Samed Seaside Resort

I’m here now, and this place is amazing. It’s a peaceful, out-of-the-way part of Thailand, with just five people on a 300-metre beach. If you want quiet, you’ll love it. There’s a walk to the busy area, with bars along the way, and it takes about an hour. A taxi back is only 200 baht. We had lunch at the hotel, then it was three metres to the sea. The staff are so friendly. If a towel hasn’t been changed, just ask. Don’t expect everything to look perfect, though, as there may be trim missing from a window or paint off a door. I’m giving it five stars because it’s such an amazing place. If you complain about every little thing, it may not suit you. Please don’t give it one star over tiny issues.

The beach is right there, and we didn’t mind the walk into town at night. Getting to the harbour, though, took us 25 minutes, not the five we were told, and one of our suitcases broke along the way. Our first room was so small that we moved, only to find the new one backed onto the kitchen and was noisy. The bathroom smelled so bad every day it made me feel sick. Breakfast was poor, with cold fried eggs each morning and no real egg station. The coffee was diabolical, though a coffee machine did arrive in the last few days. They also tried to rent us a moped without helmets, which would have made the insurance invalid.

The animals at night, dogs or something, were disturbing, and the hotel is far from the centre and its restaurants. It’s about a 25-minute walk from the port, and the streets on the way had a lot of garbage, which felt sad and unacceptable on a protected national park island. The photos had been modified and set expectations too high. Breakfast was very poor, with awful coffee. The bathroom had no window or ventilation, so it smelled terrible, and there were no hand towels.

On the way to the hotel, I learned that my father had just passed away. There was no time to travel 40 hours and make it for his send-off, but the caring staff and peaceful surroundings helped me say goodbye in my own way. Two nights before the send-off, I had an emergency, and staff rushed me to the hospital and covered the fees and transportation. Our stay was amazing. The place felt peaceful and welcoming, and the staff were caring and helpful. I’d definitely recommend it. 👌🏽