Kirikayan Boutique Resort

The setting is nice, and there’s a cool little pool, but the restaurant is disgusting. I had a latte and a fruit shake, both easily the worst I’ve had. Calling them plain is putting it mildly. There was no effort in the coffee at all. So soulless, and there are so many great places for coffee that spending your money here feels like a waste. Don’t eat here.

We had a lovely four days here. The hotel is on a clean, quiet stretch of beach, and we liked being on the calmer side of chaweng. It’s a short walk to central samui, with plenty of nice places nearby too if you’d rather not walk. Our room was massive and spread over two floors, with the largest bath known to man. It had been filled with rose petals when we arrived, a nice touch. Staff greeted us warmly and were always smiling and saying hello. Breakfast had lots of choices, including fresh fruit, cerals and hot options for everyone.

The Duplex we booked had what was basically a mattress thrown on the floor in the bedroom area, with bed sheets on it. Getting out of bed meant manoeuvring onto the tiled floor. That’s not what I’d call a bed. We were then offered a downgrade with no other option. The atmosphere was dead, especially compared with the other hotels along the beach. Certainly not a four-star stay.

The location is superb, right on the beach and not too far from the centre, and the price is good for what you get. The bell boy was very helpful with luggage, reception is open 24/7 and the room was cleaned daily. I was in room 202 and there were loud animal noises day and night. You get used to it pretty quickly, though. Lizards and mosquitoes were everywhere, but that’s common in most places, so not a big deal. The beach restaurant is very pricey for small portions. Even a small minibar water bottle costs 120 baht, literally ten times more than elsewhere. Pool service wasn’t great either. Staff stayed behind the bar, so usually you had to go over there to order.