time I've encountered a staff member so rude. She pointed her finger at me and loudly demanded that I push the water bottle from the middle of the table to against the wall. I was completely stunned. Upon check-in, they asked for 500 baht per night for an extra bed for our 6-year-old. Since the three of us could comfortably share the king-sized bed, we declined and only paid for the child's breakfast, which was 200 baht per day. One evening, we also encountered teenagers on the beach who were indiscriminately bullying kids playing there. I never even saw something like this in Australia, yet it happened on Koh Samet. Thankfully, my English speaking skills are decent, and after a big argument, he ended up yelling that he was going to call the police. Overall, I still wouldn't recommend booking a hotel here. The pricing attracts a certain type of clientele, and since there are many very cheap hotels nearby, the beach attracts all sorts of tourists.

This hotel is magnificent. The service is top-notch, and the staff are incredibly friendly. In the mornings, the beach is unbelievably quiet – no outside noise, just the sound of the sea and birdsong. Breakfast with a sea view is a special treat. The breakfasts are good and varied; you definitely won't leave hungry. The sunsets here are stunning, simply breathtaking. The rooms are very spacious and cozy, with everything you need; there's nothing to complain about. A huge and pleasant bonus is the transfer to and from the hotel. Contact the hotel in advance, and they will pick you up from the pier at the appointed time and take you to the hotel, and the same for your return. They'll carry your bags, escort you, help you into the boat, and upon arrival at the pier, special vehicles will take you to an air-conditioned room where they'll arrange a taxi to your next hotel. 👌

We booked a two-bedroom bungalow for a family of two adults and two children. It's very comfortable, cleaned daily, and has good breakfasts. The sea and private beach are pristine. We stayed there for four nights and then headed to Pattaya. Samet and the Cliff Resort are definitely much better. But not for those looking for a party. If you're looking for relaxation, clean sea, and peace, it's fine. If you're looking for clubs and nightlife, it's not.

The front desk was unstaffed at night, requiring a phone call to get assistance, which was inconvenient as we didn't have a local SIM card. Breakfast was quite mediocre, and the hotel's appearance didn't quite live up to the polished photos. Our room had only a small window, making it a bit dim with no view. The location was decent though, very close to the beach. The family room was fairly spacious, and we could push the beds together, which was enough for our group of three adults and two children. We booked primarily for the pool, but it turned out to be quite small, only suitable for kids to splash around in. Housekeeping staff were friendly; they'd fold towels into animal shapes if tipped. The shower pressure and overhead shower were much better than in other hotels we've stayed at. What's more, our 10-year-old wasn't charged for breakfast, whereas other hotels charged for the child in a 2-adult, 1-child booking.

The hotel room was decent. The location is a bit off the beaten path, but you can still find restaurants nearby for meals. However, reaching the island's main center definitely requires a car.

The hotel is beautiful - decor, location, which is on the seafront (where you can eat dinner or the delicious breakfast they offer) with an amazing complement of staff. Everybody could not do enough to help and made our stay an entirely enjoyable one. We *will* be back.

Hygiene: Hygiene is OK, clean even if it is clean Facilities: There are no facilities, just an ordinary homestay, there is a small swimming pool, the water pressure in the bath is not high, and the shower is not very comfortable. Service: Not able to communicate in English, use translation software It is fake to say that it is close to Diamond Beach, and it takes 15 minutes to walk to the beach. The point is here: if you want to stay for two nights, it is recommended that you book two separate orders to book. On the first day, you can find a better hotel and at least one order can be refunded. If you book directly for two days, you can actually stay for one day, then the hotel is 200% and refuses to refund the money. There are actually many hotels to choose from.