Banyan Tree Resort - Koh Samui, Thailand: Nestled on the cliffs overlooking Lamai Bay on the southeastern coast of the island of Samui, is the luxury resort Banyan Tree Samui. Located about 30 minutes from the airport and a short 20 minute drive from the tourist area, Chaweng, Banyan Tree Samuiwas to be our home for a few days while we checked it out to see if lived up to the Banyan Tree standards we’ve experienced at their other luxury resorts throughout Asia.

We had arranged for the car transfer from the airport to the hotel. Our flight arrived about ten minutes early and we were anxious to get to the resort and get settled in, however we were disappointed to find that the staff from Banyan Tree Samuiwere nowhere in sight. In a word, frustrating! Many of the other hotels and resorts were there to pick up their guest, but not ours. Standing at the airport feeling stranded was not a good start of our trip. Eventually our car showed up (15 minutes AFTER our schedule arrival).

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First Impression/Lobby: After a short 30 minute drive we arrived at Banyan Tree Samui. The staff was pleasant and welcomed us warmly to the property. The view from the large, window enclosed lobby was stunning. Looking out over the bay to the villas perched on the hillside made for a postcard photo.

Reception: A cool towel and an even cooler drink were offered while we completed the quick registration process. Once done, we were whisked away in one of the golf carts to our suite located on the other side of the property.

The Villa: Our villa was a Royal Banyan Pool Villa. It was a long narrow villa with large windows across the front which offered views to the resort below us and the blue waters of the bay.

The villa was done in beiges, browns and black. It had tall ceilings along with a sitting room, bedroom and over-sized bathroom. All rooms were separated by huge wooden sliding door. The bathroom had a large soaking tub, stand alone shower stall and private toilet area. This upscale villa even offered an outdoor shower.

Outside our Royal Villa at the Banyan Tree Samui was a small dining area, a recessed sunning and lounging section, a large, private pool which seemed to balance on the edge of the cliff, and a covered porch with a daybed.

While the Royal Villa was definitely gorgeous, it someone lacked the something special that makes it bombastic. We tried to figure out what exactly was missing but we had a hard time pinpointing it.

A couple things that stuck out were the view:
There was a lot of greenery and roof tops to look over and past before we saw the sea.
It’s proximity away from the facilities, a buggy was always needed to take us where wanted to go.
The villa was very similar to many of the villas we’ve seen throughout Thailand and the rest of Asia. It just missed a wow factor.

Room Service: The Room Service at Banyan Tree Samui was a huge negative. Getting anyone that spoke English well enough to place an order was a major issue. Placing an order was a chore in itself. Having an order actually delivered as ordered never happened

For the prices Banyan Tree Samui charges for in-room dining, we surely did not get our monies worth. It was a cross between frustrating, disappointing and maddening all at once!

Housekeeping: The daily service was not much better. Presented as a five-star resort, the housekeeping service at Banyan Tree Samui was not on par with any five-star resort I’ve visited in my recent history. Shameful!

They did the cursory service of making the bed and changing the towels, but nothing beyond that.

Concierge: We did not use the concierge service but made our arrangements through our villa host. She didn’t do anything more than make dinner reservations one time and got us information on renting a boat, but both of these simple requests took multiple calls to arrange. Once again, not impressive.

Restaurants: The Banyan Tree Samui offers a few restaurants, Saffron for Thai and The Edge for International cuisine. In addition to them is the Pool Bar at the main pool, Sands, located on the beach; the Lobby Lounge for afternoon tea, and of course, In-Room Dining.

We dined at Saffron for dinner one night. While it has some of the best views Banyan Tree Samui has to offer, its food and service were all pretty mediocre.

Pool/Spa/Activities: Banyan Tree Samui has a large, centrally located pool. Since we had our own pool, we had no need to go to the main pool. And, after seeing the pool, it didn’t do much to entice us to come use it. Somehow, as with our villa, it lacked any major wow factor.

In addition to the pool is a full service spa, water activities, yoga and other activities are scheduled throughout the day and evening.

The best part of the Banyan Tree Samui had to be the waterfront/beach area. This area was inviting. Trendy designs and the calm waters made it the perfect place to spend an afternoon.

Check-Out: Check out was slow. We called to have our bags picked up. That took almost 30 minutes. The actual check out process was almost as sluggish. I have never figured out why paying a bill takes so long, but some places sure know how to drag it out, and Banyan Tree Samui were pretty much experts at it. (No, that was not a compliment.)

Overall Impression: After a couple days at the Banyan Tree Samui I left relaxed but not impressed.

The biggest issues were the lack of staff that had a command of English, the less than warm and welcoming service oriented staff, the horrible Room Service and Housekeeping, the not so stellar views, and the sheer amount of concrete around the property. It almost felt that the landscape was planted atop a concrete city, not a resort built in a lush setting.

Is Banyan Tree Samui a resort in Thailand I would visit again? Sadly, no. Our rating for Banyan Tree Samui is an Almost Not Bombastic.


Wondering which resorts we recommend? Here is our list of the best luxury resorts in Koh Samui:

Conrad Koh Samui - click here to read our luxury resort review.
Four Seasons Koh Samui - click here to read our luxury resort review.

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