Hotels with Breakfast in Koh Samet

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.

Facilities: The hotel has a restaurant and offers massages. Although the sea-view bungalow I booked wasn't very big, the view was great, and the ecological environment was lovely. Hygiene: The hygiene conditions were quite good, and staff were cleaning the path to the room both morning and evening. Environment: The environment is actually very good. It's excellent for watching the sunrise, and there's a beach right in front. At low tide, there are plenty of crabs and fish. The only downside is the bar at the neighboring hotel, which played loud music past midnight, disturbing my rest. Service: Overall, the service was good. They helped with luggage, and both check-in and check-out were very fast.

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.

After booking, I wrote them over Trip.com, but never got an answer. When we went there personally to ask the day before check-in, the front-desk lady ripped my phone out of my hand without asking, to “check the booking”. We checked in into a room on the first floor, which was in front of a shallow pool. Room was spacious, with the bathroom divided in three sections. In the toilet section, the window can’t be opened, and there is no ventilator. There is a safety box, a beach bag, two umbrellas, a fridge, a kettle, and even a Nespresso machine. However, even though there are two cups and two glasses, there is only one capsule of Americano and one capsule of Espresso, and you have to buy the water, rather expensively, at the bar. There is no laundry rack on the porch or balcony. Bedsheets were spotless, but the bed was wet, hence we woke the next morning feeling like we’d slept on the beach. There are no bedside lights. In the next room, the huge TV was dangerously dangling off its 360° stand, and the balcony was dirty, with only the bathtub being spotless. They have few employees and many managers, with the employees doing what they can for many hours a day. Breakfast options are very limited for people with a plant-based diet. Beach towels are not always available at the pool area. However, the white-sand beach is easily accessible, and there are many butterflies and birds around the property. It is very romantic and nature-bound.

The facilities are great. I stayed here once for New Year's Day and came back for a few more days. The hotel has its own beach, and in the evenings, they offer open-air movies and fire dance performances. They thoughtfully provide both deep and shallow swimming areas, so kids can play safely. The pier is also a unique feature. It's a bit disappointing though that when I came for New Year's, the room included a welcome scarf, and the mini-bar had free snacks and drinks. This time, the room price was significantly higher, and those little extras were gone. However, the overall experience is still excellent, making it perfect for a vacation. P.S. First thing to do when you get to the island: rent a scooter!

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!

Everything is what you would expect from a resort. I stayed in a chalet which was nice. The chalets could do with a bit of tlc. There is a step form the bedroom area to the bathroom that could do with a yellow strip or something so you see it. Breakfast buffet is what you expect, had some food one evening while watching the fire show, the food was excellent. Not ideal for early sleepers as music is on until midnight, but I had a Seaview chalet so the ones further back might not be affected. All in all a solid 7/10

This hotel isn't bad, it's stylishly designed, and the room is clean and tidy. The only downside is that there's no real beach directly attached to the hotel, and the access is from the sea side. There are no sun loungers, just tables on the sand. When it's high tide, the water comes right up to the hotel entrance, and when it's low tide in the evenings, it recedes about 200 meters, creating space for a walk. Breakfast is mediocre, and the service is too; everyone is a bit slow, but that's okay, it works for a couple of days' stay.

The most important thing about this place is its owner. Alex is a wonderful and friendly local islander. He truly puts his heart into what he does and does everything possible to make your stay as comfortable as it can be. Have a problem? Just talk to Alex and he’ll do his best to help. Need advice? Ask Alex! I think the main idea is clear As for the place itself, it’s calm and quiet, yet close to the central part of the island where all the main shops are located. The beach is a 3-minute walk away, another one is about 5 minutes away — everything is nearby. The hotel has its own bar and a private area, peaceful and relaxing. The main issue is mosquitoes, but that’s not really the hotel’s fault — after all, there’s nature right behind the fence, and a very unusual one at that. We even saw a giant stick insect on the property for the first time ever, lol 🙂 The bungalow has all the basic essentials: a bed, air conditioning, a toilet, a shower, and a kettle. It might be nice to have a wardrobe or some storage for clothes, but that’s just a small nitpick. If you’re not picky and don’t need five-star service, but appreciate a warm and genuine welcome, I can highly recommend this place! Thank you, Alex — if we ever come back to Samet, we’ll definitely stay with you again!