Review Conrad Ko Samui, (probably) the best stay of my life
This was, probably, the most beautiful facility I have ever visited, the best staff I have ever found [...]
Thailand
This was, arguably, the nicest facility I have ever visited, the best staff I have ever found in a hotel, and the best all-around experience in my life as a compulsive traveler.
I make this premise because it should be clear that this review will be the new benchmark when it comes to giving grades to facilities of this type.
Reservation
In this article:
I took advantage of the promotion (still valid) that allowed for 25% savings on all stays of at least 4 days at the most luxurious facilities in the Hilton portfolio.
The Conrad of Ko Samui is the only Hilton Group property on the island, and, compounded by the difficulty of reaching this pearl of Thailand's sea, prices (even before the discount) were significantly lower than in the pre-pandemic period. The hotel offers only accommodations in villas built on concrete stilts overlooking the sea, all with private pools with a price (in the "world of before") never less than 550€ per night and in high season even double that.
In our case we were able to book for a week at just over €200 per night for the cheapest accommodation, which was a villa on the first level. Of course, it was also possible book with points, this is one of the most expensive facilities in the Hilton portfolio and the basic room has a cost by 80 Hilton Honors points per night. The Hilton Honors loyalty program partners with American Express and it is super easy to transfer membership rewards points into HHonors points.
Normally I would have booked this way, but since the price was so cheap (for this facility) I preferred to accumulate and so Between basic points, double points promotion, Diamond bonus and other small bonuses I have accumulated with this stay about 95k points, enough for a free night in this hotel or Five free nights at a hotel like the DoubleTree in Trieste.
The location
The resort is located in the southernmost part of the island, exactly opposite the center of Samui and the airport. The trip from the small airport takes about 45 minutes, precisely because it is the farthest point to reach for those arriving by air.
The position is definitely cause for hate or love, in our case it was love at first sight. The property is a small village facing the mainland, and all the villas were built with sunset views in mind for all the guests in the 97 villas.
The fact that it is so isolated from everything makes this facility unique. Also because of the type of buildings, it feels like an atoll in the Maldives or Seychelles, with the difference that here you can take a cab or scooter to get around the rest of the island of Samui.
The nightlife in Samui is in the airport area, which, as mentioned, is almost a 60-minute drive away; the beach and Lamai area, on the other hand, is about 30 minutes away, where it is possible to find restaurants and a tiny bit of nightlife. On the opposite side, in the Nah Ton area, is Nikki Beach, a brand well known for its beach parties.
In general, this place is perfect for those who want to stay in the resort or those who accept moving around the island via scooter as we did. It's the ideal location for a honeymoon (or wedding directly), not for those who want to rock the nightlife.
The transfer from the airport
We booked transportation directly at the hotel (at a cost of 1,500 bath) partly because it was mandatory for Samui+ protocol; today, however, it is possible to take a regular cab at a significantly lower cost (about 600 bath).
The minibus that took us to the hotel was spotlessly clean, the driver isolated from the rest of the cabin, and waiting for us on the seat were delicious cookies made by the resort's pastry chefs and a small refreshing towel. The trip took about 45 minutes, and when we arrived in front of the lobby, we immediately knew that this would not be just any vacation.
In the center of the lobby, a fountain and then the open sea with characteristic islets as a backdrop, it looked like we were looking at a painting in a museum.
Check-in
As we got off the minibus, we were warmly greeted by the reception staff and invited into a golf car to be taken directly to our villa.
We had booked the basic villa, but thanks to my Diamond level in the Hilton Honors program., we were promoted to level 3, a room that cost 8 thousand bath (about 200€) per day more than booked.
When we got off the electric vehicle and opened the door to the room, we felt like we were entering a movie; it was all too good. Accompanying us to our room was Jack, one of the reception managers, who explained all the rules of the Samui+ protocol (now lapsed).
We then checked in directly to our room while sipping freshly squeezed orange juice and enjoying treats prepared especially for us.
In addition to the paperwork, Jack also told us all the features of this hotel, explained about the upgrade, and presented all the services. At the end, he left us his whatsapp contact, a contact we used during our stay to ask for information, arrange excursions, order food, and more.
Most importantly, he told us the time of sunset and the two best places from which to watch it-one of which was our room.
Golf car only
What's special about the resort is that inside you get around on foot (very little) or via the hotel's golf cars. There are more than 50 of these vehicles in the resort.
