First Residence Samui

3 years ago, I stayed here and was welcomed by cheerful staff that made me feel like a valued guest. My room was cleaned well. The hotel lived up to its slogan "Budget Luxury". However, this stay in February 2019 left me shaking my head thinking "What happened to this good hotel?" Although the room price was budget, the hotel's services were NOT luxury. 1) Poor Housekeeping Services. During my 2 week stay, my room was never properly cleaned. Something was always forgotten. Bits of sand left in the bathtub. Toilet seat not wiped. Towels - never the same number replaced. Empty plastic water bottles not taken away. There was absolutely no excuse for this as the hotel had few quests (leaving the housekeepers with lots of time to clean the rooms). The hotel had closed off one of its 3 floors because they didn't have enough guests.

Even worse. On my 2nd day, the housekeeping staff didn't close my room door, which gave anyone walking down the hall the chance to enter my room and steal my belongings (that didn't happen luckily). On another day, I noticed that my CD collection, which I kept in the wardrobe, had been rearranged by the nosy housekeepers. Myself, a solo traveler, left the CDs in the same order everyday. At 11 am on my first morning, the ladyboy housekeeper knocked on my door very rapidly asking to clean my room. I thought her manner was not professional.

2. The hotel staff looked unhappy and exhausted all the time. Once in a while, one of them would manage to break a smile. But, they didn't look happy to be there (as the staff did 3 years ago).

The hotel manager tried to charge me exorbitant prices for services a couple of times, once for a taxi, the other for a motorbike. He quoted me a price of 450 bhat for a short taxi ride to the airport. When I asked "Why so expensive?", he replied "Because the hotel is calling the taxi company." I then went out onto the street and got a ride for 300 bhat from the first taxi I hailed. The hotel manager's price for a motorbike was 250 bhat / day, but I saw a rental shop on the road that rented them for 150 bhat. I felt that the hotel manager didn't appreciate me as a guest. He was just trying to get more money from me.

3. The hotel breakfast buffet menu was boring. With the exception of 1 Thai dish that changed daily, the other foods in the buffet were the exact same everyday. Even the fruit was the same every single day. The hotel served pineapple and watermelon on all 14 days of my stay. In a country blessed with a wide variety of fruit, this hotel could only provide 2 types. Lazy.

There were a couple of positives. The room was a good price and the hotel is near the beach (a 5 minute walk). While these are good points, if you're coming to Koh Samui for your yearly vacation, I think you'll enjoy your time there more if you stay at another hotel which offers better service. This hotel is adequate for a short 2 - 3 day stopover though.

I had read some negative reviews before arriving but cannot agree with them. The staff are wonderful, the wifi faster than I get back home and the rooms were kept immaculately clean. I only ate breakfast here which was basic but not a problem, it’s breakfast after all. Excellent value for money. I would not hesitate to recommend and I will be back next year for sure. Thank you all.