The Hotel Review: The Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui, Thailand
Luxury Reviews Says 6/10
Did Marriott mistake a former coconut plantation for a renovation project and forget the necessary attention to detail?
This resort is certainly ambitious—a massive, new-build property featuring private villas spread across extensive grounds overlooking the Andaman Sea. But beneath the stunning Thai setting, you immediately feel the heart of a corporate American Marriott brand that prizes scale over substance. The sheer size and ambition are undeniable, but did they actually spend enough money on the final finish?
A soulless waiting area at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
The Hotel
The Ritz-Carlton name originates with the legendary Swiss hotelier, César Ritz, whose vision was built on intimate, impeccable service. Acquired by Marriott International in 1998, the brand transitioned into the global corporate powerhouse it is today. This Koh Samui new build resort opened in 2017 on a former coconut plantation and is owned by YTL Hotels. At times, it forgets the intimate origins of the name.
As with all ultra-luxury stays, it’s worth booking through a Virtuoso-affiliated travel advisor. I usePropeller Travel, (click here). Perks often include upgrades, resort credit, and breakfast for two.
The First Impression 5/10
The arrival begins at the security gate, where the resort missed the chance to prepare a personalized greeting with our name. However, the main entrance, known as The Arrival Pavilion, is impressive. Our bags were taken and we were seated immediately, overlooking the stunning sunset.
The Arrival Pavilion at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
We checked in while being served iced towels and a welcome coconut drink. The glassware, unfortunately, is IKEA, not exactly known for its luxury hotel connections and maybe an early indication of the things to come.
Welcome Drinks at Ritz Carlton Koh Samui
A resort like this requires golf buggies to get around, and lots of them. The journey to the villa winds through hilly gardens and grounds leading to picture-perfect villas overlooking the sea. Even inside, the initial signs are good: his and hers straw hats wait attractively on the bed.
His&Hers hats await guests at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
The illusion starts to unwind when you look a bit closer. As you wander your new home, you note the towels are very much off-white brown and have seen better days. Looking out at the sea, you realize the windows are dirty, as are the bathroom mirrors, where you also find some pre-worn flip-flops waiting for you, complete with the previous occupant’s sun lotion toe prints still glistening. At this point, the initial grandness fails to hide the serious issues with cleanliness and maintenance.
The Vibe & Who are You Likely to See There?
The resort has a high-end price tag and private setting, with the clientele during this stay a mix of European and Asian families and couples, with a noticeable presence of children. This is largely due to the resort’s extensive Ritz Kids programme, which encourages family travel. The atmosphere can be more bustling and family-oriented than quietly exclusive.
The Rooms 5/10
The initial design and planning were ambitious; the spaces, from suites to villas, are clearly oversized and generous. But the moment you look past the sheer size, it’s obvious the budget for the build did not match the size of the estate.
Villa Bedroom at Ritz Carlton Koh Samui
The finishes look low budget and were poorly installed and maintained. Taps and fittings are not secured properly, and the numerous paint repairs were so poorly executed they look like they could have been completed by the Ritz Kids as an activity project.
The low-cost construction extends to the windows: the property uses single-glazed windows. In this tropical climate, this is a disastrous cost-cutting measure, resulting in constant condensation, increased noise, and forcing the air conditioning to suffer.
Single-glazing at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
Worse still, the poor construction meant the large terrace door didn’t actually fit its housing. This is how we discovered we weren’t the only guests: we had to share the villa with lizards, cockroaches, and spiders that freely wander in and out around those poorly installed doors. To cap it all, these creatures attract snakes, who enjoy using your private pool and reclining on what you thought was your relaxing lounger overlooking the sea.
The Facilities 5/10
The resort facilities follow the same disappointing theme: everything you expect of a Ritz-Carlton is present, but the more you look, the more flaws you find.
The gym is housed in an impressive, Insta-worthy Thai-inspired building, but inside, you find the most basic of setups that doesn’t feel immaculate or worthy of this price category. Similarly, the tennis court has clearly seen better days despite the resort’s age, reinforcing the idea that the initial budget didn’t allow for long-term quality maintenance.
Gym at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
Elsewhere, the pools and beach are furnished with decent loungers but without any particular flair. The spa reception and many other venues look makeshift and uninviting. For a property of this level in Asia, the lack of quality in the spa reception meant we opted not to sample what should be a huge draw.
