Review: Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui

Why book?

Relax and recharge in the most luxurious resort on the island of Koh Samui (or simply say that you’ve stayed in the world-famous hotel featured in season three of the hit HBO drama, The White Lotus).

Set the scene

Dotted across a former coconut plantation on a hillside in the northwest corner of the island of Koh Samui, this Bill Bensley-designed resort is a screen-worthy escape that you’d be forgiven for checking into and never leaving. Land at the island’s airport, and you’ll be promptly whisked to the resort in around 20 minutes; then, the real relaxation begins. The open-air check-in area is petit and understated—something I suspect is intentional, allowing you to really appreciate the beauty of what’s to come—a stop-mid-sentence panoramic view of the resort and an azure Gulf of Thailand backdrop. It gives you a moment to take in the scene: lush foliage, sprawling villas, and a long infinity pool, with dozens of skinny palms stretching into the cyan sky, slowly swaying on the beach beyond.

The backstory

The Four Seasons brand needs little introduction: the preferred choice of celebrities and seriously high earners—hedge funders, models, and more—it epitomizes luxury and then some. The Koh Samui resort is no different, and while it’s been popular since its beginnings in 2007, it’s about to experience its real glory days as the main hotel featured in season three of Mike White’s wild and wildly successful drama, The White Lotus. It remains to be seen how much of the resort will be redesigned for filming, but as it is, it’s a spectacular showcase of Bensley’s best architectural work. Every single palm tree was carefully considered in the layout, and not a single one was cut down during the process—no mean feat given that 60 sprawling villas dot the hillside.

The rooms

Every stilted pool villa has been built with privacy in mind. Even entry-level pool villas come complete with a spacious outdoor deck, generous plunge pool, and loungers; inside, they are soothing, serene spaces where dark mahogany floors contrast with crisp white walls and linen, and turquoise statement lamps with oversized shades frame the bed, while rain showers and oversized oval bathtubs feature in the light-filled bathrooms. Bigger villas take on the same turquoise and teal interior styling, and the multi-room private residences—many of which can be booked for stays too—really kick things up a gear with huge infinity pools and “personal residence assistants.”

The food and drink

The open-air terrace restaurant Koh Thai Kitchen serves up sea views alongside what is unquestionably the best breakfast on the island. Hazelnut brioches, flaky pastries, blueberry financiers, and madeleines—crafted by the French pastry chef—are neatly stacked in a room adorned with hot pink and coral Bill Bensley artwork. Outside, fringed chandeliers sway in the early morning breeze. It’s equally popular in the evening—the restaurant was recently featured in the new Samui Michelin Guide, thanks to the authentic southern Thai cooking of “Chef Jeab”—every dish is exceptional, but the yum tua plu goong (prawns, locally grown wing beans, peanuts, and lime) is a favorite. Handily, you don’t need to be a hotel guest to dine here, but you do need to book ahead (the restaurant is rumored to be heavily featured in the upcoming White Lotus series, so it will become a destination as much for the cuisine as the brag-worthy setting).

Closer to the beach, Pla Pla is a breezy, more informal space for burgers, pizzas, and a handful of Thai favorites in the daytime or steaks and seafood in the evening. CoCo Rum, the pool bar, is where most guests congregate, either on the XL green and teal striped daybeds or on one of the high-back armchairs that line the bar behind. Nearby, the Rum Vault is a small room stashed with bottles and bottles of the spirit, arranged like a library according to the producing region.

The service

It is as slick as you’d expect—warm and friendly with a hint of formality for those who prefer things that way. Grab a chat with Jasjit Assi, “JJ” the general manager, who glides around in snappy linen shirts for chats with guests. He’s been in the Four Seasons family for years and seems to genuinely enjoy every conversation he has.

The spa

Located opposite the petit open-air yoga pavilion, the Secret Garden Spa—as the name suggests—does feel like a little secret, with its treatment rooms hidden amongst tropical greenery. Treatments blend ancient Thai healing traditions with more modern techniques, and at the start you’ll spend a quiet informative moment with your therapist, learning about the four elements—Din (Earth), Nam (Water), Lom (Wind), Fai (Fire)—and which treatment is best suited to help you restore body and mind balance based on your birth month. The respective tea—made with herbs plucked from the garden—is served before your treatment or longer ritual begins, either in an airy high-ceilinged room or outside, with a soak in the stone bathtub first.

Families

Plenty of children roam the resort in head-to-toe Ralph Lauren—these little guests are as important as the larger ones. For toddlers, babies, and younger children, a lot of fun is had in the Tree House: a small but considered space filled with toys and games (those aged between 4 and 12 won’t need a parent with them; nannies can be arranged for younger guests during the day and evenings). There are plenty of activities to keep them occupied, too, from cooking classes and Muay Thai kickboxing classes to snorkeling and spa sessions. There are several family villas, although depending on their age, a cot can be brought to your room.

Eco effort

It’s what you’d hope to see from a luxury hotel—the restaurants use locally sourced ingredients, and there's no single-use plastic. There are some more interesting initiatives, too. One of the biggest issues the island faces is coconut shell waste, which is often dumped in mounds and is slow to decompose. The Four Seasons has its own wood-chipping machine, which can convert 100% of its coconut waste—plus a large proportion of waste created on the island, which farmers can leave at a drop-off point—into huge volumes of compost that are used across the resort’s meticulously maintained gardens.

Accessibility

Stairs, walkways, and hillsides make up a lot of the resort, and accessibility adaptations don't widely exist at present. The team is looking at better solutions for this.

Anything else to add?

It’s been virtually impossible to find availability at other Four Seasons hotels after they’ve been used as a White Lotus set. If you’re keen to channel your inner Jennifer Coolidge, book far, far ahead.