P168 Hostel Samui

The staff are the best part of this lovely little hotel. It’s a bit tired, but our room had everything we needed. The location works well, close to everything while still far enough from the lovely bars and restaurants. It’s also near the airport.

The room had plenty of useful things, including a microwave, kettle, large fridge, utensils, plates, bowls, and dish soap. They also left instant coffee, shampoo, and body soap. It was comfortable, and housekeeping did a great job throughout our stay. We got two bottles of water and fresh towels every day, and the room was always clean. The staff were friendly and accommodating, and it’s central enough to get around easily. Excellent value for money. We enjoyed it so much that we extended our stay by a night, and they upgraded us to a better room. I’d happily stay again and recommend it.

The staff were perfectly nice, though their English wasn’t very strong, and the hotel has some great features: a full kitchen in every room, a pool, a safe, and housekeeping. But the place is badly maintained. It mostly needs a serious deep clean and a repaint. The first room they showed us had spiders in every corner and dust on all the high surfaces. The walls were dirty and splattered with food, with scuff marks everywhere. The kitchen looked like it had never been properly degreased. Our toilet seat kept shifting, the shower drain smelled bad, probably from years of hair stuck in it, and the caulking was moldy. The staircase to the rooms was so gross it made the place feel haunted. It seemed only surface-cleaned, with swept floors and made beds, but nothing beyond that. It’s a shame, because going room by room to fix these things could make a difference, and they might even be able to charge a little more. I know it’s a budget option, but it doesn’t seem like these problems would take much to address. I wouldn’t stay again, though it did the job.

There’s no lift, which made the walk to the top floor a struggle for us in the heat, even though we’re only in our late 20s and just a bit unfit and lazy. The hotel is close to Koh Samui airport, so planes can be very loud from morning to early evening. We actually enjoyed watching them come and go, with the runway visible from our room. It’s modern and peaceful, yet only a short walk from Chaweng beach and the busy bars and restaurants. We loved our stay, and having a separate shower in the bathroom felt like a luxury after so many wet rooms on our travels in Thailand.