The structure is on 7 levels, as if they were the floors of a hotel. The rooms from level 1 to level 3 are all identical villas, what changes is the view which becomes more beautiful the higher you go. From level 4 to level 6 the villas become true duplex apartments with a double swimming pool with an area of just under 300 square meters. Finally on the 7th level the villas become four-room apartments with a kitchen and annex of almost 800 sqm.
The room
This facility is not comparable to just any Conrad, such as the one in Bangkok, or even a resort, like the Marriott Merlin in Phuket. Perhaps to a facility on some atoll, such as the Radisson Blu in the Maldives. The difference is that it grows in height and is not in the middle of nowhere in the Indian Ocean, but on a hill in Thailand.
The 135sqm room has a huge king-size bed with one of the most comfortable mattresses ever and an incredible topper that would surely get a 10 from Chef Barbieri on an episode of "Four Hotels." Then there is a small sofa with a coffee table, a walk-in closet and a bathroom that is the size of a studio apartment in Milan.
The bathroom has a toilet in a separate area, a walk-in shower, and a double sink. Then there is a huge family-size bathtub that can accommodate at least 4 people without any problems.
And here we come to the absolute star of all the villas in this resort.: the terrace with infinite pool. The pool measures 10mt by 3mt and is 1.2mt deep. Here is a huge umbrella with two sunbeds and on the opposite side a small sofa with chairs and small table. A dream.
Our room had a benefit that made it unique among all the rooms on level 3: since it was the last one, it was the one at the top, so it had the best view and the most privacy.
What accommodation to choose
The resort has only villas: level 1 to level 3 are 135sqm on one floor, 4 to 6 are on two floors and over 290sqm. Then there are real maison up to 800sqm.
The difference in price comes not only from the size of the apartment, but mainly from the level at which the villa is located. Those on the first level are the same as those on the 3rd but cost less, just as those on the 6th are the same as those on the 4th and obviously cost more.
If you hold elite status in the Hilton Honors program. and you can hope for an upgrade, I recommend booking the first level, otherwise if the cost is within your reach, try to be as high as possible.
After spending a week at this facility, I can say without fear of contradiction that level 3 is definitely the best for various reasons:
- The main ZEST restaurant, the one where you have breakfast in the morning is at the same elevation and this allows you to walk out without having to call the buggy, which is impossible if you stay in the other levels instead
- Also in the same area are the lounge, gymnasium and spa, all so easy to reach
- The view is much better than on the levels below, certainly worse than those staying from the 4th level up, but since the villas become two-room apartments and the price almost triples that of the ones below, I would say you may as well be content.
- The lower you are the more visible you are to those above, although it must be said, privacy is protected a great deal and the checkerboard construction of the villas protects you from prying eyes.
Displacements
As mentioned, if in a hotel you take the elevator to the pool, restaurant, or reception, here you take the buggy, which is a golf car. You call the front desk on the phone and say where you want to be taken, within a couple of minutes at most a buggy arrives, you get in and are taken to your destination.
Whoever designed the facility thought of everything, the roadway is wide enough to have two lanes of traffic, the slope is high but the toy cars manage to get on/off without problems, even in slippery asphalt conditions. In case of rain, the bulkheads are closed and you can move around without showering.
Everything is really perfectly organized and the guys driving were always super nice and smiling, as only in Thailand they can be.
The staff
Those who have already vacationed in Thailand can surely understand what typical Thai hospitality is all about. Everything at this property is taken care of down to the smallest detail by everyone. From the gardener to the buggy driver, from the restaurant staff to the lobby staff to the parking attendants.
Never in my life have I felt so at home and welcomed in a hotel. In the morning when we arrived for breakfast they were ready for us, from the second morning we didn't even have to ask for our wishes anymore, they were granted before we even opened our mouths.
I don't usually return to a place multiple times, because I like to go and discover different places, but I can say that I would return, I think countless times, to this resort.
KM0 philosophy
Two of the things I appreciated so much about this property are its concern for the environment and its willingness to offer guests not only products that are as local as possible, but even produced by the hotel staff on the farm located on the hillside in front of the resort.
Explaining how this new approach came about was Jim, who works in the hotel's F&B department. "During Covid, I became a farmer, so we decided to open our own farm." What is special is that Jim is Korean, and after honeymooning at this hotel, he decided to move to Thailand to work there again.
The farm is called "Iris Project" and can be visited by all guests. The 80% of vegetables used by restaurants are produced here, the more than 150 hens produce the eggs that are served for breakfast, used to make dishes and desserts. But it is not just that. All excess food and greenery produced within the facility becomes compost. And when it is not possible to produce locally, suppliers are carefully selected, for example, coffee is bought in the north of the Kingdom near Chang Rai and roasted directly in Botanikka, one of the resort's cafes.
