With over 700 hotels and resorts, and hundreds more private villas and beach bungalows – Koh Samui’s 228.7 square kilometres are nothing but choices. Trying to choose a hotel out of thin air is a recipe for brain melt-down (not to mention browser crashes). Instead? Let’s make this easy.
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Photo credit for hotel photos below: Booking.com
Where to stay on Koh Samui?
Start here: Beaches? Budget?
1. How to choose your beach?
Where to stay on Koh Samui? Every Samui beach has a character of its own. Which is best? Well, you get to decide. Learn the character of each beach (pros, cons, sand texture and suitability) in The Koh Samui Guide, and find out which is the best beach for you. You’ll also find out what’s walkable and when you’ll need other forms of transport to get around, not to mention where to eat! Use The Koh Samui Guide to learn the character of each beach (pros, cons, sand texture and suitability).
2. Decide where you want to be
Do you want to be on the beach, or near it? As a very hilly island, some of Koh Samui’s best views are to be found off the beach. Do you prefer a pool and ocean-view combination to the sand itself? If so, many of Koh Samui’s higher-end hillside properties near a beach might be just the ticket. Booking mid-range places, you’re likely to enjoy savings if you’re happy to walk, drive or scoot from your holiday home to the beach.
3. What’s your budget?
Once you’ve chosen your perfect beach and your preferred location – it’s simply a matter of deciding between a handful of great options in your desired price range. In the cheap-and-cheerful bracket, it’s just a bed, right? On Samui, 1- and 2-star hotels often come with tons of Thai charm and perfectly chilled Singha.
4. Get it booked!
Imagine that – in no time at all, with absolutely no stress or “it all looks the same” confusion – you’ve narrowed your top choices for where to stay on Koh Samui from over 1,000 to just three or four. I said this would be painless. Once you’ve read the first chapter of The Koh Samui Guide and have a preferred beach or an area of Koh Samui in mind, use the following suggestions to whittle your top-notch short list and get your trip booked (whether you’re coming on honeymoon, with children or with just a wing and a prayer).
My favourite: Choeng Mon Beach
Need 10 reasons to choose Choeng Mon Beach? Don’t miss my updated beach guide with detailed hotel recommendations, packing tips and answers to all your FAQs. For a quick overview of favourite Choeng Mon hotels, see below.
Where to stay in Choeng Mon?
1. SALA Samui Choengmon Beach Resort
Stars: 5 stars
Location: On Choeng Mon
Rating: 9.2 out of 10
My top pick in Choeng Mon. SALA Samui means five-star everything, without a hint of pretension. Just. Utter. Magic. Rooms are private villas and many have their own plunge pools. A serene adults-only pool offers canopied day beds, while sofas surround the family pool. SALA is comfy. Breakfast is spectacular; sunset Happy Hour more so.
See photos, rates and book2. Melia Koh Samui
Stars: 5 stars
Location: On Choeng Mon
Rating: 9.4 out of 10
Choeng Mon with children? Look no further than Melia Koh Samui. Melia won #1 Luxury Beachfront Resort in the World at last year’s World Luxury Hotel Awards, plus four 2022 Travelers’ Choice Awards. It’s a relatively new option on Choeng Mon Beach, opening about five seconds before the pandemic (a total rebrand and renovation of the Imperial Boathouse). If you’re coming as a family and need to be on, in, or near water at all times, Melia will delight you (and your kids particularly).
See photos, rates and book3. Melati Beach Resort & Spa
Stars: 5 stars
Location: Near Choeng Mon
Rating: 8.7 out of 10
Stay at Melati for: A cast-away beach holiday, in beautiful surroundings. Melati is near, not on, Choeng Mon Beach but you definitely won’t care. Pictured above is the main family pool, right on the beach, with a superb swim-up bar. Without children, don’t miss the supremely-hidden-away quiet pool. Like SALA Samui Choeng Mon, mentioned above, it has a separate adults’ only pool. Melati won #1 Luxury Boutique Resort in Thailand at last year’s World Luxury Hotel Awards.
