Overlooking a pristine beach on Koh Samui’s east coast, The Lamai Samui brings to life an oriental heritage village surrounded by lush mature gardens and backed by forested mountains. The resort pathways lined with fragrant frangipani lead to 75 tranquil rooms and villas with relaxing gardens and refreshing pools.

We were fortunate to stay with the Lamai a few months ago, and having traveled the world, wasn’t disappointed. But probably the biggest take away for us was the friendliness and willingness to ensure our happiness and comfort. The staff couldn’t do enough to keep us happy. We stayed in a room which had it’s own splash pool, in-between the bedroom and bathroom. Whilst this was a wonderful addition, one needs to be careful of letting in the mosquitos when you go to the bathroom at night, especially during the hot humid months. After having one too many mosquitos to cope with, the staff offered to move us to a different room, one which was overlooking one of the large private pools. We loved the fact that you could jump right into the pool from the balcony. A perfect way to cool down quickly.

Koh Samui’s favourite intimate beachfront hideaway, the Lamai Samui, is situated on Lamai Beach, and perfectly achieves its concept of ‘oriental heritage village by the sea’. The property is surrounded by landscaped gardens and near popular sites like Lamai Temple and Hin Ta Hin Yai. The lobby overlooks the turquoise Gulf of Thailand, setting the scene for a relaxing stay.

The Lamai’s food offering was also wonderful. Breakfast was high quality with great variety. We also enjoyed great coffees and quality tea – an important part of our breakfast experience. Dinner was also delicious and drinks by the pool very welcoming after a hot day of sunbathing.

The pool area and the fact that it’s right in front of the ocean and a beautiful swim spot, is not to be forgotten. Long lazy days spent in the sun ensured an ultra relaxing time – an opportunity to leave the worries of the world behind.

All the rooms are carefully considered and doesn’t feel mass produced. The Lamai has a distinct ’boutique hotel’ feel to it which makes it the ideal haven for couples looking to have a special, intimate experience.

Not to be forgotten, is the Lamai’s spa. A beautiful subterranean experience that almost felt like an underground temple, allowed for the ultimately transformative spa experience. It’s not often that I fall asleep in the middle of a massage, but this particular massage helped me drift away to what felt like another dimension. A beautiful experience if you’re looking for an ultra relaxing experience.

We enjoyed our experience at Lamai Samui immensely and will carry the friendliness of the staff with us wherever we go. We even had long conversations with the lovely GM who recommended some great towns up north to consider for our travels across the island. We appreciated all the warmth, service and help received during our stay very much. We will definitely be back!