New Star Beach Resort in Chaweng Noi

This hotel wasn’t quite what I expected for the price point. It’s located in a very quiet area, so you won’t find much to walk to outside the property. The resort itself is quite large - you’re taken to your room on a golf cart when you arrive, which gives you an idea of the layout. But after that initial ride, you’re expected to walk around on your own, and the property includes lots of hills and stairs which can be exhausting to navigate.

The gym is very basic. The restaurant is decent - I’d recommend sticking to Thai dishes, as the western food wasn’t great (my burger, in particular, was disappointing). That said, the Thai food I had was very good, and the restaurant staff were friendly.

The hotel does have some of the elements you’d expect from a four-star property - clean rooms, a large layout, and various amenities. But where it really fell short was the service. At times, it felt like the staff hadn’t been properly trained on how to deliver a genuine four-star hospitality experience.

At checkout, I had someone collect my bags and bring them to reception. My smaller backpack was left on the floor with my jumper touching the dirty ground - not something I’d expect from a hotel that markets itself as premium.

Then there was the issue with the complimentary branded water bottle. As I was preparing to leave, a staff member approached - I assumed to help me load bags into the taxi. Instead, she took the water bottle from my hand and told me I couldn’t take it with me. No real explanation was given - just a firm refusal.

And during breakfast, I asked a staff member if I could have an iced latte. He didn’t seem particularly happy with the request, walked off, and returned some time later to tell me it couldn’t be made because the hotel had run out of ice - and apparently had no way to get more. The way the interaction was handled didn’t reflect the attentiveness or professionalism you’d expect from a property at this level.

I would not return to this hotel. There are definitely better options in Koh Samui at this price point and category.

We arrived in the evening to a boiling hot room with the AC off. Staff barely spoke English, they had me talk to their manager. The toilet was leaking badly and instead of sending maintenance, they sent housekeeping who couldn’t help out. After insisting, we were moved to another room… which was somehow worse with cobwebs on windows, stained bedsheets and poor hygiene overall.

The whole property is neglected, no upkeep. The restaurant looked like a sad cafeteria with plastic tables, harsh lights and ceiling fans.

We had breakfast and checked out right after. Pictures online do not represent its current state. This place is nowhere near the standard it claims. Not worth your money or time.