See photos, rates and book4. The Tongsai Bay
Stars: 5 stars
Location: Near Choeng Mon
Rating: 9.4 out of 10
Most romantic spot in Choeng Mon? The Tongsai Bay is ideal for quiet, nature-loving couples. Tongsai has many aspects to its ‘secret sauce’ – but its serenity and seclusion are chief amongst them. For thirty-plus years, Tongsai has blended into natural surroundings in its own bay – a bay in which all motorised watersports are banned to ensure your total peace and quiet. Tongsai just was renovated for its big birthday and is beautiful, secluded, with great food and facilities. I especially love The Tongsai Bay for its environmental aspects (and animal-loving ethos in particular). It’s located a minute’s drive to Choeng Mon, but you’re unlikely to want to leave the resort. Stay here for: Fantastic staff, amazing wildlife, tennis and an enormous beach-front pool.
See photos, rates and bookMore Choeng Mon choices
My favourites
- Boutique: Sea Dance Resort
- Pool villas: The Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui
- Families: Royal Muang Samui Villas
- Adults only: Samui Blue Orchid
- Eco resort: Six Senses Samui
- Award-winning: Cape Fahn
New on (and near) Choeng Mon
- Choeng Mon Beach: Kimpton Kitalay Samui
- Nearby: SAii Koh Samui Choengmon
- Nearby: Hyatt Regency Koh Samui
Budget options
Most popular: Chaweng Beach
On Chaweng Beach you’ll find a great range of options, including resorts with private pool villas, boutique choices and more. For details on enjoying Chaweng as an introvert, extrovert, parent or partier, don’t miss the detailed beach guides and comparisons in The Koh Samui Guide.
Where to stay in Chaweng?
1. Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort
Stars: 5 stars
Location: North of Chaweng
Rating: 9.2 out of 10
Incredible sunrises! Stay here for: Dipping your toe near, not quite in, Samui’s action. Tucked into its own bay towards the north of Chaweng. Anantara Lawana can offer you a very quiet experience either as a couple or as a family. Room options include pool villas (pictured above) and private plunge pools. If you’re an introvert who secretly kind of liked lockdown, this is the spot for you.
See photos, rates and book2. Casa De Mar
Stars: 4 stars
Location: North Chaweng
Rating: 8.6 out of 10
An absolute reader favourite. Casa de Mar is on the quieter north end of Chaweng Beach, with an infinity pool, good breakfast and a small gym.
See photos, rates and book3. OZO Chaweng Samui
Stars: 4 stars
Location: Chaweng Beach
Rating: 8.7 out of 10
A superb mid-range choice suiting young couples and families alike. (Picky eaters? There’s a burger restaurant on site). Directly beachfront with an enormous zero-slope entry pool.
See photos, rates and book4. Centara Reserve Samui
Stars: 5 stars
Location: Chaweng Beach
Rating: 9.3 out of 10
Brand new! Centara Grand Beach Resort fully closed for major renovations in mid-2019 and has just opened its doors as the fully ‘glown-up’ Centara Reserve Samui. Get bored easily? Choose this enormous resort with endless choices for pools, dining and activities.
See photos, rates and bookMore Chaweng choices
My favourites
- Families: Amari Koh Samui
- Couples: SALA Samui Chaweng Beach Resort
- Award-winning: Banana Fan Sea Resort
- New: La Vida
- Pool villas: Sareeraya Villas & Suites
Boutique resorts in Chaweng
Mid-range and budget options
Bophut Beach and Fisherman’s Village
Whether with kids or as a couple, Bophut has an atmosphere that many (myself included) consider just right. While its price points are higher than average for Samui, Bophut’s hotel and restaurant offerings are amongst my favourites on the island. For a total beach-by-beach comparison, The Koh Samui Guide goes into great detail about every option you’ve got.
Where to stay in Bophut?
1. Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa
Stars: 4 stars
Location: Bophut Beach
Rating: 9.0 out of 10
Perhaps Koh Samui’s most romantic hotel. A boutique resort on Bophut Beach, with incredible food. Zazen’s aesthetic ethos: there’s no flat surface on earth that couldn’t benefit from a thousand candles. You’ll find one of – if not the – biggest wine cellars on the island at Zazen and its French-influenced food is exceptional. Best of all? The spaaaaaaa.
See photos, rates and book2. Bandara Resort & Spa
Stars: 4 stars
Location: Bophut Beach
Rating: 8.8 out of 10
A superb Bophut Beach choice for families. Bandara has – I think – the best-designed family rooms on Koh Samui. Pool options include beachfront pools and a children’s pool.