The Tennis Court at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
The Service 8/10
This is Thailand, so the warmth is genuine. The staff are without exception friendly and, crucially, they function as the property’s unofficial design and maintenance department. While we often encountered junior staff who seemed new or struggled with clear English, there is a clear level of management working busily to deliver the brand’s service standards. When the issues with the doors became intolerable, the team were immediately reactive, moving us to a better-sealed suite without fuss. For a company that prides itself on its “Ladies and Gentlemen,” the management team are the true luxury feature here, continually saving the guest experience from the resort’s own building budget. We collected five hand written apologies during this stay for various problems.
The Dining 7/10
A culinary tale of contrasts, the highlight is the Thai restaurant, Pak Thai. It boasts a great setting with individual dining pavilions, or Sala, which successfully deliver good atmosphere, food, and service.
The rest of the property’s dining options don’t quite reach the same level. Breakfast is served in a large, uninspiring room that feels like a school canteen, featuring a poor egg station and no outlook, despite the sea being “out there somewhere.” The open-air buffet is acceptable but falls short of luxury. Again, its furnishings are not thought through with tables and chairs that are mismatched in levels as well as uncomfortable.
Breakfast at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
We attended the weekly Saturday night event, Baan Talat (Thai street buffet). The ingredients are all in place for a special event, but it’s not quite delivered in a concrete block that could be at any of many Marriott brands worldwide. The same generic design failure applies to the lunchtime options, Sea Breeze and Sea Salt. While these restaurants serve great food overlooking the sea, they lack any design-led features to accentuate the stunning setting.
Ultimately, the food quality is good across the board, and room service proved to be a necessary dining highlight. Credit should be given for delivering good, hot, and fresh food efficiently across such a large property.
The Attention To Detail 4/10
This section alone could fill an entire review. The evidence is everywhere: we already noted the worn and off-white brown towels, the dirty mirrors and windows, and the presence of pre-worn flip-flops. This is not an old hotel, yet every minor patchwork maintenance repair stands out. And it shouldn’t.
Housekeeping had good intentions and continued the genuine Thai warmth, but needs training to the higher standards seen at most Ritz Carlton properties. Room service was cleared away and left outside of the villa. Over the following hours and days this may have contributed to the various insects and their predator, a large snake.
Poor housekeeping at Rita Carlton, Koh Samui
We had to move rooms due to sharing our villa with just too many creatures. Alarmingly, we then had to wait hours for the new room to be given a deep clean, We had already checked this prepared room, prompting the question: why did it need a further deep clean for 4 hours? Shouldn’t all rooms be prepared the same?
When you add up all these poorly finished details, the resort stops looking like a luxury finish. The result is a total identity crisis where you are left questioning if this resort truly thinks it is a Ritz-Carlton, or if it secretly believes it is a Marriott or JW Marriott.
The Good, Bad & Ugly
Worth it?No. This is a resort with the footprint of a palace and the operational budget of a mid-tier chain. It suffers from an identity crisis, failing to deliver the quality or polish required by the Ritz-Carlton name.
Stay Here for: The sprawling grounds and the Pak Thai cabanas, which briefly allow you to forget you are vacationing at a property that sometimes mistakes itself for _________________ (Insert ANY Marriott brand)
Don’t Stay Here For: A good night’s sleep, unless you enjoy the company of local wildlife, or prefer to eat breakfast in a room that looks exactly like your old school days.
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Luxury Reviews Says 6/10
Did Marriott mistake a former coconut plantation for a renovation project and forget the necessary attention to detail?
This resort is certainly ambitious—a massive, new-build property featuring private villas spread across extensive grounds overlooking the Andaman Sea. But beneath the stunning Thai setting, you immediately feel the heart of a corporate American Marriott brand that prizes scale over substance. The sheer size and ambition are undeniable, but did they actually spend enough money on the final finish?
A soulless waiting area at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
The Hotel
The Ritz-Carlton name originates with the legendary Swiss hotelier, César Ritz, whose vision was built on intimate, impeccable service. Acquired by Marriott International in 1998, the brand transitioned into the global corporate powerhouse it is today. This Koh Samui new build resort opened in 2017 on a former coconut plantation and is owned by YTL Hotels. At times, it forgets the intimate origins of the name.
As with all ultra-luxury stays, it’s worth booking through a Virtuoso-affiliated travel advisor. I usePropeller Travel, (click here). Perks often include upgrades, resort credit, and breakfast for two.
The First Impression 5/10
The arrival begins at the security gate, where the resort missed the chance to prepare a personalized greeting with our name. However, the main entrance, known as The Arrival Pavilion, is impressive. Our bags were taken and we were seated immediately, overlooking the stunning sunset.
The Arrival Pavilion at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
We checked in while being served iced towels and a welcome coconut drink. The glassware, unfortunately, is IKEA, not exactly known for its luxury hotel connections and maybe an early indication of the things to come.
