Các đánh giá The Beach Samui

My favorite boutique hotel on Ko Samui. The 21-room The Beach Samui is smack in the Goldillocks zone. It's a golden answer to the puzzle of where to stay on an island basking in the glow of HBO's blockbuster "White Lotus" series, set nearby. It's far enough from the tourist throngs to provide an authentic Thai experience. But it's close enough to Lamai Beach -- 15 minutes by car -- to party with the crowds if the mood strikes. It lies on the island's southern tip in a formerly sleepy fishing village called Thong Krut, about a 45-minute taxi ride from the airport, depending on traffic. Among the features are individualized wellness sessions amid a quirky, friendly, laid-back vibe. The informal, lobby-adjacent dining room gives onto a pristine lap pool with a carefully tended beach just beyond. During this, my second visit in two years, I soaked up an in-room "sound bath" from crystal goblets, gongs, and calibrated bowls. Also well worth the candle: sunset breathwork on a bonfire-lighted beach led by a freediver named Diego. Nearby, you can sample a sauna/cold-plunge combo along with cutting-edge equipment at an expansive sports club called Maraleina for 700 Thai Baht per day (or $20 U.S.). The hotel's bed was superb, in a handsome room with floor-to-ceiling sliding windows boasting bathtubs on their balconies for special experiences. The rooms are close enough to the shore to be lulled to sleep by the gentle lapping of waves. Another standout feature: Chef Nui's farm-fresh menu of Western and Thai dishes, noted by long-time local residents as a neighborhood best. A new spot with a fast-growing menu owned by the neighboring French Bakery has just opened (March 2025). You can borrow a bicycle for free to check out other such worthy restaurants, about 10 minutes away in either direction, as the venerable French Kiss and Sweet Sisters Cafe. Separately, don't miss the Na Muang waterfall, nestled in the southern stretch of Samui's central mountains and a quick taxi ride from the hotel. Go on the weekend to watch the Thai kids frolicking in the mist or join them in doing so. Best of all is the Beach Samui's management and staff. Bryan Lunt, founder and CEO, is a friendly font of knowledge on all things related to Samui, White Lotus, and the hotel's licensed herbal dispensary that offers gourmet edibles, infused drinks, and other staples of a plant-based wellness retreat. You may also speak to Steve Lever, sales director, about the local real estate market and investment opportunities. Also to be savored: spiritual advice from the inimitable Franklin of France, who makes arch supports at the hotel and lights up all he surveys. Hats off too to Rung, the resort manager, and her sterling team led by Fai, Siriya, Sawai, and Chris (phonetic).