Hotel Review: Conrad Koh Samui, 1-Bedroom Premium Ocean View Pool Villa | One Of The Best Conrad Hotels In Asia

Posted on March 7, 2023 by theRantingPanda in Hotel Review

The Hotel This is half my reason for visiting Koh Samui, Thailand. To say I was excited upon booking my stay at the Conrad Koh Samui is probably an understatement, and I deliberately booked it in the last leg of my Koh Samui trip after checking out from Hyatt Regency Koh Samui and Six Senses Samui. Talk about saving the best for the last.

Conrad Koh Samui is located on a secluded hill on Koh Samui’s southwestern tip, where its reception stands on a high ground with a sweeping panoramic view of the Gulf of Thailand. First impression and I was already impressed.

I was attended to by a friendly staff the moment I alighted from my car, and had some welcome drinks and cold towel to freshen up. Meanwhile, I was also admiring the gorgeous views from the reception.

The check-in process did not take too long, before I was informed my villa was ready and I was ushered to a buggy.

The Villa The layout of Conrad Koh Samui is such that all villas have a sea view, and it all overlook the Gulf of Thailand. The difference lies in terms of the exact facing of the villas – the ones with 1-series are on the lower level and you may get some obstructed view from the vegetation, while the 6-series villas are the bigger villas for families. The general rule of thumb is the unobstructed view villas with a clear and strategic view of the Five Islands are the most well-located.

The most entry level villa is the 1-Bedroom Tropical Island Pool Villa which is on the lowest level. As a Hilton Honours Gold member, I managed to score a 2-tier upgrade to the 1-Bedroom Premium Ocean View Pool Villa, and was assigned Villa 223 on the second level, which is also the last villa at a corner right beneath the spa building.

The view from Villa 223 is so mesmerising! Each villa stands at 130 sqm and as I expected, I had an unobstructed ocean view which is all that matters to me.

The interior of the villa is contemporary in design and I must say that it is very well-maintained despite the age of the property. I love the high ceiling above the king-sized bed, and you can find features like HDTV, a spacious work area (not that you need it) and ceiling fans.

The mattress is hard enough for me and I slept well during my stay. There is also a pillow menu where you can choose the type and hardness of pillow you fancy.

The spacious bathroom is another draw of this villa. The huge bath tub overlooks the ocean, and there is no reason not to soak in it at least once during my stay. There is even a mini-TV where you can watch some shows while soaking in the tub.

The rain shower area is huge with strong water pressure, which I appreciate for a good shower. The shower amenities are by Shanghai Tang.

The shower zone also leads to the walk-in closet which provides ample space to store your luggage and belongings.

And the biggest highlight of the villa? It has to be the infinity pool and terrace. I honestly cannot resist a beautiful private villa pool, so you can imagine my excitement here.

At 10 metres, it is a good size pool, not so much for lap swimming but really just to soak in the gorgeous ocean view while taking a dip. There is nothing more relaxing than spacing out into the horizon on a holiday.

The terrace comes with two sun deck chairs with a huge umbrella over the chairs to shield the sun. Separate pool towels are also provided in the bathroom.

The terrace also comes with an outdoor dining table and chairs where you can have your in-villa dining, which I did.

What I like about Villa 223 is that being at a corner, it is quite private, and most parts of the outdoor pool and terrace are not visible to other guests. I did notice that part of my villa pool can be seen from the spa building, which is located right above.

The Facilities Since all villas have their own private pools at Conrad Koh Samui, the main pool is rendered a white elephant in my opinion. It is a decent size infinity pool if you want to do some swimming, though I rather chill in my private pool villa.

Another note is that depending on where your villa is located, the best way to get around the resort is still via the buggy. The buggy service is generally very responsive and I typically wait less than 5 minutes after requesting for one.

Right beneath the main pool is the private beach, where you can use the complimentary kayaks. There are also some Instagrammable spots at the beach with the floating hammocks.

