SALA Samui Choengmon Beach Resort

The SALA Samui is a luxury resort targeting vacationing couples, though some families do opt to stay here. The open-air lobby has an exposed wooden roof, white marble floors, and a couple of stark-white sofas. The look and feel is minimalist, but in a welcoming, rather than stark, kind of way. Structures and guest villas throughout the beachfront property have whitewashed stucco walls and traditional sloping roofs.  Paths flanked with tropical greenery lead throughout the property and out to a small stretch of white-sand beach with shaded lounge chairs for guests.

Sala Samui is located right on Choeng Mon Beach, a short walk from local shops and restaurants, and a 15-minute drive from the nightlife at Chaweng Beach. It's with an easy eight- to 10-minute drive from the Big Buddha Temple, while the Santiburi Championship Golf Course takes 25 minutes to reach by car. The airport is a 10-minute drive away, as are the ferries at Bangrak Pier. Maenam Pier is a half-hour drive, and Nathon Pier takes around 45 minutes to reach by car.

The SALA Samui offers a variety of rooms and villas, all with contemporary, minimalist decor. Rooms are bright overall, with off-whitewalls, white bedding, and brown furniture, doors, and -- in some units -- wood beams on the ceiling. The base category, Deluxe Balcony Rooms, measure 47 square meters (505 feet) and feature a king-size bed or two wins, a sofa, and big balconies with daybeds and garden views. At 100 to 150 square meters (1,076 to 1,615 square feet), Garden Pool Villas add outdoor patios with small swimming pools, as do the Sala Pool Villas. For families and couples wanting a bit more space, the hotel also offers one- and two-bedroom Pool Villa Suites (duplex configurations are also available) as well as a plus Two-Bedroom Presidential Pool Villa Suite with a huge 30-square-meter (323-square-foot) outdoor swimming pool. 

All units have flat-screen TVs with satellite cable, DVD players, minibars, safes, and coffee- and tea-making facilities. Bathrooms are open air -- which can compromise privacy and are less than ideal during stormy weather -- with separate open-plan rainfall showers and large soaking tubs. Note that past guests have complained of noise from other units.

SALA Samui Resort And Spa has a good selection of activities for guests. The spa is a major draw for many guests, offering scrubs, facials, massages, and beauty treatments. The resort also offers all sorts of activities, including free yoga lessons held every morning, free kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, and weekly movies on the beach (weather permitting). The fitness center features cardio and strength-training equipment, but it's not open 24 hours a day. Though many guests have their own smaller in-villa pools, there's also a common pool for those who want to swim laps, with plenty of shaded poolside seating. Alternatively, guests can head straight to the white-sand beach, which has plenty of lounge chairs and umbrellas for guest use and generally good water for swimming. For a fee, guests can arrange private tours to area attractions or attend cooking classes (held twice daily on the property). The hotel can also arrange a number of off-site activities, including fishing, snorkeling, diving, and zip-lining. There aren't really any business facilities to speak of here beyond free hotel-wide Wi-Fi, but the property does offer destination wedding packages.

The main SALA Samui Restaurant serves a huge breakfast buffet (for a fee) with some a la carte specials along with Thai and global cuisine throughout the day. Snacks, cocktails, beer, and wine can also be ordered at the Beach Bar. For something a bit snazzier, Pangaea has seating for up to 16 and offers Italian food, but it's only open at dinnertime. Room service and romantic private dinners on the beach are also available.