Review: Conrad Koh Samui Ocean View Pool Villa

Conrad Koh Samui is a breathtaking resort on the southwestern tip of Samui, a tropical island in Thailand. I stayed here for five nights in February 2025 for my honeymoon. While it is a trek from the United States, it is one of my most memorable hotel stays, and spoiler alert: we had a great stay. There are still a few quirks to be aware of, though… So, let’s dive into my review of Conrad Koh Samui!

Booking My Stay

We always book directly with Hilton because I have Diamond status, thanks to the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. (Keep reading…. this came in provided so many benefits during our stay at Conrad Koh Samui)

We didn’t pay cash for this stay, though. We paid 380,000 Hilton Honors points – which came out to 95,000 points per night when combined with Hilton’s standard Fifth Night Free promo (a deal offered to all Honors members when redeeming points).

Location & Transportation

Conrad Koh Samui is located in a secluded area about 31 kilometers southwest of Samui International Airport (an hour’s flight from Bangkok). The drive takes about an hour.

We used the hotel’s transportation, which was ฿2,000 each way (about $60). We were picked up in a comfortable Toyota Fortuner. I thought it was well worth it — especially the ride to the hotel… it set the tone for our stay!

Coconut water, cold towels, cookies, and air conditioning awaited us inside. This was such a nice surprise after the 30+ hour trek to Samui!

You can book this service in advance with the hotel’s concierge. They reach out via email a week before your arrival.

Now, we were off to the hotel!

Lobby & Check In

After about 30 minutes of driving across the island, we began to see signs for Conrad Koh Samui.

We finally arrived arrived!

The hotel’s entrance offers the most breathtaking view of the property…

The hotel’s main office is located here, but it was under renovation during our stay, so we had to hop on a buggy to the temporary office to get the keys to our villa.

After a quick welcome, where they covered the hotel’s amenities, restaurants, and Hilton Honors benefits, we were back on a buggy for a short ride to our villa…

Ocean View Pool Villa

We were given Villa 121, an Ocean View Pool Villa immediately above the shore.

As we approached our villa, I began to appreciate how private the resort was. It felt so serene and secluded!

It’s hard to miss the jaw-dropping view as you first enter your room… Just wow!!!

Ocean View Pool Villas are the closest to the ocean – you can’t really see other villas unless you look up the hill behind you. I only saw other people when they walked on the pier below us, but few did during our stay.

The villa itself is just as impressive! Every Ocean View Pool Villa is 130 square meters.

The hotel is so welcoming… this was just one of the surprises waiting for us…

I should have captured a better photo of the mini bar area below the TV in the living room area. The hotel provides free bottled water (you can request more by messaging the concierge) and in-room coffee. Soda, juice, and alcohol are also provided (extra charge) in the room.

Two types of Nespresso coffee pods (a light and dark roast) are available; you can request more at any time. We usually don’t make coffee in our room, but this was a nice touch given the resort’s setup (the coffee shop is at the top of the mountain!).

The hotel delivered snacks as we were unpacking! This was perfectly timed and much appreciated.

The bathroom is on the other side of the villa. It features a huge bathtub, dual vanity, and a walk-in shower, all overlooking the Gulf of Thailand.

In case you forgot anything at home, the bathroom is stocked with toiletries, and there are also bath robes and extra bottled water.

Byredo Mojave Ghost is one of my favorite scents, so imagine how surprised I was to discover Conrad Koh Samui uses it for their soaps and lotion!

Yes, even the shower is stocked with Mojave Ghost!

Oh, speaking of the shower, there is a rain shower head from the ceiling, along with the hand shower head shown in this photo. Great water pressure, too… A really nice experience!

The toilet is in a separate area (with a door) and includes a handheld bidet adapter (which is common in Thailand).

Lastly, the villa had a large closet with plenty of storage. The hotel also has an iron and a safe in each room.

I was nothing short of impressed with our Ocean View Pool Villa!

Dining

Conrad Koh Samui has six restaurants along with private and in-villa dining experiences:

• Azure Bar & Grill (poolside)
• Botannika (coffee shop)
• JAHN (steakhouse)
• Zest (all-day, but mainly breakfast)
• Ko Lounge (cocktails)
• Seakret (beach bar)

We tried everyone except for Ko Lounge. They were all mostly good…

The most impressive spread was at Zest where they serve a massive breakfast buffet (which is free for Hilton Honors Gold and Diamond members). Check it out…

Our next favorite restaurant was Azure Bar & Grill, next to the main pool. The food is great and reasonably priced.

My favorite meal outside of breakfast was Azure’s fresh fish and parmesan fries. The chef did a great job!

We also had burgers at Azure one night. They were pretty good, too — but I wish I ordered the parmesan fries again!

We saved JAHN for our last meal and had high expectations, given the hype at check-in. JAHN is a steakhouse with the best sunset views at the resort.

Our meal was fine, but it felt significantly overpriced… we spent about $400 USD for two.

The steaks were mediocre, and I expected better service for the price (only one server was working—she was great but struggled to keep up with everyone. The hotel needs to invest in another staff member here).

Resort Activities

Conrad Koh Samui offers an impressive number of activities – and some of them are free.

The full roster of activities is provided at check-in, and they recommend you pre-reserve some activities in advance (like the Iris Farm Tour) as they may fill up.

Several activities are at the beach – like banana boat rides and jetski rentals. Conrad Koh Samui also offers guests complimentary snorkels, paddle boards, and kayaks.

On our first day at the resort, we were able to schedule last-minute massages. We paid ~$150 each for one-hour treatments (not bad compared to the United States, but I didn’t realize how affordable massages are in Thailand until we got to Bangkok!).

The hotel also has an impressive gym overlooking the Gulf of Thailand with everything needed for a solid workout.

The hotel has an art gallery below the coffee shop, which was a relaxing place to sip our drinks.

The Iris Farm was our last activity; it was such a fun experience! The hotel opened it during COVID and now helps supply the resort with farm-to-table food. So cool!

You can even feed the animals!

Pros & Cons

Conrad Koh Samui is an impressive resort, but it has pros and cons like any place:

• Pros
  • Excellent service
  • Breathtaking property – each villa has a private pool
  • Food is mostly good (only one regret… see below)
  • Free activities for all ages
  • Transportation from airport (extra charge)
• Cons
  • JAHN (steakhouse) is way overpriced
  • Buggy needed to move around the resort
  • Secluded (may get bored after a few days)
  • Limited food options outside of restaurants and minibar

Closing Thoughts

Conrad Koh Samui is a luxurious and secluded resort on the southwestern tip of Samui, Thailand, offering breathtaking ocean views and private pool villas. It was one of my most memorable hotel experiences. Thanks to my Hilton Diamond status, we enjoyed several perks, including a complimentary breakfast each day at Zest. The hotel is an excellent use of Hilton Honors points, especially when you leverage Hilton’s Fifth Night Free promo. There are a few drawbacks, though – like the remote location, the need for buggies to get around, and an overpriced steakhouse. Overall, Conrad Koh Samui is a stunning destination worth the journey, especially for those looking for a luxurious and tranquil escape.

Have you stayed at Conrad Koh Samui? How was your experience??