Chaba Cabana Beach Resort

The beachside Cabana Beach Club is the most happening place at the Chaba Cabana Resort. Located right above a long stretch of beach, the Cabana Beach Club features two bars (one in the pool, one above the beach) and a large circular swimming pool with plenty of loungers and separate niches to hang out in. Couples are a common sight along with families, and a mix of old and young. Some of the sun worshippers aren't staying here, but at the sister resort Chaba Samui, utilizing the free shuttle offered between the two, to enjoy this better beach location. While this is a popular spot by day, it gets pretty quiet once the sun goes down, as most folks head into Chaweng for dinner or partying, or else back to their rooms to enjoy their balconies. Indoors, the lobby is an eclectic mix of a colorful graphic fish mural and framed portraits of Thailand's royal family. Wooden chairs and a sofa are topped with matching cream-colored cushions and an elephant statue stands near the entrance. Tourist brochures and the shuttle schedule are prominently displayed. Four clocks on the wall are set to different international time zones. 

The Chaba Cabana Beach Resort sits on a quieter strip of beach to the north of the main party beach scene in Chaweng, Samui's largest beach town. The resort is off the main road, down a hill to the beach, so it's quiet and away from traffic. There are loads of restaurants and shops nearby, although nowhere near the number to be found in central Chaweng, and one does need to walk up the hill to access them. As the resort keeps its beach chairs above and not on the beach, there is more space and a lesser developed feeling here than in town, although the resort's Cabana Beach Club is a popular spot. Guests from the sister Cabana Samui make use of the free shuttle to come up here, and guests here use it to go to Chaweng for shopping or dining; the shuttle runs four times a day. The airport is only a 10- to 15-minute taxi ride away. All in all, the resort offers the best of both worlds as its close to all the amenities but far enough out of the central zone to have a bit more breathing room.

Rooms at the Chaba Cabana Beach Resort are primarily divided between a building wing with Deluxe rooms and a set of separate Villas that are far more like rooms than actual Villas. The Deluxe and Villa rooms differentiate mainly in that the Villa rooms have bathtubs in addition to showers, and for the difference in price, the Deluxe rooms are a better option. Both types of room come with redone wooden floors, desks, chairs, stocked minibars, electric kettles, hairdryers, safes, flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, and either patios or balconies overlooking the garden. White walls and green bed runners make up the simple decor. Unfortunately, none of the rooms have beach or sea views other than a few of the Grand Suites by the pool. There are also Junior Suites that have more space, but they're overpriced. 

The best feature of the Chaba Cabana Resort is its Cabana Beach Club, which sits right along a pleasant stretch of beach. The resort has chosen not to cram the sand with beach chairs and umbrellas, and instead set them just above it, leaving the beach far more pristine than most areas. The Beach Club is comprised of a huge circular swimming pool, surrounded by sun loungers and separate niches. Here, one will also find the Cabana Beach Club Bar, a wooden hut with a few tables and chairs on its deck which look right over the beach. The Cool Blue Pool Bar is fun swim-up option; guests can sit on bar stools right in the water to have a cocktail. The resort has one more pool, the small Coco Palm Pool by the reception area, but it gets skipped over in favor of the main pool.Other features at the resort include a tiny fitness center with just one treadmill and strength-training equipment, a shady spa with an outdoor waterfall hot tub, and a kids' playground. C Front Restaurant serves free breakfast buffet and a la carte meals, along with candlelit dinners next to the beach. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.