Kanda Residences Pool Villas

Villa #34 was right by the water, with sunrise views, the sound of the sea, and a really peaceful atmosphere. We got more than we expected, especially after worrying the Airbnb photos looked too good to be true. This is one of Koh Samui's rare finds and sets a gold standard for short-term rentals. Our host Jason also deserves credit for replying to messages, even at odd hours.

More than three weeks have passed since the resort acknowledged its mistake, and I've made two follow-up calls, but the promised refund still hasn't arrived. They had overcharged me by more than $1,000 for electricity, a day before checkout. I only caught it by checking all the meter readings myself. This is unacceptable for a place that presents itself as high-end. Check your bill carefully before leaving.

Our villa was still a work site, with four workers there to replace the air-conditioner, and our villa pool smelled like a chlorine facility. At noon the next day, the workers were still at it and the AC still needed fixing. The manager had told us the villa would be ready, then suggested we go to fisherman village for the afternoon instead. We were left at the airport for pickup, and at check-in we were told our room wasn't ready, so we had lunch while things still seemed okay. After that, the manager's lies started. There was no gym, rockpool, or villa ready for us, and there were no blinds on the windows. At 8pm the manager finally found us somewhere to stay. We were in koh samui for nye, celebrating my 55th birthday with family, and had nowhere to stay. I wouldn't trust the GM.

The beach and location were fantastic, and the staff made us feel very welcome and helped us with everything. I stayed for a week in my own private villa with a pool, which felt like a luxury I'll always remember. Special thanks to the property manager, who got up early to see me off to the airport.