Skye Beach Hotel

We spent a fabulous week at Skye Beach Hotel in a quiet part of Samui, beside the pristine, uncrowded Plai Laem beach. Our two-bedroom unit was spacious, well maintained, and clean, with an excellent sea view, great mattress and pillows, three bathrooms, and good hot and cold water pressure. The cinema room was comfortable, the coffee machine came in handy, and the sofa was perfect for naps. The complimentary coconut candy in the room was really good too. We loved watching the sunset from the room and relaxing in the infinity pool. Having a massage with a sea view without leaving the room is something you’ll tell your friends about. The staff were efficient, helpful, and courteous, and their warm approach made us feel welcome. We made some lovely friends during our stay and felt they showed the warmth of Thai hospitality. Aru, Ross, Whan, Ben, Nitty, Moolarn, and Goh, you made every day of our family holiday enjoyable. Thank you.

The view from our balcony was spectacular, and we had plenty of space: two large bedrooms, three bathrooms, a TV room, a big living room, and our own pool. We spent two lovely weeks at Skye Beach Hotel in Koh Samui with our two boys. It’s modern, new, and in a quiet area right by clean water where we could swim. What really made it special was the staff. Every time we passed reception, we got smiles and kind words. Nitty, thank you for your warm heart and for making our holiday so much better. Our room was cleaned every day, with fresh, lovely-smelling towels. And Spoon, we loved everything you cooked for us!

We booked what we understood to be a beachfront villa at Skye Beach through Agoda for our second visit. We’d stayed there four years ago without any problems. Before arriving, we called three times, two months ahead: once before booking, once after, and once with another staff member to confirm the villa was on the beach, as the listing photos showed. When our group of six arrived at 7pm after traveling from different parts of the world, we were given a different room. We had a one-year-old and three elderly relatives with us. The manager first said we’d made a mistake. Later, the owner told us by phone this had happened before because of an Agoda listing issue that apparently hadn’t been fixed or explained to guests. The manager seemed to doubt our calls, though we have screenshots, and told us to take it up with Agoda. We spent an hour in the lobby making calls while our exhausted family waited on the sofa. We felt like an inconvenience instead of guests trying to sort out a problem. The owner offered either a full refund or a vacant apartment away from the beach, then a move to the booked beachfront villa on our last day at no extra cost. After arriving at 8pm, we agreed because our other option was to find somewhere else. But then Agoda said we might owe the hotel an upgrade fee for that last day. When we asked staff to confirm by WhatsApp and in person, replies were vague and snappy. We were told the manager was on holiday, then later that he had resigned. Nobody clearly explained the room transfer either. The way we were treated afterward made the stay tense. Staff smiled, hugged, and chatted with other guests, but were repeatedly cold and frowning with us. It seemed the room issue had been discussed among the team and we’d been marked as troublesome. One woman was kind and gave my daughter reindeer antler hair clips. There were other frustrations too: during torrential rain, the electricity was out all day, so there was no hot water or internet, though I know the hotel couldn’t control that. We waited 15 minutes for a one-minute golf cart ride to breakfast in the rain, and reception suggested we walk. Staff were generally unwilling or standoffish when we asked for help, and made snarky comments as we passed reception. I’m not sure they knew we spoke Thai. By day three, my mother’s birthday, we felt so unwelcome and on edge that we asked for a refund for the remaining nights and left. Skye Beach is a nice property, but the way this was handled felt unprofessional. The Agoda listing problem could have been raised when we called to confirm, or guests could have been warned. We might have stayed longer if staff had been more welcoming after the initial mistake. I used to own a hotel, and I know properties can choose their booking sites and check listing details and prices. I don’t understand why the hotel acted as though Agoda’s listings had nothing to do with them.

Our birthday surprise was one of the loveliest moments of the trip. I told Sammy, the owner, that we were there for my sister’s birthday, without expecting anything. Soon after we got back to our room, Spoon staff arrived singing “happy birthday” with a beautiful cake. It really touched us. Sammy was warm and friendly, took an interest in our holiday, and introduced us to his lovely wife Nim. My sister and I had ten magical days at Syke Beach Hotel. I’d stayed before and had talked it up so much that I worried her expectations might be too high. That worry disappeared as soon as we entered the room and saw her face. Every room has a full-size private pool, which was a big highlight for us. We arrived early after a flight, before check-in, and were looked after right from reception. Ross, the head of reception, drove us the 20 metres to Spoon in a golf buggy. Over the next nine days, Moolarn, Aim, and Gho greeted us with smiles and conversation at breakfast. We’re creatures of habit, so they soon knew our orders as we sat down. Moolarn, thanks for the extra help, we really appreciated it. Joy cooked everything fresh to order, and the food was always hot. We’d happily recommend eating at Spoon. Nitty, Bell (meow meow), and Ben at reception were lovely too. When we came back each afternoon or evening, they’d ask what we’d been up to. We got to know Ross better during the stay, and she’s such a warm, beautiful person and a real asset to Syke Beach. The happy hour cocktails turned out to be available all day, and you can have them brought to your room. We made the most of that while swimming in our pool. Syke Beach is a tucked-away little paradise, and we’d love to visit our new friends and family there again.