Ideal location, Wonderful holiday!”

We have just returned from 13 nights at the Dara Samui. Had a really wonderful holiday, totally relaxed and restful. Overall we were pleased with the choice of hotel, particularly the location which is central in Chaweng, enabling us to walk either along the beach or the main road to dine in any restaurants or to enjoy a few drinks in the many excellent restaurants or bars nearby. The food was delicious - we indulged in loads of fresh seafood "Jumbo prawns" and lobster, barbequed on the beach at the Dara Serene, alternating with wonderful Thai food some evenings. We enjoyed the hotel food and ate at the hotel for about half the time we were there - the standard is excellent and the pricing very reasonable. It's also a lovely setting to enjoy a sundowner cocktail late afternoon either on the beach or at the pool. It's "Happy Hour" at 4-5pm. Koh Samui offers an incredible choice of truly excellent dining, and you don't need to travel far from the hotel if you don't wish to. There is lots of entertainment in the area nightly, so for those who like to get out in the evenings, there's lots of choice, from a single singer with a guitar to full bands (those at Tropical Murphys Irish Pub nightly are pretty good). Of course there are night clubs, sports bars etc. along with the Starz caberet show, thai boxing most evenings at the stadium etc etc. Alternatively a quiet, romantic meal on the beach is quite an experience, beautiful setting - they really set up the beach dining so well. There is fireworks and "balloons" (mini hot-air balloon style), which you can purchase on the beach in the evenings, and they float off into the sky like stars while you dine. We really enjoyed the evenings on the beach - it's a real contrast to the daytime! You can walk pretty much the length of Chaweng beach, though it's easy to get a taxi home anytime if you wish for about 200 Baht (you need to negotiate with the driver and you may even get it for 150 Baht. They'll say 300, but haggle!)

Great place to stay”

we recently returned from samui and enjoyed our stay at the dara samui beach resort and spa. we found our room to be large and well equipped with a huge bed, nice furniture, wall decorations, large bathroom, a personal safe and free lan cable internet. the hotel was clean and was designed with many outdoor sitting areas near greenery and fish-filled water features. walking to breakfast in the mornings, passing relaxing water fountains and fragrant flowers was a great way to start the day. the breakfasts were enjoyable with many egg options, fresh fruits, breads and sweet treats but it was not as extensive as the full international breakfasts seen in 5 star hotels. we found all the staff friendly and helpful. the pool was smallish and with few spaces around it for sun lounges but the beach area with many beach seats was a winner! on the sand and near the continuous parade of walkers and beach sellers it was a constant source of entertainment. service to this area was excellent. happy hours at 3-4pm and 6-8pm saw two-for-one deals and a wide array of snacks on offer. the hotel’s location at the northern end of chaweng beach was an advantage as it was near good shopping and street-side restaurants - the tree, duomo, red snapper, royal india ( cheap), café uno ( coffee, cake and snacks) were some we tried. beach-side of the hotel saw many restaurants on the sand. these had good food, cocktails, music and entertainment. the only problems we encountered at the hotel were with electrical/techno features like the door key card that twice refused to let us enter our room, the safe refused to open once and there was no iron available. the former two were remedied promptly. we enjoyed our stay, were sad to leave and would recommend this hotel. we look forward to returning.

The hotel that win on you over time ”

With so many choices of hotels/resorts that Samui has become, it was very difficult to decide where to stay. The choice came down to the picture, location, year of hotel being build and of course price. Dara Samui turned out to be a very good choice, and was overall very happy with the stay The concept of having no buffet breakfast, but a la carte only (included in room rate) is absolutely fantastic. Personally I dislike buffet, so this was great, and you got a fully big breakfast, just cooked and made to your liking, instead of the overcooked buffet, waiting to be eaten hours after hours. The Seafood restaurant in the evening was great as well, and they have a fresh Chili sauce you just have to try ... ask for it, as it is quite spicy and normally they don't serve for foreigners unless you ask. Great and very very friendly staff at this hotel, showing very professional and good service at all times, which makes you want to come back. The hotel is great location in regards to shopping and trying other restaurants along with bars/clubbing and seeing one of the crazy cabaret shows (try Christies, very entertaining) All is within walking distance However the disadvantage for this location is beach wise, as they are on northern stretch of Chaweng Beach, protected by an outer reef, which makes the beach water in front extremely shallow (knee/thigh deep only) and not possible for swimming, plus not very clear water, though not dirty. Hotel does have pool with poolside bar facing right out to the sand and beach chairs are nice and comfortable with serving of cold drinks to your liking. It is very quiet and nice, and it seems the northern stretch of Chaweng is also home to some of the more trendy hotels like Dara Samui, Amari, Muang Samui and Baad Haad hotel If you like swimming you need walk 5 min down south for doing this, and the wider part of chaweng beach. Also towards southern end, not far from this hotel, 5 min walk is The Ark bar which turns into beach bar.

