Shangrilah Bungalow

We felt very comfortable in our bright, spacious bungalow, with its handy Thai-style furniture and clean bathroom that worked well. Ours faced the beach, and waking up to the palm trees swaying in the wind was lovely. The beach has shady spots that were welcome on hot days, though sometimes the wind gets strong and the sea rough. There’s also a great pool surrounded by sunbeds. Breakfast comes in a good variety of Thai and Western dishes. The restaurant serves tasty meals and drinks all day at reasonable prices. The staff are kind, friendly, and funny. There are other restaurants and mini markets not too far away, and the 7/11 is 800 m from the hotel. I recommend the bungalows and daily walks along the beach to watch the beautiful sunrises.

It’s a somewhat remote spot, which works well if you like empty beaches but gives you less flexibility. The rooms are spacious, the AC is very strong, and the staff are polite.

The restaurant staff were nice and helpful, and breakfast was quite substantial, with a Thai dish alongside European foods. The pool is large, but closes very early. The beach was okay, though exposed coconut roots made it unsafe to walk barefoot, and the sea was very dirty, with trash and sea grass floating in it. Our room had almost no shower pressure. Staff sent someone after we reported it, and it improved, but it was still at least three times worse than in other rooms. The toilet made a loud hissing noise; a plumber fixed it, but I still had to turn off its water supply. The bathroom also needed a shelf or somewhere similar for clothes and towels. If you’re unlucky, you may end up in a room at the back with no view.

Shangrila was the best part of our island-hopping time in Thailand. We got there early, expecting to wait until 2pm to check in, but the friendly staff let us in early and upgraded us to a beach bungalow. The rooms are beautiful and the beach is fantastic. If you visit Koh Samui, stay here!