The Sarann, Koh Samui (SHA Extra+)

Chaweng Noi We stayed here for 8 nights and upgraded to a ‘sea front pool villa’ in late March 2026. We upgraded to this after reading reviews saying the rooms facing the road are very noisy. Being 2 single 60+ gals, we usually have twin beds but this was not possible in the villa. We shared the huge bed with no problems. Our villa was right next to the public pool - there was no noise at all. The villa was strangely laid out with the lounge (with fridge and tv) having a separate entrance from the bedroom. The stand outs for this place are: - simply stunning view - you can see the whole bay - private pool - well maintained, perfect temperature and did I mention the view 🤣 - staff are great - friendly and super kind The downsides are - primarily the location -as mentioned it is on a very busy road that is awful to cross. - a good 10 minute walk to the 7/11, massage place etc - you need to use taxis (we don’t drive in Thailand) to get to Central Samui (200-300THB), Fisherman’s village (500THB) so it gets expensive - access for people with mobility issues. Even getting to the beach means stairs and you need to wait for the tides otherwise you will be wading through thigh deep water Would we stay here again? Yes What would we do differently? Definitely use Grab to order groceries (drinks and snacks) rather than lugging them from Samui Central.

We stayed here for 8 days with their full board option, the resort is very comfortable with amazing friendly staff in all departments. Our room was very nice, large and comfortable with a huge bed, vast bathroom and balcony overlooking the bay, the usual appointments filled the room (towels, soaps, shampoo and such) tea & coffee making facilities. The buffet breakfast was a great assortment and the meals provided on the full board menu, whilst limited in choice, were excellent and the cocktails provided were good, although half nips. Terrific views were accorded for just about every location in the resort. The swimming pool was clean, but the step was an issue for the less agile, such as me. A short stroll took us to a clean and mostly deserted beach with small waves and warm water. The resort provided a free shuttle bus to Chaweng daily. Many of the staff we exceptional and provided wonderful friendly service, in particular the front of house staff Pia, Nada & Pang were so very helpful. In the dining room Adam, Tommy & Muay provided great service as did the entire kitchen staff. and our housekeeper Poo was sensational keeping our room and bathroom in tip top condition. Not much to complain about, but our balcony had no furniture and the overhead fan had been removed and not replaced, there's a lot of steps in the resort which (at first) I found difficult to negotiate but it got easier as time progressed. A very busy road is adjacent to the resort and some light sleepers might find this discomforting, but it didn't bother us.

I booked The Sarann as part of a package deal and was a bit concerned before arrival because some of the reviews are brutal on here. So, here's what I think after spending a week there: Accommodation Our Sea View Villa was perfect for us. Large deck are with chairs and beanbags, private pool with direct view onto the beach and ocean was just what we like. The villa was clean and comfortable, bedroom also looked out at the ocean. Separate lounge area had the fridge and TV. Overall could do with a little sprucing up, especially the floors and decks, but didn't really bother us. They looked like they were renovating some of the villas so it's a WIP. No traffic noise from our villa, but I can see how it would be potentially a problem for rooms at the front near the road, as it is the main road around the island. Staff If you are looking for cruise ship faux friendliness asking about your life history, then this is not for you. We found the staff to be helpful and friendly, a little reserved which is the Thai way, but always a smile or greeting when we passed by or needed help. Google translate helped, because although they speak english, I don't think they always understood what we were asking. Food We had breakfast, lunch and dinner included in our package. Breakfast - good selection of western, thai and european choices, hot foods changing each morning. Egg station for omelettes, eggs benny, etc. Lunch and dinner - we found the Thai side of the set menu to be better than the western food (fish and chips best choice from that side). If I stayed again, I wouldn't opt for the prepaid lunch and dinner, as the menu was a bit limited, and I'm sure there were other choices we would have enjoyed. There are also several restaurants along the Chaweng Noi beachfront that you could walk up to for lunch or dinner. Activities Chaweng Noi beach was clean and not too crowded, ocean a delightful temperature for a dip each day. Easy access from the restaurant area. Massages - brilliant Thai massages helped my office-induced aches and pains. You can book 2 hours ahead and it was easy to get a timeslot. Afternoon tea - included in our package, had savoury (prawn cocktail, chicken skewer, melons), western (muffin, custard tart, croissant) and Thai sweets. Great Easter Sunday treat for us. Cooking class - this was fun and delicious. Try and do it for lunchtime. Overall, this is a 4 star experience, as it lacks the finesse of a 5 star resort, but it's still a very pleasant place to stay.