See photos, rates and book3. Bo Phut Resort and Spa
Stars: 4 stars
Location: Bophut Beach
Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Stay here for: The best of all worlds location, with a private pool to boot. Bo Phut Resort is indeed a triple threat: get total privacy in your private pool villa, enjoy walking distance to Fisherman’s Village and explore Bophut’s bay in the resort’s free kayaks. On land? Don’t miss the acres of beautiful gardens (and the spa, of course).
See photos, rates and book4. Cielo Boutique Hotel & Spa Samui
Stars: 5 stars
Location: Bophut Beach
Rating: 9.0 out of 10
A brand new boutique resort on Bophut Beach. Your options include both suites and private pool villas (including two- and three-bedroom villas for groups or families).
See photos, rates and bookMore Bophut choices
Budget and mid-range options
- Mid-range: Smile House
- Mid-range: Hotel Ibis Samui Bophut
- Mid-range: The Waterfront Boutique Hotel & Cafe
- Budget: Us Samui
My favourites
- Eco resort: Peace Resort Samui
- Best location: Hansar Samui Resort & Spa
- Families: Anantara Bophut
Lamai Beach and area
Where to stay on Lamai Beach? Lamai Beach is a long and relatively straight stretch of beach with hotels, resorts and bungalows for all tastes. In the general Lamai vicinity, both your high- and low-end options are considerable. To go five-star, booking into a resort tucked into one of the area’s many little bays means greater privacy. To stretch your budget in the manner of a 1970s backpacker, just add a scooter or songthaew ride to your beach commute.
Where to stay in Lamai?
1. Banyan Tree Samui
Stars: 5 stars
Location: Near Lamai
Rating: 9.4 out of 10
Banyan Tree Samui won 10th best Southeast Asia Resort Hotel in last year’s Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards. Every Banyan Tree villa has a private pool. Many are infinity edge. Villas vary in their outlook (you might prefer being higher up for a better view, or closer to the beach, pool and restaurants) but all are 130m²/1399ft².
See photos, rates and book2. Crystal Bay Beach Resort
Stars: 3 stars
Location: Crystal Beach
Rating: 8.3 out of 10
A superb mid-range option beloved for its Crystal Beach location. It isn’t fussy, it’s not pretentious and it’s not walking distance to anything – except its own beach.
See photos, rates and book3. Villa Nalinnadda Petite Hotel & Spa
Stars: 4 stars
Location: Near Lamai
Rating: 9.3 out of 10
Perhaps your sweetest boutique option in the Lamai area. (Don’t let the bunny fool you, it’s adults-only). Choose between ocean view and beachfront suites.
See photos, rates and bookMore Lamai choices
My favourites
- Boutique: Royal Beach Boutique Resort & Spa
- Award-winning: Renaissance Koh Samui Resort & Spa
- New: The Lamai
- Pool villas: Silavadee Pool Spa Resort
- Views: Sandalwood Luxury Villa Resort
- Unusual: Varinda Resort
Budget and mid-range options
- Mid-range: Palm Coco Mantra
- Budget: Bonny Hotel
- Budget: New Hut Bungalow
Chaweng Noi
Where to stay in Chaweng Noi?
1. Vana Belle, A Luxury Collection Resort
Stars: 5 stars
Location: Chaweng Noi Beach
Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Vana Belle won #1 Luxury Romantic Hotel in Asia at last year’s World Luxury Hotel Awards, plus five 2022 Travelers’ Choice Awards and a World Luxury Spa Award. You, Happy Couple, won’t believe its view. An on-site bakery, a beachfront pool and incredible boozy brunches provide every reason to stay put for your whole stay. Room choice? Don’t miss the ocean view pool suites.
See photos, rates and book2. The Jungle Club
Stars: 3 stars
Location: Near Chaweng Noi
Rating: 9.0 out of 10
Jungle living, for “not jungle people”. If, notionally, you love the idea of nature but would never, ever camp: The Jungle Club might be your answer. Newly built and newly renovated options include jungle bungalows, jungle huts, jungle lodges, a jungle house and jungle villa. Choose a Jungle Lodge for the best views and most privacy
See photos, rates and book3. New Star Beach Resort
Stars: 4 stars
Location: Chaweng Noi Beach
Rating: 8.3 out of 10
New Star is a wonderful four-star beach resort, suited to couples and families alike, with a double dose of ‘sanuk’ (Thai for anything fun, funny, cheeky or amusing).
See photos, rates and bookBang Rak
Where to stay in Bang Rak?
