The Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui

The rooms at The Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui include pool villas with a private pool and a balcony, terrace suites, a garden suite and a three-bedroom villa of 255 m². Some pool villas and the three-bedroom villa have ocean views, and the garden suite overlooks the garden.

Every room has a private bathroom with bathrobes, a hair dryer, a mirror and towels, and the three-bedroom villa sleeps up to six guests. Most rooms have a balcony or a terrace, and the bathrooms are fitted with bathtubs or walk-in showers, depending on the room. Some bathrooms also have separate showers and bathtubs, so guests can choose their routine.

Guests can use an outdoor swimming pool, a spa with a sauna, a fitness centre, a yoga room and a private beach. There is also a golf course on site, a mini golf course, a tennis court, and diving, snorkelling and non-motorised water sports.

For dining, there are restaurants, a snack bar, room service and food delivery, along with a buffet breakfast, and breakfast can also be served in the room. Free parking is available on site, valet parking is offered, and free Wi-Fi is available in all rooms.

Families will find a kids club, a playground, a family room and a babysitting service. Other services include a concierge, luggage storage, laundry and ironing, an airport transfer and a shuttle service.

The hotel is in the Choeng Mon area of Koh Samui, a coastal part of the island where small bays and beaches line the shore. Koh Samui is an island in the Gulf of Thailand, reached by air or by ferry from the mainland, and the hotel sits along its coast. It is the kind of setting that suits a beach holiday, with the sea close at hand and temples, village life and shopping all nearby.

Choeng Mon Beach is 550 m from the hotel, making it the closest stretch of sand. Big Buddha, a large seated statue of the Buddha, is 1.9 km away, and Wat Plai Laem, a Buddhist temple, is also close by. Samui Airport is 3.7 km away, on the island itself. Fisherman's Village in Bophut, 5.3 km away, has shops and a walking street, and the Central Festival Samui shopping centre is 5.5 km away.

A good day could begin on Choeng Mon Beach, followed by a visit to the Big Buddha and an afternoon at Fisherman's Village in Bophut, where the shops line the walking street. Trips to the mainland, including to Surat Thani, involve a ferry crossing, so most plans stay on the island.