Welcome Drinks at Ritz Carlton Koh Samui
A resort like this requires golf buggies to get around, and lots of them. The journey to the villa winds through hilly gardens and grounds leading to picture-perfect villas overlooking the sea. Even inside, the initial signs are good: his and hers straw hats wait attractively on the bed.
His&Hers hats await guests at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
The illusion starts to unwind when you look a bit closer. As you wander your new home, you note the towels are very much off-white brown and have seen better days. Looking out at the sea, you realize the windows are dirty, as are the bathroom mirrors, where you also find some pre-worn flip-flops waiting for you, complete with the previous occupant’s sun lotion toe prints still glistening. At this point, the initial grandness fails to hide the serious issues with cleanliness and maintenance.
The Vibe & Who are You Likely to See There?
The resort has a high-end price tag and private setting, with the clientele during this stay a mix of European and Asian families and couples, with a noticeable presence of children. This is largely due to the resort’s extensive Ritz Kids programme, which encourages family travel. The atmosphere can be more bustling and family-oriented than quietly exclusive.
The Rooms 5/10
The initial design and planning were ambitious; the spaces, from suites to villas, are clearly oversized and generous. But the moment you look past the sheer size, it’s obvious the budget for the build did not match the size of the estate.
Villa Bedroom at Ritz Carlton Koh Samui
The finishes look low budget and were poorly installed and maintained. Taps and fittings are not secured properly, and the numerous paint repairs were so poorly executed they look like they could have been completed by the Ritz Kids as an activity project.
The low-cost construction extends to the windows: the property uses single-glazed windows. In this tropical climate, this is a disastrous cost-cutting measure, resulting in constant condensation, increased noise, and forcing the air conditioning to suffer.
Single-glazing at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
Worse still, the poor construction meant the large terrace door didn’t actually fit its housing. This is how we discovered we weren’t the only guests: we had to share the villa with lizards, cockroaches, and spiders that freely wander in and out around those poorly installed doors. To cap it all, these creatures attract snakes, who enjoy using your private pool and reclining on what you thought was your relaxing lounger overlooking the sea.
The Facilities 5/10
The resort facilities follow the same disappointing theme: everything you expect of a Ritz-Carlton is present, but the more you look, the more flaws you find.
The gym is housed in an impressive, Insta-worthy Thai-inspired building, but inside, you find the most basic of setups that doesn’t feel immaculate or worthy of this price category. Similarly, the tennis court has clearly seen better days despite the resort’s age, reinforcing the idea that the initial budget didn’t allow for long-term quality maintenance.
Gym at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
Elsewhere, the pools and beach are furnished with decent loungers but without any particular flair. The spa reception and many other venues look makeshift and uninviting. For a property of this level in Asia, the lack of quality in the spa reception meant we opted not to sample what should be a huge draw.
The Tennis Court at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
The Service 8/10
This is Thailand, so the warmth is genuine. The staff are without exception friendly and, crucially, they function as the property’s unofficial design and maintenance department. While we often encountered junior staff who seemed new or struggled with clear English, there is a clear level of management working busily to deliver the brand’s service standards. When the issues with the doors became intolerable, the team were immediately reactive, moving us to a better-sealed suite without fuss. For a company that prides itself on its “Ladies and Gentlemen,” the management team are the true luxury feature here, continually saving the guest experience from the resort’s own building budget. We collected five hand written apologies during this stay for various problems.
The Dining 7/10
A culinary tale of contrasts, the highlight is the Thai restaurant, Pak Thai. It boasts a great setting with individual dining pavilions, or Sala, which successfully deliver good atmosphere, food, and service.
The rest of the property’s dining options don’t quite reach the same level. Breakfast is served in a large, uninspiring room that feels like a school canteen, featuring a poor egg station and no outlook, despite the sea being “out there somewhere.” The open-air buffet is acceptable but falls short of luxury. Again, its furnishings are not thought through with tables and chairs that are mismatched in levels as well as uncomfortable.
Breakfast at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
We attended the weekly Saturday night event, Baan Talat (Thai street buffet). The ingredients are all in place for a special event, but it’s not quite delivered in a concrete block that could be at any of many Marriott brands worldwide. The same generic design failure applies to the lunchtime options, Sea Breeze and Sea Salt. While these restaurants serve great food overlooking the sea, they lack any design-led features to accentuate the stunning setting.
Ultimately, the food quality is good across the board, and room service proved to be a necessary dining highlight. Credit should be given for delivering good, hot, and fresh food efficiently across such a large property.
