Garrya Tongsai Bay Samui

We spent 10 days here with our son and daughter in law, and the staff made us feel welcome from the start. Everyone was friendly, attentive, and happy to help, always with a genuine smile. Kookik at breakfast remembered our names every morning, a small personal touch that meant a lot. We looked forward to eating at FishTales each day. The food was delicious, nicely presented, and full of fresh flavours. Around the pool, the staff kept us comfortable with drinks, cold towels, and little treats throughout the day. Garrya Tongsai Bay Samui has a beautiful setting and service that made a real impression on us. We highly recommend it and can’t wait to return. Many thanks, Melanie, Brian(Melvyn),Tom and Cansu.

Both pools have wonderful views over the beach and forest, and there’s direct access to the beach for a swim. The setting itself is beautiful, with lovely scenery. The restaurants across the resort were all to a very high standard. At breakfast, a smiling woman made excellent juices from quality fruit. The fruit here was better than at the other 5-star hotels in Thailand we’ve visited. Kookik was also very kind and thoughtful, doing her best to accommodate our food preferences and make sure we were happy.

We had a lovely Christmas 2025 family holiday here, and the quiet atmosphere was a big part of it. The grounds are very large, with about 3 km of walking around the resort, beautiful gardens, and its own beach. It’s private but only 15 min from the airport. With around 80 spacious rooms and villas, many with large terraces, it feels much more personal than a newer resort might. Built nearly 40 years ago and renovated recently, it has a special charm. A resort developed in the last 15-20 years might have packed in twice as many rooms and several more restaurants and bars. Even at busy times, we could find a beach bed or umbrella and get a table for breakfast or dinner. We only ate dinner there twice because we like to explore. Tennis and paddle boards were free to use, and the few times we called for a buggy, it arrived in 2-3 minutes. The staff were friendly, helpful, attentive, and remembered our names. The hotel manager even took breakfast orders at the counter and then found us at our table. On our last day, heavy rain kept us off the beach, so they let us use a day room until it was time to go to the airport. We’d definitely return for a relaxing stay with that personal, charming feel.

This was our second visit, and we were already planning a third over cocktails on the beach as the evening light faded. We’re hugely fond of this place. It’s our favourite, even after having had the chance to travel quite a bit. What stays with us is the family feel. The rooms are thoughtfully designed, calm, and quietly luxurious, surrounded by lush grounds that seem to sit naturally in the landscape. The service comes from warm people who pay attention without hovering. It feels like a real connection among the team, and that reflects well on the leadership too. Manuel Lang, the General Manager, deserves a mention. He’s present without intruding, welcomes guests himself, and helps the team at breakfast. He also joins in with hotel social moments. Seeing him and his team take part in the Songkran celebrations was especially fun, and showed how comfortable and happy the staff seem. That kind of atmosphere feels real, not staged. We could say a lot more, but part of us wants to keep Tongsai as our little secret. Thank you, Manuel and the brilliant team. We miss it already and will be back!