"We also brew beer and lots of other products that we then serve to our customers. Pandemic has taught us that luxury is also about being able to respect the environment, and we are trying to communicate that with this change of mindset and approach," Jim concludes.
Paper has almost been eliminated in the rooms, replaced by bamboo tablets on which are written the hotel rules, directions for guests, and much more information. Internal travel is by electric vehicles only, and all single-use plastic has been eliminated from the facility, replaced by glass and biodegradable containers. Only in the bathroom are there still the classic products found in all Conrads.
Restaurants and Bars
Being a resort, it is designed to offer different options for guests. Zest is definitely the main point since it is the restaurant that serves breakfast in the morning. One of the advantages of being at least Hilton Honors Gold is being able to have free breakfast, in this facility it translates to a savings of about 45€ per day.
The buffet, as is always the case in this part of the world, is huge. The quality is also very high due to the many products that come from the facility's farm, and when this is not possible, such as for salmon or milk, suppliers are carefully selected by the F&B department.
On the beach floor is the SeaKret bar, given the small number of guests, it was always manned but we never used the services.
A little further up the main pool is Azure. Mediterranean-inspired restaurant open for lunch until 6 p.m. The menu is classic light lunch fare, as in a nice beach establishment with a kitchen in Italy.
Then there is Heist, the resort's elegant restaurant. It is located on the 5th level and from here there is an incredible view of the entire resort.
Finally there is Botanikka, which before the covid was a kind of starbucks, while today it is the poster child for the resort's new eco-sustainable mentality. Here they roast and brew coffee, produce mushrooms and various types of beer.
The Pools and the Beach
Each villa has its own pool; ours had the standard one, which is an infinite pool 10m long and 1.2m deep.
Then on level 2 is the public pool, even when the hotel was full it was almost always deserted, which did not surprise us since we also preferred to be in "ours" rather than going down to the larger one. Again it is an infinity pool overlooking the sea. There are sunbeds and small cabanas available for guests.
A little further down is the resort's small private beach, perhaps the beach is the only thing not on a level playing field compared to those around. The hotel, however, has gone out of its way to make it special. There are two hammocks in the sea. There are sunbeds suspended directly over the sea. Also available to guests are sun loungers, all with access to an outlet as well, and large pillows.
At both the pool and the beach, as soon as you arrive an attendant brings water bottles (in glass) to your table for free refreshment.
Canoes and SUP boards are available to guests, and jet skis are also available for a fee.
The resort for children
This resort is a little paradise for children; it is not the classic resort with animation and baby dance, but it is impossible for a child to get bored.
The queen of attractions is definitely the room pool, followed by the large infinity pool open to all guests.
Then there is also a small kids club, suitable for very young children.
Even, which has never happened before in my life, in the bathroom we were given two dental hygiene kits for my daughter with a very cute toothbrush and toothpaste specifically for babies.
The small promenade
This resort for years has been voted as one of the best locations for weddings, not hard to believe, to make the moment more atmospheric, a small structure was built where ceremonies are held. Truly romantic.
At the end of the promenade there is also a pier that stretches out into the middle of the sea and from which there is a beautiful view of the entire resort and on which, if you wish, you can dine alone during your stay.
P.S. I had also brought my drone to capture this spectacle of a place, but scattered all over the resort from the room to the beach there are signs indicating, for privacy reasons, not to use drones.
The little daily cuddles
Of the attentions of the facility's staff I have already written, now I want to talk about the many little pampering touches that made our stay even more special.
From the treats in the room the day we arrived, to the attention from the staff every time we met them.
Advice on where to go and what to visit, until the surprise at the end of our stay. Three little bears dressed in the facility's bathrobe and personalized with our names on them. Not forgetting the two beautiful washable masks that were given to us on the day of our arrival.
Right down to the menu of pillows available to guests, as many as 13 different types. Other than sweet dreams.
In conclusion
Every living room is different, it is impossible to compare this Conrad with the one in Dubai or of New York, just as it is impossible to compare a room that has a private pool and such a view with a hotel room with a Niagara Falls view. Of course, this Conrad has minor flaws, partly because there is no such thing as perfection, but here in Ko Samui I think I left a piece of my heart here.
Pro
- The villa, the pool, the view
- Absolute silence
- The staff
- Concern for the environment
Against
- The beach is tiny and artificial no walking in the sea as is the case elsewhere
- An alternative restaurant is missing
- Services are all (too) expensive compared to the rest of the Island