Ko Samet

[PigDogg]

Below are my favorite Ko Samet hotels:

Dekuxe Cottages at SaiKaew Beach Resort

This is my recommnedation and a safe bet if you are staying for 2 or 3 nights.  The room is comfortable, the location great, and the staff has always been very nice to me.

Note: this hotel gets a number of bad reviews. These invariably are from people who stayed in the Superior Rooms.  Either book the Deluxe Cottage or don't stay here.

Tonsak

If you want something cheaper on SaiKaew Beach then the Tonsak is my recommendation.  But if you are bringing a special ladyboy for a 2-3 night stay on Samet, I would pay the extra money for a Deluxe Cottage at the SaiKaew Beach resort.

Ban Ploy Samed

Ban Ploy Samed is an interesting alternative.  It's the Cheap Charlie version of a Tahiti Overwater Bungalow.
If staying here, don't stay in a beachfront room, you want to be in the overwater portion.

Note the rooms at their sister operation on SaiKaew Beach are not recommended.  The food at eithe location is highly recommended.

On my first trip to Samet my ladyboy friend and I were traveling with a GG from her bar and her Japanese guy.  We stayed in a piece of shit hotel the first night and was quite disapointed in the island.  So we were checking out different rooms on the beach that night and the reception people at the Ploy Talay suggested we check out Ban Ploy Samed and they would give us a special deal of 1200 baht per room.  So they brought us over by boat and we booked it like Danno.

But there is a downside to being such a distance from the real beach.  You will not want to hang on their beach.  The walk is a long walk in the heat of the day to saiKaew Beach and at night I'm not thrilled about the dogs on the way back to the hotel.  You can rent a bike though.  Unless your negotiation skills are great I doubt you can stay here for 1200 a night, but mid week low season, who knows?

Some may find this a special hotel hotel but there are signifcant downsides.  I do not recommend booking here if you have never been to Samet before.

[stogie bear]

I stayed at the above resort twice with Gif and Kui... Not the cottage - just the terraced room. To be honest my assesment of both the 'resort' and the staff run contrary to yours! I'll see if I can dig out some photos...

I honestly can't remember how much it was back then. I can remember that on a teachers salary my Baht didn't go far!

[PigDogg]

Stogie, Even the Superior Rooms that get the bad rap are quite expensive.  

Since you mention terraces perhaps you stayed at SaiKaew Villa which is less expensive?  If you can dig up the old pics I'd be interested in seeing them.

SaiKaew Villa

I don't like this place if traveling on a special vacation with a ladyboy.  What's the point of having a room that neither of you want to be in.

Which sums up the Samet problem.  Proper lodging is expensive unlike Pattaya or Phuket.  Everything else is cheap though.

[PigDogg]

right now there is a low season special for Deluxe Cottages if you book on the Agoda website.

It's a total of $228 for three nights or $76 a night.

Trust me it's an excellent value for Ko Samet.

They will initially will charge your card $342 then after checkout you will recive a $113 refund.

I know this sounds suspicious but I have had good experiences booking with Agoda for this hotel in the past. I got a refund when we had to check out early and they were not really obligated to do this.

You can clarify vis live chat with an Agoda agent and then have the transcript of the chat emailed to you.

I just booked now!

Teerak and I will be there for 6 nights so if anyone wants to join us that be great. 3 nights is perfect if it's your first trip there with anew ladyboy.

[Guest]

I stayed at SaiKaew and would agree with PigDogg's assessment. I had a family Villa and it was very, very nice, albeit, way over-priced compared to other islands. We changed to Deluxe part way through, and it was also well done (and still over-priced!), but the location is good and staff pleasant.

[thaibound]

(PigDogg @ Aug. 12 2007,22:46) I just booked now!    

Teerak and I will be there for 6 nights so if anyone wants to join us that be great.  3 nights is perfect if it's your first trip there with anew ladyboy.

hey pd
i just booked my flight to bkk for sept1 after 3 nights at the mgrande to 'adjust', i intend to hit pattaya asap. if i can find the love of my life there -- well, the love of my week anyway! we'll try to catch up to you guys on samet before your holiday's done for dinner at 'the best restaurant in the world' on me.
cheers.

[PigDogg]

For those on holiday I highly reccomend high end housing on Samet. If you're going to bring a ladyboy there you want to do it right.

I'm moving to Thailand soon and will not be able to afford high end housing anymore. But I really enjoy Samet.

I'm thinking of taking short 2-3 night trips on the cheap.

Anyone have some secret low end deals out there?
My requirements are basic, a room without mozzies and a front desk that can hold my passport safely.

Any ideas?

[azza33]

I went there last year and was surprised how much good cheap accomodation was there.

Basically though, we just rocked up and got a price on the spot that we were more than happy with.
As long a you dont stay on the beachfront(150 m from it), you can get reasonable rooms for as low as 500 baht.

I am yet to see anywhere on the net or travel agent that seems willing to adverse the budget end of the market.

As far as a name goes, i cant remember, but if you take the road which goes from the main ferry dock (Nadan), down to the Hat Sai Kaew, just near the natural park 400 baht collection booth there is some cheap but reasonable places to stay.

And i believe if you stay off the beach, i believe you dont have to pay the national park fee (although i dont mind if it actually goes to the upkeep of koh samet)