Dara Delivers”

Solid 4-star hotel. Pool a bit small but nice for cooling off when need a break from the sun chairs. Pool bar and drinks available, along with a mid-afternoon happy hour. Open air massage on site and on the beach. Beach front is nice, albeit not great for swimming as it's more lagoon-like. Better for paddle boarding. Quiet end of Chaweng Beach. Only a 5 min stroll to Chaweng Beach proper, perfect for swimming. Ark Bar also a 5 min walk away where you can party until 2am if you desire. Hotel is older but quite nice and retains its traditional charm. The grounds and buildings are being updated/repaired. Very friendly staff and accommodating. The reception manager Elaine was attentive, warm, and courteous. Some rooms still need certain upgrades. Rooms could be better kept and cleaned thoroughly prior to guest(s) arrival. That's probably my "Hotel Impossible" inspection talking. But overall was good. Construction of new hotel next door during time of our stay. Other than being an eye sore and hearing occasional morning construction it did not affect our stay. We were out most days enjoying the sun, beach, and surrounding areas anyway. Time spent on the beach behind hotel was also not affected. The night time set up of the Serene Restaurant, eating on the beach under makeshift Tipi was very romantic. Food was a bit pricey compared to outside restaurants but was very well done and the atmosphere more than covered the premium pricing. Stayed in the spacious Deluxe Suite. Overall, pleasant stay at the Dara Samui Beach Resort & Spa Villa. Would recommend to others.

Dara Samui, a place of relaxation and enjoyment”

Our stay at Dara Samui was excellent! The Resort itself is designed to provide guests with the taste of Thailand. The decor in the ground and in rooms is beautiful and always of extreme cleanliness. The rooms are comfortable, secure and offers everything that a traveller could require! The location of the resort is great, guests are able to walk across the road to great shopping markets, get a massage, experience other restaurants and nightlife of Koh Samui. In all our time in Koh Samui, staying at Dara Samui allowed us to save money on taxis. The pool and beach aspect of the hotel is brilliant and relaxing. The hotel staff and so helpful and always provide a high standard of service. Restaurants within the resort are of high recommendation!! There is no need to leave the resort and eat anywhere else, the food and beverage menu offers variety and value for money, we were very impressed. Even our friends who were staying at another resort would come and dine with us in our restaurants!! We went on a day safari that we were able to easily organise through Dara Samui reception, this was an incredible experience assisted by the helpful reception staff. Overall, I would highly recommend staying at Dara Samui, I have no complaints, the resort meets all needs from families to couples to solo travellers!!

Loved my stay!”

Having had chance to visit Samui during this time was mixed feelings. Kudos for ; Dara Samui, located on good spot of Chaweng Beach, not really in a center but walkable. Friendly welcoming, hospitality minded from all staff, room sizing & cleanliness, separate rain shower-toilet and bath tub, comfy king bed were all never ever let down. Facilities not to claim about coz I didn't use. Happy hours drinks & beach dining tables were spot on. Samui during Covid-19 in August 2020, has just re-opened for business (for locals for now), most of shops,restos are still closed. Even 7-11, I found only 1 on Chaweng street! Downfall ; As mentioned above, 99% of shops&restos are still being closed since Samui is 100% a tourist city so there is no business possibility for the owners. Never see this happen before in my life, no one walking on Chaweng street, on the beach.. strange feeling though, like a ghost town for now. Hoping everything is back to normal (new normal) soon.

