Crystal Bay Beach Resort

We stayed here for almost a week and had a mostly pleasant experience. The hotel has charm, a fantastic location, and some really thoughtful touches, but also a few things you should be aware of before booking.

✅ Pros
• Quick check-in
• Luggage brought to the room
• No deposit required
• Friendly and helpful staff
• Rooms with aircon and toiletries
• Beachfront location
• Free sunbeds (limited)
• Excellent cocktails
• Motorbike rental nearby with free parking

❌ Cons
• Bedsheets weren’t changed
• Noisy early-morning cleaning
• Water outages (government infrastructure works)
• Limited bike availability on-site
• Occasional bad smell near stairway sunbed

🛏️ The Stay

Check-in was quick and smooth, and having our luggage carried to the room was a nice bonus in the heat. We appreciated not having to leave a deposit – instead, you just sign a list with replacement costs in case something gets damaged.

The room itself was basic but had everything we needed: air conditioning, and practical dispensers for shampoo and shower gel both at the sink and in the shower. Depending on your room type, staff will personally show you the way.

🏝️ The Location

The location is a real highlight: the hotel sits directly on a sandy beach that’s great for swimming and snorkeling. There are a few local restaurants nearby, and the hotel’s own restaurant offers a beautiful sea view – ideal for sunsets and slow mornings.

Sunbeds are available for free, although there aren’t many. Some lucky rooms even come with private loungers right by the sea.

If you need a scooter, the hotel rents some out, but they were all booked during our stay. We ended up going across the street – and we’re glad we did. The service there was excellent, prices were fair, and as a customer, you get free parking. Crystal Beach itself doesn’t offer parking, and non-customers at the rental place have to pay a daily fee.

⚠️ Things to Know

Housekeeping started around 8 AM every day. The staff uses walkie-talkies, and the sound really carries through the thin upstairs doors. If you’re a light sleeper, keep this in mind.

Unfortunately, our sheets weren’t changed during our 6-night stay – even though the info in the room said they’d be replaced every 3 days. We noticed a small green stain that never moved.

Twice, the water stopped working completely – no toilet, no shower, no sink. There is a small sign in the bathroom explaining that this may happen due to ongoing government infrastructure updates. Luckily, the outdoor restroom still worked.

Lastly, one of the sunbeds near the stairway had a sewage smell – probably from a drain pipe running nearby. It wasn’t a deal-breaker, but definitely noticeable.

✅ Conclusion

This hotel offers good value and an amazing beach location. With friendly staff, cold cocktails, and a relaxed vibe, it’s a great choice for beach lovers and snorkelers.

Just be aware of a few quirks, like water interruptions or cleaning noise in the mornings. If you go in with realistic expectations, you’ll enjoy your stay – we certainly did, and we’d come back!

I stayed here for a week and i really loved it. It is located in a bay with a pretty beach and pretty water. The people from the hotel were always there for you and always were very friendly. You could always start conversations with them. Someone who worked there was Htoo. He was very friendly and always helped me.

Beautiful small hotel with amazing views, not necessarily close to everything but more in a location where everything isn't too far away. We stayed in the grand Seaview room on the top floor and it was phenomenal. The staff was very friendly. Very great place to stay for a honeymoon!

Spacious room with a balcony that has a view of the sea. It's usually difficult for me to sleep in a foreign bed, but I slept solid every night. Breakfast included in our booking fee. We rented a car, and there was designated parking across the street. The staff were very friendly and polite. The beach was glorious!!
Kop Khuan ka, Crystal Bay Beach Resort!

Rooms are ok, but the location is the best. Easy access to the best beach in the area. Only real drawback is there is no parking or hotel drop off/ pull in. We were dropped across the street and had to run across busy street with two big bags. But again, the location is key. Loungers right above the beach, nice pool and decent food and drinks. Recommend the superior room over the basic. Great stay!

Value for money!! This is not a 5 star resort and definitely not the Banyan Tree, but it has an amazing view over Crystal Bay and very good pricing for a real seasight view balcony.
The staff is very friendly.

Just 1 item for improvement: the coffee!! But a neighboring bar has an excellent machine for addicts like me.

There honestly can't be a more perfect spot on Koh Samui. Just steps to gorgeous Crystal Bay which is just as beautiful as the photos. Clean, spacious & comfortable room. Outstanding Thai massages on site. Friendly, accommodating staff. Excellent breakfast on site. A big shout out to Min who made our trip unforgettable.

One of the best places to get a massage on the island. They actually have tables with holes in them for your face and you get to be perched up on the third level overlooking the entire Crystal Bay

Lovely resort tucked into the edge of Crystal Bay. Our room was larger than we expected. It also provided a private patio area over looking the beach. The on-site restaurant was amazing. Some of the best Thai food we had while on our trip. We had intentions of traveling around the area and trying different restaurants but we found ourselves eating here more times than not. The spa was well placed and provided the perfect spot to relax after a day on the beach. The area around the hotel is walkable if you head toward Lamai. The resort staff were all extremely helpful and friendly. We would happily stay here again on our next trip.