The Attention To Detail 4/10
This section alone could fill an entire review. The evidence is everywhere: we already noted the worn and off-white brown towels, the dirty mirrors and windows, and the presence of pre-worn flip-flops. This is not an old hotel, yet every minor patchwork maintenance repair stands out. And it shouldn’t.
Housekeeping had good intentions and continued the genuine Thai warmth, but needs training to the higher standards seen at most Ritz Carlton properties. Room service was cleared away and left outside of the villa. Over the following hours and days this may have contributed to the various insects and their predator, a large snake.
Poor housekeeping at Rita Carlton, Koh Samui
We had to move rooms due to sharing our villa with just too many creatures. Alarmingly, we then had to wait hours for the new room to be given a deep clean, We had already checked this prepared room, prompting the question: why did it need a further deep clean for 4 hours? Shouldn’t all rooms be prepared the same?
When you add up all these poorly finished details, the resort stops looking like a luxury finish. The result is a total identity crisis where you are left questioning if this resort truly thinks it is a Ritz-Carlton, or if it secretly believes it is a Marriott or JW Marriott.
The Good, Bad & Ugly
Worth it?No. This is a resort with the footprint of a palace and the operational budget of a mid-tier chain. It suffers from an identity crisis, failing to deliver the quality or polish required by the Ritz-Carlton name.
Stay Here for: The sprawling grounds and the Pak Thai cabanas, which briefly allow you to forget you are vacationing at a property that sometimes mistakes itself for _________________ (Insert ANY Marriott brand)
Don’t Stay Here For: A good night’s sleep, unless you enjoy the company of local wildlife, or prefer to eat breakfast in a room that looks exactly like your old school days.
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Luxury Reviews Says 6/10
Did Marriott mistake a former coconut plantation for a renovation project and forget the necessary attention to detail?
This resort is certainly ambitious—a massive, new-build property featuring private villas spread across extensive grounds overlooking the Andaman Sea. But beneath the stunning Thai setting, you immediately feel the heart of a corporate American Marriott brand that prizes scale over substance. The sheer size and ambition are undeniable, but did they actually spend enough money on the final finish?
A soulless waiting area at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
The Hotel
The Ritz-Carlton name originates with the legendary Swiss hotelier, César Ritz, whose vision was built on intimate, impeccable service. Acquired by Marriott International in 1998, the brand transitioned into the global corporate powerhouse it is today. This Koh Samui new build resort opened in 2017 on a former coconut plantation and is owned by YTL Hotels. At times, it forgets the intimate origins of the name.
As with all ultra-luxury stays, it’s worth booking through a Virtuoso-affiliated travel advisor. I usePropeller Travel, (click here). Perks often include upgrades, resort credit, and breakfast for two.
The First Impression 5/10
The arrival begins at the security gate, where the resort missed the chance to prepare a personalized greeting with our name. However, the main entrance, known as The Arrival Pavilion, is impressive. Our bags were taken and we were seated immediately, overlooking the stunning sunset.
The Arrival Pavilion at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
We checked in while being served iced towels and a welcome coconut drink. The glassware, unfortunately, is IKEA, not exactly known for its luxury hotel connections and maybe an early indication of the things to come.
Welcome Drinks at Ritz Carlton Koh Samui
A resort like this requires golf buggies to get around, and lots of them. The journey to the villa winds through hilly gardens and grounds leading to picture-perfect villas overlooking the sea. Even inside, the initial signs are good: his and hers straw hats wait attractively on the bed.
His&Hers hats await guests at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
The illusion starts to unwind when you look a bit closer. As you wander your new home, you note the towels are very much off-white brown and have seen better days. Looking out at the sea, you realize the windows are dirty, as are the bathroom mirrors, where you also find some pre-worn flip-flops waiting for you, complete with the previous occupant’s sun lotion toe prints still glistening. At this point, the initial grandness fails to hide the serious issues with cleanliness and maintenance.
The Vibe & Who are You Likely to See There?
The resort has a high-end price tag and private setting, with the clientele during this stay a mix of European and Asian families and couples, with a noticeable presence of children. This is largely due to the resort’s extensive Ritz Kids programme, which encourages family travel. The atmosphere can be more bustling and family-oriented than quietly exclusive.
The Rooms 5/10
The initial design and planning were ambitious; the spaces, from suites to villas, are clearly oversized and generous. But the moment you look past the sheer size, it’s obvious the budget for the build did not match the size of the estate.
Villa Bedroom at Ritz Carlton Koh Samui
The finishes look low budget and were poorly installed and maintained. Taps and fittings are not secured properly, and the numerous paint repairs were so poorly executed they look like they could have been completed by the Ritz Kids as an activity project.
