Coconut Grove Hotel Samui - Hostel

The rooms are large, the beds are comfortable, and the staff are really friendly. Ask for a room away from the main road, since it can be noisy at night. There are three floors and no lift, so the stairs may be an issue if you're disabled or can't manage two flights. For the location, it's hard to beat: a minute's walk to the strip and three minutes to the beach. The property shares grounds with a beach club, where you can get access by ordering a mango smoothie. It has two extra pools, a restaurant, live DJ, and a great beachfront. The rooms are basic and dated, so come expecting a budget stay, not the Taj Mahal. People sometimes expect five-star comfort on a one-star budget. We'll definitely be back.

The room and bathroom were really old, and the overall condition was poor. There was no hair dryer, and the heater only produced hot water the whole time. With all that, I don't think the place was worth the price. We had a lot of luggage and the third floor has no lift. The stairs felt dangerous to use while carrying bags. I also couldn't believe they collected a 1,000 baht deposit. I know it's refundable, but during my six nights around Lamai and Chaweng, even several very nice, clean four- and five-star hotels didn't ask for one. This hotel had nothing special, and the lack of a hair dryer was a first for me. Unbelievable.

The little insects some reviewers mention were tiny, harmless ants. They kept out of our way, and our friend in Chiang Mai says you can't keep them out anywhere. In a tropical country, don't leave food or drinks uncovered unless you want them to find it. It doesn't reflect on the hotel. We were happy with our stay and even extended our booking from two nights to a week. The room had air conditioning, the bed linen, towels, and bathroom were clean, and the desk staff were helpful. Their English was limited, but fine for simple requests, and we could check in early. The hotel is right on Chaweng Beach Road, very close to the beach. The area is noisy, as you'd expect on a main road, so light sleepers should choose somewhere quieter. The bad reviews left me baffled. People can be too picky.

The staff are nice, and you can ask for room service at any time of day, within reason. The location works well if you're after bars and nightlife, right by the strip and with beach access next door through LOVE beach club. The music makes it so hard to sleep that I'd stay for two nights at most. The rooms are basic, with a bed, shower, and fridge. There's no hair dryer or bath, the pillows are uncomfortable, and you can feel almost every spring in the mattress.