MiniAK

Anyone stayed there recently.. The off season rates are till 31st July and we are planning to stay there during the last week of July..Hence, quiet attracted to take it up..Please please any feedback is welcome. This is our first trip to Koh Samui and we don’t want to go wrong…I need to book it in a day or two…How is the location.. How are the rooms/Pools…?

rhkkmk

haven't been to that one, but it is brand new and anything royal river resorts does is excellent...i would grab it and bophut is a good area we feel

MiniAK

The room rates does not include breakfast. Do you think its worth spending that extra USD20 per person (we are pure vegetarians) or would there be enough places around Bophut to grab a bite in the morning. The one thing I am worried about the Anantara is that the extra's (like food, other activites) would be very steep as compared to lets say staying at the Chaweng Regent..Do you think my worries are justified or the rates for extra's (rates excluding room rates) at Chaweng would be similar to Anantara.

johnbey

Mini:

The Anantara is (on the seaward side) at the western end of Bophut Beach Road. BB Rd is about 600m long and must have ...say, 30 restaurants and bars doing food along it's length. You won't starve, and just a short walk, turning right out of the hotel along the beach, will allow you to avoid the Anantara's extortionate food and beverage prices.

MiniAK

Thanks John.. We are as it is stretching ourselves by staying there.. Was just hoping we can save ourselves as you said from the “extortionate food and beverage prices”.

JamesA

You can also find that perhaps another 17% will be added for tax and service, a full breakfast runs ballpark USD 3-5 most places, if you have tea/coffee pot in your room, which you should 'have' at high price places then I would find out a nice bakery shop and then stock up from local stores and get fruit and have your 'own' breakfast on your balcony!! Much nicer and saves a fortune, also never forget to stock your refrigerator from local convenience stores, a can of cola is 13 Baht ( about USD 30 cents ) bottles water from 5-7 Baht etc, at a 'normal' hotel place you might get charged B 20-30, at a push even B 40, but these high price places can charge B 60 plus 17% and even higher.

JamesA

You can of course just go into any nearby smaller hotel for your breakfast but as strict Vegetarians you might fiond the choice lacking, I don't know what you normaly have for breakfast but either do your own thing.

JamesA

I will anticipate another question you might ask and that is laundry, again, you will find local places to do your laundry, I have often said this but a basic standard washing machine in Thailand can costs 2 months wages, hence there are launderies all over the place, if you don't spot on straight off just ask in any small nearby place.

johnbey

Good points James. There are small food and grocery shops in the village, just a few hundred metres from the Anantara. They'll take in laundry for B30/kg (b13/lb)and have it ready in 24hrs. They'll also sell you meusli, yogurt and fruit for breakfasts, but if you in Bophut anyway, there's plenty of tasty Thai dishes for veggies. Inevitably, a 7/11 is open for 24hr snacks etc in the street opposite the pier.

MiniAK

OK.. Great.. Seems like I am all set...James, I have confirmed that all our tariffs include the seventeen per cent tax. Besides, I plan to shop a lot at Bangkok so hopefully do not nned laundry since I am in Ko Samui only for four days...THanks Guys.. I think the trip is going to be worth its money...