We’re continuing my recent Thailand trip today with a review of the Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui. We came here after a stay at the Conrad Koh Samui that we didn’t want to leave. How does the Ritz-Carlton compare?

Nestled on 58 acres of a former coconut plantation, The Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui offers a luxurious retreat overlooking the Gulf of Thailand. The resort features 175 elegantly designed suites and pool villas. Each accommodation provides spacious living areas and expansive terraces, with many offering panoramic ocean views.

First Impressions

We were let off at the transportation area and climbed to the open check-in area. Immediately, the decor seemed dated, and the views were not as beautiful as those at the Conrad Koh Samui. It also was very, very warm—almost stifling.

Everyone was so kind, though. We were greeted with cold washcloths and coconut water. We arrived about 1:00 p.m. and were happy to find that our room was ready. Buggies are the primary way to get around the large resort, and we were taken to our room and then to the main pool and restaurant area for lunch.

 

The Resort Redemption

We used two 85K Marriott annual free-night certificates for this stay. Because I have Marriott Platinum status, it came with complimentary breakfast.

 

Our Room  

The room was over 1,000 square feet and beautifully decorated. Having so much space was much appreciated and we could not have been happier with the room, bathroom, living area, and terrace. We even had a slight view of the ocean. The three main living areas could even be closed off from each other, giving us more privacy. This was perfect when I woke up at 4:30 one morning and couldn’t get back to sleep—I just went into the living area and worked!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fresh coconut juice and packs of macarons all stamped with the Ritz-Carlton logo were on our table waiting for us. We also had plenty of complimentary bottled water. 

 

 

The Food 

When we arrived, we were starving so we went to the main pool where two restaurants were opened for lunch. We ate burgers and pizza at Sea Salt. Unfortunately, we were not impressed with the food. I felt like it was similar to the food you’d find at a Disney resort: overpriced and not very good. 

The breakfast buffet was great—there were so many international choices. We woke up early every day and were among the first people to show up. There were also made-to-order omelettes and eggs available.

 

 

There are at least six restaurants at the resort so we crossed our fingers that we would be more impressed at another one of them. It turned out that many of the restaurants are only open on certain dates so our choices were limited. We did eat at Pak Thai which features Southern Thai food.

This restaurant was situated around a pool and was absolutely gorgeous, with individual tables overlooking the pool. I had fried rice and king prawns, and they were very good. Everyone enjoyed their more traditional Thai dishes. Before dinner, they served an amuse-bouche that was a tower with toppings that you put on leaves—everyone loved it. Dinner was followed by mango sticky rice, which is a “must” for my daughter. 

 

 

 

 

Hospitality Hour

The hotel has a hospitality hour every night where they serve an appetizer and complimentary soda, mocktails, a local beer, and champagne. It is held in a great area with views of the ocean.

 

 

 

Pool and Beach Areas

The main pool area is small, and the first day of our stay, it was hard for us to find a seat there. But we did manage to find available seats down closer to the water, on the beach. The gulf didn’t look very inviting, so I stuck to a dip in the pool. The second day we were there, we had better luck finding chairs by the pool.

 

 

 

 

There is also a pool at the Spa Village. We never made it there because we were off having more affordable massages in town.😜

 

Bottom Line

Ritz-Carlton hotels are known for their luxury, and I have definitely enjoyed my stay at most of the ones I’ve been to. This one was nice (especially our rooms), but it is hard to recommend it when the Conrad Koh Samui was just so much more luxurious, and offers each villa its own infinity pool. I may have enjoyed this one more had I not just come from the Conrad Koh Samui. It didn’t match the Conrad for views, food, or ambience. However, it is closer to town, so it would be a great choice if you want to stay closer to the action!

My main criticisms of the Ritz-Carlton were that we didn’t have a pool villa (though you can book one), there were not enough pools for the resort, the beach wasn’t great, and the food was hit or miss. But I did love the size of the rooms, the service, and the location—so much closer to town so we could get the amazing massages that we love!

 

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