Samui Orchid The Ocean Resort

You get your own villa, which I loved, and there are no stairs, elevators, or long walks to the amenities. It’s a quiet, relaxing place that feels family friendly. Ocean Breeze, the restaurant onsite, has plenty of choices and really delicious food. There are also many restaurants within walking distance, and a 7-11 just up the road. It isn’t posh or perfect, so don’t arrive expecting the Ritz.

The beach is so shallow that it isn’t suitable for swimming, and no one seems to look after it. Although it’s basically for the hotel and a few nearby houses, the hotel doesn’t maintain it, so wind leaves rubbish scattered around. There was also a lot of mess around the resort. We had trouble with the water in our room. It came out very weakly or not at all, looked yellow, and smelled really bad. Maybe the heavy rain beforehand caused it, but it’s hard to say.

It’s a spacious, very quiet resort right on the beach, with a great restaurant nearby. The rooms are basic and have air con, but could use some renovations. A good fit if you’re not looking for nightlife or if you have a scooter.

The beach is lovely and private, and there are larger pools at the facility too. We eventually got the room with a private swimming pool that we’d paid for, and it was clean and very satisfactory. The Caffe down the road is very good for smoothies, traditional Thai food, and Italian. At first, we were put in a room next to a stagnant pond. Both rooms had gaps under the doors, so caterpillars and ants kept coming in. They were clean, but need renovation and weren’t fit to stay in.