Sun, sea and stunning views

Located slightly less than 15 minutes by car from Koh Samui Airport with the centre of town within easy reach and the white sands of Chaweng Beach on its Beach Wing, Amari Koh Samui is a great place to unwind. 

The hotel has 193 rooms spread across three wings – the Thai Village Wing, the Garden Wing and the Beach Wing. I’m staying in room 3126 of the Garden Wing across the street from the Beach Wing and more than happy with my lodgings. Done out in contemporary Thai-style decor, the room is spacious with a huge comfortable bed in the centre and a cosy two-seated sofa in the corner. Taking inspiration from the sea and the island, earth tones combine to offer a calming ambience. 

From my private balcony, I have a good view of the swimming pool with plenty of sunbeds. 

The pools, both in the Beach Wing and in the Garden Wing, are always packed with people swimming, sunbathing or reading. Life in the Garden Wing is peaceful as most of the facilities like the hotel’s signature restaurant Amaya Food Gallery, Amaya Cafe, Amaya Bar, Breeze Spa, Fit Centre and Voyager Lounge are all located in the Beach Wing. 

While parents laze around the pool, the children can have fun at the Kid’s Club, which has plenty of activities to make the kids amused all day long. 

“Kids are always the special guests at the hotel,” confides general manager Ingo Domaschke with a grin.

“In our two-bedroom Family Duplex, we have children-size robes, slippers and a treasure hunt game for the little ones. This room type has another floor to provide an additional sleeping space for the kids.” 

Opting for a lazy afternoon at Breeze Spa, I choose the hotel’s exclusive Samui Pina Colada treatment, which is designed to prep the skin for time in the sun. Using a natural self-tanning oil made from organic extra virgin coconut oil infused with vitamins and berries from the Monk’s Pepper plant, the treatment helps to stimulate melanin formation to naturally induce an all- even glow. 

After the treatment, I go for a caffeine kick at Amaya Cafe before joining a cocktail class at the Voyager Lounge. Always clumsy in the kitchen, I decide to spare the hotel’s utensils and cheer my friends on as they make and shake the cocktails for us. 

Our dinner table is set up on the beach with selected dishes from the all-day dining Amaya Food Gallery. We enjoy the sea breeze and the best of the region’s dishes including Laksa, a spicy noodle soup prepared the Peranakan way and Nasi Goreng, a famous fried rice dish in Indonesia and Malaysia. 

The next day we get up early to hop on a yacht by Boutique Yachting to cruise around Samui Island. The day trip starts from the north of the island and takes us around the southern and western shores, sailing through Koh Tan for a short snorkelling experience, stopping by Koh Madsum to enjoy the unspoiled charm of this tiny island, and then sailing back to the pier. The full day on the sunny deck makes me grateful for the sunscreen lotion and those tiny bottles of self-tanning oil.

The day ends with authentic Italian food at Prego. Located right next to the hotel’s Garden Wing, the restaurant is in the accomplished hands of chef Marco Boscaini, who sources the best ingredients from his home country to offer guests a taste of Italy’s rich culinary heritage. Relaxed but sleepy from the day on the boat, we share jokes as well as a large dish of Antipasto misto (an assorted selection of Italian cold cuts, vegetables, and cheeses), pizzas, pastas and bottle of Italian wine.

Back in my room and feeling very full, I check my schedule to see if I have time for a workout before heading off to lunch at Ozo Chaweng Samui’s Stacked restaurant. Recalling chef Matthew Rubin’s delicious Greek Tower Salad from my last visit, I decide to skip breakfast.

The workout too, I think, can wait,

 

AT A GLANCE

High point: Ideal location for those who love the Samui nightlife; friendly staff.

Low point: Bathroom amenities are limited to shower gel, shampoo and body lotion so remember to pack toothpaste and toothbrush.

Pay for it: Get the best rates at the hotel’s website.

Find it: Amari Koh Samui, Chaweng Beach, Bophut, Surat Thani, Thailand

Book it: www.Amari.com/koh-samui.