Our top 10 places to stay in and around Ko Samui
Budget digs with beach access
A few little dogs scampered up to meet us at Lucky Mother, where a cat lounged on the reception desk and repeat customers chatted with the family staffers.
Two rows of white concrete rooms with metal roofs face one another across a narrow lane shrouded in flowering bushes, each with a couple of chairs on the tile porches. The room that we checked was clean and comfortable, even it’s nothing more than a place to sleep. Rooms come with screened windows, soft beds, ensuite bathrooms with partitioned hot-water showers, free WiFi and perhaps a print of an orchid on the white walls. You can choose between wall-mounted fan or air-con, with the best rooms bagging you more space along with TVs and fridges. All rooms are available with choice of double bed or two twin beds. Some will not appreciate the 2,000 baht, or passport, that’s kept by reception as deposit in case of damages.
Lucky Mother would be nothing special in many parts of Samui but it’s the only decent option in central Chaweng for a budget room with direct beach access via a pavilion with a bar but no restaurant. Some reports suggest issues with noise from the late-night parties at nearby Ark Bar. (As a rule, you should look beyond Central Chaweng if noise is a problem.) Others have reported rude or slow service, though the older woman who showed us around was extremely pleasant to us. We reckon that staff attitudes could sour in the face of fussy travellers.
If you prefer a hotel or guesthouse on the inland side of the road, Coconut House is a cheap and decent option down a side lane in the centre of town. You might also like the Lotus Friendly Hotel towards the north side of town, or Pott Guesthouse and similar properties found further south off the main drag.
Address: 60 Moo 2, Central Chaweng, Ko Samui
T: (077) 230 931;
Coordinates (for GPS): 100º3'56.07" E, 9º31'56.47" 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.
| Bungalow fan private bathroom | 600 baht | 800 baht |
| Bungalow air-con private bathroom | 700 baht | 1,000 baht |
| Deluxe bungalow Up to 1,200/1,500 abht | 900 baht | 1,200 baht |
| Family room Triple air-con bungalow | 1,500 baht | 1,800 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.
Our top 10 places to stay in and around Ko Samui
