Our top 10 places to stay in and around Ko Samui
Fine option for a dorm
Samui Hostel draws mostly young Western travellers who look past the uninspired name to find good-value mixed dorms and a large common room in a large four-storey building just off the main drag.
Dorms come in a few different rooms, all of them mixed, starting with a dim six-bed room in which bunks are set on black frames over grey floors. The slightly pricier dorms come with the same mattresses and facilities but are more inviting thanks to large windows and bunks placed in sturdier white compartments. Privacy curtains are not included, but bunks are spaced a fair distance apart or otherwise designed with dividers so that you’ll never have to sleep within view of your neighbour’s feet.
A shared hot-water wet bathroom is attached to each room, and all bunks come with royal blue linens on thin mattresses, personal reading lamps and electrical outlets. WiFi is free but we were told that it works only on the ground floor. The hostel also offers air-con private rooms that are comparable to what you’ll find at nearby guesthouses, like Pott, DD and Zanzy.
This is one of the larger properties on a lane that hosts several other guesthouses and small hotels, all in attached concrete buildings on either side of the street that were originally constructed as shophouses. The hostel is segmented into two sections, with reception and private rooms on the left, the dorms and a large open-fronted common room with Thai art and long wood tables on the right, and a motorbike shop in the centre that’s not part of the hostel.
Samui Hostel is Chaweng’s most obvious choice for a dorm, but you’ll also find similar bunks at neighbouring Pepper Guest House. Over on the main drag, Chill Chaweng and Liquid Lounge are both smaller hostels with slightly less inviting dorms for slightly more cash. They both have bars out front along with more intimate atmospheres and more personable staffs; the receptionist at Samui Hostel had no problem showing us rooms but wasn’t all that welcoming. There’s also Behind the Scene, a more centrally located hostel with a trendier design.
Address: 37/71 Moo 3, South Chaweng, Ko Samui
T: (089) 874 3737;
Email: Ou.karb@hotmail.com
Web: https://www.facebook.com/samuihostelthailand/
Coordinates (for GPS): 100º3'20.81" E, 9º31'4.2" N
See position in Apple or Google Maps: Apple Maps | Google Maps
Room rates: Under 600B
What we were quoted as a walk-in.
| Dorm air-con 250 to 300 baht for the superior dorms | 200 baht | 200 baht |
| Dbl air-con private bathroom | 600 baht | 850 baht |
| Triple air-con private bathroom | 850 baht | 1,200 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
