Chi Residence Koh Samui

The location is quite remote, so you need to know you'll be driving everywhere. We also weren't told the beach bar was closed that month. Bartenders eventually mentioned it, even though we'd been told we'd get 20 percent off there. The bar was shut anyway. Our villa on the second floor had good quality facilities and we didn't lack anything. If something broke, it was fixed right away, and the cleaning was impeccable. The pool was nice to have to ourselves, and the other tenants were lovely. The service ladies and people in general were kind and helpful, especially the gardener who sings outside. The management team was okay. Water quality was pretty bad most of the time, though. With fancy baths available, I still wouldn't want to soak in brown water. What left a bitter taste was the nickel-and-diming. We paid 3k for a monthly apartment, then got charged 10 dollars for a chipped plate, and they said they'd counted electricity extra for the final night in case we'd used a lot. We had told them in advance we had to leave at 6:45am for our flight. At checkout, they counted every pillow and spoon in front of us, as well as the pillows, umbrellas, and beach bag, to make sure we hadn't taken anything. It made us really uncomfortable. At 6:45 someone knocked, checked again, told us it was time to leave, and basically hurried us out, so we ended up standing in the street with our luggage. Not a nice start to the day.

We arrived at 10am and were told our room would be ready by 2pm, as their policy stated. At 2, staff dismissed us and said it would take another hour, even though everyone else had gotten a room. The person I took to be the manager was rude and disrespectful. It's a nice hotel, but the service was terrible. If your flight gets into koi samui early, don't count on an early check-in. Book somewhere else.

The deep tub, soft lighting, and wonderful bed made the room such a relaxing place to be. Everything was beautifully furnished, sparkling clean, and smelled luxurious. We also ordered room service from Chi Beach Club. It came quickly, piping hot, and cooked just right. It was hard to leave. I felt so comfortable, and every need was taken care of. Restaurants and the beach are both an easy short walk away. This is my favorite place to stay in Thailand, and I'm already looking forward to coming back.

I really enjoyed my stay and would recommend it. Our ground-floor apartment was lovely, with direct access to a pool that had floaties and felt very comfortable. The room layout was fairly basic, but the amenities were good. There was AC, a TV, and a balcony or lawn depending on the level.