Scenic Hotels in Koh Samet

"The Samed Resorts group offers the guests a free boat shuttle service to Samed Island (even free car parking), which I find very convenient. The staff helped us loading the baggage to the boat and from the boat to the hotel. Ban Ploy sea is located right next to the pier with a few minutes walk. The check-in went smoothly. The staff was so helpful and friendly. He even offered me an upgrade room with the sea front view for 2 nights. The room was clean and comfy. At the back of the resort is a log house cafe, offering tasty cakes and fancy drinks. I feel really relaxed lying on a private beach. In the evening we were so lazy to go out, just had dinner at the hotel‘s restaurant every night. It was not cheap but everything was delicious. Overall, we are very satisfied. Highly recommended!"

"An incredibly pleasant hotel on the wonderful island of Samet! I spotted it on my first visit! Incredible bay, stunning sunsets! Cozy bungalows, beautiful grounds! Excellent breakfasts, very friendly staff. Excellent spa. The Italian restaurant deserves special praise! It was so nice to receive a birthday greeting from the hotel! Overall, if you're looking for a few days of pampering and bliss, this is a great place. It's difficult to book, though. I booked for December in September."

"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."

"Avatara Resort, Koh Samed: A Family-Friendly Beach Getaway Rating: 4/5 stars Koh Samed perfectly captures that quintessential island tourist vibe, and Avatara Resort delivers a solid family-friendly beach experience right in the heart of it all. Location & Beach Access The resort's prime beachfront location is undoubtedly its strongest asset. Situated directly by a beautiful stretch of shallow, crystal-blue waters, it offers safe and perfect conditions for family sea bathing. The convenience factor is excellent – you're just a two-minute walk from the famous Sai Kaew Beach, the iconic Mermaid Monument, and the bustling Silversand Resort area. Accommodation & Ambience While the resort building itself shows its age, the refurbished rooms create a lovely ambience with beautiful lighting that transforms the older structure into something quite charming. We stayed on the third floor, which offered peaceful mountain views overlooking the national park forest rather than beach views. The setting is genuinely calm and quiet – exactly what we wanted for a family retreat. Important consideration: There's no elevator, so reaching upper floors requires quite a climb. As we joked, shuttling between the room and outside areas four times daily provides a workout in itself! This makes the resort unsuitable for elderly guests or anyone with mobility issues. Dining Experience The breakfast experience is delightful, served in a beachside restaurant where you can enjoy your meal with sand between your toes. The selection impresses with a good range of both Western and Thai options, including fresh fruits. The resort's beach restaurant serves quality food with excellent value for money – we tried multiple dishes and enjoyed them all. However, there's no room service, and the restaurant closes early (around 9:30-10 PM). When late-night cravings struck, we found the nearby 7-Eleven (just 5-6 minutes' walk) convenient for snacks. Room Amenities & Issues Room amenities are adequate though not luxurious. The shower area is well-designed with a spacious dressing area. However, we encountered an unpleasant odor from the bathroom drainage system that required some management during our stay. Activities & Surroundings For water activities like parasailing, snorkeling, and jet skiing, you'll need to walk to Sai Kaew Beach to find service providers – fortunately, we found excellent options there. Final Verdict Avatara Resort succeeds as a family-friendly destination that balances beachfront access, peaceful ambience, and reasonable pricing. While it has some limitations (no elevator, early restaurant closure, minor maintenance issues), the overall experience was enjoyable and memorable. Recommended for: Families seeking a calm beach getaway who don't mind some stairs and prefer a quieter resort atmosphere. Consider alternatives if: You need elevator access, late-night dining options, or luxury amenities."

"The staff is really helpful and will go all the way to make you feel welcome. The facilities are great. I appreciated the calm and exclusivity of the beach. I had to change my room because they gave me a twin bed ( and I'm travelling alone ) but I noticed that both the bathroom had the same issue : The sink is not as clean as you'd like to. In my first room, whenever I showered all the bathroom is flooded because of the door or maybe the whole design of the showed. That being said, I've enjoyed my stay and would've stayed longer if I could. It's frankly a good hotel, and the food is really delicious. "

"A nice hotel with very helpful staff. Choosing a seaside room on Trip was not clear, we ended up with a room further off the beach than I prefer. Staff moved us to a preferred room, without hassle. The breakfast is suitable for farang if you cannot do spicy. The beach is very clean, as is the water and with a morning tide you can see fish and crabs moving about. The resort is next to a roped off swim area shared by several hotels. A close-by dock serves those who want go on a snorkle trip but I dont know where to sign up for this. You will need a taxi or rent motorcy to get to town but there are two small stores about 5 minute walk if you need snacks, water, etc. There is no ATM nearby and only one on the whole island so have plenty of baht since many places on the island do not accept credit card. Our only issue was that the pool's PH level was way off and caused a bit of irritation for the boys and I could not, at all, open my eyes underwater. Hopefully this is a one-off event. Otherwise, the staff was exceptional, helped us rent 2 motorcy and had them delivered. The room was cleaned each day, bed was not too hard, and AC worked great. You get a fridge, water, and coffee in room."

"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."

"The room was nice and the sea was beautiful! The pool was a little dirty, but the Thai waiter was really... charming. Everything else was good, and the food was delicious."

"We recently stayed at Samet Cabana Resort on Ao Wong Duean, and it was exactly the tropical escape we were looking for. We booked the Beach Cabana, and we cannot recommend it enough. The Room: Staying in the Beach Cabana meant waking up to the sound of the waves every morning. Stepping out onto the porch with a view of the ocean was the highlight of the trip. The room was clean, comfortable, and had that authentic island bungalow feel while still having modern amenities (the AC worked great!). Being just a few steps from the water made all the difference. The Location: Ao Wong Duean is a fantastic beach, it’s lively enough to have good restaurants and fire shows at night, but much more relaxed than the busy main pier area. The water was clear and great for swimming right in front of the resort. Service & Food: The staff were friendly and helpful throughout our stay, from check-in to check-out. The breakfast buffet had a good mix of options to start the day. If you are coming to Koh Samet, do yourself a favour and splurge a little for the Beach Cabana. It transforms the trip from a standard hotel stay into a real beach holiday. We’ll definitely be back!"

"This is a wonderful hotel right on a pristine beach. We stayed in a bungalow, and I highly recommend choosing that option if you can. It's only about 30 meters from your bungalow door to the beach! They provide sun loungers, bean bags, and umbrellas, which is super convenient and all included in the stay. The hotel also provides beach towels, and there are always plenty of free spots on the beach, it's never too crowded. There's a bar with live music in the evenings until 11 PM. You can hear it from the bungalow, but it's mellow and not at all disruptive; in fact, it adds to the cozy atmosphere. The staff are incredibly friendly, always smiling and helpful. Breakfast is good, with some local dishes as well as familiar items like eggs, omelets, sausages, salad, vegetables, and one type of fruit each day (which changes). If you want to add something special, there's a 7-Eleven about 7 minutes away with lots of tasty treats. Along the coastline, there are various restaurants and bars with affordable prices, so finding lunch and dinner is easy. The sand is white, fine, and very soft, and the water is crystal clear. There's high tide in the morning and low tide in the evening, which might vary depending on the season. We absolutely loved it and are completely satisfied with everything. We highly recommend this hotel!"