3 Best Hotels in Koh Samui, The Gulf Coast Beaches

This luxurious resort faces a beach where the water's too shallow for swimming—which can be an advantage, as it keeps the crowds away. The bungalows all have gleaming wood floors, teak furnishings, and huge beds on raised platforms that make you feel like royalty. Some rooms are on the opposite side of the road from the beach and a considerable distance from it. The dining room is one floor up to take advantage of the views.

Bandara gets high marks for its location on the nicest stretch of Bophut Beach. Deluxe rooms all have decks with daybeds and smell great; aromas are piped in, and fresh flowers sometimes await you. Private villas have gardens complete with outside tubs and showers, and shady daybeds are perfect for massages. Well-qualified practitioners provide facials, massages, aqua therapy, and other treatments at the spa. The seaside restaurant serves seafood and Thai dishes.

This amiable place offers a little respite from the downtown hustle and bustle. Rooms in the main building are more modern and expensive than the stand-alone thatched bungalows but are not necessarily better. The junior suites have large outdoor daybeds and hot tubs. Spa rooms have outdoor hot tubs and huge wooden-canopy beds. The stylish restaurant serves Thai and Italian dishes, as well as fresh seafood.