Banyan Tree Samui
Hotel · Lamai Beach ·
Luxury villas with private pools, authentic Thai cuisine, and spa
Information
99, 9, Maret, Surat Thani 84310, Thailand Get directions
Luxury villas with private pools, authentic Thai cuisine, and spa
99, 9, Maret, Surat Thani 84310, Thailand Get directions
"A lotus flower floats in your villa's private pool, backed by unbeatable panoramic views of Lamai Bay. Buggies ferry guests around winding, steep pathways that connect the villas, private beach, spa, and elevated restaurant, The Edge. Villas rise from the peninsula in different shapes and sizes, but all come with a sea or garden view. In the family and couple villas, rainfall showers are big enough for two, and grand bedrooms open up to reveal private infinity pools. A wooden deck is kitted with beanbags to slump and watch the sun rise from the sea horizon. Spend the day on the private beach with kayak rental and private boat tours, or try afternoon tea at the beach restaurant. Visit between April and May and you might be lucky enough to watch resident turtle hatchlings make their way into the ocean. A visit to the spa is a must, especially for the hydrotherapy massage. The Rainforest treatment includes a steam room experience, followed by an ice-cold shower, and ending with high-pressure water jets focusing on the back muscles." - Chris Schalkx, Lee Cobaj
"A peninsula resort composed of 88 villas whose spa offerings include the 150-minute Sukhothai Heritage experience — a stretch-focused Thai massage, coconut facial, and an invigorating brown-rice-and-barley scrub during which the therapist drenched the guest’s limbs in so much honey that it “felt like she was making baklava.” The spa’s elaborate hydrotherapy circuit, called the Rainforest, begins with the Rainwalk, a curving stone-and-bamboo passage that simulates a monsoon with a whoosh—rendered in the narrative as “whooshissssss”—and culminates in a 66-foot long “vitality pool,” glowing winter-blue “like an Icelandic lagoon,” a feature the author felt compelled to photograph. Accommodations include eight Wellbeing Sanctuary villas stocked with yoga mats and resistance bands tucked under the TVs; service details include housekeeping turning nightstands into altars to sleep with sandalwood incense, an essential-oil burner radiating eucalyptus, and a “somnific hymn” playing from a speaker. Dining highlight referenced: Saffron restaurant’s “punchy pomelo-and-crab salad” and “soulful massaman curry.”" - Adam Erace Adam Erace Adam Erace is an award-winning food and travel writer, restaurant critic, and cookbook author. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and three maniacal rescue dogs. His favorite country is Mexico and his favorite airline is whichever offers an upgrade. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"The party-happy sands of Chaweng are just over the ridgeline to the north of Banyan Tree’s private, palm-lined bay, part of a hidden valley on the eastern shore of Koh Samui. In a feat of engineering and architecture, the villas dramatically ascend the hillsides on stilts, clinging to the slopes. Best of all, the resort delivers a real sense of place, particularly in the restaurants’ world-class kitchens, which shine in the festive season at the hotel's Christmas Eve Gala Dinner where slow-roasted lamb rack and fresh-caught sashimi share real estate on the plates."
"The hotel overlooks the Gulf of Thailand for an unparalleled escape into nature and the perfect place to appreciate a Samui sunrise." - James Whiting
"Perched on the cliff tops on the headland between Chaweng and Lamai, Banyan Tree Samui overlooks the Gulf of Thailand for an unparalleled escape into nature. The resort's lavish villas feature a blend of traditional Thai architecture and modern amenities, allowing you to immerse yourself in luxury while surrounded by breathtaking ocean views from up high." - James Whiting
