Our top 10 places to stay in and around Ko Samui
Modern resort with character
Formerly Punnpreeda Hip Resort, this has been a wise rebranding as there is nothing hip about the Punnpreeda; that’s not to say however that it isn’t a well priced and comfortable place to stay, overlooking a good bit of beach in the middle of Bang Rak.
Lodgings here come in two main flavours: freestanding villas down towards the water and hotel-style rooms at the rear of the resort backing onto the road. This time around we were shown one of the hotel-style rooms, as the bungalows were all full (though we have seen these in the past) and, being as close as they are to the road, there is some passing traffic noise. It wouldn’t be enough to keep you up at night, but if it is going to bother you, consider upgrading yourself to one of the bungalows closer to the pool and beach. The cheery staff have character and are helpful; a staffer offered us their personal mobile phone number in case we had any questions about a room we had just been shown, and this wasn’t to try and grab an angle.
Rooms are comfortable and well designed, with crisp white linens and towels contorted into crab shapes (we think it was a crab anyway). Upper rooms have an ocean view, while the lower ones will need to make do with greenery. The bungalows are well appointed, but quite exposed to foot traffic between reception and the pool and cafe, but we liked their vaulted ceilings and plenty of glass windows for the airiness they deliver. The quite smart beachside restaurant is appointed to take in the best of the Bang Rak beach views. As you make your way down to the cafe (and beach) you’ll see the pool. Yes, it looks green, but that is an intentional effect of its mosaic tiling, so don’t panic! While it has enough deckchairs, it could do with a few more umbrellas.
We were offered a deluxe room at a rate significantly lower, 1,800 baht, than what they list on their website. Definitely shop around for a competitive rate.
If Punnpreeda is out of your budget, consider Samui Pier Beachfront Resort, which isn’t far from here. If you’re looking for something quieter and more family focussed, Villa Tanamera delivers the goods.
Address: 32 Moo 4 Bang Rak
T: (077) 246 222; F: (077) 246 155
Email: info@punnpreeda.com
Web: http://www.punnpreeda.com
Coordinates (for GPS): 100º3'29.68" E, 9º33'33.16" N
See position in Apple or Google Maps: Apple Maps | Google Maps
Room rates: 1,500B to 4,000B
What we were quoted as a walk-in.
| Standard double room | 3,000 baht | 3,800 baht |
| Superior double room | 3,600 baht | 4,800 baht |
| Deluxe double room | 5,200 baht | 6,500 baht |
Reviewed by
Stuart McDonald
Stuart McDonald co-founded Travelfish.org with Samantha Brown in 2004. He has lived in Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia, where he worked as an under-paid, under-skilled language teacher, an embassy staffer, a newspaper web-site developer, freelancing and various other stuff. His favourite read is The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton.
Our top 10 places to stay in and around Ko Samui
