3/1 Moo 1, Sairee Beach, Koh Tao, Thailand | (888) 708-2081
Happening beachfront restaurant and bar
Diving program one of the best in the country
Beautiful topography and diverse marine life
Quiet retreat on hill
Elegant and romantic hillside restaurant
Two on-site pools
Free Wi-Fi
Discounts offered with diving course sign up
Certain rooms show signs of wear and tear
Limited shower space in some bathrooms
Updated hillside wing is far from beach
Beach area can be crowded and noisy
Beachfront disappears during high tide
While it can be crowded and chaotic, Ban's
offers a vast selection of rooms located smack in the center of Haad Sairee's
tourist zone. The restaurant on the beach is always a scene, and the
resort's diving instruction programs are arguably the best in the country. Keep
in mind, though, that this longtime Koh Tao mainstay is almost like two different
properties, consisting of the more elegant upper zone -- with updated rooms, a pool, and quiet spaces
-- and the older wing by the beach, which is of more limited value.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
A big diving scene by the beach and a more elegant upper zone
Ban's is one of Koh Tao's most happening
spots. This is dive central, with the resort offering PADI and
learning-to-dive courses. The crowd here tends to be young and there's often plenty of
partying going on; the beachfront restaurant and bar is always crowded. The lobby area is decked out in earth tones, with dark wood walls and seating accented by orange cushions and lighting fixtures. The
updated upper level of the resort, far from the beach, is almost like another
hotel, with snazzy wood-paneled rooms with sea-view terraces and a romantic
circular restaurant overlooking the relaxing pool. The resort is big enough
that it can cater to everyone from families to couples to solo
travelers.
Location
Loud and crowded in the middle of Koh Tao's biggest beach and party area
Ban's is located in between Sairee and Mae
Haad beaches and is part of the epicenter of the Koh Tao party scene. A plethora
of bars and restaurants are available to guests nearby, and it's only a 10-minute walk or so to the heart of Sairee, which is known for its party scene. The resort’s hillside area is a
steep walk uphill from the beach, but it’s far quieter than other portions of
the property. Koh Tao is also renowned for its natural topography and
the diversity of its marine life. To reach the resort itself, many guests fly into Koh Samui, take a ferry to the pier at Mae Haad, and take a taxi from the pier (the walk to the resort from here is about 30 minutes). Cheaper options include taking a bus or train from Bangkok and a longer ferry ride.
Rooms
Vast selection of rooms from top to bottom, some modern, some showing wear
Ban's
offers a wide selection of guest rooms, with categories ranging from Pool View
units to the Pool Villa Complex. Updated hillside rooms and suites fuse traditional
Thai decor with modern minimalism and offer polished wood floors and small
balconies with sea views. Tech amenities include free Wi-Fi and satellite flat-screen TVs. At the other end of the spectrum, the standard rooms that comprise the
beachside wing are more like walk-in closets, cramped and worn, though diving
course students do get free stays in these spaces if they book a course with
the resort. Keep in mind certain bathrooms feature just toilets with freestanding showerheads. Note that not all rooms have air-conditioning.
Features
Elegant hillside restaurant, two swimming pools, and excellent diving center and facilities
The hillside
Darawan Restaurant has plenty of atmosphere and charm, offering views of the entire
property out to sea. In contrast, the beachfront restaurant and bar is more
of a party central hangout. The resort also has two swimming pools, although
the beach-wing pool is small and mostly used by diving-course groups. The
upper-area pool is larger and more ideal for chilling out. The Ban's
comprehensive Dive Center offers everything from introductory scuba-diving
lessons to advanced certification courses and PADI rescue-diving training. Dive sessions are typically small, allowing for more individualized attention, and the knowledgeable instructors here get rave reviews from guests. A bright on-site store also specializes in marine gear.Wi-Fi is free, but the signal is typically only reliable near reception (and is very weak or nonexistent in the hilltop units).