1. B House Samui
Stars: 4 stars
Location: Bang Rak Beach
Rating: 8.9 out of 10
New name, new ownership. If you visited Koh Samui pre-pandemic, you might have stayed at The Scent Hotel. Today it’s B House Samui. If your ideal vacation means discreet and charming staff, superb food and total calm – hunt down the front door and enter another world.
See photos, rates and book2. Prana Resort Samui
Stars: 4 stars
Location: Bang Rak Beach
Rating: 9.3 out of 10
A beach-front boutique resort in Bang Rak with an enormous pool. A reader favourite!
See photos, rates and book3. Tango Luxe Beach Villa
Stars: 4 stars
Location: Plai Laem Beach
Rating: 9.0 out of 10
Technically on Plai Laem Beach (just to the east of Bang Rak, with Big Buddha in between), my top choice in this area – for couples especially – is Tango Luxe. This fairly secret, perfect spot allows you to do all of the following, at once: lie in a hammock, drinking a mango daiquiri, eating bacon, watching planes land over Big Buddha … while the sun sets. It’s the mic drop of Koh Samui’s boutique hotels.
See photos, rates and bookMaenam
My empirical evidence suggests that Maenam has more square feet of sand available per person, compared to other large Samui beaches. It tends to be quiet, with fewer beach vendors and more room to find your spot and spread out. Use The Koh Samui Guide to simplify (or solidify) your choice and learn the pros and cons of every Samui beach.
Where to stay in Maenam?
1. Khwan Beach Resort
Stars: 4 stars
Location: Near Maenam Beach
Rating: 8.8 out of 10
Another unusual place to stay on Koh Samui. Khwan Beach Resort is adults-only and has both pool villas and glamping tents. Tents have air-conditioning, WiFi, smart TVs with a totally private garden area.
See photos, rates and book2. Santiburi Koh Samui
Stars: 5 stars
Location: Maenam Beach
Rating: 9.4 out of 10
Santiburi sits on a 300-foot frontage directly on Maenam Beach. It’s ideal for a family that needs to be busy, yet is just a short drive to neighbouring Bophut, Fisherman’s Village, as well as Santiburi’s 18-hole golf course in the hills nearby. Unlike many resorts in its class, it’s built on the flat – so you can walk (or bike) around with ease.
See photos, rates and book3. Napasai, A Belmond Hotel
Stars: 5 stars
Location: Maenam Beach
Rating: 9.3 out of 10
Napasai is perfect for an ‘escape from the real world’ resort vacation. It offers villa accommodations, an enormous infinity pool (and pool-side pool table) and the chance to try everything from Muay Thai to lychee mojitos. Forgot a beach book? Paperbacks are tucked on driftwood shelves in the sand. Stay here for: “Nonstop relaxation with a bit of quirk, plus lots to do”
See photos, rates and bookMore Maenam choices
My favourites
- Pool villas: W Koh Samui
- Boutique: Mimosa Resort & Spa
- Views: Mantra Samui Resort
- Adult Only: The COAST Resort and Spa
- Apartments: Code
Budget and mid-range options
- Mid-range: Paradise Beach Resort
- Mid-range: Adarin Beach Resort
- Mid-range: Escape Beach Resort
- Budget: Shangrilah Bungalow
Bang Po and Lipa Noi
Compared to Koh Samui’s other beaches, this is a quiet part of the island – which has its pros and cons. If you’d like to set down and stay put, it’s a great choice. Minimal development means few high-end resorts, though many private villas are tucked away, both on the beach and up in the hills. In the cheap and cheerful bracket, you’re encouraged to ditch your iPhone and time-travel to a simpler age….
Where to stay in Bang Po and Lipa Noi?
1. Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui
Stars: 5 stars
Location: Bang Po
Rating: 9.6 out of 10
Widely considered the best hotel on Koh Samui, naming Four Seasons Resort as our top pick is truly stating the obvious. Time at Four Seasons Koh Samui is – officially – as good as life gets. But you don’t need telling that. Stay here for: The very best, of the best, of the best – staff, service, kiddie care. Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui won two Travelers’ Choice Awards in 2022: Top 25 Luxury Hotels in Thailand (#20) and Top 25 Hotels in Thailand (#21)
2. The Mud
Stars: 2 stars
Location: Bang Po
Rating: 8.9 out of 10
One of Koh Samui’s most unusual places to stay. The Mud’s aesthetic is ‘The Flintstones’ beach bungalow’ – with extra doses of bamboo. Enjoy incredible sunsets from the small resort pool. Daily batik painting is offered for kids and families, with lots of live music. The latest addition: A completely circular bamboo house with sunset views.