Return Visit”

This is my second trip to Koh Samui and after having stayed at the Dara Samui in 2008, I thought the old adage of "if it aint broke dont fix it" would ensure I had a great holiday. Dara Samui is a lovely boutique hotel in a great location on the main beach. Rooms are high standard, clean and spacious. No fault there, and if I ever visti Koh Samui again I wouldnt hesitate to book this hotel for these very reasons. Food is a little over priced for the quality. Eat out is best advise. Walk down the beach for plenty of better options. Facility wise, the hotel has a good pool to relax in and direct beach access. However, another failing of the hotel is the inadequate provision of sun loungers, not chairs. This really lets the hotel down. There is enough space, but not enough thought, maybe if they read this they may address the situation! Service is very good and the staff are really friendly. As a note, you know your staying a great hotel, when tourists on the beach all stop to photograph the hotel!

An amazing experience”

I can't rate this resort highly enough. My now wife and I had our wedding in Koh Samui and we chose this venue because we liked the look of the pictures. We told all 35 of our guests where we were staying and they all booked at Dara Samui as well. On one side of the resort is the heart of Chaweng's shopping district, and on the other side is the beautiful pool and beach where we spent every day enjoying cocktails & having massages on the beach. The rooms were very nice and the staff were very friendly. We will definitely come back to Dara Samui next time we're in Koh Samui, I can't recommend it enough.

Fantastic”

Our stay at Dara Samui was excellent! The decor in the ground and in rooms is beautiful and always of extreme cleanliness. The rooms are comfortable, secure and offers everything that a traveller could require! The location of the resort is great, guests are able to walk across the road to great shopping markets, get a massage, In all our time in Koh Samui, staying at Dara Samui allowed us to save money on taxis. The pool and beach aspect of the hotel is brilliant and relaxing. The hotel staff were so helpful and always provide a high standard of service. There is no need to leave the resort and eat anywhere else, Even our friends who were staying at another resort would come and dine with us in our restaurants!! We went on a day safari that we were able to easily organise through Dara Samui reception, the resort meets all needs from families to couples to solo travellers!!

Good location”

We had 7 nights at Dara Samui, everything was accommodated with no problem, we checked in early in the morning easily with no fuss from the staff. Dara Samui is in a perfect spot with Family Mart and pharmacy straight across the road, good quiet beach location with beach chairs and bar/food/massage available all day. Right in the middle of the shopping area in Chaweng so it's right out the front of hotel for anything your after while still being nice and quiet. A great place for all your typical Thailand holiday requirements. Would recommend to anyone that's unfamiliar with Samui as it's in a great spot for all you need.

A hotel in the middle of paradise”

The Dara Samui is a classical four star hotel just next to the Koh Samui beach. Service is excellent, and the access to everything around in Chaweng beach is very convenient. The swimming pool is nice, but a little too small. The atmosphere in the vicinity of the hotel, especially at night, is wonderful. I recommend this hotel to people who are looking for a typical vacation in the islands of Thailand.

Very lovely resort with awesome staff!”

Just one word to describe the check in staff, AWESOME!! We arrived terribly early due to flight, and not really expected an early check in but friendly Dara Samui allowed us to check in @ 11:00 am!! Also beautiful room and resort, the beach is very nice, location is great, right in the heart of Chaweng. Had a lovely time here,I would definitely come back when I visit Koh Samui again!!

Fantastic Hotel”

The Dara Samui is great as it is a boutique hotel so there are not a lot of rooms like a normal hotel, there is approx 60-70 rooms by memory. The staff are so helpful with any assistance you require. All the staff remember you face at least if not your name and room number. This makes you feel part of their family. The Dara Samui is in a great location, it is just far enough away from the busiest part of Chaweng Beach, maybe 1-2 min walk. The hotel food is fantastic. I would recommend this hotel and I look forward to staying here again in the near future.

Great location with charming, clean rooms. ”

Dara Samui has a great location in the heart of Chaweng Beach, with many great restaurants and shops to choose from. The hotel is clean and comfortable and the rooms are charming and well maintained. The beachside pool is well taken care of, and the poolside bar is an added bonus. The beach by the hotel is not what was expected. A large reef extending along that part of the beach made the water too shallow to swim in daytime. However, just a short 5 minute walk down the beach, the water was amazing. As well, because of the busy nightlife in that area, you could sometimes hear loud music playing late into the night. Overall, a great hotel for the the value and I would definately stay there again.

