4-Star Hotels in Koh Samui

We spent 8 days in Thailand, with the first 4 days in the bustling city center and the last 3 days at a hotel located away from the hustle and bustle. It was perfect for a peaceful and relaxing retreat. The hotel is small but beautiful and truly captured my heart. From the flowering trees in the lobby to the lovely throw pillows in the restaurant, and the white walls and green palm trees set against the clear blue sea – everything reflected the unique thoughtfulness of the founders. The lovely lady at the front desk even remembered my child's name and performed a magic trick, offering snacks, which added a delightful little surprise to our trip.

Location: you need to immediately understand that you will need transport. There are a couple of cafes within walking distance, but we didn’t go to them, there weren’t many people there either, except that a couple of times we saw a few farangs having breakfast. Report offers delivery to and from the beach during certain hours. I don’t remember the price: either free, or for a symbolic fee, very low. They also offered to order breakfast and have it delivered to your villa: it’s certainly more expensive than in a regular cafe, but still affordable. We did not use this service, since we would have to plan breakfast time in advance (why?). The beach... we stayed during the daytime low tides, so I can’t say anything good about the sea, but the beach itself is clean and almost deserted. Surprises: we booked a villa with three bedrooms and a living room + a swimming pool. When looking at the photos of the rooms (at the time of booking), I could not understand the location of the room and also could not understand the privacy of the pool. Will the pool be ours alone or will it have to be shared with guests from some other villa. I even looked around on Google Maps, but still didn’t fully understand it. Upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised that this very villa consists of two separate houses between which there is a swimming pool (not small, but medium in size). One house consists of two bedrooms with separate entrances and separate bathrooms, and the other house consists of a huge living room, dining room, kitchen and bedroom + 2 bathrooms. Grandiose! Another patio. Of the minuses: not very stable wi-fi, TV is brooding. That's all. Air conditioners also do not cool as quickly as we would like, but this is the fault of the building design. A huge area of ​​glazing which is made of single wood. If in the future we install normal aluminum structures with double-glazed windows, it will be possible to achieve a better effect from air conditioners + save on electricity and improve sound insulation. However, air conditioners do their job quite well. It was almost always quiet. Overall everything is ok. This place is worth the money. The owner, Lana, is very friendly and speaks perfect Russian.

During the Chinese New Year, hotel prices were outrageous. I unexpectedly booked this hotel, which had very few Chinese guests, and the price was very reasonable. To my surprise, the rooms were quite good, spacious, and both rooms had small balconies. The hotel environment was also nice, with two swimming pools, one by the sea and one outside the villas. The rooms were generally clean, but the air conditioning hadn't been cleaned in a long time; you could see a layer of dust in the vents. The hotel breakfast was a bit disappointing, with not much choice or variety, and no kids' meals, which wasn't very friendly for picky eaters. The hotel is within walking distance of a local restaurant with good reviews (recommended on Xiaohongshu for beautiful sunset views). Although most staff didn't speak Chinese, they were very enthusiastic. Except for one male front desk staff member wearing glasses. When checking in, I mentioned my early flight and was advised to pre-order a breakfast box the day before. However, this staff member kept trying to get me to book a car (a private van costs 700, the hotel charges 1000). I said three times that I wanted to order breakfast, but he acted as if he didn't hear me. It wasn't until I said I wasn't booking a car and just wanted breakfast that he told me to go eat at the restaurant myself! He had a disdainful attitude throughout. I've been to so many countries and so many hotels, and this is the first time I've encountered such terrible service.

I stayed at Dara for all four days of my Samui trip and had many pleasant surprises. The hotel facilities are great, the room is very comfortable, and the service is excellent and easy to communicate with. It offers great value for money. The breakfast selection is also good, with salads, fried rice, fruits, yogurt, bread, and even stir-fries – the beef was especially delicious. Although the hotel is on a public beach, it's right on the doorstep. Just a few steps down from the hotel restaurant, and you're on the beach. In the evening, enjoying dinner by the beach at the hotel, the food tasted great, and the romantic ambiance was absolutely perfect.

We stayed in a room on the second floor with a balcony. Overall, we liked everything, the only downside was the damp smell from the fabric headboard of the bed and the bedding. Breakfasts were varied, with fruits, vegetables, meat, yogurts, etc. The pool was clean and the sun loungers were comfortable. There's an elevator. Check-in was strictly after 3 PM. They took a 1000 baht deposit, which was returned upon check-out. It's a 7-minute walk to the sea. All necessary shops and cafes are nearby. The night market is a bit far, but walkable. However, buying fruit turned out to be a problem, as there are no fruit stalls. Overall, we had a positive impression of our stay.

