Baan Souchada Resort & Spa

We’ve been to Souchada six or seven times now, and our latest weekend was another great one. The staff are consistently friendly and attentive. We had a small room problem, but they went out of their way to sort it out, even moving us late at night and upgrading our room. We enjoyed the food and walking around the farm, and we’re already looking forward to returning. When I first reviewed the place two years ago, we’d stayed four times in the previous year. Each visit had been fabulous, with delicious food, lovely staff, beautiful surroundings, peaceful grounds, and facilities that were well looked after.

That bed was so comfortable I didn’t want to wake up. I really felt the owner had put care into it, so thank you! The grounds and interiors are beautifully designed, though some things need repair. In my house, for example, only one of the three balcony fans worked. My house also didn’t have the golf course view shown in the promotional picture, and the views differ by house type, so check with reservations if you have a particular room in mind. The main pool is small but fine for relaxing. You can book a tour between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM, or go jogging in the morning or evening. My balcony was hot during the day without a working fan, so we didn’t use it much and it didn’t feel worth paying extra for that type of room. Maybe another room with a swimming pool in front would suit better. The breakfast buffet was good, and I liked the coffee. Lunch was fine, though not a wow, and a bit expensive for what’s claimed as a five-star hotel. It’s a quiet place, with not much nearby. You should park in the lot in front and take a golf cart to the house. Deluxe rooms are in the main building at the front, so you don’t need a cart for those.

The problems with our Pool villa room 501 really spoiled the stay. The shower drain was clogged, so after about two minutes the floor flooded into the dry area unless we stopped and waited. I’ve never had that happen at a five-star hotel, and it was very disappointing. The jacuzzi was no better. The receptionist said it would take 1-2 hrs to prepare, so we could use it after dinner. Someone filled it, but there was grease all over the water, and we weren’t sure it had been cleaned properly. An hour later the water was cold. Staff came back and said the first person hadn’t turned on the hot water, so they drained it and refilled it. It was still cold. We tried adjusting the temperature using the manual, then called again, but were told no housekeeper was available because everyone had finished their shifts. The room had no tub, so the jacuzzi was our only chance to relax together in warm water. It’s outdoors, too, and we saw snails, mosquitoes, spiders, and even a cat. We still don’t know whether the jacuzzi was broken or the staff weren’t trained to prepare it. For almost 500 sgd, this needs to be fixed on the spot. There were some good things: the resort and our room were spacious, the Thai decor in the room and common areas was distinctive, room service had no extra charge, and the staff were polite. The pool villa’s private pool was spacious and fairly well maintained. The toiletries were nice, they use L’octane. The Thai food was really good, but the Western dishes weren’t worth the price. The farm visit they promote was basically a quick 15-min golf cart tour of the resort owner’s private farm, nothing special.

I’d come back for a laid-back weekend away from Bangkok, about 2.5 hours by car depending on traffic. The property has a large pool, electric bicycle, and plenty of animals to look at. My room was small, but clean and well equipped. The restaurant served good food, with a nice range of Thai and French choices, though it was on the pricey side, 80baht for a coca cola. There’s only one restaurant and not much else nearby, so food options are limited. One disappointment was arriving to find renovations underway in the spa area, including the swimming pool bar, gym, and spa. Nobody told me before we arrived, and there was no notice on the website or by email. Hopefully the renovation will be finished by the time I return.