Sam-kah Seaside

The hotel is ideal for an overnight stay before catching a ferry, as we did. The building says The Plaza Green, while Google Maps calls it Green Residence Hotel. The rooms appear to be on the second and top floor. It’s a short ride to and from the airport, and transport can be booked ahead through Klook or a similar app. The Seatran pier for ferries to Koh Phangan and elsewhere is a very short walk away, and the Big Buddha Temple is also within walking distance. Our basic room was spacious and clean, with a balcony overlooking the street and plaza, where there’s an almost-daily night market. We didn’t hear much noise with the sliding door shut. The air conditioning was strong, the bed and pillows were very comfortable, and the bedding was pure white. Wi-Fi was fast at 200 mbps and reached well. The room had two small complimentary water bottles, a small fridge, kettle, Nescafe coffee, Coffeemate creamer, white sugar, and a closet with hangers. There’s a handheld bidet in the toilet and a small elevator. Front desk and housekeeping staff, including Bebe and Miao, were very friendly, helpful, and accommodating. A few things to know: the bathroom is the usual Asian wet-room style, with no separation between shower and toilet. There’s a 300 baht key deposit. Have the exact amount if possible, or they may hold a larger bill. We only had a 500 bill and got it back without a problem, but make sure the receipt or claim slip records that you handed over 500. There’s no bar of soap, only tiny bottles of shampoo and shower gel. No TV channels, though the TV is smart and can run Netflix. There’s no safe. The balconies connect, with only a flimsy divider and a gap someone could slip through, so keep the balcony door locked.

The rooms are very large, with big terraces, and everything was in its place. It’s a good choice if you need to be near the airport, and we weren’t bothered by aircraft noise since it’s a small regional airport. I only wish the terrace and room entrance were switched, or that there were a shared terrace at the back with a garden view.

For a hotel in this price range, we weren’t expecting much, so the room was a very pleasant surprise. It was spacious and clean, with nothing much to complain about. We only stayed one night while in transit to Koh Pha-ngan, so I can’t say whether we’d have liked it for a longer visit. For a transit stop, though, it suited our needs perfectly.

We chose this hotel for one night because it’s close to the airport, which was its only good point for us. The room smelled terrible and was very run down. The fridge was dirty and leaking water, and the rain shower was basically an open pipe dripping from the ceiling. It was also quite noisy because of the large intersection in front.