HotelChatter

Check In
Energy saver key cards (only one key allowed per room). Don't lose it or the management will charge you.

Common Areas
Open-air dining room with continental breakfast (incredible fruit and fresh juices) just a sandal's throw from the beach. A stone path leads from the dining room/bar past fragrant frangipani to the lagoon pool. Other than that, the common areas consist of the beach and the ocean, where snorkelers kick by and German vacationers sip wine on the white sand.

Room Reaction
I had a "deluxe room" with ocean view; very basic, plain room with television, mini-fridge with a daily complimentary water bottle (essential!), sitting area and balcony with orchids overlooking pool and ocean beyond. Minimally furnished with plain sheets without bedspread and wood frame beds. By American standards, the room is not posh and shows some signs of aging; shower had some tiles missing, toilet knob must be held down for what seems like an eternity before flushing. Disposable paper slippers are a nice Thai touch, but that's as luxurious as the in-room perks get. Getting a room without a view would be a shame, but the majority of the 80 or so rooms have ocean or pool view.

Property
Aloha sits on the main road that circles the island. Money exchange, restaurants, soccer bars, shopping, even a Muay Thai boxing ring are all within a short walk. A reasonably priced tailor shop in the lobby offers Thai silks. Be sure to stroll down the beach at night and stop in at the dozens of oceanfront bars and restaurants lit with Christmas lights and lanterns. Anywhere else it would be kitschy; in Samui, it's downright romantic.

WiFi
No WiFi; pay per minute internet on a public computer strangely located in the dining room. There are other, cheaper places for internet close by. Try The Winston Churchill's restaurant down the street, which doubles as an internet café.

Service
Service is fine. Aloha isn't memorable for its good service, but on the other hand, it isn't memorable for bad service, either. Guests are mostly left to themselves, which in a way, is nice, given the beachy "go with the flow" feel of the whole island. Spa services and full-service restaurant are available onsite and beachfront, but it would be a shame not to try some of Samui's excellent dining options (try the fisherman's wharf area to the north or Cliff View Restaurant between Chaweng and Lamai) or spas (Ban Sabai is heavenly, but far).

Location
About 14 miles from the airport, the hotel will also arrange day trips to elephant treks, waterfalls, the snake farm, etc. by taxi. Aloha is in Lamai Beach, which is a bit more laid back than Chaweng, the island's main town and nightlife hub.

Cost
Just under $90 per night for a deluxe room -- two twin beds, ocean and pool view.

Bottom Line
If mellow beach bathing is what you're after, if doesn't get much better than Samui. Aloha offers a convenient, affordable base from which to explore the island. The setting is truly idyllic and as you lounge on a deck chair sipping a fruity cocktail, there's nowhere else you'd rather be.

Related Stories:
·Ko Samui Hotel Reviews