This hotel can be absolutely amazing, but there are a few things you should know before booking. The biggest highlight of our stay was definitely the view. We stayed in a Sea View room on the 4th floor, and the view from the balcony was simply stunning. Waking up and seeing the ocean every morning never got old. If you’re planning to stay here, I highly recommend paying extra for a Sea View room, ideally on the 4th floor. In my opinion, rooms facing the road could completely change your experience and might even ruin your vacation. The hotel itself is very beautiful. The grounds are full of tropical plants and are extremely well maintained. The beach is gorgeous, exactly what you imagine when you think of a tropical island getaway. The pool is also fantastic, with an incredible view overlooking the sea. Housekeeping was excellent. The room was cleaned very well every day, and it always smelled fresh and pleasant when we came back. Breakfast is not huge or luxurious, but everything we tried was tasty. Most of the options are Thai dishes, which we actually enjoyed. Now for the downsides. The location can be a problem if you’re not prepared. The hotel sits right next to a high-speed road, and despite what it may look like on the map, walking anywhere is basically not an option. Even if you think you’ll be able to walk to nearby places, you probably won’t. Because of that, I would only stay here if you’re renting a scooter or are comfortable taking taxis everywhere. Transportation on Koh Samui is not cheap, and taxi costs can add up quickly. Overall, we really enjoyed our stay, mainly because of the incredible sea view, beautiful beach, great pool, and lovely hotel grounds. Just make sure you book a Sea View room and think about transportation before you arrive. Those two things can make the difference between an amazing vacation and a disappointing one.

The hotel itself is very nice and well-maintained. The service outside of breakfast was also friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, we weren't impressed with the breakfast. The selection was very American-focused, and there were few alternatives unless you paid extra for them. The breakfast staff, unfortunately, also wasn't particularly friendly. We found it especially disappointing that the hotel photos advertise the Beach Club, giving the impression that hotel guests can use it for free. In reality, however, you have to buy food or drinks there just to be allowed to stay. This should be communicated more clearly before booking. The staff at the Beach Club was also very unfriendly, which is why we cannot recommend it. We also couldn't use the beach during our stay due to the large number of jellyfish.

The Briza was lovely, great room, and perfect for a honeymoon. A little bit out the way but within walking distance of Chaweng. We wanted to bring the bed home it was that comfy. Nice and chilled!

Location: Perched on a steep hill, riding a scooter here requires some skill. I wouldn't recommend it if you don't have a license. There's absolutely nothing around, just a couple of **** shops across the street. The massage places along the way aren't great either; they don't even offer foot washing, unlike the more professional chain stores on the main commercial street, though prices are the same. Annoyingly, they wouldn't let us ride our own scooter into the middle of the property to get our luggage. You can call them to get a shuttle from the lobby to your room or vice versa, otherwise, it's a really long walk to the sea view rooms. Pool: The pool is quite shallow, maybe 1.2m at its deepest, I can't quite recall. It's only good for splashing around. The sea here doesn't have big waves, so you can just float and relax. Room: The shower seemed to be faulty, alternating between hot and cold – I nearly caught a cold. The AC, however, is incredibly powerful; great for those who get hot easily, it can get really chilly. The TV is good, with Netflix directly accessible without a subscription. Hygiene: The breakfast wasn't clean. I got diarrhea before even finishing it. There were worms in the cucumber, several white ones. I initially thought they were plant fibers, but then they started wiggling (see P9). I immediately had to run to the toilet. My friend, who didn't eat the cucumber, also got sick, for unknown reasons. I continued to have diarrhea for a few days after returning home. It might not be related to the hotel, but this hotel was my last stop in Thailand. Service: They offered a welcome drink, but it didn't taste good. There's a very small gym by the entrance. The staff generally had a good attitude. Summary: It's a relatively quiet place, suitable for just relaxing. Getting to the commercial street isn't easy; it takes 20 minutes by scooter, mainly due to the very steep ups and downs. I wouldn't recommend staying here if you want to go to bars or clubs. Walking to shops is too far, and there's a constant smell of **** that made me feel nauseous.

It is a very good place to relax, quiet, peaceful, really relaxing. The accommodation is beautiful, the sunlight, the lights, the air conditioning is cool, everything is good. If I go to Samui again, I will definitely come back to stay again.