Santhiya Koh Phangan Resort & Spa

Recent Reviews: 4452

• User:Passenger53789925949

  Trip type: Family

  The most beautiful resort!

  14 Jun 2026

  The most beautiful and relaxing resort. The staff were attentive, friendly and really did make our stay so magical. I couldn’t recommend it more highly!

• User:Kev H

  Trip type: Family

  Outstanding holiday destination

  13 Jun 2026

  We had a great time, excellent food and drink and such friendly staff, the surroundings are the stuff of dreams. Thank you all very much

• User:LoveTravel797855

  Trip type: Couples

  Peaceful & unwinding stay in the (semi) jungle

  09 Jun 2026

  Great hotel, amazing room & views out of this world. Having stayed in Koh Samui prior to this, it was a nice contrast and time to truly unwind - making much use of the resort taxi.

• User:Tennille W

  Trip type: Couples

  Beautiful and relaxed

  08 Jun 2026

  Second stay for us at the Santhyia we love the location, quiet, relaxed and the staff and resort are amazing. The rooms are clean, neat and well sized. Would well and truly recommend the Santhyia for couples, family’s or singles.

• User:Chintan S

  Trip type: Couples

  Misleading Service Promises Undermine a Beautiful Resort

  19 May 2026

  We recently stayed at Santhiya Koh Phangan Resort and had mixed feelings overall. There are genuinely many positives — the resort itself is visually stunning, the natural surroundings are beautiful, and the service staff were consistently warm, polite and hardworking. The rooms were also lovely and there is clearly a lot of effort put into the aesthetic of the resort.However, unfortunately there were several significant issues relating to management, communication and the gap between what is advertised and what is actually delivered.The biggest concern was the ferry access. The resort strongly markets its private pier and speedboat experience. At booking, we were specifically informed that alternative docking at Ban Tai Pier would only happen in poor weather conditions for safety reasons. During our stay, we were again told we would be informed 24 hours beforehand which pier would be used, reinforcing the impression that the resort pier was still actively operational.However, after returning home and escalating our concerns, the hotel eventually confirmed in writing that the speedboat service now operates from the public pier as standard, with guests transferred by shuttle van. This directly contradicts how the experience was presented both before and during our stay. Had this been communicated transparently from the outset, our expectations would have been very different.That said, I do want to acknowledge that the staff managing the ferry and shuttle transfers themselves were helpful and professional throughout, particularly in assisting with luggage handling and ensuring the transfers ran smoothly.Secondly, one of the main features that attracted us to the hotel — the large waterfall at the main pool — was switched off for the vast majority of our stay. It would occasionally come on briefly after complaints before being turned off again. We were never informed of any operating hours or limitations beforehand, and this definitely impacted the atmosphere and experience we expected from a five-star resort.The most disappointing aspect, however, was the excursions.Given the hotel’s location on a remote part of the island, reliable excursion support is critical to the overall guest experience. A major reason we were comfortable booking such a secluded resort was because of the extensive promotion of tours and activities both before arrival and throughout the stay via WhatsApp messages and signage around the resort.However, in reality, many of these tours were not operating unless minimum participant numbers were met — something that was never made clear prior to booking. In fact, when questioned further during our stay, staff effectively admitted that the hotel-run tours do not really take place in practice because they rarely meet the required numbers.The “alternative” offered was effectively for us to pay the equivalent cost of multiple guests for a private tour, which was not a reasonable substitute. The suggested “land tours” were also essentially private taxi arrangements at a high cost and did not reflect the premium experiences being advertised.The hotel later recommended a third-party provider for the Ang Thong Marine National Park tour, which we booked, only for it to then be cancelled the day before without explanation. Following this, the hotel was again unable to provide a workable alternative.As a result, we spent a significant portion of our holiday trying to organise excursions ourselves rather than enjoying the resort. For a remote five-star property charging premium prices, this level of support fell well below expectations.There were also smaller inconsistencies that contributed to the overall feeling that certain corners were being cut:- Water shoes advertised but appropriate sizes not available in practice- Frequent insistence on photographing guests when borrowing items, which felt uncomfortable and unnecessary- Difficulty speaking with senior management when concerns were raisedImportantly, I do want to reiterate that the frontline staff themselves were excellent throughout and did their best within the systems they were operating under. The issues were far more on the management, operational and communication side.Overall, this is a resort with huge potential and many genuinely fantastic qualities, but we left feeling that several services and features were marketed in a way that did not reflect the actual guest experience. I hope management takes this feedback seriously and improves transparency for future guests. Customer Service Center Santhiya Resorts and Spas, Other at Santhiya Koh Phangan Resort & Spa, responded to this review Dear Mr. Chintan,Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback regarding your recent stay at Santhiya Koh Phangan. We truly value your comments as they help us improve our services.We are pleased to hear that you appreciated the resort's natural beauty, architecture, and our team's hospitality, and we sincerely apologize for the aspects that did not meet your expectations.Regarding the speedboat transfer and pier arrangements, due to adverse weather conditions, all transfers were operated via Bantai Pier for safety, which was communicated to you in advance. We understand this may still have affected your expectations and travel plans.We regret that the main pool waterfall was not consistently available during your stay due to a technical fault in the pipe system, and we have strengthened our preventive maintenance procedures to improve service continuity.For the Ang Thong Marine Park tour, we apologize that arrangements could not be confirmed due to minimum departure requirements and limited availability from both internal and external operators during your stay.We also apologize for the inconvenience caused by ants in your room and limited availability of water shoes. We deeply regret that a meeting with senior management could not be arranged, as we understand how important this was to you, and we have since reviewed our internal coordination to ensure better guest access moving forward.Thank you again for your valuable feedback. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back and provide you with an even more memorable experience in the future.Warm regards,Customer Service Center Santhiya Koh Phangan Resort & Spa

  Read more