If you are keen in other water spots, there is a Diving and Sailing Center. There are also half- and full-day excursions with activities like sunset yacht rides and Thai cooking classes.

At the tip of the resort is a white-washed private jetty, which is a perfect spot if you want to capture the architecture of the whole resort.

There is even a mini chapel along the path to the jetty, which is a perfect spot for an outdoor beach wedding.

I highly recommend a visit to the Spa, even if you are not planning to book any treatments. All guests are entitled to complimentary use of the sauna and steam room, but the catch is that you need to reserve a time slot as each one-hour slot is a private session for each villa.

I managed to book a slot during my stay and no regrets. Firstly, the view from the spa is beautiful in a different way due to its corner location, and it is a great spot to admire the different hues of blue in the ocean from this point.

Secondly, the sauna and steam room facilities are superb. I like how the sauna looks out to the ocean, and the steam room even has towels placed on the hard seat just so your skin does not feel too hot.

Another draw here is the standing shower with strong water jet pressure from all directions. So therapeutic.

Of course, I also booked a massage session which I really highly recommend. There are 10 treatment suites here and the suite I was assigned to can accommodate two guests. The suite looks out to the ocean and there is also a private plunge pool within.

The massage is one of the best I have had. It is done in a very relaxing fashion, with the right amount of pressure and professionalism.

Spa aside, I also spent time at the Fitness Centre which is located in the same zone as Zest restaurant. I personally find the gym quite dated where the equipment also shows signs of aging. Otherwise, it is quite spacious and well-equipped.

The Restaurants There is no point getting out Conrad Koh Samui in my opinion especially if you are only staying for one or two nights. I am just glad there are a couple of decent dining options.

Zest is the restaurant which is a mere few minutes’ walk from my villa, and this is the restaurant which serves the daily breakfast.

It is a mix of outdoor and indoor seats, and the obvious choice is to go for the outdoor ones where you get a nice breeze and an ocean dining view.

The breakfast spread is a mix of international and Thai cuisine, where you can expect Thai noodles station, eggs station, fruits, juices, pancakes and waffles.

My favourite part of the breakfast buffet has to the the in-house smoked salmon box. Yes, the restaurant smokes its own salmon and it is so delicious. This is a must have.

For lunch and dinner, the menu at Zest focus on traditional southern Thai flavors with chefs using local organic produce and ingredients – including herbs, fruit and vegetables grown in the hotel’s kitchen garden. I had one dinner meal at Zest, where I had an array of Thai dishes which are delicious.

For a more upscale dining, there is Jahn which offers Thai-inspired tasting menus.

Jahn is an exclusive space as it only accommodates up to 28 guests. Needless to say, you get a gorgeous view of the ocean.

I booked Jahn for dinner during my last night, and there is only one fixed tasting menu where you can expect a blend of traditional Thai cooking techniques and specially imported international ingredients for each dish.

The dishes are generally executed with finesse and some dishes stood out for me. Head here if you feel like splurging on a good meal.

For a more causal meal, there is Azure Bar and Grill located beside the main pool.

Ko Lounge is the space where you can drop by for some drinks and cocktails, located right above the gym.

An interesting casual concept in the resort is Botanikka, an edible garden space where you can also get Kombucha, organic coffee and tea.

Rants The obscure location of the property makes it inconvenient to head out to the towns if that is what you are interested to sightsee. Do note that grab app car service is generally quite infrequent on the island and it is not easy to secure a grab car booking due to limited drivers on the grab app platform.

Overall Experience It is a very memorable stay at Conrad Koh Samui for me. I love the private pool villa which is an oasis to space out. The spa is excellent, and I cannot recommend it enough. Food options are generally good by Koh Samui standards, and this is one resort I wouldn’t mind heading back again despite its offbeat location. If you are a Hilton Honours Gold or Diamond member, this is also an excellent property to maximise your Hilton Honours benefits.