Paradise Beach Resort

Paradise Beach Resort is situated on a white-sand beach on the deep-blue Gulf of Thailand, looking out on Koh Phangan island. The beach is the star of the show here, as it's trimmed by palm trees and dotted with lounge chairs. It's also a popular place for guests to hang out, as there's a beachfront bar and restaurant with a section right on the sand, underneath palapa-style umbrellas. In addition to the beach, there are lush tropical gardens that feature palms, indigenous flowers, ponds, and fountains. The rooms and public spaces are situated in a series of two-story buildings and villas tucked into all of the greenery and designed with Thai style. Guests arrive to a refreshing welcome drink, served in a contemporary lobby with lots of dark wood throughout, open walls to let in the air, and shelves of pottery and books in numerous languages. Situated away from the Chaweng action, the resort has a quiet and relaxed feel. It draws mostly tourists -- couples and families -- who appreciate the beach, pools, and spacious and contemporary rooms and villas.

The beachfront Paradise Beach Resort is on the northern end of Koh Samui in the Mae Nam Beach area, within a short walk of several restaurants and bars. Fisherman's Village and Bophut Walking Street are a 10-minute drive from the hotel. The Mae Nam Pier is also a 10-minute drive, from where the Lomprayah high-speed (20-minute ride) ferry to Koh Phangan departs. The Mae Nam are isn't the place for travelers looking for wild nightlife, though, as bustling Chaweng is a 20-minute drive away, and is home to restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and cabaret shows. Chaweng also has Muay Thai boxing  at Petchbuncha Boxing Stadium as well as popular Aquapark water park. Wat Phra Yak Buddhist temple, home to Koh Samui's famous Big Buddha, is a 15-minute drive from the resort, as is Wat Khao Hua Jook Buddhist temple, situated at the top of a 90-meter hill with views of the east coast of Samui Island and the Gulf of Thailand. Guests coming from Samui International Airport will drive a little over 15 minutes to reach Paradise Beach Resort.

The rooms, suites, and villas at Paradise Beach Resort have a standard, modern Thai feel, with hardwood floors, solid wood furniture like bed frames with classic Thai lines, lotus-themed wall art, and a white, beige, rust, and brown color palette. Rooms get ample natural light and fresh air. All are quiet, clean, and in good condition. They are also spacious, ranging from 301 to 667 square feet (28 to 62 square meters). All 95 rooms come with twice-daily housekeeping, desks, air-conditioning, safes, minibars, free bottled water, electric kettles for tea and instant coffee, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs with English channels. Patios, balconies, or porches are nice-to-have standard features as well, and some have sea views while others are situated in the tropical garden or pool. Bathrooms come with rainfall showers, and all are clean, well lighted, and spacious, with decent counter space around the sink. All rooms are non-smoking.

The Paradise Beach Resort is set on a white-sand beach on the Gulf of Thailand -- it's not the widest stretch of sand we've seen, but it's clean and pretty and provides great views of the aquamarine water. Guests can take to the sea in single and double kayaks and small catamaran sailboats, which are free within set time frames and incur fees outside of these limits. The resort has a PADI dive center with scuba diving and snorkeling as well. There are two outdoor freeform pools, both large and suitable for a genuine swim. An outdoor hot tub is also available. The full-service spa offers a wide range of massages, scrubs, wraps, facials, waxes, pedicures, and manicures. Specialties include coconut, coffee, and tamarind honey body scrubs. 

The day starts with an ample breakfast buffet with cooked-to-order eggs, bacon, sausage, Thai stir fry vegetables and curry, cold cuts, salads, cereals, pastries, fresh and dried fruits, yogurt, coffee, tea, and juice. Unfortunately, it's not included in room rates. The beachfront restaurant also serves snacks and Thai cuisine for lunch and throughout the day, as well as international and Thai cuisine for dinner, with a la carte and buffet dining available. The beachfront bar provides popular cocktails and has happy hours. Room service is available. 

The resort's bicycles are free of charge for a jaunt around the area, and a free shuttle van runs to nearby Fisherman's Village (about 10 minutes) and central Chaweng (about 20 minutes). The shuttles run frequently, which isn't always the case with resorts in the area. There are also cooking classes, an outdoor ping-pong table, playground, gift shop, fine clothing boutique, tour desk, motorcycle and scooter rentals, airport transfers (for a fee), a lobby computer and printer, 24-hour front desk, and free parking. Wi-Fi is free throughout the resort.