Is Chaweng Beach the ideal place to stay if we are only going to be in Koh Samui for 3 nights? We are early 30's, want a nice beach, and access to nice restaurants. Any 4 star hotel/resorts you can recommend? Thanks!

we personally only went there to the bank....the place seemed quite a touristy dump to us....a mess...some of the best hotel are built in the town and perhaps the best beach is there

the rest of the island is very nice and laid back..

personally we were glad to be staying at bophut beach...nice little town with bars and restaurants and none of the trash of CB area

Chaweng is very very busy, crowded, bars, shopping, it's 'ok' if you really want that busy, Bophut is much quieter qith some nice restaurants but easy enough to go into Chaweng in the evenings if you want.

I stayed in Chaweng at the Chaweng Regent Beach Resort and loved staying there. The resort is very peaceful and if you want some fun, action, restaurants and shopping you will only have to go out and it's all there! I personally found the other places very boring, just by visiting them.
I highly recommend you this resort. I am almost 50 and wouldn't stay in Bophut or in any other place in Koh Samui rather than Chaweng.

Forgot to add I booked it through sawadee.com and got great rates. Good luck!