Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui

Built on the northwestern end of the Samui island, amidst lush tropical greenery, the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui is a boutique resort of self-confident elegance and sophisticated style.

You can hardly find a sight more quintessentially Thai than the place that hosts the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui resort. Steep hills descend to a long private beach, flanked by tall palm trees swaying in the warm, tropical wind. An elegant restaurant overlooks the beach, and set amongst the palms is an easygoing bar, conveniently located right next to an infinity-edge pool.

Food and spa

The beach restaurant is called Pla Pla, and it’s a great spot for light lunches, but when it comes to romantic dinners the Lan Tania restaurant, located in one of the highest points of the hotel, is the place to book. It is a magical venue especially at the sunset hour, as it enjoys views on both sides of the island.

One of our favorite places at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui was the Spa, located in the thick bamboo forest.

A winding wooden footbridge, leading deeper and deeper into the jungle gets you to the massage rooms, quietly set in the deep shade. The sessions here are called ‘experiences’, and the best ones combine wellness and beauty treatments. For example, Air Divine takes four and a half hours and consists of a private yoga session, a massage with warm coconut oil and a herbal sauna.

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Thai, refined

In the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui project, the architect Bill Bensley skillfully infused traditional Thai style with understated luxury, creating an elegant and sophisticated design.

Bensley achieved a sublime harmony in the hotel interiors, by mixing polished teak floors, rosewood furniture, hand-woven carpets, and fabrics, kept in beige tones, with occasional touches of turquoise.

The villas are the best example of this style. By using natural materials, local artifacts and perfectly matched colors their interiors come across as thoroughly “Thai”, with a perfectly balanced dose of modern luxury.

Stone-paved bathrooms have separate areas ‘for her’ and ‘for him’ and the freestanding, egg-shaped bathtub is positioned against a floor-to-ceiling sliding door, filled with glass.

Connected to the bathroom is a spacious terrace with a swimming pool, next to which is the lounge area, furnished with spacious sofas, a minibar, coffee maker and a Lavazza fridge for champagne and wine.

Activities

Should doing absolutely nothing ever get tiring, Four Seasons provides some options for a more active holiday. There is a tennis court the staff can arrange private lessons with a Thai kickboxing champion or a catamaran sunset cruise and water sports are also available.

Families with children will feel welcome too, thanks to the all-day care program Kids For All Seasons, in the excellent kids club.

in our opinion

Thai design, spectacular views of the Gulf of Siam and the beautiful villas, plus a high level of service: Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui remains one of our favorite hotels in Thailand—and fully deserves to be one of the few Travel+Style Editor’s Pick hotels.

What we love

• Staff is excellent, service is of the highest standards, which is evident from the first moments. We loved the welcome ceremony in the open-air lobby, which included the sounding of a gong. And when we were leaving (very early), the staff thought of preparing us an excellent to-go breakfast.
• The majority of guests will prefer to stay in the villas most of the time, which makes this hotel feel never crowded
• Spectacular location on the tip of Koh Samui, amid a thick coconut grove, and dramatic views from the top of the hotel towards the Gulf of Siam
• The beach at the Four Seasons is gorgeous. Tall palms, powdery sand, and total privacy (this is not a public beach). There is a designated ‘quiet beach’ area, where guests can be assured of complete peace. Plus, there is a great swimming pool here and the bar
• Sophisticated design and elegant interiors, especially in the villas. The Thai style includes natural colors and textures and is enriched by turquoise blue or sea green touches.
• Great sea views from the egg-shaped bathtub (at least in the higher-situated villas). Every villa has an outdoor swimming pool, of size large enough for a few strokes.
• Fantastic spa, built in the deep shade of a tropical bamboo forest. The treatment rooms are located in private salas
• The beach restaurant, Pla Pla, was our favorite spot for lunch. The menu ranges from seafood to international and Thai classics
• The KOH restaurant, located in the highest spot in the resort was great for sundowners followed by romantic dinner

What you should know

• The extensive hotel grounds are spread over steep hills, so getting around on foot can be a challenge. However, a golf buggy will come at a moment’s notice
• The resort is situated amid a lush palm grove, but this means many villas are shaded most of the day. The same can be said of the beach, which gets shaded early in the afternoon
• The One Bedroom Villas No. 301, 302, 303 and 304 benefit from the best views of the bay. No. 504 and 505 are very private and close to the beach.
• Families usually choose Beach Villas, especially those with the numbers 900+, which are closest to the sand and sea. Beach Villa 910 is the most private in this category and it comes with one of the largest swimming pools. Generally, Deluxe villas have larger pools
• Outside of the hotel itself, this part of the island does not offer many attractions
• The food is delicious, but perhaps not as authentically Thai as outside the hotel (which is to say, not so spicy! We think this is a good thing)
• If the quality of the beach is something very important then Koh Samui, and perhaps Thailand in general, is not at the absolute top of our list as beach destinations. Don't miss our hotel reviews from Seychelles or Maldives for the most beautiful beaches and islands
• Getting there: The flight-comparison sites such as Skyscanner (www.skyscanner.com) or Kayak (www.kayak.com) will help you find the best flights and deals