Little bit of paradise”

dara samui resort was a little slice of heaven in koh saumi. the rooms were very large, great air conditioning, traditional architecture with all the modern amenities and great big bath! the pool was lovely and the resort is right on the beach so you can watch sunset etc. the food is pretty good, no buffet breakfast but the selection was good and there was a pastry station. free sun lounges on the beach where you could have a cold cocktail from the pool bar or chilled beer. the best part was when they tranformed the sunlounges into the restaurant and you could lounge back and feast on fresh lobster and seafood while the ocean was lapping at your feet... amazing.

Fantastic Dara Samui”

We spent 9 days at the Dara Samui, was due to return to Bangkok, but due to unrest we decided to stay on Koh Samui, the staff at the hotel arranged every thing for us, from changing our flights to allowing us to stay in the same room until we were due to fly home. The staff were polite, friendly and very helpful, nothing was too much trouble. The location was perfect, bars close, if you want to party, but far enough away to be quiet. The breakfast was the best we had during our stay in Thailand. The island is perfect to relax and unwind and the Dara Samui is the place to do it. We will return next year and won't bother looking for another hotel, this was perfect for us and would recommend to anyone.

Perfect choice of hotel and location!”

i thoroughly enjoyed my stay at this hotel. i was greeted at the airport with an ac van, cold towel and drink! my room was in a very quiet location as requested, ac working well, very generous size, and clean, modern and very well equipped. the staff were always helpful and with a smile. the food was always amazing. the location of the hotel is very convenient for shopping and restaurants as you can walk everywhere and right on the beach. the best of everything! i would highly recommend the dara samui beach resort & spa villa!

Lovely hotel but small pool”

it was a lovely moment for our stay in dara samui beach resort & spa villa. the room are clean & the room decoration (for honeymooner) was beautiful. we received warm welcome from the staff. the hotel location was great, as it was located at the center of chewang, which is a paradise for shoppers. but surprisingly, we can't hear any noise from the bars & pubs nearby.

Dara Samui - a truly fantastic experience”

We arrived at Dara Samui after a longtail boat, minibus, coach and ferry and taxi trip from Railay Beach. We were tired and dirty and desperate for a shower and good dinner. We were pleasantly surprised to find that our rooms were even better than the pictures on the internet had led us to believe. As it was late we decided to eat at the hotel rather than hunting for a dinner spot and we were blown away by the wonderful dining experience that we had at the Dara Serene on the beach literally two meters from the sea. The food, service and ambience were stunning and after looking around on later days we established that they were also great value. We ended up eating at the restaurant for most of our stay. The shopping markets are just outside the hotel and we had a lot of fun roaming through these and negotiating "bargains". We would definitely go back and stay at the same hotel.

Loved it!”

I stayed with three friends (in two rooms) at the Dara Samui for four nights near the end of March, and we thought it was perfect for what we were looking for. The lobby area is lovely, although open air so it can be a bit warm. We were greeted with cold towels which were remarkably refreshing. The rooms are very large and have some unique features, like the large soaker tub with window that can open into the room, and the wooden slide door lock for the washroom. The only complaint that we had about our room at all was that the Air Conditioning wasn't very strong. The service was great from housekeeping as well. The pool and beach area is lovely, and spent the majority of our day either sitting in the pool staring at the beach, or sitting in the ocean staring at the pool! The pool bar service was wonderful and the staff were incredible friendly. While you do have to check in and out your beach towels, it was a very easy process and much more relaxed than I have experienced in Mexico where their goal seems to be able to charge you for 'losing' towels. The staff in general were very friendly and eager to help at all times. Wifi was only so/so - doesn't work in the rooms at all, but worked fairly well in the lobby and at the pool bar. If you have a chance to have breakfast included (on Agoda, our room was only 3 dollars more a night for breakfast, so 1.50 a person) do it! The breakfast buffet includes only toast, fruit and juices but there is a full menu that you can order anything you want from - they had no issue with us each ordering two mains (they are relatively small dishes). Most of the complaints we read prior to going was that it was too loud near the hotel. Chaweng is a busy area, so both the street front and beach are quite populated - if you are looking for something quieter, the area (not necessarily this hotel) is not really for you. We were really impressed with the hotel, the food and the service and would return in a heartbeat.