Tremendous value
Thrifty travellers who don’t require a beachfront location and all of the services of a large resort should consider going with Daddy, where you can rent a multi-room villa with a full kitchen in the low-key western reaches of Mae Nam for just 1,000 baht a night – or less if you stay for a week or more.
Two rows of three-room concrete villas – they’re basically small houses – are placed on either side of a lawn filled with reaching palms and a swimming pool at the centre. Each air-con villa comes with a wall-mounted fan (in addition to air-con) in a plain bedroom, with a TV and cushions on a Thai-style wood sofa in a central living room, and a kitchen equipped with a gas stove, fridge, kettle, toaster, dishes and sink. The villa that we checked out appeared well kept, with glossy tile floors and several wide windows. A dining table and wood lounge chairs were placed on the huge roofed porch.
Daddy has a very private feel; we saw no one here other than one of the managers. With only a tiny office standing in as “reception,” it’s not a good choice for anyone who expects a uniformed staffer to be available at a moment’s notice. But the value is really something if you’re a self-sufficient traveller who doesn’t mind a five-minute walk to the beach. It’s located amid a tangle of lanes, just inland from Wat Na Phra Lan and southeast of the Lomprayah Pier. A handful of eateries are within walking distance, though we’d be inclined to hit up Mae Nam’s fresh market and cook meals here ourselves.
This is one of several options around west Mae Nam that blur the line between long-stay villa and short-stay resort. Shangrilah Bungalows is a larger option nearby with beach access and a mix of fan and air-con bungalows. If looking for something longer term, you might also want to poke around places like Mummy (unrelated to Daddy), Palm Point, Mae Mai and Thiptara. If you like the area but would prefer a full-service resort, nearby Mae Nam Resort is a great choice.
Address: West Mae Nam, Ko Samui
T: (081) 805 9149 ; (081) 396 8567;
Email: daddyresort@hotmail.com
Web: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Daddy-Resort-Maenam-Koh-Samui/348457798530351
Coordinates (for GPS): 99º59'3.72" E, 9º34'48.17" N
See position in Apple or Google Maps: Apple Maps | Google Maps
Room rates: 600B to 1,500B
What we were quoted as a walk-in.
Standard double room 6,000 baht per week | 1,000 baht | 1,000 baht |
Reviewed by
David Luekens
David Luekens first came to Thailand in 2005 when Thai friends from his former home of Burlington, Vermont led him on a life-changing trip. Based in Thailand since 2011, he spends much of his time eating in Bangkok street markets and island hopping the Andaman Sea.
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