Review of SALA Samui Choengmon Beach Resort - SHA Plus 5*

We can wholeheartedly recommend staying at SALA Samui after having spent 6 days at this resort in January. The grounds are beautiful and well kept, the staff is very friendly, and the food is excellent. We stayed at a suite with its own private pool and loved every second of it. It's something worth the extra money, if you can afford it. The AC in the room works great on hot and humid days, the pool will refresh you, the outdoor shower is wonderful, and there's plenty of room to sunbathe or sit in the shade. With your own TV, fridge, bathtub, and desk you won't miss much, really. We also really enjoyed the beach, the water remains calm and starts soft before going deeper. The massage places along the beach offer a wonderful 60min back massage for 350 Baht (about $12). There's plenty of food in and outside of the hotel and a close-by convenience store carries decently cheap and diverse goods. You can find good restaurants in and outside of the hotel as well, though the hotel will always be more pricey, of course (still reasonably priced, compared to food in the States). The breakfast is excellent and offers a variety of European, American, and Thai food. Don't miss out on freshly pressed juices at the bar for breakfast (all included). In January 2018 there was construction going on next to the hotel. Our room was as far away as possible which is why we barely noticed it, but if you are sensitive to this, check whether the construction is over by the time you arrive. It's nothing the hotel can really fix until it's over (different company, after all) — and since we barely noticed it, we still think SALA deserves a full 5 stars. Should you come here, go to fisherman's village in Bophut on a Friday night (10min by taxi, 300 Baht). It has a lovely market full of great food and fun things to buy. And in case you're in need of more ideas and recommendations, check if you can find a staff member called Amanda. She knows the island well and has many great tips (fluent in English). Thanks, Amanda, we appreciated your help! After spending time at the SALA it will be hard to go to "normal" hotels. It clearly is a high-end experience worth your time and money and we will for sure consider coming back here despite a 20h flight from the States.