3. Sea Valley Hotel & Spa
Stars: 4 stars
Location: Lipa Noi
Rating: 8.9 out of 10
Are the best sunset views are a top priority? First, consider staying in Lipa Noi which faces due west. For a superb independent spot, Sea Valley is utterly charming (in a very sleepy part of the island).
Taling Ngam, Laem Sor and Laem Set
Taling Ngam is a large area of southwest Samui and the beach is divided in places by rocks, headlands and other topographical barriers. Taling Ngam faces west, so sunsets are the area’s biggest lure. As such, you’ll find the glitziest of branded resorts here.
As for Samui’s south coast? Aside from the small fishing village of Hua Thanon, the areas of Hua Thanon and Na Muang are more administrative regions than specific beach destinations. Consider them broad areas, with the small bays and beaches of Bang Kao and Laem Set within them (to add to the confusion, they’re also spelled Ban Kao and Leam Set). Once off the few main roads, this part of Koh Samui gets very rural, very quickly. If you fancy life as a coconut farmer or a total castaway, this is your chance to try out total peace and quiet.
Where to stay in Taling Ngam, Laem Sor and Laem Set?
1. Conrad Koh Samui
Stars: 5 stars
Location: Taling Ngam
Rating: 8.9 out of 10
Stay here for: Lazy days. Pull up the drawbridge for a private paradise break – with sunsets! Conrad Koh Samui won #1 Luxury Honeymoon Hotel in South East Asia at last year’s World Luxury Hotel Awards and a World Luxury Spa Award.
2. InterContinental Koh Samui Resort
Stars: 5 stars
Location: Taling Ngam
Rating: 8.9 out of 10
Taling Ngam with children? Choose InterCon. Stay here for: Sunsets and near-total seclusion. A certain highlight is the big wood ‘rope’ bridge connecting hillside villas to the main hotel building/restaurants – truly a Tarzan experience for little kids (see more family-friendly details).
3. Samahita Retreat
Stars: 4 stars
Location: Laem Sor
Rating: 9.6 out of 10
Not a resort, per se, but a retreat with yoga, fitness and various wellness programmes. Your booking options include private queen rooms, two-bedroom lofts or a shared loft, with yoga, self-care or brain-health programmes.
Private Villas
Six-bedroom villas
- Bang Po Villa Malouna
- Laem Set: Baan Mekkala
- Lipa Noi: Waimarie
- Maenam: Miskawan-Lotus
Five-bedroom villas
- Bang Rak: Villa Seven Swifts
- Bophut: Villa M
- Chaweng: Villa Mia
- Lamai: Baan Hinyai + Baan Hinta
- Maenam: Miskawan-Waterlilly
Four-bedroom villas
- Bang Rak: Baan Capo
- Bophut: Baan Leelawadee
- Chaweng: Villa Kohia
- Lamai: Villa Moonshadow
- Lipa Noi: Villa Akuvara
Three-bedroom villas
- Chaweng: Villa Belle
- Choeng Mon: Samujana
- Lamai: Baan Buaa
- Lipa Noi: Villa U
Your questions
How do the star ratings compare to Western or brand name resorts?
I’ve used the star-ratings supplied by the hotel to Booking.com. Aside from ace-across-the-board five-star Samui resorts, double check what’s included in terms of 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-star services and amenities. In smaller resorts, you’re better off comparing location/age/size as well as photos, as star ratings tend to have less standardisation than in western tourist spots.
Where to stay on Koh Samui?
More questions? Variety is a wonderful thing, but I understand how stressful choosing where to stay can be. Find detailed beach information, plus accommodation advice (and nearly twenty years of island expertise) in The Koh Samui Guide.
- Koh Samui: The Koh Samui Guide
- Award-Winners: 9 Award-Winning Hotels on Koh Samui
- Couples: Koh Samui’s Most Romantic Hotels
- Families: Where to Stay on Koh Samui with Kids?
- My favourite: Your Total Guide to Choeng Mon Beach
P.S. You can find every tip for Koh Samui’s best beaches and hotels in the archive, or subscribe by email and get all the details straight to your inbox. Enjoy!