The low-cost construction extends to the windows: the property uses single-glazed windows. In this tropical climate, this is a disastrous cost-cutting measure, resulting in constant condensation, increased noise, and forcing the air conditioning to suffer.
Single-glazing at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
Worse still, the poor construction meant the large terrace door didn’t actually fit its housing. This is how we discovered we weren’t the only guests: we had to share the villa with lizards, cockroaches, and spiders that freely wander in and out around those poorly installed doors. To cap it all, these creatures attract snakes, who enjoy using your private pool and reclining on what you thought was your relaxing lounger overlooking the sea.
The Facilities 5/10
The resort facilities follow the same disappointing theme: everything you expect of a Ritz-Carlton is present, but the more you look, the more flaws you find.
The gym is housed in an impressive, Insta-worthy Thai-inspired building, but inside, you find the most basic of setups that doesn’t feel immaculate or worthy of this price category. Similarly, the tennis court has clearly seen better days despite the resort’s age, reinforcing the idea that the initial budget didn’t allow for long-term quality maintenance.
Gym at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
Elsewhere, the pools and beach are furnished with decent loungers but without any particular flair. The spa reception and many other venues look makeshift and uninviting. For a property of this level in Asia, the lack of quality in the spa reception meant we opted not to sample what should be a huge draw.
The Tennis Court at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
The Service 8/10
This is Thailand, so the warmth is genuine. The staff are without exception friendly and, crucially, they function as the property’s unofficial design and maintenance department. While we often encountered junior staff who seemed new or struggled with clear English, there is a clear level of management working busily to deliver the brand’s service standards. When the issues with the doors became intolerable, the team were immediately reactive, moving us to a better-sealed suite without fuss. For a company that prides itself on its “Ladies and Gentlemen,” the management team are the true luxury feature here, continually saving the guest experience from the resort’s own building budget. We collected five hand written apologies during this stay for various problems.
The Dining 7/10
A culinary tale of contrasts, the highlight is the Thai restaurant, Pak Thai. It boasts a great setting with individual dining pavilions, or Sala, which successfully deliver good atmosphere, food, and service.
The rest of the property’s dining options don’t quite reach the same level. Breakfast is served in a large, uninspiring room that feels like a school canteen, featuring a poor egg station and no outlook, despite the sea being “out there somewhere.” The open-air buffet is acceptable but falls short of luxury. Again, its furnishings are not thought through with tables and chairs that are mismatched in levels as well as uncomfortable.
Breakfast at Ritz Carlton, Koh Samui
We attended the weekly Saturday night event, Baan Talat (Thai street buffet). The ingredients are all in place for a special event, but it’s not quite delivered in a concrete block that could be at any of many Marriott brands worldwide. The same generic design failure applies to the lunchtime options, Sea Breeze and Sea Salt. While these restaurants serve great food overlooking the sea, they lack any design-led features to accentuate the stunning setting.
Ultimately, the food quality is good across the board, and room service proved to be a necessary dining highlight. Credit should be given for delivering good, hot, and fresh food efficiently across such a large property.
The Attention To Detail 4/10
This section alone could fill an entire review. The evidence is everywhere: we already noted the worn and off-white brown towels, the dirty mirrors and windows, and the presence of pre-worn flip-flops. This is not an old hotel, yet every minor patchwork maintenance repair stands out. And it shouldn’t.
Housekeeping had good intentions and continued the genuine Thai warmth, but needs training to the higher standards seen at most Ritz Carlton properties. Room service was cleared away and left outside of the villa. Over the following hours and days this may have contributed to the various insects and their predator, a large snake.
Poor housekeeping at Rita Carlton, Koh Samui
We had to move rooms due to sharing our villa with just too many creatures. Alarmingly, we then had to wait hours for the new room to be given a deep clean, We had already checked this prepared room, prompting the question: why did it need a further deep clean for 4 hours? Shouldn’t all rooms be prepared the same?
When you add up all these poorly finished details, the resort stops looking like a luxury finish. The result is a total identity crisis where you are left questioning if this resort truly thinks it is a Ritz-Carlton, or if it secretly believes it is a Marriott or JW Marriott.
The Good, Bad & Ugly
Worth it?No. This is a resort with the footprint of a palace and the operational budget of a mid-tier chain. It suffers from an identity crisis, failing to deliver the quality or polish required by the Ritz-Carlton name.
Stay Here for: The sprawling grounds and the Pak Thai cabanas, which briefly allow you to forget you are vacationing at a property that sometimes mistakes itself for _________________ (Insert ANY Marriott brand)
Don’t Stay Here For: A good night’s sleep, unless you enjoy the company of local wildlife, or prefer to eat breakfast in a room that looks exactly like your old school days.
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